The Lord Jesus Christ told stories, called “parables.”  In one of a later of those in Matthew 22, Jesus uses the story of a certain king and the marriage of his son.  The “certain king” is God the Father and “his son” is God the Son, Jesus.  The point of the story revolves around those who get into the wedding ceremony as a guest.  Getting into the wedding ceremony is getting into the kingdom of heaven, which is the same thing as getting into heaven.  Why don’t people get into heaven (compared to getting into a wedding as a guest)?

I think anyone reading here understands the concept of not getting into something you want.  Something was sold out or a no vacancy.  Nothing could be worse than not getting into heaven.  It would be great to find out why you won’t get in.  Not everyone will get into heaven.  Jesus teaches this exclusivity.  The Bible explains who gets into heaven and who doesn’t.  In the parable of Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus tells a story that explains why people won’t get in.

Maybe you missed an event for some reason.  Maybe for some reason you didn’t get a hotel you wanted on a particular night.  Perhaps you tried out for a team and didn’t make it for some reason.  You interviewed for a job, even your dream job, and you didn’t get it for some reason.

Jesus gives a few reasons for someone not getting into heaven.  Jesus knows more than anyone about why people won’t get into heaven.  Of all the reasons, His last reason is more important than any of the others.  However, in the passage with the parable at least three verses explain one of the reasons people don’t get into heaven.  That reason is worldly pleasures.

Someone who wants the kingdom of heaven, who wants Jesus Christ, can’t also want worldly pleasures.  Verses 3-5 read:

3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are] killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise.

A parallel passage to Matthew 22:1-14 is Luke 14:1-24.  Concerning the reason of worldly pleasures, Jesus says there in verses 17-20:

17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

Jesus presents salvation as a choice for which someone cannot have it both ways.  Jesus earlier in Matthew (6:24) said, “No man can serve two masters.”  In the next chapter He says you either take the narrow road or the broad road.  When someone chooses the narrow road, having counted the cost, he is not choosing the broad or wide road that leads to destruction.  Some of those on the wide or easy road choose worldly pleasures over Jesus Christ.  This is akin to choosing self over Jesus.

Worldly things that keep someone from the kingdom of heaven are their own ways, their farm, and their merchandise (Matthew 22:1-14).  It’s also represented as a piece of property, five yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:1-24).  These are all things, worldly things, pleasures or lusts, that someone puts ahead of the Lord and His kingdom.  The passage is saying you’ve got to make a choice and choosing the narrow, instead of selfish pursuits, worldly ones, is part of that choice.  You can’t serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).

An eternally fatal flaw of new evangelicalism is that you can take both the world and Jesus Christ.  One does not need to give up one for the other.  No.  The Apostle John echoes what Jesus taught in this parable and others, when he wrote (1 John 2:15):  “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  In His high priestly prayer in John 17, Jesus says believers will not be “of the world.”  That’s what Matthew 22 is saying in addition to many other passages. Worldly pleasures can and will keep you out of heaven.