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"God's Open Narrow Door" (Sermon on Luke 13:22-30)
August 26, 2007 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson

Posted on 08/25/2007 1:31:20 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson

“God’s Open Narrow Door” (Luke 13:22-30)

It started with a question. Someone asked Jesus this question: “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” It seemed like a reasonable question, something you would ask a visiting rabbi. An interesting academic question, to be sure. “Are only a few people going to be saved?”

But what was the question behind the question? Why did the guy ask this? Let’s consider the possibilities. Was it just idle curiosity, sort of like, “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” Or in this case, “Will those who are saved be few?”

Perhaps the fellow asks his question in order to put God on trial. Maybe he thinks that God is too strict and that if God were really a decent God, he would let everybody in. There are a lot of people who think that way today, aren’t there? “God wouldn’t dare to send anybody to hell! No, that wouldn’t make him a proper God in our eyes.” That’s how people think these days.

On the other hand, though, maybe this fellow thinks that God is too loose, letting in all the riff-raff he sees hanging around with Jesus. A righteous God shouldn’t be that lax in his justice.

Which leads to another possibility: Maybe the questioner was trying to trap Jesus with his question. We know from reading the gospels that that sort of thing happened. Jesus’ enemies were out to get him, and they tried to trap him into saying the wrong thing.

But it’s also possible that the man’s question was neither purely academic nor a trick to entrap Jesus. It could have been a sincere question on the personal level for the man. Maybe he was worried about himself, that he wouldn’t make it. “Lord, will those who are saved be few? Because if that’s so, then I’m not so sure I’m good enough to qualify.” Despair could be driving his question, and he was just looking for the slightest sliver of hope.

On the other hand--now how many hands is this?--on the other hand, it could be pride. Pride, as in, “Hey, look at me! I’m one of the few, the proud, the saved! I’m better than all those lowlifes who aren’t as righteous or holy as I am. God must be pleased with me.”

Well, in any case, we’re not told what the man’s motivation was for asking the question. What we do know is how Jesus answered it. Or didn’t answer it. You see, Jesus doesn’t answer the man’s question. The man had asked, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” But Jesus doesn’t directly address that. Instead, he says, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

Jesus turns the man’s question around. He doesn’t let it stay on the academic or theoretical level. He makes it very personal. It’s as though he tells the fellow: “You say you’re concerned about how many people are going to be saved? Well, start by looking in the mirror. Are you going to be saved? Yes, there’s a danger that many people will not be saved. But don’t let that happen to you. Here, now, I’m warning you and exhorting you--yes, you, here today!”

“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” What is this “door” that Jesus is speaking about? It is the door to salvation. It is the door to eternal life. It is the door to the kingdom of God, the household of God and the heavenly banquet. And many will not be able to enter it, even though they will try. Jesus doesn’t tell us how many, or what the proportions will be, just that many will not make it. The door will be closed to them at that time.

You see, there will come a time when it is too late. That will happen at the end of time, at the Last Day and the final judgment. Until that time, the end will come for each one of us at our death. After that, it will be too late to repent, too late to enter through the door. So, Jesus is saying, make sure you attend to such matters now, before it is too late. Death could come for any one of us at any time.

The psalmist says, in Psalm 95, “Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart.” The writer to the Hebrews in chapter 3 quotes that verse, and then adds to it, “as long as it is called today.” Meaning, it always applies: Any time and every time your hear God’s voice, open your heart to it. Don’t stop your ears and thus run the risk that the next time it will be too late. There may not be a next time. And even if there is a next time, by then you may be so used to saying “no” to God that you won’t be able to say “yes.” Listen, God is calling, calling you to repent. The door is open now, now while you have ears to hear.

“Strive to enter through the narrow door.” There is a door to go through to enter the kingdom of God, but what kind of a door is it? It is, as Jesus describes it, a “narrow” door. It is narrow, and notice, there is just one door. There are not many doors. That’s what people think today, though: that there are many doors to the kingdom of heaven. You can pick Door #1, or Door #2, or whichever door you choose. You prefer the door of the Christian tradition, somebody else picks the Jewish door. The Muslims believe in and worship God, just in their own way. Buddhists, Hindus--many faith traditions, many doors. Or maybe you have no faith at all. That’s OK, too; you make your own door. Wherever you want to put one, and whatever you want it to look like, that’s your door, and it works for you. That is the prevailing message of our postmodern, hyper-tolerant culture. But that idea is wrong, dead wrong.

Now to be sure, “many shall come from the east and the west,” that is, there will be many saved from every language, tribe, people, and nation. But all those who are saved are saved in the same way: They all will have come in through the same narrow door, the one door that God has provided for all men, namely, God’s only Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus says there is only one door, and it is a narrow one at that. Not everything will fit. This narrow door has no room for your pride or your accomplishments. No room for your money or possessions. No room for anything you think will earn your way in.

The narrow door has a “fraud detector,” too. An insincere mere surface association with Jesus will not make it through: “Lord, open to us. We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” But the master of the house will turn them away, saying, “I don’t know you or where you come from. Depart from me!” With this door, there’s no sneaking past security.

Nevertheless, come in through this narrow door. There’s just room for you and Jesus, with Jesus leading the way. In fact, Jesus is the Way. He says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” Again Jesus says, “I am the door for the sheep. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.”

You see, there is just one door, and it is narrow, but that door is open, and it leads to salvation! Come in through the way that is Jesus, the new and living way that he opened for us--by his coming in the flesh, by the blood that he shed for us on the cross. Christ, the everlasting Son of the Father, took upon himself all our sins, all that would block us and exclude us from God’s presence. Jesus suffered that exclusion in our place, when he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” But that perfect sacrifice having been made, the way for us sinners is no longer blocked. It is as open as the empty tomb with the stone rolled away. Christ our Savior has overcome the sharpness of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. The door is open! Jesus is our open door!

Come in through God’s open narrow door. But if there is no room through this door for our works, our efforts to save ourselves, then why does Jesus say, “Strive to enter”? Isn’t that a contradiction? I thought being saved was giving up on our own efforts and instead trusting in Jesus’ work for us? Well, it is. But going in still is an effort, it involves a struggle. We strive and struggle against our own flesh. You and I are saints and sinners at the same time, and our Old Adam is at war with the new man. So we struggle every day with sin and temptation, the temptation to not listen to God, to not trust in God above all things. We do battle against the devil, the world, and our flesh. That’s why the way of salvation involves a certain effort. Yes, salvation is all God’s work for us in Christ, entirely apart from our works of self-justification. But because our life is lived in this fallen world and in this sinful flesh, therefore it does involve a striving and a struggle. That’s what Jesus means when he says, “Strive to enter.”

“Strive.” The Greek word that’s used here is agonizo, from which we get our English word, “agonize.” It was used of athletes in competition, like at the Olympics. They “agonize” to win the prize. Same here. We agonize, we sweat and strive and struggle. We press on to run the race, keeping our eyes on the prize, the crown of life that God freely awards us for Christ’s sake. The paradox of the Christian life is that it’s a gift and a struggle at the same time. “Strive to enter through the narrow door.”

Our message this morning started with a question: “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” But this is no place for a dry academic exercise; this is no time for a mere theoretical question. The question is, rather, Will those who are saved include me? And God is not the one who is on trial here. You and I are. How are we going to fare in the heavenly court of justice? How shall we enter the kingdom of God?

The door is narrow, but the door is open. It is open now, for you. “Behold, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” Right now, as you hear the living voice of the gospel, God is opening his door to you. God is speaking to you, inviting you in, welcoming you home with open arms.

If the question is, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” then Jesus’ answer is, “You, you who are hearing me today, come in through me and be saved while there is still time.” Yes, come to the feast of salvation, enter the kingdom of God, through God’s open narrow door.


TOPICS: Religion
KEYWORDS: lcms; luke; lutheran; sermon
Luke 13:22-30 (ESV)

[Jesus] went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

1 posted on 08/25/2007 1:31:23 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson
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To: lightman; old-ager; Cletus.D.Yokel; bcsco; redgolum; kittymyrib; Irene Adler; MHGinTN; ...

Ping.


2 posted on 08/25/2007 1:33:31 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson (Lutheran pastor, LCMS)
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To: All

I usually post these sermons in the Bloggers & Personal forum, with the topic there being, “Religion.” That’s what I thought I did this time, too. But somehow it got redirected to the Religion forum. Oh, well.


3 posted on 08/25/2007 1:38:56 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson (Lutheran pastor, LCMS)
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To: Charles Henrickson

I moved it to the Religion forum, I thought it was more appropriate there. If you would like me to restore it to the Bloggers forum, please let me know via the abuse button.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
AM


4 posted on 08/25/2007 1:47:30 PM PDT by Admin Moderator
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To: Charles Henrickson
The Gospel Reading for this Sunday, August 26th

Gospel
Lk 13:22-30

Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them,
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
‘Lord, open the door for us.’
He will say to you in reply,
‘I do not know where you are from.
And you will say,
‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you,
‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last.”



5 posted on 08/25/2007 1:49:27 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Charles Henrickson

I like it here.


6 posted on 08/25/2007 1:50:46 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Charles Henrickson
I don't think it matters ONE IOTA about this question of who is and who is not saved.
We know that WE will be saved if we keep God's two great commandments: love God and love each other.

God knows the answer to that question. That's enough for me.

7 posted on 08/25/2007 1:56:34 PM PDT by starfish923 (Socrates: It's never right to do wrong.)
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To: Admin Moderator
Thank you, AM, for restoring this thread to the Bloggers & Personal forum. Since this forum does have a "Religion" topic, and since my sermon is my own writing rather than a news article, that's why I post it here.

CH

8 posted on 08/25/2007 2:01:24 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson (Lutheran pastor, LCMS)
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To: starfish923
WE will be saved if we keep God's two great commandments: love God and love each other.

That's true, as far as it goes. "Do this and you shall live." The problem is, we don't keep God's Law! If the Law was all there was, we'd be sunk!

Fortunately, God has another word for us: The Gospel. It tells us of what Christ has done FOR us. That is the only way any of us will be saved!

9 posted on 08/25/2007 2:04:51 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson (Lutheran pastor, LCMS)
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To: Charles Henrickson
Of course it's true.
We spend SO MUCH TIME worrying about everyone else's problems and we ARE supposed to be our brother's keeper, but why worry about who is and who isn't going to be saved?
No one knows FOR SURE because it's GOD'S decision, His alone and it's not for us to speculate beyond what we've been told by His Son: Love God and love each.
That really IS enough and the rest is idle speculation: a complete waste of time....imho.
10 posted on 08/25/2007 2:14:01 PM PDT by starfish923 (Socrates: It's never right to do wrong.)
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To: Charles Henrickson

Thanks. I’ll pass it along.


11 posted on 08/25/2007 5:49:09 PM PDT by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: Charles Henrickson

!


12 posted on 08/25/2007 7:40:58 PM PDT by MHGinTN (You've had life support. Promote life support for those in the womb.)
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To: Charles Henrickson

From a post on the Daily Readings Thread for Sunday.

It is the humble soul that never presumes that one can claim heaven on one’s own terms. Rather, it is the humble spirit who is totally dependent on the gatekeeper and the gate, who is Christ Himself, who will enter the kingdom of heaven. The humble spirit is disposed to obeying God in all things, loving Him on His terms.

Powerful!


13 posted on 08/25/2007 8:41:31 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Charles Henrickson

Thanks for the sermon Pastor. I really enjoy these on Sundays before heading to Church.


14 posted on 08/26/2007 4:48:21 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (The measure of a country is not how many people are wanting to come in, but how many want to leave.)
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To: Charles Henrickson

And keep in mind that “love God and Love one another” is Law.


15 posted on 08/27/2007 4:29:07 PM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel
And keep in mind that “love God and Love one another” is Law.

Reminds me of something John R.W. Stott wrote; "Christianity cannot be reduced to a law of love."

16 posted on 08/27/2007 6:18:40 PM PDT by lightman (The Office of the Keys should be exercised as some ministry needs to be Exorcised.)
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