Our paragraph topic is: (Christ heals his servant) Part 2.
Christ gives us a future prediction: "And I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west, and will feast with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the children of the kingdom will be put forth into the darkness outside; there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." Christ here tells us of the upcoming event and who will be present. He says that many will come from the east. He says that many will come from the west. But the children of the kingdom will be put outside and not allowed into the banquet. Who are the children of the kingdom?
This is an interesting segment of the paragraph. Christ talks about the centurion and his faith and then these two verses are thrown in the middle of the discussion. Who are the children of the kingdom? Who are those from the east and the west? If we consider that Jesus is in Judea then the east would be those from Syria, Russia, China, etc. And those from the west would be Italy, Germany, France, England, and the Americas, etc. From these areas then, are to come those souls who meet the criteria to enter into the kingdom and into the banquet. But who are they who are the children of the kingdom?
Are they the Jews of Israel that he spoke, of not being able to find such faith in Israel? Those who come from the east and those who come from the west will take precedence over those who are children of the kingdom. They will come in and the children will be put out. They will feast and the children will not. They will eat with the saints, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, and the children will not. They will be welcomed and the children will not. Who are the children of the kingdom?
Christ tells us, here, in the middle of this topic that there is a distinction that will be made. Christ implies that the distinction is faith. Those who come into the kingdom have a different kind of faith than those who are the inheritors of the kingdom. The children of the kingdom are heirs to the kingdom. They have a right to be there according to some rule. They are predestined to obtain heaven, according to their background. They have met the criteria already through their relationship with the foundation that was laid by those who came before them. Yet those who are children of the kingdom are to be put out into the darkness.
Those who are not the children, will take the place of the heirs of the kingdom. They will eat with the saints. They will enjoy the benefits of heaven. They will reap the rewards because of their great faith. The children of the kingdom accepted their faith as a given. They who are not children must show their faith. They must demonstrate their faith as did the centurion and the leper. The leper took his belief and acted upon it. He took courage through his belief and dared to brake the laws of the day to come before Christ. He knew that Christ had the power to change his life and he took action. He knew that in order to get to see Christ he had to come among clean people without declaring his uncleanness. This was against the law and he could have been stoned for doing it. Yet his belief in the healing power of Christ led him to push forward to seek healing for himself.
The centurion too had faith. He broke the norms of his class to seek help for his servant. Who in that time would care about the well being of a servant? The master used the servant in any way he pleased. A servant was dispensable. Yet the centurion cared. Yet the centurion took measures to save his servant. Yet the centurion sought help for his servant. Yet the centurion broke rank and went to the christian God to save one so dear to him. This action required tremendous belief and courage. For one does not take action unless one believes that the outcome is possible. The centurion was a man of authority and he knew that Christ was a spiritual man of authority that could heal his servant.
Today we belong to churches and synagogues and religious beliefs. Are we children of the kingdom, believing in our rights to the banquet? Or are we lepers and centurions that have to take action to prove our great faith in a healing God? Do we want to eat at the banquet with the saints or do we want to be put out into the darkness? Being religious is no guarantee to the kingdom. We must work to show our faith through our actions. Take courage. Take action. Show your faith.
Christ gives us a future prediction: "And I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west, and will feast with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the children of the kingdom will be put forth into the darkness outside; there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." Christ here tells us of the upcoming event and who will be present. He says that many will come from the east. He says that many will come from the west. But the children of the kingdom will be put outside and not allowed into the banquet. Who are the children of the kingdom?
This is an interesting segment of the paragraph. Christ talks about the centurion and his faith and then these two verses are thrown in the middle of the discussion. Who are the children of the kingdom? Who are those from the east and the west? If we consider that Jesus is in Judea then the east would be those from Syria, Russia, China, etc. And those from the west would be Italy, Germany, France, England, and the Americas, etc. From these areas then, are to come those souls who meet the criteria to enter into the kingdom and into the banquet. But who are they who are the children of the kingdom?
Are they the Jews of Israel that he spoke, of not being able to find such faith in Israel? Those who come from the east and those who come from the west will take precedence over those who are children of the kingdom. They will come in and the children will be put out. They will feast and the children will not. They will eat with the saints, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, and the children will not. They will be welcomed and the children will not. Who are the children of the kingdom?
Christ tells us, here, in the middle of this topic that there is a distinction that will be made. Christ implies that the distinction is faith. Those who come into the kingdom have a different kind of faith than those who are the inheritors of the kingdom. The children of the kingdom are heirs to the kingdom. They have a right to be there according to some rule. They are predestined to obtain heaven, according to their background. They have met the criteria already through their relationship with the foundation that was laid by those who came before them. Yet those who are children of the kingdom are to be put out into the darkness.
Those who are not the children, will take the place of the heirs of the kingdom. They will eat with the saints. They will enjoy the benefits of heaven. They will reap the rewards because of their great faith. The children of the kingdom accepted their faith as a given. They who are not children must show their faith. They must demonstrate their faith as did the centurion and the leper. The leper took his belief and acted upon it. He took courage through his belief and dared to brake the laws of the day to come before Christ. He knew that Christ had the power to change his life and he took action. He knew that in order to get to see Christ he had to come among clean people without declaring his uncleanness. This was against the law and he could have been stoned for doing it. Yet his belief in the healing power of Christ led him to push forward to seek healing for himself.
The centurion too had faith. He broke the norms of his class to seek help for his servant. Who in that time would care about the well being of a servant? The master used the servant in any way he pleased. A servant was dispensable. Yet the centurion cared. Yet the centurion took measures to save his servant. Yet the centurion sought help for his servant. Yet the centurion broke rank and went to the christian God to save one so dear to him. This action required tremendous belief and courage. For one does not take action unless one believes that the outcome is possible. The centurion was a man of authority and he knew that Christ was a spiritual man of authority that could heal his servant.
Today we belong to churches and synagogues and religious beliefs. Are we children of the kingdom, believing in our rights to the banquet? Or are we lepers and centurions that have to take action to prove our great faith in a healing God? Do we want to eat at the banquet with the saints or do we want to be put out into the darkness? Being religious is no guarantee to the kingdom. We must work to show our faith through our actions. Take courage. Take action. Show your faith.
