Who's in? Who's out?

READ: Acts 13:38-47

Who got invited to the party and who didn’t? Who made the team and who got cut? Who got the promotion and who fell short?

People love to ask these questions because if we’re in, we’re superior.

So, naturally, the Jews (who were in as God’s people) felt superior to the Gentiles (who were out).

Yet in Acts 13:39, Paul preaches that through Jesus everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.

We’re all in!

“But that’s not fair!” cries the voice of pride. “It’s because of my superiority and hard work that I got invited to that party, made that team, and earned that promotion! Doesn’t my extra effort count for anything?”

Jesus addresses this complaint in The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matt 20:1-16). Though many worked different hours, they all received the same wage - the full grace of God.

Again in Luke 7:36-50, a prideful Pharisee is offended by Christ’s association with a sinful woman. Jesus’s response? He commends the woman, for because she was forgiven more, she loved more.

For some, this idea that everyone is invited into the Kingdom of God is such an offense to pride that they join those who in verse 45 speak abusively against the Gospel.

To them Jesus responds, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God ahead of you.” (Matt 21:31)