Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.

Mark 10:13-31 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” ¹⁶ And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

¹⁷ As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” ²⁰ And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” ²¹ Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²² But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

²³ And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

²⁸ Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” ²⁹ Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, ³⁰ but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in ^[d]the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”

In John 10:10 Jesus says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”   The focus in much of the church today is on the promises and the blessings; the abundance of Christ.  In today’s text it says:  “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.  And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”   As opposed to teaching and preaching a message of repentance from sin for salvation and entrance to the kingdom of God, much of the teaching and focus of the church is centered on things that make it more difficult to get into the kingdom of God.  The text continues saying:  They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”  In John 14:6 Jesus says:  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  Salvation is not possible by works or by social or financial standing. It is only possible through Christ.

The text continues:  Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.”  Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”   Again much of the church will focus on the hundred times return of houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, but totally disregard what Jesus says about persecution. In John 16:33 Jesus also says: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  Jesus does not promise us a life free from difficulties. We are not to seek the easy life of luxury. Again, why would we seek the very thing that will make it more difficult for us to enter the kingdom. Proverbs 30:7-9 says: Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.  We are to seek Christ in whatever situation or circumstance we are in. He is our peace. He is our all in all. In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus says:   “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”   We should not focus on and seek the many things that we might receive from Jesus as many do. We should seek Him.   In John 14:6 Jesus says:  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Jesus says:  “Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”   Much of the kingdom of heaven seems to be the opposite of what the world says. If we want to be first, we must be last. If we want to be the greatest, we must become the least. If we want to have more, we must give all that we have. If we want to truly live the abundant life that Jesus came to give, we need to die to the things of this life. Jesus taught us to pray saying: Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  We are to align ourselves and our lives with the ways of heaven, not expect that heaven will align itself with the ways of the world.  

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit; You are my peace and my provision. You are all I want and all I need. Guide me always on the narrow path of life; on the way that is with You and may, Your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, in and through my life.  Amen.