27 October 2021 –

22Then Jesus traveled throughout the towns and villages, teaching as He made His way toward Jerusalem. 23“Lord,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?”

Jesus answered, 24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. 25After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’

But he will reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’

26Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

27And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’

28There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are thrown out. 29People will come from east and west and north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30And indeed, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

Throughout time there have been those who saw themselves as superior in the eyes of God. It is human nature to gloat when we are treated with special favour. The religious leaders during the life of Jesus on earth were as self-righteous as many Christians today. St Paul defends himself against super Christians, the Gnostics believed that only they knew the real truth, today different denominations all claim superiority in some way or another. Human nature always demands that we are better, superior, greater, that’s how we create a following.

The truth is that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and that no one comes to Father except through him. We must believe that our spirituality, is the best way for us to worship God, that stands to reason, you must believe that your Church is the best Church, otherwise, why would you go there. But this is where we need to learn non-dualistic thinking.  It is an inclusive  “both-and “ way of thinking not an oppositional “either-or,”  “greater and lesser,” “better and worse,” way of thinking. As Christians, we need to unlearn competitiveness. We need to see life as a sharing and not as claiming our share. In other words, we must not live at the expense of another.

When I bask in the sunshine, I am not depriving another of the warmth of the sun, unless I make them stand in my shadow. When I bask in the limelight I am drawing attention to myself and away from another. Can you see the difference? My acceptance into the Kingdom of Heaven does not deprive another a spot. There is no limit on the number going to heaven. My righteousness should not make another feel inferior or less, my life should encourage and uplift and be supportive of others. If I need someone else to be trodden down so that I can get ahead, I have not understood Christianity. Me being my best should make others better too, I think I have made my point.

Jesus is speaking against the Jewish leaders who brought glory to themselves by the way they follow the Jewish laws. They looked the part and made everyone else feel inferior to them. And that is why they would have no place in the Kingdom. Because that is not a Kingdom value or attribute.

I repeat here, that in order to be humble – you have to be great you have to know that you are the beloved who is highly favoured. You must know that you are chosen by God and that your Name is in the book of Life. You must know that Jesus has purchased you and that you are His and that you are given gifts by the Holy Spirit. You must bask in the warmth of God’s love. But that should not lead to any feeling of superiority. It should not make you look down on anyone, in fact, compassion that is condescending is not compassion. Love does not boast it is not proud, it does not think of itself more highly than it should. But we should have the same attitude as Christ who though He was in very nature God, did not cling to equality with God but humbled himself and walked the streets of Galilee. He became obedient even to the point where he died, giving up His life, counting the lives of others as more important than his own.     

Be the best that you can be. Strive for greatness, so that you can serve God better so that you can serve humanity better. Don’t live to be better than others though. Life is not a competition. God’s love is infinite and there is enough for everyone to have more.

You, being right should not make the other person wrong. This is the narrow door, that we need to understand today. It is not an exclusionary door, but a door that people seldom walkthrough because it is much easier to think the way the world thinks.

Today may you bask in the glory of God and draw everyone else that you are in contact with today into the light of Christ so that they can experience His love too.

Lord make me an instrument of your love

Where there is hatred let me sow love where there is injury pardon.

Where there is discord peace.

give me the strength to lift up others more than I desire to be lifted up myself.

may I desire to show others love, more than I desire to be shown love.

show me the narrow door, and may I enter in and draw others to enter too.

in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit Amen.