I sometimes refer to this time in our history as the “Age of Entitlement,” because of the prevailing attitude of so many that they are entitled to so many things.
An entitlement is something that we have a claim to just because of who we are or what class we are in. For example, every child living in the State of Illinois is entitled to a K-12 education at public expense. Every citizen of the United States is entitled to a fair trial if accused of breaking the law. Every parent is entitled to his child’s respect and every child is entitled to the love of his or her parents.
But this entitlement is getting out of hand, so that there is no end to what people think they are entitled to. Of course. the result is no end of resentment and disappointment.
The most dangerous affect of this, however, is in the spiritual realm where people consider themselves entitled to heaven, entitled to the companionship of the holy and eternal God. In our text for today Jesus was talking about just that kind of people – those who considered themselves entitled to heaven because they were Jews. Jesus warns, I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew records a similar warning directed at those who merely talk like believers, Matthew 7:21 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. "
But who is counted as having done the will of God? It is those who have saving faith, those who despair of their own righteousness and hope only in the righteous of Christ that becomes ours by faith. Such faith cannot help but show in love toward God and our neighbor – a love defined by God’s commands, for after all, love is the fulfillment of God’s law.