Press on While the Door’s Open
Luke 13:22-28
Woodleigh Replicas & Gardens is a British Theme Park located in the heart of Burlington, Prince Edward Island. They house around 30 replicas of the most spectacular castles and cathedrals of the British Isles, among rolling hills and gardens. Melissa and I spend a few hours there one afternoon during our honeymoon.
Many of the replicas have corridors and passageways that you can walk through. Some are extremely narrow. Often times these narrows halls lead to larger sections of each castle. Some people choose a different route to the main chambers simply because they cannot manoeuvre through the tight spaces, or have a fear of cramped areas.
I enjoyed the castle exhibits, and found the journey more fulfilling by placing myself in the narrow halls. I didn’t want to miss a thing. The true joy was not always the destination, but knowing that you made it through the journey.
In our scripture today, an anonymous person asks Jesus a very important question about the kingdom. 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?" (Luke 13:22,23) Shrouded in secrecy, the petitioner and his or her motives may never be known. The key to this passage is that despite the person and particular motives, Jesus chose to answer this question. Let us look at this passage together. (Read John 23-28)
Some people have suggested that this question was an attempt to thwart Jesus’ ministry. No matter who asked it, Jesus took the time to answer it. He never gave a “Yes” or “No” response. I suppose the Jesus, when preparing His answer, may have turned to face the person and replied, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” (Luke 13:24)
The King James Version of the Bible states Jesus’ response in another manner: “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”
If you have ever tried to enter a small or narrow door, perhaps you have noticed something. It takes some effort on your part to get inside, doesn’t it? When my cousins and I were younger, we loved to play in old cardboard boxes, especially the ones that large appliances would come in. My cousins would cut a small doorway in the box, and we would struggle to get inside. We figured that if we made the entrance hard for us to get it, it was a safe way to keep others, especially the girls, out.
The KJV tells us to “strive to enter in at the strait gate.” The word “strive” used in this text has the same Greek root word as the word “agonize.” If you have ever squeezed yourself through a small opening, you know there can be some pain involved. There are often struggles to be had. In fact, agony is a very fitting word to use here.
Narrow doors or gateways can be a literal “pain” to get through, but Jesus says to get through there. Often times to fit through small openings, we’ll have to shed some things, things that will not be required ahead of us.
The state of Florida has an extensive underwater cave system that stretches for miles under the ground. People from around the world will flock to Florida just for a chance to swim through these caves. Sometimes the cave openings can become so small that the divers must first take off their scuba tanks and send the tanks in before they make it through the mouth of the cave. Many people have died in Florida’s underwater caves. Some underwater caves have even been closed off.
Narrow doorways can restrict entrance. In order to enter, Jesus is implying that some things will need to be stripped away before a person can make that successful journey. To make it through, people will have to leave their burdens behind, and focus on the journey ahead.
Near the end of this verse, Jesus says that many will try, but will not get in. Why? “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.” (Luke 13:25)
Before I go on, I need to make a quick observation. We have just talked about the struggled to get through the narrow gate. Let me say from reading this passage here in verse 25, the narrow gate is on the OTHER side of the door. I believe that Jesus was commanding the people to hurry up and get in the door, and to “strive to enter the narrow gate.”
Once the Master closes the door, there will be no more entrance into the hallway. The narrow gate makes entrance into the house hard, but not impossible. Once you’re past the doorframe, you’re on your way into the main room. It will take you time, but you will make it. There will be NO entrance into the house once the door is closed.
For those of us today who are serving Jesus, the call for us is to keep on making our way to the main room. Keep dropping the things that Christ commands you to drop as you get closer. It is a daily struggle, but with faith we will make it.
For those of you have not made that personal commitment to Christ, and have not accepted His gift of salvation, do it now before He closes the door. There is a day coming when Jesus’ grace will run out. I believe His door will remain open until the day the He returns. I also believe that we have from the time we take a our first breath until the day we breath our last, the Lord leaves open the avenue to the throne of God, but like the old saying goes, “all good things must come to an end.”
It is a race against the clock. We are either going to die or see Him with our own eyes. Either way, we are living on borrowed time. When He closes that door, there will be nobody admitted in that day. What a sad time it will be for those who hear the phrase “I don’t know you or where you come from.” When the door is closed, the Master expects that all the members of the household be already inside.
On that day, no amount of bargaining will do. While we walk this earth, we may be able to fool people into thinking that we have it all together. The sad note is that we will never be able to fool God.
"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!’ (Luke 13:26, 27)
The responses of those outside the door are the revelries of the modern day. For some people, it’s not about what you have done that make you important. Often times the key factor is who you have associated with. You are praised with those honoured, and condemned with the fallen.
The people in this passage tried to pass off a passing knowledge of the Master, hoping it would be enough for Him to open the door. They are the ones who do the good things, and are around the right people. As I have said before, church is not enough. When your life comes to an end, it will not matter one ounce in eternity that you wore a stripped tie to church today. What matters are what you did with Jesus.
These people on the outside barely knew the Master. They knew what He had done for those around them, but never really cared enough about what He was doing in the hearts and lives of others. You may be here today and have used all the “church words.” You may be one of the nicest people in the world, but if you do not have Jesus in your hearts, then you are destined to be one of those on the outside looking in.
We live in a world that loves to sin. We exchanged the word sin for classier terms as “addictions,” “political correctness” and “alternative lifestyles.” But the Bible still says that sin is sin.
We also live in a world that presumes upon the graces God. “God loves people!” “A loving God would never condemn a person to eternal Hell.” These people will be the ones who are knocking when the door is closed, believing the Master will let them in, only to hear the words “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.” (Luke 13:28)
There is coming a day when we will all see Jesus. For many people that day will be a time of celebration. The darkness has passed, and we will see the one who bore the scars for us. For others it will be the saddest day of their lives. All they put off for so long will become a reality. Where do you fit in today?
Conclusion
John Wesley preached his last sermon of Feb 17, 1791, in Lambeth on the text "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near" (Isa 55:6). The following day, a very sick man, he was put to bed in his home on City Road. During the days of his illness, he often repeated the words from one of his brother’s hymns: I the chief of sinners am, but Jesus died for me! His last words were, "The best of all is, God is with us!" He died March 2, 1791.
In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah as saying “for he says, "In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you."I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.”(2 Corinthian 6:2) To keep this in context with our message, while the door remains opens, salvation is opened to every person here today. He has not closed the door...yet. But I must say it is an awful gamble to stay and presume upon His grace.
Those of us within the door must continue to strive to keep moving forward. The passageway will be rough and hard, but the Master calls us into the house. Keep striving!
