Losing the Kingdom – Part 2 (Matthew 21 – 22)

Life is full of stories of someone who had it all, only to lose what they had. The stories play out in newspaper and magazine articles, novels, TV shows, movies… and real life, all around us.

The story of the brilliant student who loses the scholarship due to plagiarism and cheating, neither of which were necessary given the brains she has. The movie star admired by so many who loses it all because of his drug use and the subsequent insane behavior. The politician with a career that seemed unstoppable, who loses it all over an affair. The college sports hero with so much potential who ends up in jail, career ended, after a rage-filled explosion leaves another student dead.

The point we’ve reached in Matthew may contain the saddest of those “lose everything” stories, and what is lost is so much more important than a scholarship, a career, or a reputation. What has been a theme throughout Matthew climaxes in Matthew 21-23 as Jesus reaches Jerusalem and deals with the religious leaders there.

The story of the fig tree in Matthew 21 is full of symbolism. The tree exists to provide fruit. That is its purpose. It displays the signs of having fruit, even though it isn’t the season. The fruit on the tree normally precedes the leaves, or at least accompanies them. Jesus, hungry, sees the fig tree in the distance, covered with leaves, but on approaching it to gather fruit to eat, finds it barren of fruit. It’s a classic case of false advertising. It’s failed to live up to its purpose. It’s useless. Jesus declares that that tree will never bear fruit again, and immediately it withers away, roots and all.

The Pharisees, Sadducees, priests, scribes and teachers of the Law were in a unique position in Jesus’ day. Many of them came from influential families. Many of them had wealth. More importantly, they were schooled in the Law. Ardent students of God’s Word, they knew every nuance of the Law and the Prophets. They had the respect of the people, and the power to influence all they came in contact with. That sat in Moses’ seat. They were the top rung in their society, and that society was one chosen by God. Children of Abraham, heirs of the promise.

As we’ve seen through Matthew, however, there is much that is wrong with this group of leaders. John the Baptist and Jesus both accuse them of hypocrisy, “play-acting” their religion. They do things for show. They ignore the intent of God’s law in favor of their own, more restrictive rules. Tradition had become more important than mercy.They’ve become a stumbling block to the people they are there to serve. They are blind guides, leading the blind. They fight with each other constantly over minor, meaningless, nuances of the Law.

There’s still hope, though. There was much that was wrong with all the people of God. Their hearts were far from him. That’s why God sent John the Baptist, to prepare the way for the Messiah by preaching the need for a changed heart, for repentance. The time was right for Jesus’ to come at that specific moment, preaching the good news of the kingdom, teaching in their synagogues, and healing the sick. The crowds flocked to both of them. The Jordan River saw a steady stream of people coming to be immersed with a baptism of repentance. Jesus taught about the heart that God desired, and touched lives as only the Messiah could.

These leaders, of all people, should have been the first to discern who John was, and the validity of his message. They should have been the first to tear their clothes, cut to the quick by his teaching. They should have led the people down into the water. They should have recognized the prophesies fulfilled in Jesus, and acknowledged him as Messiah.

But they didn’t. They didn’t believe John, not after hearing his message, and not even after seeing the impact he had on “sinners”. They didn’t accept Christ, not even after seeing his power over the both the natural world and the spiritual world. They saw the healing, but instead of rejoicing at the life saved, they criticized that it was done on the Sabbath. They saw the demons cast out, but attributed it to Beelzebub. They ignored the message of Life, and plotted to kill him.

They will lose everything as a result. They had the kingdom in their grasp, but will lose it because they refused to believe, to those they call “sinners” who did believe. They refuse to give God the glory, honor, and praise he is due, the fruit of a repentant heart He’s looking for, and so they will lose the kingdom to others who will give God his due. They’ve ignored his invitation, and so they will be destroyed to make way for others to take their place at the table.

In the parable of the banquet, there’s a warning that they aren’t the only ones that will lose everything, though. Even some of the ones who do come to the wedding feast will lose their place. Ones that don’t come to the Lord’s table with the kingdom heart.

Many of us have much in common with the advantages the religious leaders had. We, too, are heirs of the promise, through the offer of adoption as sons. We know scripture, we follow the rules, we punch our ticket in the church building each Sunday. We have position. We live in a society that allows us the freedom to worship without fear. Our society is full of wealth and material possessions. The list goes on.

How much of the time is our “religion” more play-acting than heart-changing? How often do we fail to give the Father his due? How much of our time is spent pointing out the speck in our neighbor’s eye while ignoring the log in our own? How much time is spent complaining about others’ behavior and practices, forcing our rules and traditions on them instead of fixing our eyes on Jesus and extending mercy? How many children have turned their backs to his church because of what they see in us?

There’s still hope, though. What will you do with the good news of the kingdom Jesus taught?