Friday, September 27, 2013
Luke 16:16 "The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it."
THE FORCEFUL BEGGAR
What can Jesus mean, "everyone forces his way"? How can someone force his way into the kingdom? Take a look again at the parable Jesus tells to explain his statements. Remember that Lazarus is a beggar. There are few people in this world who are as forceful as those who, with desperate need, must do whatever they can to survive. Here in India when the car stops at a signal they start knocking on the window and they do not stop. Twice I have had little children grab my arms and refuse to let go. When I tried to move on they clung and clawed and begged. And this was after I had given them something. The desperation of Lazarus is seen in the simple fact that he allows, even wants, the dogs to lick his sores.
The same can be seen in the account of Jacob, who his whole life tried one scheme after another to get ahead, but always they backfired on him. He ran from one relative to another and ran again. Finally with no schemes left, with the desperation of a beggar, he clings to a God he cannot win against (Genesis 32). To this beggar is given the name Israel, the one who won against God. To the beggar, Lazarus, was given Abraham's bosom. And then there were the crowds, the people who had been shut out of the kingdom by the Pharisees, the people who knew their sin. These, when they saw the Christ, begged in desperation. They forced their way in just as Jacob did by clinging to that promise.
It is the promise that lets them in. It is Christ with the forgiveness of sins that opens the gates. But the forcefulness of these beggars is a measure of their faith and their repentance, and that Christ praises.
