Scripture
29And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. 30And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then. Luke 13:29-30
Observation
This teaching came from the question, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”. Jesus answers by revealing what’s important in the Kingdom of God.
RELATIONAL:
The context of this question was that the religious leaders held themselves to be more important than the “common” people around them. This unnamed person in the crowd more than likely didn’t see how they could ever measure up or make it in to Heaven. Jesus made it clear that no one gets a “free pass” and relationship with Him is the passage in. That’s why He taught that many would show up expecting bells and whistles only to find a closed door and the harsh reply, “I don’t know you or where you come from.” The Pharisees knew the law but they didn’t know God. They “worked hard” for God but didn’t have a relationship with God.
INTERNATIONAL:
Jesus then gives us a preview of Acts and the birth of The Church as He prophesies that His message of salvation and the Kingdom of God won’t be limited to the people of Israel, but will go all over the world. Entrance into the kingdom wouldn’t be exclusive to a skin color, local, or culture but would be available to who believe. There was a national pride in Israel that caused them to look down on the nations around them as less important. Jesus shares His heart for the nations.
POSITIONAL:
The Jews were God’s chosen people, but many chose their own way. The Pharisees were the spiritual leaders of God’s people, but many chose to serve themselves instead of the Lord and those around them. The upside kingdom would take those who considered themselves the most important and make them the least because they didn’t see what was important to Jesus. There would be no celebrity status in the Kingdom of God. The greatest among them was the servant of all and Jesus expects us all to follow in His steps. Not even His own cousin John the Baptist was in a higher position: “I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!” (Lk. 7:28)
Application
Mother Teresa who served the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India had a greater clarity on what’s important to Jesus than almost any other leader in History. On this day when so many are getting caught up in protests, riots, arguments, and anti this and that her response to a reporter years ago rings so relevant to today: “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there”. What was important to God was important to her. With so much negative around me I needed this positive perspective.
RELATIONAL: “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.”
INTERNATIONAL: “The openness of our hearts and minds can be measured by how wide we draw the circle of what we call family.”
POSITIONAL: “Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.”
Prayer
Lord, I don’t want to get caught up in the meaningless and pointless arguments around me. Help me to keep what’s important to You important to me. Let me focus on our relationship and not on religion. Give me Your heart for those who are different from me in the world around me. Let me continue to choose servanthood over celebrity.
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