“A God who loves us, a world who hates us”

Article for October 11, 2026

Matthew 22:1–3 1Again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.

We are always a rebellious people whether we are of the Jewish persuasion, Christian, or any other belief in this world.  We even breed rebellion as we pass it down to our teens who take it up as their banner to show us the better way to revolt.  Each generation produces rebellious offspring who think they have all the answers, no experience but all the answers. 

Our politicians use our willingness to rebel to stir up the younger voters telling them they are going to be their savior and spearhead whatever rebellion that will get them their political office. Oh, what a world, what a world the wicked witch said as she melted away in a puddle of dirty water.  Indeed, what a world as we try to destroy ourselves in manners of tried and true. Didn’t matter if they failed before as long as they destroy us now.

We are invited by our creator to join in the celebration of a wedding between the groom, that is God, and the bride, that is the believers.  But not just believers, chosen believers.  God chose a group of people that they would witness His greatness and follow Him for all of their life.  But not so, says the “all unknowing” mankind, these who saw the great miracles and signs of our living God turned their backs on the one who gave them life and freedom from slavery.

Matthew 22:4–6 4Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ 5But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.

It’s a shame that we do not learn from the past and take heed of the dangers of this world.  Our world slyly offers the means to destroy itself and pawns it off as something better than that which our creator continues to offer.  God sent us prophets, messengers, and even His own Son.  But for the love of our own power and desires offered to us by the world we turn our back on the one who loves us.  The evil one laughs at us and cheers us on as he just sits and watches enjoying the fact he doesn’t have to lift a finger, we’re doing all the heavy lifting for him and think nothing of it.

Yes, God loves us and the evil one does not.  Even this world does not love us; they just hate God and everything that belongs to God.  Furthermore, the evil one and the world doesn’t care if you love them or hate them.  Just so long as you go against God so they can steal your life from God.

Some don’t like it when I pick on the world, they say the world is not that bad.  The world is that bad, it’s the earth that isn’t bad.  God created the earth; sin has made the world.  And when the world feels threatened by God it kills God’s prophets, messengers, and even God’s only Son.  And after the evil one and the world kill and think they won a victory over God, God comes with His vengeance, His recompence.

Matthew 22:7–10 7The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8Then he said to his servants, “The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.” 10And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So, the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Some say they do not want to follow a God who is jealous.  What better God to follow than one who is jealous of those who try to steal the ones He loves and loves dearly?  God finds the lost to show His love for all, yet many do not realize this.  Don’t be confused, we have a God who loves us, a world who hates us and an evil one who despises us because we belong to God.

God opened up the gates of His kingdom to invite all who would come.  You are the one whom God has invited and He honors all who honors Him.  We honor God by our worship that we do through prayer, conversation, and eagerness to know more about the one who created us to love and be loved by. 

Matthew 22:11–14 11“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14For many are called, but few are chosen.”

In hopes of God’s creation, He hopes for love in return.  But to those who think they can just take without truly showing their interest and love for God there might be disappointment and that grinding of teeth.  God is a gracious God and He gives us a lifetime to get to know Him and to learn to love Him.  For He has learned to love you and always forgive you.

If God does not love you, would He have let His only begotten Son suffer pain, humility, and even death for you?  If God does not love you, would He allow our Lord Jesus Christ to take the punishment and die for your sins?  If God does not love you, would He defeat death, sin, and the evil one to assure you can live an eternal life of joy?

If God does not love you, would He show us His resurrection which is His victory over death, sin and the evil one?  God does love you and His crucifixion and resurrection is the living proof that God loves us all to life. 

Amen.

Written by Pastor Curtis A. May