What Counts in God’s Kingdom? (preaching resource for 10/19 & 10/26/25, 19th & 20th Sundays after Pentecost)
This post exegetes Luke chapter 18 providing context for the Gospel readings on 10/19 & 10/26/25, the 19th and 20th Sundays after Pentecost. Insights are drawn from Warren Wiersbe ("The Bible Expository Commentary"), Howard Marshall ("New Bible Commentary") and Robert Farrar Capon ("Kingdom, Grace, Judgment").
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| "Christ and the Rich Young Ruler" by Hoffman (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) |
Introduction
Jesus is continuing toward Jerusalem, the cross, and the resurrection. Along the way, he addresses with his disciples a vital question: What counts in God’s Kingdom? In Luke chapter 18, Jesus provides answers through encounters with an unjust judge, a deluded Pharisee, a misguided youth, and a determined beggar. Jesus uses these encounters to challenge his disciples’ thinking (which needs transforming). Let’s allow these encounters to challenge our thinking as well, as we seek a deeper sharing in the Father’s Kingdom through the ministry that Jesus is now accomplishing, in the Spirit, within our world.
An unjust judge
Luke 18:1–8
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
The first encounter is in the form of a parable. On the surface, it seems to be about prayer. But looking deeper, we find that it’s about how God relates, in grace, with all humanity.
2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4 For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"
In Jesus’ day, widows had few rights and were typically impoverished. Here one goes to court seeking “justice.” Courts were usually held in tents, moved from place to place. Though anybody could watch from outside, only the approved and accepted had their cases heard. This usually meant bribing a judge’s assistant so that he would call the judge’s attention to their case. Being poor, this widow cannot afford a bribe—all she can do is beg for justice. The unjust judge at first turns a deaf ear, but she persists and the judge eventually relents.
Jesus’ point is not that God needs to be begged for a response. Rather, Jesus is contrasting the unjust judge with our just and caring God. Consider the several contrasts presented in this parable: To begin with, the woman is a stranger, but we are God’s children, and God cares for his children (Luke 11:13). The widow has no access to the judge, but God’s children have open access to God and may come at any time for his help. The woman has no friend at court to help get her case on the docket. All she can do is walk around outside the tent and make a nuisance of herself as she shouts at the judge. But when God’s children pray, they find a Savior who is their Advocate (1John 2:1), and their High Priest (Heb. 2:17–18), interceding and representing them before God. The widow has no rights to claim as she tries to convince the judge to hear her case. We not only have God’s unfailing promises, but also his Spirit, who assists in our praying (Rom. 8:26–27). But the greatest contrast in this parable is that though this widow comes to a court of law, as God’s children we come to our Father’s throne of grace (Heb. 4:14–16). She pleas out of her poverty, but we have at our disposal God’s riches to meet our need. Jesus’ point is clear: our Heavenly Father is a generous and just God who we may relate to not as impoverished beggars, but as dearly loved and justified children.
Notice how Jesus emphasizes this issue of justice and then introduces the related issue of faith:
6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
God is a God of justice, but not like this callous, unjust judge. We are God’s “chosen ones”—included in Jesus, the elect (chosen) Son of God! It is on that basis that we are justified with God, not because of anything we have or have not done (and certainly not because we beg for justice). All we bring to God is our impoverished spirits and rather weak human trust—our faith. And so Jesus asks rhetorically, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” This question ties in with what Jesus taught in Luke 17:22–37 concerning key points in history when faith in God was severely tested. Such a time was about to come in Jerusalem for his disciples. They need to know that a loving, just God will see them through, despite their weak faith. Jesus is telling them (and us as well), that in the Father’s Kingdom, it is his work and his faith that counts. So trust Jesus!
A deluded Pharisee
Luke 18:9–17
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men-- robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14 I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
Jesus often exposed the self-righteousness and unbelief of the Pharisees. In their delusion, the Pharisees thought they were right and Jesus was wrong. Jesus now exposes their delusion in a parable in which a Pharisee prays, telling God (and anybody else listening) how truly good he is. He thinks God accepts him on the basis of what he does or does not do. From this frame of reference he categorizes the tax collector as a great sinner. But God sees things differently. It is the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who goes home “justified before God” whereas the Pharisee goes home justified only before himself. To be “justified before God” means not only to be found innocent (forgiven), but to be positively regarded by God. This status does not come as a result of personal effort or merit. Rather, it comes because of what Jesus, the God-man, does as a human, on behalf of all people. Understanding that he lacks any merit before God, the tax collector “beat his breast,” calling upon God for mercy. What a contrast to the Pharisee! Neither the tax collector nor the Pharisee has any merit before God—their justification with God comes to both in the same way—through Jesus.
But how is this justification through Jesus received? The answer is found in the next contrast—between the proud Pharisee and the children (“babies”) that people are bringing to Jesus (vv15–17). It was customary for Jews to bring babies to rabbis for a special blessing. Thus it is strange for the disciples to object. Perhaps they think Jesus is weary, or too important to be bothered. The disciples do not yet fathom Jesus’ compassion! So Jesus uses these children to teach a lesson, urging his disciples to share in their child-like openness to God. Indeed, the only way anyone can experience the justification they have with God in Jesus, is to trust God like a little child trusts a caring adult (like Jesus). It is with this open, trusting heart that we experience the new birth that is ours in Jesus. If the proud Pharisee will become like one of these helpless, trusting little children, he too will go home justified before God. In the Kingdom, it’s Jesus and his faith that counts, and we’re invited to trust him—to join our puny little faith to his great faith—doing so in childlike dependence. So trust Jesus, not yourself!
A misguided youth
Luke 18:18–34
The next object lesson involves a “certain ruler” (v18). At a superficial level, he has a lot going for him: youth (Mat. 19:2), wealth (Luke 18:23), and moral uprightness. Yet he fails the test! He does not understand that what counts in God’s Kingdom is following Jesus. Notice:
18 A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-- except God alone.”
Rabbis were called “teachers,” but never “good.” The Jews reserved the word good for God. This explains why Jesus asks this young man what he means, for if he really believes that Jesus is “good,” then he is confessing that Jesus is God. Jesus is not denying his deity, but affirming it. He is testing the young man to see if he really understands the implication of what he is affirming in his question. Alas, his subsequent behavior proves that he does not acknowledge Jesus as God’s divine Son. If he did, he would not argue about his obedience to the Law—his way of bragging about his religious credentials. It’s a smoke screen to deflect discussion about what really counts. Notice Jesus’ reply:
20 “You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" 21 "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
The young man may well be sincere about trying to keep the Law—and it’s what brings him to Jesus (see Gal. 3:24). But Jesus seeks to take him deeper—his reply to the rich young man is not a validation of his flawed view of God, but a way of challenging it. Jesus holds the Law up to him as a mirror so that the young man can see himself for the flawed sinner that he is. But the young man looks into the mirror and turns away—he refuses to see himself for the sinner he is. Note that Jesus is quoting from the second tablet of the Law. Yet he omits the last command, “You shall not covet” (Ex. 20:17a). Jesus knows that this command speaks to the flawed condition of this young man’s heart. So instead of preaching to him about covetousness, Jesus asks him to do something that a covetous person would never do:
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26 Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." 28 Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" 29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life." 31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33 On the third day he will rise again." 34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.The young man thinks eternal life is something to be earned (v18), which is a typical conviction among Jews at that time (vv9–12). So Jesus plays along and gives him something to do—not because he can earn eternal life, but to expose his legalistic thinking. The disciples are shocked by this. Like all Jews, they believe that riches are indicators of God’s favor. “If rich people can’t be saved,” they reason, “what hope is there for us?” The irony is that a fixation on riches often keeps people from trusting Jesus, who is the source of eternal life. Peter’s comment in v28 suggests that he has a transactional view of discipleship: “What then will there be for us?” he asks (Mat. 19:27, NASB). Jesus promises his followers (“you” in Luke 18:29 is plural) blessings in this life and rewards in the next—but this promise is balanced with what Jesus says is about to happen to Him (vv31-33). How can Peter be thinking about personal gain when Jesus is about to go through all this? In this summation is what makes us acceptable to God and gives us entrance into his Kingdom—Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection on behalf of all humanity. Whether we are rich or poor, religious or irreligious, Jesus is what counts. Follow him—and in following him experience the Kingdom of God.
A determined beggar
Luke 18:35–43
35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." 38 He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied. 42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Again Jesus teaches a lesson about following him in trust. Here he encounters a blind person. In that day, blindness was a common affliction for which there was no cure, and all a blind person could do was beg. The man apparently had not been born blind, for his request is to “regain” his sight (v41, NASB translation). Thus this poor, blind man is willing to “look” to Jesus despite terrible obstacles: his inability to see Jesus, the opposition of the crowd, and Jesus’ delay in responding to them. The fact that the blind beggar addresses Jesus as “Son of David,” a messianic title, indicates that he knows that Jesus could restore sight to the blind (Isa. 35:5; and see Luke 4:18). Jesus responds to this step of faith and heals the man, and the man immediately follows Jesus and praises God. The pilgrim crowd headed for Jerusalem also lifts their voices in praise to God. The contrast is obvious between this beggar and the rich young man in the third story. The beggar is poor, yet became rich, while the young man was rich but remained spiritually impoverished. The beggars claims no special merit and openly admits his need, while the rich young man lies about himself and brags about his character. The rich young man would not believe, so he went away from Jesus very sad; but the beggar trusts Jesus and follows him with songs of praise. Indeed, Jesus “has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1:53).
Conclusion
What counts in God’s Kingdom? These four encounters tell us that what counts is what Jesus has done (and is now doing) for all humanity. Jesus’ work is experienced personally through trust (faith). The widow exhibits a faith that rises above discouragement. The tax collector (in contrast to the self-righteous Pharisee) shows us that the object of our faith must be God, not our own merit. Through faith in God, parents bring children to Jesus to be blessed. And in faith the blind beggar trusts Jesus even though the crowd tries to stand in his way. Through these encounters, Jesus is pointing us to God as the source of all good things, and he is validating the faith of people who trust God, even if that trust is rather weak. Here’s how the Apostle Paul sums up the key issue here: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20, KJV). Sharing in Jesus’ death and resurrection life, in and through his faith, is what counts in God’s Kingdom!