Few?

Luke 13:22-23a Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”
 
DO you think this is an odd question to ask Jesus? Wouldn’t a better question have been, “Lord, how many people are going to be saved? How large will be God’s rule on earth?” After all, this was a question directed at the Word of God, who was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:2b-3) Yes, Lord! How large will your Kingdom become?
   What are your thoughts, though, when you consider Jesus’ church today? Does it seem that “few” is the number of Christians in your community, village, city, state, nation and the world? Too few are in church. Even fewer have an active faith, living into Jesus’ commands. Yes, the Kingdom looks minimal in our world, doesn’t it?
   Perhaps the questioner is correct in his limited approach. He may not have been seeing people faithfully receiving Jesus’ teachings. After all, many were rejecting the Son’s identity, purpose and teachings. He’s wondering, “Will only the Twelve with you and the several women who care for you and your disciples be in your Kingdom?” He must have thought Jesus was developing some kind of new cult.
   But then what would have the questioner (likely a Pharisee) asked if he were in Jerusalem on that Pentecost Festival when the church began? Acts 2:41 Those who accepted (Peter’s) message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Or did he see the Spirit’s further empower Peter’s teaching several weeks later? Acts 4:4 But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.  Here’s a mega church in a few months!
   And there is more. Did the questioning man possibly see or hear what happened in Samaria? Acts 8:5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed.
   Yes, perhaps one would still classify these numbers as “few” in contrast to the general population. But those who were saved would certainly rejoice Jesus salvation! Out of Nazareth came the Messiah, who had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. (Isaiah 53:2b-3)
   This was the church’s small, unstoppable beginning in the manner Jesus had taught. The Twelve became thousands. The thousands became millions and now estimated to be billions of souls God has welcomed into the Kingdom of God. Many expansive ministries in the world exist today because God faithfully began with a few.
   Please, then, do not look at Jesus today and say, “Too few are in your church, Lord.” Instead, consider each person saved is God’s resurrection miracle into the human soul. Each Kingdom citizen carries the cost of the cross to live into the restored, revived and renewed image of God into Heaven. The gospels and Acts teach us of revival to transform multitudes into salvation. God will act when he determines to act. No such word as “few” exists in the church. All who are saved are of extreme value, purchased with Jesus’ blood in the Father’s grace. Rejoice if you are one of those. Be diligent to pursue the unsaved and pray for Kingdom growth in your family, community and region.