A Place
in the Kingdom
Grace to you and peace from God our
Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
While the kingdom of heaven is a magnificent gift, it does
not come easily—not because the Lord does not freely give it, but because we
believe it is something we have a right to, something we have earned and
deserved. So we must pray, “Thy kingdom come,” because we are
inclined to forget that He has so graciously given us entrance to the kingdom
in the waters of Holy Baptism. We must remember that, even now in the Divine
Service, we miraculously stand within the Lord’s kingdom.
But it’s also important to remember that the tribulations we
endure on the way are all part of the life of citizens of the kingdom. There is
no smooth route. There is no short cut. “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus
will suffer persecution,” as
St. Paul
writes. But Jesus also tells us, “He who endures to the end shall be saved.”
We should never think that our life together in Christ will be free
of struggle, suffering, or hard work. When we were baptized, we not only received
a great Friend; we also lined ourselves up against a determined enemy.
Certainly, we were delivered from death and the devil. But we also renounced
the devil…and he will not take that sitting down. We promised to strive against
our fears and sinful desires, but the devil and the world will do all they can
to help us break that promise. As long as we have breath, we “strive
to enter through the narrow gate.” Your heart’s desire should be
nowhere else than in the Lord’s kingdom, gathered with the saints and martyrs,
with the holy angels and blessed dead, eating the bread of eternal life and
drinking the chalice of everlasting salvation.
You have no right to be here. But you belong here—not because
you impressed the Lord, but because the transforming image of Jesus Christ was
placed upon you in Holy Baptism. So you stand here today in the presence of the
Holy Trinity, only because He is merciful, compassionate, willing to overlook
your past. He desires you even though you don’t always desire Him. Our Lord’s
mercy is so great, so wonderful, so large, that He uses your pastor—an unworthy
servant and fellow sinner—to invite you to sit at table with Him. Our Lord
summons you to eat bread in the kingdom
of God. But if you forget
what got you here—if you believe that your striving to live a godly life is
what allows you to stand before God—then you are no different than those people
who scheme to get the best seats at a banquet.
But our heavenly Father already notices you. In His mercy, He
notices your willingness to submit yourself entirely to Him. He notices your
desire to live against your sinful desires. He notices you as you strive to do
what is good and right in His sight. But most of all, He notices the mark of
the holy cross on your forehead and heart. He rejoices to see the transforming
image of His Son.
Therefore, have no fear that you’ll go unnoticed, or that the
Father will forget you. Do not give into your desire to raise yourself up at
the expense of your neighbor. Do not compare yourself with anyone else to see
how you measure up. Do not strive as if you are in competition with others.
Instead, know and understand and believe that our Father, out of His boundless
mercy, gives you a place at His table in the marriage feast of the Lamb which
has no end. Do not strive for the highest place; come forward in humility, honoring
your fellow saints who have been baptized and who stand with you before the
Lord in His kingdom. In doing so, “you walk worthy of the calling with which you
were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing
with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace.” It doesn’t
matter where you sit; there is no bad place in the kingdom or at this table. In
the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The
peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus always. Amen.
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