Saturday, January 19, 2013

The Last Shall Be First - Matthew 20:15-16

Matthew 20:15-16 NASB
Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous? ’ So the last shall be first, and the first last.”

God has shown an amazing grace and unbelievable mercy to mankind. The theme of God calling for a different order from the normal thinking of man appears frequently in the pages of the Bible. In numerous families it is the younger who receives the blessing. Jesus revealed Himself to the low and last of society. The prodigal son came home to an ecstatic father, but resentful brother. The Gentiles will respond to the gospel before the Jews.

We are told and shown that this was God's plan from the beginning. There is little order and structure in the new order. We are the same with Christ as the head, part of His body, and all have claim to the wonderful inheritance of eternal life with God.

Romans 9:30-33
What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, just as it is written,
“ Behold, I lay in Zion A stone of stumbling and A rock of offense,
And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

Acts 13:45-47
But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming. Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘ I have placed You as A light for the Gentiles,
That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth. ’”

2 Thessalonians 2:13
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

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