But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
3 sermons cite this verse
But then Jesus says something cryptic that gets them concerned again about where they fit and how they compare. He says, but many who are first will be last and the last first. Then he tells this symbolic story, a parable, to explain his meaning. It's recorded in the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 20. Jesus says. You see, the kingdom, the rule and reign of God is like a master of a house, a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the workers for a denarius, a day's wage for a day's work, he sent them for the day into his vineyard. And when the owner went out in the third hour of the day, around 9 a.m., he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. And he said to them, you also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right, I will give you. So they went. Again. After going out around the 6th hour and the 9th hour Around noon and 3pm He did the same Then in the 11th hour Around 5pm When he had gone out He found others standing around And he says to them Why do you stand here idle all day? …
… world, it's the first get to be first and the last, you know, screw them, right? And yet he's like, no, no, the first will be last and the last will be first. But do you realize if the first are last in the last week of verse, what does that mean? That means everybody gets the same thing. Everybody gets the same thing. The prize is the same. And so what he's saying is, if you're in the kingdom at all, you get Jesus. If you're in the kingdom at all, you get the Holy Ghost. If you're in the kingdom at all, you get God's word. If you're in the kingdom at all, what do you get? What's your prize? Well, let's see. You, thief on the cross. You did nothing good. Didn't even get baptized. Why? He was otherwise constrained. Right? Spent the last hours of his entire life cussing at God. Had a change of heart in the last moment. It's always too early to give up on someone. …
… and will inherit eternal life. Many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first. Do you see the cost of the kingdom here? Let me show you one other gospel. Look over in Luke chapter 9. Look at Luke chapter 9. I want you to look with me at verse 23. Unpacking what it would mean to abandon everything for the kingdom, the glory of Christ. Look at this. Luke chapter 9 verse 23. Jesus has got people following him. And so what does he say in verse 23? It says, he said to them all, if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of Him when He comes in His glory. …