“Make Sure You Are Known By Emmanuel!”

Once we are in a queue, we get slighted when somebody jumps the queue and is attended to. We expect the fair play of “first come, first serve!” Therefore what a bitter pill to swallow when Jesus says, “Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
There are those who by dint of being there before the others assume that they are the privileged ones. However, the inelastic nature of grace embraces others “from east and west and not and south” who “Will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
As has been said, “familiarity breeds contempt;” so it is wuth those who have been there before. They have self-confidence saying, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” To their shock and embarrassment the Lord will say, “I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me all you evil doers!”
Jesus must have said something in his earlier teaching which caused somebody to ask him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” Jesus started by saying, “make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many …will try to enter and will not be able to.”(Lk. 13:22-30).
The question one may ask, “Why would they not be able to?”
Those who claim ancestry with Abraham, Isaacs and Jacob are those who claim right of entry by bloodline! But then, they are disqualified on the grounds of being “evil doers!”
The way of evil is a broad highway that is flowery, glimmering and enticing and many fall in its trappings! Meanwhile the narrow door is the door of truth, purity, righteousness, justice, the love of good and the nausea for evil!
Dear friend, as we prepare to receive Emmanuel, we are reminded that we should reexamine our lives and see whether we are living in the spirit or in the flesh! Let us each call to mind our sins and seek God’s grace as we approach him in true repentance and faith!
Happy Sunday and a blessed day! Peace be with you!