Experience is a great theological teacher for it mediates God’s continuous guidance and instruction. The unknown author of the third section of Isaiah envisioned a time when the mantle of God’s compassion and justice would cover the entire Earth and its peoples. Those Israelites that had been scattered among the nations would be returned to Jerusalem as an offering to God. Foreigners who were one with God in their hearts and minds would also be welcomed, and the role of priest and Levite would no longer be the prerogative of a select few. In the New Testament, Paul and others were planted firmly in Israel’s theological tradition in their understanding of the activity of God.

What is the challenge to our thinking in the 21st century? Spiritual and ethical unity (not conformity or sameness) are necessary for the continued growth and flourishing of humanity. Even our survival may depend on it. We can no longer afford the luxury of poisonous and divisive differences or the rhetoric and ideology of exclusion, fear and selfishness.

Discipline has a bad name because it was often the label erroneously attached to harshness, control and cruelty. Perhaps “formation” or “training” would be better substitutes, for they pack less negative baggage. But part of the problem is cultural. There are aspects of modern culture that flee from limits to anything and are allergic to the word “no.” We know that the true artist, athlete or professional must exercise self-discipline, sacrifice and hard work to achieve competency and success. This is true even if there are some who attempt short-cuts, quick fixes, manipulation or cheating. How much more this applies in the realm of the spirit. In order to become genuinely and fully human and to be transformed into the image of Christ there is a difficult training course we all face — it’s called life! God will always give us the experiences we need to grow and change. Our response is to meet the challenge with patience, acceptance, commitment and love.

Jesus made some of His listeners nervous. He seemed to raise the bar rather high and spoke about narrow doors and how difficult it would be to get through. They asked the inevitable question: then who is going to be saved — only a few? He answered with a parable about closed and bolted doors and frantic people trying to get in. “I do not know where you come from — get lost!” Imagine the shock of His listeners when Jesus delivered the parable’s punch line. The people in the story protested that they knew Him; they ate and drank with Him; they had heard His teachings — surely familiarity counts for something! Jesus was relentless and adamant: mere familiarity or belonging to the group counts for nothing. His mission did not include handing out identity markers and free passes but providing a very challenging and transformative spirituality for His true disciples to follow.

In the future outsiders from all corners of the globe would be welcomed into the kingdom of God. To the horror and chagrin of those blinded by religious complacency and a sense of entitlement their places were taken by many of those considered to be unworthy and unacceptable. Many places in Scripture insist that God knows and judges the human heart rather than outward appearances, and so it is with those who claim to follow His Son. A Christian is defined by what one is inwardly rather than labels or theological claims.

Jesus’ last words suggest that the end time will bring many surprises — some who are last will be first, while some who consider themselves first will be taken down a few notches. God’s ways are definitely not ours.