The Narrow Door

Well, this morning we are continuing our way through the story of Jesus as told by Luke.

! We're at the part in the story right now where Jesus is on his final journey to Jerusalem before

! He's crucified. And some of you may have noticed that the closer and closer we get

to Jerusalem, the more opposition Jesus faces. And you might have also noticed as well, that

the closer he gets to Jerusalem, the more serious and sobering the tone of Jesus' teachings and

warnings. And there is this theme of urgency in much of what Jesus has been saying. We heard it in the

parable of the rich fool. We heard it in the parable of the servant whose master had gone but would

later return. Keep watch and be ready. We heard this tone of urgency in Jesus' call to repent or else

perish. And it gets even stronger in our passage today. Responding to Jesus is an urgent matter

because none of us knows how much time we have left. And eventually there will come a day when our time

to respond is up and it will be too late. Let's hear this though from Jesus himself.

Our passage this morning comes from the gospel of Luke chapter 13 starting in verse 22.

Luke 13 · chapter mention

Then Jesus went through the towns and villages teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.

Someone asked him, Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?

Jesus said to them, make every effort to enter through the narrow door.

Because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading,

saying, Sir, open the door for us. But he will answer, I don't know you or where you come from.

Then you will say, we ate and drank with you and you taught in our streets.

But he will reply, I don't know you or where you come from.

Away from me, all you evildoers.

There will be weeping there and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

and all the prophets in the kingdom of God.

But you yourselves thrown out.

People will come from east and west and north and south

and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

Indeed, there are those who are last who will be first.

And first who will be last.

So as Jesus is traveling through the towns and villages on his way to Jerusalem,

somewhere along the way, someone asks this question.

Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?

The opposition to Jesus is growing stronger.

Many are obviously rejecting him or ignoring him.

We notice the way that Jesus addressed his followers back in chapter 12, verse 32.

He said, do not be afraid, little flock.

There may be large crowds of thousands around Jesus a lot of the time.

But those truly committed to following Jesus are a little flock among them.

And so it's not surprising that someone finally asks Jesus point blank,

Lord, are only a few going to be saved?

It's becoming apparent to Jesus' followers that many in Israel are not accepting Jesus as their Messiah.

Now, this guy who asked the question, we know very little about him.

He calls Jesus Lord.

He uses that language of being saved, which we also use.

So at the least, he's been listening to Jesus.

Because Jesus has been talking about salvation a lot.

And the need for it.

Many of the Jews, especially the rabbis and the teachers,

they just didn't talk like this about needing to be saved.

So at the least, this guy's been listening to Jesus.

Of course, the people, they didn't talk like that because they kind of, many of them assumed,

well, we're all saved.

We're all the chosen people of God.

We're all descended from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.

So we kind of, we inherit this kingdom by default.

But no, Jesus has been saying, there is still a need for you to repent.

We heard that earlier in the chapter, the first nine verses.

And unless you repent, you will perish, he said.

You'll get what you deserve from God for your sins.

And so we have need to be saved from that.

And this man's question is specifically about how many will be saved.

Because it's not looking like the majority at the moment will embrace Jesus.

And so are only a few people going to be saved?

And Jesus' response here is thought-provoking.

He kind of answers the question in a roundabout or indirect sort of way.

But then in another sense, it's almost as if he just changes the question.

Let's look at his answer again in verse 24.

Jesus replies with this.

He says, make every effort to enter through the narrow door.

Because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

So Jesus doesn't give a number.

He doesn't say, yes, it's going to be just a few or no.

Instead, he looks them in the eye and he urges them directly and personally.

You do what you need to do in order to be saved.

Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.

We notice Jesus slip into sort of metaphorical language.

The language of analogy.

He likens being saved to going through a door.

And then as Jesus goes on, this analogy of a door sort of expands into a miniature parable.

In verse 25, he says,

Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door,

you will stand outside knocking and pleading.

Sir, open the door for us.

But he will answer,

I don't know you or where you come from.

So we've got a little story here.

And what's sort of ominous about this story is that it's a true story

of what Jesus says will happen to you

if you do not enter through the narrow door before it closes.

It's sort of a parable,

a prophetic parable of warning.

Jesus is basically announcing to the people,

this will be your fate someday,

unless right now you make every effort to enter through the narrow door.

And so being saved is likened to entering the door of a house.

And there's coming a day when the homeowner will get up and close the door.

One other helpful thing to notice in this passage,

before we get into some of the details,

did you notice how by the end of the passage,

we're talking about entering the kingdom of God?

What we notice is that being saved

and entering the kingdom of God

are two different ways of describing the same thing.

The question was,

are only a few going to be saved?

The answer was,

make every effort to enter through the narrow door.

And by the time we get down to verse 28,

we read about those who are shut out of the house.

And Jesus says about them,

that there will be weeping there and gnashing of teeth

when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

and all the prophets in the kingdom of God,

but you yourselves cast out.

And so being saved and getting into the kingdom of God,

it's really two different ways of describing the same thing.

And it helps us understand this

as we work through some of the details.

Let's look at some of these details.

The first detail that really grabs me

is the language Jesus uses in his very first words

to answer the question.

Are only a few going to be saved?

The first thing he says is,

make every effort

to enter

through the narrow door.

Make

every effort.

Does that sound like Jesus is serious?

These words,

make every effort,

they trace back to a single

Greek word,

agonizomai,

from which we get our English word,

agonize.

And so really,

this translation is actually a little bit flat.

It doesn't fully capture the intensity.

This is the same word

that's used elsewhere in the New Testament

to describe fighting.

The word was often used

to describe the struggle

or the fight

or the wrestle

in athletic competition.

Jesus will later say to Pilate,

if my kingdom were of this world,

my servants would fight

to prevent my arrest.

It's the same word here.

Paul in his letter to Timothy

will later urge Timothy,

fight the good fight.

It's the same word here.

Make every effort,

fight,

struggle,

strain with all your might

to enter

through the narrow door.

does it surprise you

to hear Jesus talk this way

about being saved?

About what you need to do

to be saved?

I mean,

think of what Jesus

could have said

instead of this.

Or,

maybe,

what do we expect him

in our sort of

North American Christianity

to say

in this moment?

You know,

hey,

if you want to be saved,

it's really easy.

All you need to do

is come up to the front

and pray a prayer.

And yet,

what Jesus says here

is the total opposite.

He says,

fight

to enter

through the narrow door.

It's not an easy thing.

It's not an automatic thing.

Being saved

requires that we struggle,

that we strain

with all our might

to enter

through this narrow door.

Now,

what does that even mean?

We've got to translate

the metaphor here.

Jesus is not saying

that we need to make

every effort

and do a whole bunch

of good works

in order to be saved.

That's not the kind of fight

he's talking about.

It's not a physical fight

to do all the good

that we can.

It's a spiritual fight.

It's a fight

to find

and get through

the narrow door

into the house

of the homeowner.

And we kind of have to take

the whole analogy

into account here.

In the parable,

the house is,

it represents God,

God's house,

His kingdom.

He's the homeowner.

His door of salvation

is open.

And He has sent His Son

out to call people

to come in,

to enter through the door,

to be saved,

to come and enter

into the kingdom of God.

And what do we need to do?

Well, He says,

we need to fight.

We need to struggle.

We need to make every effort

to enter through that door,

which means

to make every effort

to understand

the things that Jesus

has been saying

about how to be saved.

It means fighting

to draw near

and take to heart

all the things

that Jesus has been

explaining.

It means struggling

with our hearts

and our desires

to do something

we maybe don't want to do

and go through

this door

that Jesus has laid

before us.

Why is it a struggle?

Why is it a fight?

Well, there's this sickness

of sin inside of us

and it keeps telling us

we don't need God.

It keeps telling us

just ignore Him.

He'll be content

with sort of

the bare minimum

from you.

You don't need

to do too much.

Maybe just show up

to church once in a while,

believe in your heart

and pray once in a while.

He'll be okay with that.

There's this sickness

in all of us

that makes us

just by nature

want to ignore God

and go our own way.

That's what we must

fight against.

That's what we must

struggle against

in order to enter

through the narrow door.

what holds us back

from entering in

is our own

warped

desires

and hearts

and minds.

What holds us back

is our love

of comfort

and pleasure

and ease.

But following Jesus

runs against

those things.

We heard Jesus say

back in chapter 9,

whoever wants to be

my disciple

must deny himself

and take up

his cross

daily

and follow me.

And it's a fight

to do that.

It's a battle

inside of us.

I mean,

we might have

some external

voices of people

we know

whether friends

or family

fighting against us

because maybe

they don't approve

of us following Jesus.

But ultimately

the battle

takes place

within us.

let's think back

over what Jesus

just recently said

about what we must

do to be saved.

Just earlier in this

chapter,

the first nine

verses,

he told the people

they must repent

or else they too

would perish.

But to repent

means that we have

to humble ourselves

before God.

It means that we

have to admit to him

the wrong things

that we've done.

it means that he's

going to get to be

the boss

and in charge

of our lives

and not me

anymore.

And so that's why

it's a fight

because those are

all things we

don't want to do

because we're proud

and we don't want

to admit

that we've done wrong.

We don't want to

let somebody else

be in charge

of our lives.

No, I want to

call the shots

in my life.

I want to be the boss.

And so that's

the fight.

It's a spiritual

fight or struggle

to be saved,

to do what Jesus

says we need to do

in order to be saved.

We can't help

but notice

how Jesus describes

the door

of salvation.

He says,

make every effort

to enter

through the narrow

door.

In other words,

it's not easy

to get through.

of the doors

available out there

to go through

in life,

many others

are bigger

and easier,

much easier

to go through.

But this one

is hard to get

through.

It's going to cost

us.

There's going to be

some things that

we may need to

give up

or that we may

need to lose,

let go of

to go through

this door.

door.

The door is

narrow.

As I mentioned

at the beginning,

do you hear the

sense of urgency

in Jesus'

words?

Make every effort

to enter through

the narrow door

because many,

I tell you,

will try to enter

and will not

be able to.

There's a sense

of urgency here.

this is where

Jesus' analogy

turns into this

prophetic parable

of warning

to us.

You know,

if we just stop

right here at this

verse and just

leave it right there,

we might come to

some wrong ideas.

We might come to

the idea that there

are many earnest

and humble people

trying to be saved.

They're trying to get

through the door,

but the size is just

so small of this door

that many perish

while making an

earnest attempt

to get through.

This is completely

wrong.

We might even get

the idea in our

heads that many

will perish and

it's God's fault

for making the door

so small to get

into his kingdom.

This too is

completely wrong.

Why will many

try to enter

and not be able

to?

Well,

Jesus answers

that question

with the parable.

Let's listen

to what he says

in verse 25

and on.

He says,

Once the owner

of the house

gets up

and closes

the door,

you will stand

outside knocking

and pleading.

Sir,

open the door

for us.

But he will

answer,

I don't know

you or where

you come from.

Then you will

say,

We ate and

drank with you

and you taught

in our streets.

But he will

reply,

I don't know

you or where

you come from.

Away from me,

all you

evildoers.

So many will

try to enter

the narrow door

but will not

be able to.

Why?

Because the door

has been shut

and it's now

too late.

Jesus gives

this chilling

conversation

between the

homeowner

and the

people outside

the door

and they're

pleading to

get inside.

Sir,

open the

door for

us.

And the

words of the

homeowner,

they're just

chilling,

I don't

know you

or where

you are

from.

And what

do they say

in response?

Well,

what do you

mean you

don't know

us?

We ate

and drank

with you,

Jesus.

Jesus,

you taught

in our

streets.

they're

trying to

convince

Jesus,

you know,

you know

us and

we know

you,

let us

in.

And what

do they

point back

to?

Like,

Jesus,

we ate

meals

with you.

Remember?

I mean,

Jesus has

been in

almost every

town or

village in

Israel and

many of

them have

come to

see him

all over

the place.

They've

been part

of the

crowds.

Jesus has

accepted

dinner

invitations

and he

has sat

down

face to

face with

people in

their

homes and

said all

these same

sorts of

things.

They sat

with him

and they

ate with

him at

the feeding

of the

5,000,

the whole

crowd of

them.

So,

they're

right.

They did

eat with

Jesus.

But what

they really

mean by

this is,

Jesus,

we had an

intimate

relationship

with you.

Remember

that time

when we

broke bread

together?

I mean,

it's like we

were eating

at the

same table.

We know

you.

You know

us.

You came

to our

town and

taught us.

But these

words are

very revealing.

if they

were this

close to

Jesus and

heard him

teach in

their

streets,

then why

didn't they

listen to

what Jesus

said and

enter through

the narrow

door while

it was

open?

Why didn't

they repent

when Jesus

called them

to repent?

Jesus,

who is

the

homeowner

or becomes

the homeowner

in this

parable,

he gives

the truth

about their

relationship.

He says,

I don't

know you.

In other

words,

we never

had a

real

relationship.

And there's

at least one

evidence that

Jesus gives.

Look at what

Jesus says

to them,

he says,

away from

me,

all you

evildoers.

Quite

literally,

you workers

of unrighteousness.

So did

they repent

of their

sins?

Or did

they just

keep on

doing them?

Did they

turn back

to God

or did

they just

keep on

ignoring

him?

They never

repented.

They

never

responded

to

Jesus.

They

ignored

him.

They

rejected

the

invitation

to come

through

the

door

while it

was

open.

And it's

only now

that the

door has

been shut

that the

danger of

God's

punishment

is imminent

that they're

trying to get

through the

door.

door.

And these

words are

devastating.

They are

locked,

shut out

of the

kingdom of

God.

The voice

on the

other side

says,

I don't

know you.

Away from

me,

all you

workers of

unrighteousness.

And Jesus

goes right

into this

explanation

of what

all this

means with

the shocking

statements.

Verse 28,

he says,

there will

be weeping

there and

gnashing of

teeth when

you see

Abraham,

Isaac,

and Jacob

and all

the prophets

in the

kingdom of

God.

But you

yourselves

thrown out.

This is the

same language

Jesus uses on

other occasions

to describe

the agony

of hell.

Weeping.

It's a place

of sorrow,

deep sorrow

and sadness.

It's a place

of gnashing

of teeth.

That word

gnashing means

grinding or

gritting

together of

the teeth.

It's a

physical

description of

what happens

in our

jaws when

we experience

intense pain

and anguish.

Jesus says,

that's what

you will

experience.

as you

see

Abraham,

Isaac,

and Jacob

and all

the prophets

in the

kingdom of

God.

But you

yourselves

cast out,

shut out,

wishing and

longing that

you could get

in.

We have to

know this

would have

deeply shocked

the people

in Jesus'

day.

God

the Jews

considered

themselves,

as I

mentioned

earlier,

to be

the children

of Abraham,

inheritors

of the

kingdom by

default,

automatic

recipients of

all the good

promises that

God has

made about

the kingdom

through the

prophets over

the centuries.

And now

Jesus comes

and he says,

unless you

repent,

you will

perish.

this is

what will

happen to

you.

You will

find

yourselves

cast out

in agony,

in anguish,

while those

of true

faith are

inside.

Jesus

intensifies it

one notch

more in the

next verse,

29.

He says,

people will

come from

east and

west and

north and

south and

will take

their places

at the

feast.

in the

kingdom of

God.

Part of

the shock,

part of

the grief

and the

anguish

will be

this deeply

humbling

reality that

people from

all over

the world,

not just

Jews,

but people

from the

north and

south and

east and

west,

all over

the place,

are inside

this kingdom.

They

responded to

Jesus in

faith.

They accepted

him as

their Messiah.

They're in

the house,

at the

table,

feasting

in the

kingdom of

God.

And yet

they,

the flesh

and blood

descendants,

are cast

out,

shut out

of the

banquet.

What a

sobering

warning and

teaching.

Now there's a

couple different

responses this

might provoke

in us today

as we

listen to

this.

First,

of course,

there's going

to be some

who will

accuse God

of being

heartless and

evil.

How come

he wouldn't

change his

mind and

let them

in at

the last

when they

finally said,

okay,

we want to

come in.

But we

must remember

that God

is just.

He is

exceedingly

patient and

compassionate.

I mean,

think about

in your own

life.

How long

has God

kept the

door open

for you?

How many

opportunities

have you

had to

respond to

the words

of Jesus?

How long

must God

wait till

he gives

us what

we're due?

he is

exceedingly

patient and

compassionate.

But he

is also

just.

And evil

must eventually

be purged.

Sin must

eventually be

punished.

And if we

won't accept

Christ on

his terms,

then we

won't have

his forgiveness.

And we

will find

ourselves

cast out,

looking in,

from the

outside,

in anguish.

It's only

through

relationship

with Jesus

that we

can enter

through

the narrow

door.

An

authentic,

living,

real

relationship

with Jesus.

God is

not

heartless.

He's not

lacking

compassion.

I mean,

look at what

he's done

to save

us.

He has

sent

his son

down to

earth

to rescue

us.

And as

the people

made clear,

Jesus

taught in

their

streets.

They

heard his

words,

and yet

they ignored

it.

they

rejected

him while

the door

was open.

They

refused to

go through

the door

that Jesus

was putting

right before

them.

And so

those who

perish in

hell will

get what

we all

deserve.

And it

will be

right for

God to

see that

come about.

but at

the same

time it

is truly

cause for

weeping.

It is

sad

that many

because they

reject Jesus

will find

themselves in

that place.

For those

of us who

have entered

through the

narrow door,

this should

motivate us

to continue

pleading with

the people

around us

who have

not yet

entered.

We need

to keep

telling people,

look to

Jesus,

listen to

him,

make every

effort to

come to

him and

be saved.

It doesn't

matter whether

that message

is unpopular,

it's the

truth.

I mentioned

earlier that

Jesus sort of

changes the

question.

the question

was,

are only

a few

people

going to

be

saved?

But

Jesus

essentially

in the way

he answers

it says,

don't worry

about the

number.

The question

is,

are you

saved?

Have you

entered

through the

narrow door?

Will you

be one of

those who

come from

all over

and take

your seat

at the

feast

in the

kingdom

of God?

And if

you have

any doubt

about that,

don't take

time,

don't delay

on this,

fight to

get through

that door

before it's

closed.

Because one

day the

door will

be shut

and it

will be

too late.

we're

going to

take some

time now

to partake

of the

Lord's

table.

And if

you have

entered

through

that

door,

this

table is

for you.

This is

what we

do

together

to remind

ourselves

of what

Christ

Jesus did

for us

so that

we could

get

through.

He

suffered.

He

died.

He

made

atonement

for our

sins

by his

blood

so that

we could

be saved.

That's

what the

bread

and the

cup

point to.

And if

you've

entered

through the

narrow

door,

I want

to just

invite you

to join

with us,

eat and

drink with

us as

we remember

what Jesus

has done

for us.

These are

moments to

give thanks

to God

and to

praise

him for

his

gift,

for the

grace of

salvation.

But maybe

you're here

and you

know that

you haven't

entered

through this

door yet.

Right now

is another

opportunity

to do

so.

In these

next moments

of quiet,

I want to

urge you

to pray,

to talk

to God,

to confess

your sins

to him,

to humble

yourself before

him and

repent.

Ask for

his

forgiveness

and put

your trust

in him.

And if

that's

something that

you do

in these

next minutes,

then you're

welcome to

partake of

this table.

We're going

to have a few

minutes of

quiet prayer

now,

and then

the elements

will be

served.

Just encourage

you to hang

on to them

until everybody

who wishes

to partake

has received,

and then

we'll give

thanks and

we'll eat

and drink

together.

Let's pray.

Lord Jesus,

it's amazing

that you

would come

down from

heaven to

this earth

and walk

among us,

walk through

our streets,

and then

give up

your life

and die

for us,

suffer and

die for us,

taking the

punishment we

deserve,

even though

you had

done nothing

wrong.

We want

to say

thank you.

Thank you

for your

forgiveness,

that we

don't have

to live

with the

guilt of

all the

things that

we have

done wrong

in the

past,

whether

in our

minds

big or

small,

even for

the things

we think

are little

and insignificant,

the angry

outburst at

someone,

Lord Jesus,

you have

died to

atone for

that too.

And so we

just praise

you.

We're so

grateful for

you.

We eat

and we

drink in

remembrance

of you.

Amen.