Bible Reading: Matthew 8
Matthew 8:11-12 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus marveled when he heard what a Gentile Roman soldier had to say. The man was a Centurion who commanded troops. He understood authority. He gave orders and his men obeyed his orders. He came to Jesus and asked him to heal his servant who was at his home sick of the palsy. Jesus volunteered to go with him and heal the man, but the Centurion objected. He said he was not worthy of having Jesus come under his roof. However, he said that he knew Jesus had authority over disease the way he had authority over men. All Jesus had to do was to give the command and the disease would be gone. This made Jesus marvel and he said this kind of faith was something he had not seen in Israel.
Jesus took this occasion to point out that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be attended by many. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be there among many Gentiles who come to Jesus by faith. However, many of the ‘children of the kingdom’ or Israelites will be cast into outer darkness. This is a reference to hell because it is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Why will the ‘children of the kingdom’ be cast out? They do not believe in Jesus.
It does not matter what your background is, you need Jesus. Jews need Jesus just as Gentiles need Jesus. There is no way to the Father outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ. This is why Paul was so adamant about preaching the gospel.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Everyone needs to hear the gospel and believe on Jesus for eternal life. Will you sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
Revelation 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
You have received the invitation now will you abandon all faith in anything but Jesus Christ and trust him completely? If you will, you will have a reserved seat at the table!
In Christ,
Rody
