Narrow Door

Luke 13:22-30

22He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23And someone said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them, 24"Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25When 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.' 26Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' 27But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!' 28In 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. 29And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

I want to share a story of when I strived for a "Narrow Door".  On November 22, 2005, the Xbox 360 would be released.  I had preordered mine months before, and even bought an HDTV and turned my parent's guest room into a game room. Yes. I was one of those spoiled kids…  Unfortunately, there were more preorders than there were actual Xboxes.  I HAD to have my Xbox 360 on release day, so I camped out at Circuit City from 5pm to 7am.    I strived for that 360, and I got it. Several people in line behind me were not so lucky.  All that for a silly Xbox.. Now onto something REALLY worth striving for.

In this passage,  Jesus mentions a narrow door when someone asked if only a few people would be saved.  I think that's a question a lot of us have asked.  We have many friends and family that we want to go to Heaven, and we kind of just hope that God would be pretty inclusive and just let mostly  everyone in.  But that's not what Jesus says.  Jesus says to strive for the narrow door.  Strive to know Jesus, believe in the Gospel, and live a righteous life.

Jesus goes on to say, "For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able".  He also says that people who claimed to know the master of the house and hung out with him, will be rejected because he doesn't know them.    At first I thought, "Man, God would exclude those who even hung out with him?"  But then I thought about my sister's husband.  He grew up without having much, but had a very successful college football career, and ended up making millions for the Green Bay Packers.  When he made it big, he got lots of calls and visits from people whom he hadn't heard from in years.  Maybe in high school they once "ate and drank in his presence", but now that he's worth something they're trying to get a little something from their good ol' buddy ol' pal.   If that were me, I would be exactly like the master of the house, "Depart from me, all you workers of evil!"

God is the master of the house. And you may think this parable means that God is not inclusive.  But in actuality, He is gracious and merciful, because that door, while it is narrow, it's open for EVERY sinner through Jesus' death and resurrection.  Jesus did the work for he IS the door. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  If we have given our lives to Christ and believe in the Gospel, that door is open for us.  Christ will let us in because we truly know Him and He knows us.

On the flip side, for those who are not believers, that door will not be open. And that should be frightening for us.  Earlier this year, I read Erasing Hell by Francis Chan.  The basic premise of the book is how in today's society, and in today's churches, the topic of Hell is avoided.  We hear about Heaven and salvation a lot, but we almost try to erase the topic of Hell from all conversation.  Chan says,  "We have become dangerously comfortable-- believers ooze with wealth and let their addictions to comfort and security numb the radical urgency of the gospel".

With that being said.  I look forward to being in Heaven, and experiencing paradise with my Lord and my fellow believers. It's going to be awesome!  Hell in comparison is going to be tormenting. A weeping and gnashing of teeth.  In contrast, Hell just makes Heaven that much more beautiful and desirable.  It makes salvation that much more valuable.  So valuable, that we would feel that real radical sense of urgency to spread the Gospel.  Think about your family, coworkers, classmates, friends who don't know Jesus.  Pray for them today.  Ask God to stir up excitement and anticipation of being with them in Heaven.  Ask God to maintain your awareness of Hell, in order for us to reach the lost and expand His Kingdom and His Glory. 

·        King Jesus, I thank you for what you did on the Cross.  For what you did on the Cross saved me from the eternal separation from you. In you there is no condemnation and Hell is not our destination.  I thank you that we DO know you, and we want you to be known.   Let the reality of Heaven and Hell resonate in our hearts in hopes that we can passionately carry out the Gospel and lead several lives to the Narrow Door.  Amen

- Zane