Scripture: Luke 13:22-24
Jesus traveled through cities and villages, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” Jesus said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow gate. Many, I tell you, will try to enter and won’t be able to…”
Thought for the Day: This is another distressing passage. We preach unconditional love and proclaim God’s immeasurable grace, and then we read about few being saved and a narrow gate. This fits more with the fear-based theology that I don’t believe is the heart of Jesus’ ministry. At the same time, we can’t ignore this passage. Jesus follows these verses with a story that sounds as if many will find themselves on the outside looking in, but then he wraps it all up with the words, “Those who are last will be first and those who are first will be last.” So even though Jesus sounds as if he’s ready to leave 90% of us outside of God’s kingdom, he then suggests that even those who arrogantly claimed “first” (much of the religious leadership of the day who frustrated Jesus) are told that they will be last. Of course, last does not mean left out. As a parent, I have said things to rattle my kid’s world view that needed some rattling. Though not always the wisest thing to do, I have made some over the top “threats” about being grounded until he’s thirty years old. He’s actions really got under my skin, but it didn’t change the love I felt for him. I wasn’t happy, but at the end of the day, there was nothing he could do to ultimately change my love. Jesus was always trying to rattle people’s world view, and to turn things upside down. He was making a point, but not quite ready to dismiss them from the realm of God’s love.
Prayer: Rattle me a little when I need some rattling. Rattle my heart and mind, O God, but do so with your love that provides me the space I need to really change. Amen.
