Who gets to go to heaven?
You might argue that this is one of the most important questions of the
Christian faith, and, of life, really.
This week a prominent politician publicly mentioned that he
hoped he can get into heaven, and that perhaps by brokering world peace, he
might qualify.
Whatever your politics, we must say that’s not very good
theology.
Jesus is asked a related question in today’s Gospel reading,
“Lord, will those who are saved be few?”
And in true Christ-like fashion, he doesn’t answer the question
directly, or as you might expect.
You might think Jesus would answer, “Oh, no, there will be
many in heaven!” And if he said that,
then perhaps the person asking might rest secure that he, himself, is good
enough. Because, after all, the bar
would seem pretty low. And if I compare
myself to most of these other so-and-sos, well, I must say my chances are
pretty good!
Or what if Jesus said, “Oh yes, only about one in 5 will
make it through the pearly gates” Then
no doubt some people would start comparing themselves to their 4 closest
friends, and calculating whether they find themselves in the top 20%.
But this betrays what’s behind the question. It’s really not a philosophical abstraction
about whether one in 5 or one in 10 will get to heaven. The real question, that matters to each of us,
is, “will I get there?”
The answer that Jesus does give, anyway, is an answer of
warning and hope, of correction and comfort, of law and of Gospel.
Much as he often does, he redirects his questioner with a
word of warning. Like when he was asked,
“What about those the people who died when the tower fell on them, or the
people Pontius Pilate killed? What about the man born blind, who sinned, his
parents, or him?” And Jesus tells them
to stop trying to figure out other people’s culpability. Unless YOU repent, you too will perish.
They want to know the day and hour of his return, but he
instead tells them to remain watchful.
They want him to settle an inheritance dispute, and he
instead tells them a parable about the danger of greed, and a rich fool who
dies that very night.
These words of warning from Jesus are stern and harsh, and
make no mistake they are serious. They
would rebuke us for taking our salvation for granted, or for thinking it rests
on ourselves.
Many will seek to enter but will not be able. Many think they are destined for paradise but
are sorely mistaken. Many will say, “oh,
me and the big guy, we’re good!” but Jesus is not impressed.
He doesn’t know them.
They think he does, they’ll say, “hey we ate and drank with you, you
taught in our streets!” But he will say,
“I don’t know you people or where you come from. Depart from me over there into the weeping
and gnashing of teeth”
So often our Lord Jesus warns people of the spiritual
dangers. If you think you are righteous,
I’ll call you evildoers! If you think I
come to bring peace, watch out, I come to bring a sword! If you rest on your own devices, your own
merits, your own works, your own goodness,
it won’t avail you. Even if you
can bring about world peace, or solve world hunger, or cure cancer.
Jesus says the door is narrow. That doesn’t mean it’s hard, but that there’s
only one way. And he is that way.
If you’re looking for Jesus to recognize your own
righteousness, then you will be sorely disappointed in the judgment. If you’re expecting him to regard your
supposed good works or credentials, your decision, your will, your merit or
strength. Then you will find yourself
cast out. But if you despair of yourself
and look to him, lean on him, trust in his righteousness, then you have found
the narrow door. Then you will find
yourself reclining at table with Abraham and the patriarchs and prophets, and
with all the company of heaven.
In other words, if you think yourself first, you will find
yourself last. And if you consider
yourself last, he will exalt you to first.
For he is the first who made himself last. He is the firstborn of all creation, the
first in righteousness, power and majesty and glory. The only begotten son of the Father, perfect
God and perfect man. The first and the
last, the alpha and the omega. And
yet. He made himself last, a servant of
all. He humbled himself unto death, even
death on a cross. He who had no sin, was
made to become sin for us all. The great
reversal. His blood for our life. His righteousness for our unrighteousness.
His death for our life.
In a way, Jesus does answer whether many or few will be
saved. He says, “many will come from
east and west, north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.”
Though the door is narrow, the net is wide. Though there is only one way to salvation,
faith in Christ, that Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached to the ends of the
earth.
It’s clear that salvation is not just for the Jews, or those
who can trace their lineage to Abraham.
In fact, ancestry doesn’t matter at all.
Christ has died for all, paid for all sins by his blood, and invites all
people to trust in him for salvation. And
the church that he builds by his word and Spirit, established with the teaching
of the Apostles, brings that salvation to all nations, east and west, north and
south – in the very specific locations, the narrow doors, of altar and pulpit
and font. There is no salvation outside
of the church because there is no salvation outside of Christ.
And many will come, and hear and believe, and be saved. Many will stand in that great cloud of
witnesses, in that multitude that no one can number robed in white, that
company of heaven. And if you are in
Christ, that includes you, dear Christian.
So, don’t be so concerned about the number of those saved,
but be most concerned that you, first of all, enter that narrow door. You don’t have to create world peace to enter
that heavenly kingdom. Just stay the
course on the narrow road, that singular way that is Jesus Christ. And trust that he will bring you home. And rejoice that he will bring so many
others, from far and wide, all of us together, bought by his blood, all last on
their own, all made first in him.
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