Not Many Mighty

“But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first and said, Son go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of the father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21: 28

Not many mighty, not many noble, but publicans and harlots yes, these will enter first into the kingdom of God. What kind of kingdom welcomes drunkards and harlots? Gluttons and sinners? The kingdom of God does. In fact Jesus tells us that He came not for the righteous but for the sick, not for the well, but for the one who needs a physician.

It’s interesting, everything in the kingdom of God appears to be opposite the kingdom of the world. For it is the wealthy, the intelligent, the talented, the extraordinary and the good who are first, who are praised, who are welcomed in this world. But as with everything on earth, heaven is the antithesis of this vile world. Jesus did not look for the mighty when he chose his disciples. He chose a bunch of red neck fishermen, uneducated and unrefined, especially in matters of ecclesiastical accomplishments. These men were honest, rough, “sons of thunder”, two of them, and certainly not the calibur of stock that would apply for such a position. In fact, if resumes were reviewed, their’s would be at the very bottom of the stack. Yet Jesus sought these very men out. They were just the ones he was looking for. Why?

In the kingdom of God it’s opposite world. Not many mighty need a Saviour. Not many “intelligent ” believe the gospel. What is it about a drunkard, a drug addict, a forgotten rejected broken person, a perhaps mentally ill person struggling with depression, or a homosexual warring against a flesh of confusion? Jesus tells us in the next verse. These people believed him, the pharisees did not. These people needed him. The pharisees did not. These people were wounded and needed a doctor, a comforter, a Saviour. But the mighty did not. The powerful, the rich, the capable don’t need Jesus and thus, don’t believe on Him. No, they believe on themselves. And why not? They are pretty good.

The apostle Paul said he glories in his weaknesses for when he is weak, then he is strong. Why would someone feel strong in weakness? Maybe it’s in weakness that we find the only path to Christ. Its opposite world. We don’t climb up to get Jesus, we get down to get Him. And there He meets us. There, on the floor. Here he takes us in his arms, loves us, forgives us, saves us, and makes us His own. Jesus loves the outcast, the broken hearted, the addict, the bound sinner. It is for these that He came. Ironically it is these who are closer to the kingdom door, because the only entrance to that door is by way of a little child. Little children know they need help, they know they can’t do it, all by themselves, and they reach up, and they receive from someone who “can”.

Its the only way to enter. There will be many sinners turned saints in heaven, saved by faith alone, and there will be many ” moralists” in hell who never needed a Saviour.