The last will be first, and the first last
Luke 13:22-30
22 Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them, 24 ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then in reply he will say to you, “I do not know where you come from.” 26 Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” 27 But he will say, “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!” 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. 29 Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’
In the first week of Advent, we looked at passages from the Old Testament that pointed to the coming of the king, the Messiah. Last week, we explored John the Baptist and his preparation of the way for the coming king. Now in this third week of Advent, we are going to spend time reflecting on the kingdom that Jesus said was coming. For in Jesus Christ the king arrives twice – once as a baby in Bethlehem (and we remember back) – and then a second when King Jesus returns in power to take up his throne forever and ever (and we look forward to that arrival).
In the passage before us today Jesus was asked, “So how many people will be saved, how many people will become part of your kingdom?” Jesus says two important things in his response.
First, there is a difference between hanging out with Jesus (vs. 26, eating and drinking with him and listening to his teaching) and being part of Jesus’ reign (vs. 24, entering through the narrow door). Sort of like the difference between sports fans who cheer for the team when things are going well, and it is fun to be part of the hype, one the one hand; and those sports fans who are committed to their team even they win or if they lose, who are dedicated to support the team even things are hard. Jesus is interested in people who are prepared to stick with him in good times and in bad times.
Second, people from all over the world – “east and west, north and south” – are being invited to be Jesus’ followers and they are joining the party. But others who have had the invitation for a long time are not willing to be committed to Jesus – and in the end they will find themselves outside.
PRAYER:
Lord God, you are hosting a great banquet at the end of time. We pray that we would be among those who get to sit at that banquet table with you and your Son, Jesus Christ. By the Holy Spirit turn our feeble commitment into a firm dedication, remove our hesitancy to commit into an eager loyalty for your and your Son. In whose name we pray. Amen.