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Neither First nor Last,
Cartoon by Doug Hall,
Executed in 1984,
© Doug Hall cartoons |
Through towns and villages Jesus went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, ‘Sir, will there be only a few saved?’ He said to them, ‘Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.
‘Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us” but he will answer, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will find yourself saying, “We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets” but he will reply, “I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men!”
‘Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves turned outside. And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.
‘Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.’ |
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| | Reflection on the Cartoon
As I mentioned before, cartoons are as legitimate an art form as any of the other disciplines within the arts. This cartoon sums up the attitude of many of us. We don’t want to be first or last, we are happy to wallow somewhere in the middle… We don’t want to engage enough with our faith as it requires effort and commitment; but we don’t want to completely disengage, just in case… So we are happy to hover in the middle.
I think we can safely say that nowadays most people think that they are going to Heaven when they die; and they think that most other people around them will go to Heaven as well, as in general they are good people (or at least they aren’t bad), have a bit of faith, might believe somewhat in Jesus etc… So it seems with that frame of mind that the road to Heaven must be broad, and the gates to heaven must be very wide… ready to welcome vast numbers of people, all on their way to salvation… Jesus warns us today that this is completely wrong! The doors of Heaven are narrow; the path is narrow. Those of us who think we may be first walking through those Heavenly doors, will be last or even never get there…
Jesus’ message is a warning for those who think themselves secure and warns us against being presumptuous about salvation. We too can all too often feel over-comfortable in the belief that God is somehow obliged to save us. What does count for Jesus is to being with Him at all times, all throughout our lives. In that sense being with Christ is not just a random, casual, see-how-it-goes relationship with Him or a pick-and-chose acceptance of His teaching. No, it involves true discipleship where we commit to Him by word, action and example.
by Patrick van der Vorst |  | |
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