Luke 13: 22-30
When a fellow Christian dies, we struggle for words of comfort. We look into the tear soaked eyes of someone we care about and want to say something that helps them in their grief. Often I hear people try to console one another with these words. He or she is in a better place.
We know that’s true for the loved one who has fallen asleep in Jesus. Jesus’ apostle Paul wrote I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far. Better than the struggles of this world. Better than the pain and suffering. Yes, he or she is in a better place, better by far.
But are those words true for every person who leaves this life? Will that be the case for every person who stands before God on judgment day? If we believe these words of Jesus’ word to be true, if we believe that this is God’s inspired truth, then we have to say no. Every person who dies does not end up in a better place.
These are hard words to listen to this morning. Words of warning are never easy to hear especially when we realize those words have something to say to you and me. But as you listen, remember what often gives rise to a warning. Remember what brings this warning. Love and concern. We warn someone we care about, don’t we? We warn our children about the sad consequences of making bad choices about drugs or alcohol or sex. We warn them because we care about them deeply. So remember what’s behind these words of warning, a concerned heart, a heart willing to lay down his life for every one of us. He urges us all:
Make every effort to enter through the Narrow Door.
22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. It was the last year of Jesus’ ministry, the last year of his life. As always, Jesus was reaching out. Jesus was teaching the people.
And some of those things you can read about in earlier chapters. But don’t let Luke’s words slip by unnoticed. Jesus went …teaching AS HE MADE HIS WAY TO JERUSALEM. Maybe it seemed to others that Jesus was randomly wandering from one village to another but he was not. The Son of God was making his way to Jerusalem for every person he met and many he did not. He was making his way to Jerusalem for every one of us. For whether people know it or not, whether they believe it or not, Jesus went this way to suffer and die for us all. He made his way to Jerusalem to bear our sins, suffer our punishment and win our forgiveness before God.
Well along came a man who asked Jesus this question. “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” It would be nice to know why he asked that question. A young lady from Peru told me about her brother, Mario. He is trying to get accepted into a university. Thousands apply, take a test to get in and stand outside waiting to find out. For out of those thousands they only accept 16 at a time. Just a few.
“Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” I have to think that was more than a curious question. This was something that really concerned this someone. If only a few, then will I, will my loved ones be part of that few?
Listen to Jesus’ answer the man. 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Here Jesus pictures eternal life with God like a building that lots of folks wants to get into. And many people think, if I’m a pretty good person, God will say come right in. That the way many of the Jews looked at their lives as do many people today. I’m trying.
Then are those who believe there are many paths to God, all those many different religions we see in our world. Some say, all those isms can get you in.
But that’s not what Jesus tells us here. He tells the man. 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Think about what Jesus say here. He speaks of one narrow door, not many, but one. Only one door provides access to life with God. So the question is who or what is that door? We know. The one who says to us: I am the gate whoever enters through me will be saved. The one who says to us: I am the way the truth and the life, No one comes to the Father except through me (Jn 14:6) He is that one narrow door.
And here’s why. The Son of God came as our brother to live the life that we fail to live. Every day he lived that life of love and holiness in our place. And then went to Jerusalem to bow his head and died for us all.
For there he took our many sins. He suffered the death we deserve and rose from his grave in victory. What does that victory mean? It means this. Every sin is paid for. The door is open. Forgiveness and life is there for all. So Jesus is that narrow door that God provides. As Peter would one day declare to those demanding his silence: Salvation is found in no one else…
And notice what Jesus says about entering that door. Make every effort. That tells us something important about being a Christian. It’s more than some event way back in your life. It’s more than just being able to say, I was baptized or confirmed. Being a Christian involves effort, a struggle to be faithful to Jesus. You might compare it to walking upstream against the current. At times, it’s just plain hard to walk against that water. Well the devil, some people in this world try to discourage us. And we have to walking against our own sinful nature that says, who cares about Jesus. So it takes effort, effort to be faithful, effort to keep following Jesus. And here Jesus urges us: make every effort to enter through the narrow door.
Right now that door is open to all. But it will not always be. Isaiah says it this way: Seek the Lord while he may be found.(Is 55:6) For the time will come when that opportunity will be no more. 25 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.’ Think back to the time of Noah. For 120 years Noah warned the people to repent of their wickedness while he built that ark. Finally the Lord brought their time of grace to an end. He sent that flood upon the earth and the waters began to rise. Noah, his family and the animals went inside the ark. Then comes a verse that says it all. …The Lord shut him in. (Gen 7:16) He shut the door of the ark with Noah inside, safe from the flood, but with that same door he shut out a world of unbelievers. Their opportunity to repent had come to an end. I wonder. When that door was shut did Noah hear the same pleading words that Jesus speaks of here : For people will say: Sir, open the door for us.
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ How blessed the Jewish people! The Son of God was born a Jew and lived in their midst. Many witnessed his miracles, heard him speak powerful words of the kingdom. of God. How blessed they were. Yet so many did not believe in him. So many refused to see him as the promised Christ. So many turned away. Jesus warned them here.
What about us? How blessed we are to have the gospel of Jesus Christ. How blessed we are to know him as we do. But if we walk away, if we wander off, if we treat Jesus like we might some distant relative, we dare not think that we’ll be able to say: But Jesus, my parents took me to Sunday School. I had a Bible in my house. Jesus, we put up Christmas decorations.
’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ That is the worst thing that anyone could ever hear from God. Go away. Yet It will be a tragedy that people will bring on themselves. For here and now Jesus invites us: Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. The Holy Spirit testifies to us in this Word that Jesus is the bread of life that we may eat and never die. And our Lord Jesus promises to be with us always. So Jesus warns his people to make every effort to enter through the narrow door.
If not, this is what they will find on the last day. ’ 28 “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. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Jesus paints a picture of a great divide. He warns his fellow Jews of missing out on what the Lord has in store for his people. Many of the Jews believed that because they were God’s chosen people they needed no Savior. Their bloodline gave them a leg up with God. We are children of Abraham they claimed.
But they did not share the faith of Abraham and the prophets, faith in the promised Savior. They did not share the faith of people once foreigners to God, those they considered despicable unclean Gentile sinners. They did not share the faith of these people from north, south, east, and west who would hear the good news of Jesus Christ and believe it. Those who once were last, without God and without hope, would take their place in the Kingdom.
So Jesus urges these people, his people, to enter through the narrow door. He urges us. Otherwise the Day of the Lord would find them on the outside looking in, shut out from God’s presence, feeling a terrible regret, suffering an eternal loss.
And what would they see? Something so different for those who enter through the narrow door, so different for those whose hearts trusted in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Instead of weeping, God will wipe away every tear and sadness. The cancer, the dementia, the hurts, the struggles, the broken hearts of this life will be no more.
And think of the happiest wedding you every attended. Maybe it was your own. That joy will be small compared to the joy of that Day. And it will not end. . 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. That door is open, dear friends. His name is Jesus Christ. Come and be blessed. Amen