Matthew 20:15,16
Our text passage shows us that the first can become last and the last can become first.
The standards of God's kingdom is different to our world systems.
God gives people hope and a change of story in His kingdom, He does so in His goodness.
In the kingdom of God, those who are last by the world's standards can become first.
It's based on God's goodness and mercy to individuals, a personal contract or covenant that has nothing to do with who was in the lead or who had been ahead.
Luke 16:19-31
God's goodness is His loving kindness manifested in a life.
May God be good to you, and may you experience the goodness of God.
God is a God who is good to the underdog.
God is a God who gives a chance to the underdog- those who have been despised, rejected, and hopeless.
When God begins to favor such people it will not seem fair.
Matthew 20:1-16
Those who came in last, according to the parable got got an equal wage with those who started first, that is favor and opportunity for those who came in last.
The kingdom of heaven is a level playing ground, there are no unjust weights there.
It is a realm where you can catch up and even overtake.
It is a kingdom where what were your earthly disadvantages can become your qualifying advantages for favor and promotion.
We have examples in the Bible of people who were behind and became the foremost, people who were the last who became the first, they were the tail but became the head.
Jesus Christ is the first and chief example- born in a lowly family, rejected by those He was sent to; the rejected stone became the chief cornerstone.
Jabeez knew only misfortune from birth, his mother named him Jabeez because she bore him in sorrow.
Tired of his situation he called upon God who changed his fortunes. He became honorable and great.
David was a shepherd boy who had no family links to royalty.
Against all odds he would rise to prominence and kingship through warfare and God's sure mercies.
Japhteh was rejected by his own family and siblings because he was born of a different mother who was of low social standing or a prostitute.
Japhteh would rise to lead his own band/army which qualified him to lead his nation and family who rejected him.
Joseph was separated from his father and siblings and went through all sorts of challenges on his life's journey.
God was with him and he would become something of a Prime Minister of Egypt, whose wisdom was sustaining Egypt and the known world.
These are examples of people God raised up from the dunghill to sit with princes, God took them from the back and put them in front.
Some will not like it or understand it when kingdom favor begins to elevate you despite their seemingly being ahead of you previously.
Those who seem obscure and insignificant can come into the kingdom of God and level up with those who had been ahead of them in life.
You can be as great before God as those you read about in the scriptures, it is grace and God's goodness to you!
God's kingdom of heaven operates in a different way and perspective to human beings and our world system.
It is a kingdom of equality, fairness, and balance.
It is a kingdom where the least likely become heroes and heirs.
Olutosin Ogunkolade a Teacher-Pastor shares this teaching
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