Day 298, October 25 Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30; Matthew 19:16–20:16
Who should God let into Heaven? The Last Will Be First
A child picking grapes in a vineyard will do it slowly and probably eat more than he will put into his basket. It’s cute to watch. However, we probably wouldn’t pick him to harvest our grapes, if we owned the vineyard. There is one way a child will be first, however; Jesus said child-like faith in God is necessary for us to go to heaven (Matthew 18:2-4).
In today’s Bible reading, Jesus shares two real scenarios in which the last will be first, and the first will be last. The story of a rich young ruler and the parable of the workers in a vineyard.
The Wealthy Young Ruler
One day, a rich young ruler comes to Jesus asking, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18, NIV). Jesus’ answer to him is to keep the Ten Commandments.
The man responds, “All these I have kept since I was a boy” (18:21, NIV).
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:22-25, NIV).
Why is it hard for many wealthy people to enter the kingdom of God? Perhaps it is because they feel self-sufficient like the Laodicean church members of the first century A.D. In the Revelation of Jesus Christ (the last book of the Bible), Jesus says of them, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17, NIV).
Whether wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between, each of us must realize that we are all spiritually depraved. Apart from God, we have no chance to enter his kingdom (heaven). Humility, repentance, and the willingness to give up everything for Christ are necessary for salvation. We have to turn to God from our idols—anything that is more important than God (1Thessalonians 1:9).
The problem of the rich young ruler is that his riches are his god. He obeys all the other ten commandments except the first, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3, NIV).
Are our riches or desires to be wealthy, keeping us from the kingdom of heaven? Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24, NIV).
Jesus’ words to the rich man amaze his disciple. They ask him, “Who then can be saved?” (Mark 10:26, NIV). Implied in this question is the thinking that if a rich young ruler who has prestige, and prosperity can’t be saved, then who can?
Jesus’ replies, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27, NIV). Salvation is by God’s grace through faith. It isn’t obtained by our power, position, prestige, prosperity, or any philanthropic deeds we do. Salvation is a gift from God, and he grants it when we turn from all wrongdoings for his mercy, grace, and forgiveness (more...).
The Apostle Peter, a close disciple of the Lord, then asks him,
“We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones. They will judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:27-30, NIV).
A life with Jesus is worth more than anything we may have to give up or suffer. Whether rich or poor, influential, or insignificant, we have to give up everything we hold onto and seize Christ for his salvation. We can’t just add him to our life.
He who would be first in this life, who trusts in himself and his attainments, will be last in the next and suffer an eternity in hell. Those who are humble, repentant, and with child-like faith trust only in God’s salvation through Christ will be the first to enter heaven and be rewarded.
Parable of the Workers
In the second scenario, Jesus tells a parable of the kingdom of heaven (a parable is an earthly story illustrating a heavenly truth). In the story, a landowner hires laborers to work his vineyard for an agreed-upon price. When the end of the day comes, the landowner pays the last laborers the same as the first laborers he hired. This seems unfair to the first laborers since they worked all day in the scorching sun. However, they had agreed to work for a certain amount of money, so the landowner is not unfair because he is generous to the latecomers.
Jesus doesn’t explain this parable beyond the main point that God is gracious and Sovereign, and the last shall be first in the kingdom of heaven. We could speculate that there is symbolism in this story with the hired workers of the first, third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours, but we aren’t sure. The landowner represents God, and the vineyard represents heaven in this context.
The Pharisees (religious leaders) think God will admit them into heaven first because of their Jewish heritage through Abraham. Jesus’ disciples might also be prideful because he chose them to be in the group. However, those who think they should be first because of their heritage will not enter heaven because of their pride and unbelief. Those who think they are Christians because of their association with other Christians will not enter heaven. We all need a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ to be saved!
God is sovereign and gracious. He saves and rewards people, whether they enter God’s vineyard early or late. Some may think God doesn’t want them—they are not religious, rich or talented, and have no connections—they are evil, and it’s too late for them. But God is gracious. He only requires that we turn from our wrongdoings and have faith in his Son to be saved.
Now is the time to call out to God to be saved! The Apostle Paul says, I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation (2Corinthians 6:2a, NIV). Let’s not be foolish and put it off. Only through Jesus can we win heaven and its rewards.
Discussion
Why might a rich young ruler be last to enter heaven instead of first?
