{"id":994,"date":"2022-08-22T08:31:01","date_gmt":"2022-08-22T15:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/?p=994"},"modified":"2022-08-22T08:31:01","modified_gmt":"2022-08-22T15:31:01","slug":"the-first-will-be-last-the-last-will-be-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/?p=994","title":{"rendered":"The First Will Be Last; the Last Will Be First"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(Luke 13:22-30)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do Jesus\u2019 words this morning stand out so much when he claims, \u201cIndeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last\u201d (v.30)<\/em><\/strong>? His words grab our attention because we live in a world that doesn\u2019t operate that way at all. The class valedictorian is not the student with the lowest GPA. It isn\u2019t last-place competitors in Olympic trials who go on to represent their countries in going up against the best in the world. The sales rep generating the weakest sales numbers for the company isn\u2019t on the shortlist for a bonus or promotion. Our world doesn\u2019t work that way, and that\u2019s what makes Jesus\u2019 words stand out this morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And those aren\u2019t his only words that make for this morning\u2019s Hard Truth! He also warned, \u201cMake every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to\u201d (v.24)<\/em><\/strong>. This, too, doesn\u2019t jive with what most of us would like to prefer to believe is true. We want to believe that if there is a heaven, which is what Jesus is referring to here, everyone should be able to get in, regardless of any sort of differences they might have. We don\u2019t want to see anyone left out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, almost<\/em> everyone. There are of course some<\/em> types of people we wouldn’t expect to be in heaven. The bad ones. The ones who have done the really cringe-worthy things that are really disgusting or twisted or sick – not those people, of course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should we stop right here and list who would be included in our category of disgusting, twisted, or sick people? Because I\u2019m sure we\u2019d all agree on our lists, right (he wrote, sarcastically…)? That would make it easier for us to determine who\u2019s in and who\u2019s out as far as entering through that narrow door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did we just expose why what Jesus says is such a hard truth? We tend to hold to two ideals that also happen to stand at odds with each other. The first is that things should be equal and inclusive. This may be why some struggle with organized religion, perceiving that it thrives on judgment and exclusivity. That doesn\u2019t sit well in our everyone-is-equal world.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the second sentiment is at odds with it: that of course certain types of people shouldn\u2019t be allowed into heaven. Certain types of people should naturally be excluded. So how do we maintain inclusivity, while also agreeing that certain types should be excluded, while still also acknowledging that we don\u2019t all agree on exactly which types of people should be excluded?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s where the Christian faith is set apart from every other religion: it is the most inclusive religion there is. \u201cWait just a minute,\u201d you\u2019re thinking. \u201cYou literally just read the words of Jesus clearly saying that many who try to get into heaven will not make it through the narrow door. How is that the most inclusive religion there is???\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many places in the Bible that explain it, but one of the more simple and straightforward is Romans 3:23-24: \u201call have sinned\u00a0and fall short of the glory of God,\u00a0and all are justified\u00a0freely by his grace\u00a0through the redemption\u00a0that came by Christ Jesus.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>All people are in the same boat, as \u201call have sinned.\u201d That is God\u2019s way of saying everyone has missed the mark; we\u2019ve all failed to live up to his expectation of a life of only bullseyes in what we think, do, and say. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But all people are also in another boat together, as \u201call are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.\u201d That\u2019s a wordy way of saying that even though we\u2019ve all missed the mark of perfection in our lives, God has nonetheless declared us, \u201cnot guilty\u201d because of what Jesus did for us. All people. Everyone. That friends, is the very definition of \u201cinclusive!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While God has declared everyone \u201cnot guilty,\u201d what God won\u2019t<\/em> do is force anyone to believe it. But what he also<\/em> won\u2019t do is accept any other alternative arrangements folks would like to make to get into heaven. That isn\u2019t because God is some intolerant, narcissistic deity, though; rather, it\u2019s because no other deal or payment will suffice. That\u2019s what Jesus was warning the person who asked him, \u201cLord, are only a few people coming to be saved?\u201d (v.23)<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why in his response would Jesus tell warn the man to make every effort? If God has declared all people not guilty, then it should be easy peasy, right? Yes, except that Jesus seemed to warn that some people would be in for a bit of an unexpected, embarrassing shock: the Jesus they thought they knew didn\u2019t seem to recognize them.\u00a0\u201cOnce the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, \u2018Sir, open the door for us.\u2019 But he will answer, \u2018I don\u2019t know you or where you come from.\u2019 \u00a0Then you will say, \u2018We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.\u2019 \u00a0But he will reply, \u2018I don\u2019t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!\u2019\u201d (vv.25-27)<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you had a similar experience? A social function or class reunion brings people together who haven\u2019t seen each other in years or even decades. Seeing a certain familiar face instantly puts a smile on yours. You eagerly approach the individual and begin to recount a memorable shared experience that you had\u2026 only to suddenly realize by the puzzled look on the other person\u2019s face that They. Don\u2019t. Recognize. You. At. All. After your initial shock, you immediately begin to remind them of more of the details of the story and your past experiences together, as if those will surely jar their memory and help them recall who you are. But it doesn\u2019t matter – the other person has zero recollection of you or the experience. That’s the kind of experience Jesus was describing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question is, who are the people who would fall into the category Jesus is describing? Two categories come to mind: 1) those who wish to redefine God\u2019s expectations, and 2) those who wish to redefine God.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first group is dangerous because it twists God’s Word into a playbook or manual to follow as the method of getting right with him. This is the category of religious folks who have been deceived into thinking it\u2019s their self-righteousness that gets them in. They are the modern-day Pharisees who mistake their acts of religion as the badge of honor that will get them through the narrow door. They are diligently at church every Sunday, not as troubled sinners who desire to be reassured of peace and forgiveness through Jesus, but rather to get the perfect attendance sticker. They give offerings, not from a cheerful heart that is head-over-heels in love with their Savior, but because that \u201cGive 10%\u201d box needs to be checked off to get right with God. They read the Bible, not so that the Holy Spirit can breathe new life into them and produce faith-born fruit, but because that\u2019s what religious people are supposed to do, and by golly, they\u2019re going to make sure all their bases are covered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when they meet Jesus on that last day, they will be eager to submit their fine resum\u00e9 of self-righteousness, only to hear Jesus say, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, who are you again?\u201d These are the people Jesus chastised in Matthew 23:13: \u201cWoe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the\u00a0door\u00a0of the kingdom of heaven\u00a0in people\u2019s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.\u201d <\/em><\/strong>No one who thinks the key code into heaven is the right combination of good works will ever get in.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the second category is equally dangerous – not because it misunderstands that man is incapable of earning anything before God; rather, because it misrepresents who the true God is in the first place. One of the dead giveaways of those who fall into this category is some expression along the lines of, \u201cThe god I believe in would never do this or that.\u201d That may sound nice, but with all due respect, where did that version of god come from, and how do we reconcile that version of god with the person down the street who has a slightly different take on how his <\/em>god would respond in a certain situation? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While we passively stand by in our \u201cdon\u2019t-step-on-anyone\u2019s-toes\u201d culture and totally respect that other person\u2019s view of god, has anyone bothered to ask God what he <\/em>thinks of all of these different avatars that are supposedly representing him? By all means, please let him know how he is supposed to respond to that situation today, and this one tomorrow, and so on and so forth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isn\u2019t it a little bit ironic that Christianity is sometimes labeled as unreasonable or irrational, while in the meantime, it\u2019s not unreasonable or irrational that ten different people have ten different versions of god and we can all be fine with that? Let\u2019s either acknowledge how silly that is or at least have the decency to come right out and admit that we don\u2019t believe in god. That way at least there won\u2019t be any surprise when the God who does<\/em> exist doesn\u2019t recognize those who refused to recognize him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether we\u2019re wrong about God in the first category or wrong about God in the second doesn\u2019t matter – we don\u2019t want to be in either category! Instead, we want to be in the third category of those who are absolutely 100% sure we\u2019ll enter through that narrow door! How do we do that? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can\u2019t. Only Jesus can. Only Jesus did<\/em>. So how did anyone enter the narrow door to \u201ctake their places at the feast in the kingdom of God\u201d (v.29)<\/em><\/strong>, as Jesus stated?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus spelled it out: \u201cI am the\u00a0gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture\u201d (John 10:9)<\/em><\/strong>. Entrance into heaven goes through Jesus. Those who set aside any hope of entrance based on their efforts, those who set aside any expectation of entrance based on their own arrogance or wishful thinking about who God is and how he ought to operate, and instead see Jesus as the promised Savior who through his death and resurrection forgives sin and offers a clean conscience have what it takes to enter into heaven. And oftentimes, as Jesus pointed out this morning, those are the last people we\u2019d expect.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So sure are we of this narrow door into heaven – Jesus – that our congregation has established and supported an elementary school<\/a> to teach the next generation this good news. In addition to meeting all of the academic standards to prepare them for the next level of education, building character and confidence, and giving them the social skills to succeed in today\u2019s world, we point them to the gate, the door, the Savior who lovingly promises that all who believe in him have nothing to fear for this life or the life to come. Our teachers not only love and care for their students enough to equip them with what they need to thrive, but also for them to be alive with Jesus by their side during this life, and to be by his side for eternal life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Luke 13:22-30) Why do Jesus\u2019 words this morning stand out so much when he claims, \u201cIndeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last\u201d (v.30)? His words grab our attention because we live in a world that doesn\u2019t operate that way at all. The class valedictorian is… Continue reading The First Will Be Last; the Last Will Be First<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[248,65],"tags":[53,251,5,109,36,108],"class_list":["post-994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hard-truth-series","category-sermons","tag-grace","tag-hardtruth","tag-jesus","tag-preaching","tag-sermon","tag-teaching"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p842FN-g2","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=994"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/994\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":995,"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/994\/revisions\/995"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1thingmatters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}