Luke 13:22-13:28 ALL WILL NOT ENTER IN
22And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
23Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 24Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 26Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
We find the Lord Jesus in Luke 13:22-35, teaching and healing in the cities and villages of Perea as He journeys toward Jerusalem.
As the disciples observed the Lord in his dealings with the Pharisees, they began to realize that the teachings of the rabbis were in direct contrast to the teachings of Jesus. They began to see the mounting opposition to Christ and His message of salvation.
And as they noticed the rejection and opposition of many, one of Jesus followers asks Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? and Jesus answers, 24Strive to enter in at the strait gate: (or narrow door), for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Christ made two points very clear – (1) the doorway to salvation is very narrow and (2) not everyone who seeks to enter is or will be able to enter.
What did He mean by this?
1st. The Doorway to Salvation is Very Narrow.
A. Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it."
B. John 10:1 1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
John 10:7-9 7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
C. The way of salvation is very specific. Not all roads lead to Heaven.
1. Proverbs 16:25 25There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
2. John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
3. Acts 4:12 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
II. Let us notice right here that those who trust in their own goodness cannot go to heaven.
1. Matthew 5:20 20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
2. Luke 13:3 "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
3. notice, that a person who rests on his own merits for acceptance with God, is of little consequence whether he is a pagan idolater or a proud Pharisee. They are both equally lost.
B. And also people who don’t humble themselves cannot go to heaven.
1. Matthew 18:3 3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
2. Jeremiah 9:23 -24 23Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
It seem that people like to think that they’ll always manage to get out of what ever dilemma that might come their way, they think, “well I’ve manage so far to stay safe so I’m sure I’ll get by the next time.”
Its sorter like the boasting fox that was bragging to a cat of how clever he was; he said to the cat. "I have a whole bag of tricks,"which contains a hundred ways of escaping my enemies." The Cat said, "I have only one; "but I can generally manage with that." Just at that moment they heard the cry of a pack of hounds coming towards them, and the Cat scampered up a tree and hid himself in the boughs. "This is my plan," said the Cat. "What are you going to do?" The Fox thought first of one way, then of another. While he was debating the hounds came nearer and nearer and at last the Fox in his confusion was caught by the hounds and soon killed by the hunters.
The cat who had been looking on said, "Better one safe way than a hundred on which you cannot reckon.”
The world brags about a hundred ways of reaching heaven. But the sure way of faith in Jesus Christ is better than ten thousand ways that don’t work!
6. Matthew 16:24-25 24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it .
C. it matters not how good a person may think himself to be , or how wonderful a man he is in his community, All who do not accept Christ cannot go heaven
1. John 3:5 -6 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit
2. John 5:40 40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life
3. The reason we that are saved and on our way to heaven is because of what He has done for us
God the Father sent His only Begotten Son to this earth for the specific purpose of dying on the cross in our stead and paying our sin debt.
2nd cor.5: 21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
1st. pet 1:18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
How can we be sure that we have eternal life?
4. 1 John 5: 10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
D. And then there are people who will wait to long to be saved’
Genesis 6:3 3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man,
2. Luke 13:25 25When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
3. Matthew 25: 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
The psalmist tells us in Psalms 95:7-117For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, 8Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
One of these days the time to be saved will be over for the lost sinner and all who have heard the truth about Jesus Christ and rejected Him will end up in hell.
Rev.20: 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
One of the saddest verses in the bible is
7. Jeremiah 8:20 "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."
People may scorn and make fun of the warnings they hear today but be assured; God will have the last laugh.
Proverbs 1: 22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Sinner friend, don’t turn Gods call to you away, don’t wait untll the door of grace is closed, call on Him now while you still have time.
