Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hi, Zane.

Lots to do here—however, I think I’ll oblige a ski friend who is twisting my arm to join him at Ski Bowl later this afternoon. As you might imagine, he doesn’t need to twist very hard. I just hope the conditions will not be icy. I’m definitely not fond of skiing on ice.

I hope you can believe that the words Jesus presents in today’s reading is not just fairy tale—but absolute truth…and that to end up on the right side of that prophecy requires a reservation…which is a limited time offer. You absolutely must establish reservation arrangements before time runs out.

Love and prayers—Tua/Ray.

There had to be a bunch of Jews surrounding Jesus when He was approached by this Gentile military official requesting Jesus to heal his servant. I can’t imagine Jesus breaking forth with this emphatic word of predictive prophecy for the benefit of this Roman centurion alone. I think it was for the corrective benefit of the highly prejudiced Jews who were listening in on the conversation—maybe wondering why this Jewish Jesus would even be talking to this dirty Gentile.

Whatever prompted this disclosure from Jesus is not as important for us today as is the content and meaning of what He said. This is as much a prophetic utterance as any we will find in this special book, the Bible. Let me take a few moments to process that content.

1. Jesus is clearly making reference to a point in time following everyone (at least almost everyone) dying—a special event will take place with “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” in attendance (Very Jewish) that He describes as a celebration—a “feast.” To be sure, Jesus believes in life after death!
2. People from all over the planet who have reservations for this great event will “take their places” in that awesome setting. There will be people from the Jewish blood line as well as all of Asia and that whole network of continents and nations—“the east.” But Jesus is clearly affirming that it’s not just a Jewish or Eastern event. Reservations are just as available to those of us in “the west.” Man!—that’s us!—and I wanna be there!
3. But there’s more to this prophecy. Let’s read the next verse: “But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (v. 12). Man—that’s hell!—and I don’t wanna be there! It also confirms once again that not everyone is going to make it into this celebration—heaven is definitely not automatic—it’s a very exclusive place—requiring reservation arrangements. The “subjects of the kingdom” have to mean those in the blood line of “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” who presume that’s enough and that they represent the family line of God’s favorite kids. But there is no evidence that there is anything particularly pure and holy about that blood line. Even “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” need the blood of the Savior to atone for their sin.
4. However we handle this information, two bottom-line facts stand out in my mind.
   1. A state of conscious existence follows natural death that is totally out of our control, and about which argument, opinion, or resistance are absolutely futile.
   2. What we go after here determines where we go hereafter. If I want God now—I get Him then, as well as all He “has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
   If, however, I don’t want Him now—I don’t get Him then, nor any of the benefits He “has prepared for them that love Him.”

I guess it’s really just simple math—one plus Jesus equals eternal life.