Jesus: The King who grieves

Luke 13:22-35 (New Living Translation)

22Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”

He replied, 24“Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. 25When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

28“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. 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.”

31At that time some Pharisees said to him, “Get away from here if you want to live! Herod Antipas wants to kill you!”

32Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose. 33Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way. For it wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem!

34“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 35And now, look, your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the lord!’”

 What matters to God ?

There will be many surprises in God's kingdom. Some who are despised now will be greatly honored then; some influential people here will be left outside the gate. Many "great" people on this earth ( in God's eyes ) are virtually ignored by the rest of the world. What matters to God is not a person's earthly popularity, status, wealth, heritage, or power but his or her commitment to Christ. How do your values match what the Bible tells you to value? Put God first, and you will join people from all over the world who will take their places at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.