Pastor Ron Koehler
Back in June, a few of us were spending some time visiting in a hospital room and there was one of these. A Rubik’s Cube. They’ve been around for a long time, so I’m guessing a lot of you have messed around with one at some point. Raise your hand if you have ever solved it. If you have, you are apparently among the 5.8% of people who can do it a pretty small percentage! But in case you’re feeling pretty good about yourself, you probably have a long way to go to get close the record of 4.22 seconds by some guy named Max!
I used to be able to do it pretty quickly when it first came out—but that day in the hospital room, I was struggling! I got a couple sides, that was it. On the next visit, I saw that it was perfect each side had only one color! But I’m pretty sure someone “solved” it by taking the stickers off and putting them back on in the right places!
A question from someone in a crowd prompted Jesus to talk about how few people could do something far more important. And what he says cuts pretty deeply. It can be upsetting because it is not the way we naturally think about things and certainly not the message preached by our culture. But if you’ll listen and trust him, you’ll find healing in his words words that you can share with those who don’t know or understand what Jesus says
THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO GET THROUGH THE NARROW DOOR OF HEAVEN
Strive to Enter Through the Narrow Door
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to complete his work of salvation. He was teaching in all the little towns and villages like he always did. In one of those towns, someone asked him a question: “Lord, are only a few going to be saved?” Who was this someone? A man? A woman? What did they think? Did they understand Jesus’ answer? Did they believe it? We don’t know the answers to those questions. But, that “someone’s” question was one debated by Jewish rabbi’s, some of whom felt that all Israelites would be saved. If the person had heard that, perhaps they just wanted to get Jesus’ take on it—he was a rabbi (teacher) after all.
Many people have a genuine curiosity about who and how many people will be in heaven. But questions about heaven often have more to do with the individual doing the asking. If we ask, we may be concerned with what our chances of being in heaven are! What do I need to know?! What am I supposed to believe?! What do I have to do?
It’s kind of funny, Jesus never exactly answers this person’s question! He never says how many will be in heaven. Instead, he shifts to the side of that question and urges each person to be concerned about their own souls and see to it that they make it in.
“Strive to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. Jesus himself is the way through the narrow door of heaven. This goes against both natural and popular beliefs Things like this:
• “All roads lead to heaven. As long as you believe something, you will be saved.”
• As long as you’re a good person, then God will want you.
• A person doesn’t have to be religious. As long as they are “spiritual” they will be blessed after they die.
We naturally come up with these other ideas because it’s the best we can do if we don’t know the Bible very well or if we refuse to let Scripture guide our thinking. Sinful people quite naturally have a hard time accepting that the door is not a mile wide and accepting of almost everyone. And we’re immersed in a culture that only feeds that belief—all-inclusive, acceptance of all beliefs, never tell anyone they are wrong especially when it comes to spiritual things.
So, Jesus’ words cut deeply. If we are wounded by them, we don’t understand the narrow door to heaven. He always explained that faith in him is what opens up the door to the house of heaven. The Bible says that that salvation is found in no one else, that there is only one name under heaven by which we are saved. Jesus is the only Savior of the world, and the only one who opens the door to heaven.
And this is why he willingly gave up his position at God’s right hand, came down from heaven and became the Savior by living a perfect life, satisfying God’s requirement of a perfect keeping of his law. Then he gave himself to die to pay for our inability to live perfectly. The Father accepted his sacrifice for sinners. Anyone and everyone who believes this has God’s forgiveness and will be saved.
That gospel message has gone out to the entire world. So, Jesus says that People will come from east and west, from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. People from all races and nations will walk through the narrow door of heaven because of their faith in Jesus. They have come to believe in the One who opens the narrow door.
The challenging thing for a person, though, is to hang onto their faith. There are some things we have to fight if we want to enter heaven:
• Our sinful nature is always bugging us, trying to lead us away from God.
• The devil is tempting us all along the way
• A sinful world constantly gives us bad advice, no encouragement, and threatens us with its own sin.
The Bible makes it clear that if we don’t watch it, we can lose our faith.
We should probably wrap some caution tape around these words. If we’re not careful, we might get the impression that we somehow earn our salvation then. If we are supposed to Strive to enter (heaven) through the narrow door, then it might sound like it’s up to us! Do we have to earn it? No, please find comfort in know what I said a minute ago Christ has done all that is required for your salvation. That’s what his life, death, and resurrection did for us.
So what kind of “striving” is Jesus talking about? He is talking about the struggle to hang onto the faith we have in Jesus. This is the fight against our own sinful nature, the devil’s attacks, and the temptations of a sinful world. What do we do then to hang onto our faith?
Maybe you have put together a training plan for participating in an upcoming race, or you follow or craft a workout or weightlifting program to get in better shape and become stronger. Well, if I had a training schedule for this contest, I think it would include several things:
• I would be in worship regularly—Sunday after Sunday—to hear the Word of God and receive the Sacrament.
• I would make God part of my daily life—read my Bible, talk with him in prayer.
• I would enjoy and make the most of Christian friendships for support and biblical advice and encouragement.
• I would assess the choices before me each day in an effort to live in a way that shows my love for God and my appreciation for the forgiveness and salvation he gives me.
That’s what striving looks like! Don’t ever think that we get into heaven by our striving, by living a good life or doing all the right things. We get into heaven by believing that Jesus has done all that is necessary for us to enter through the Narrow Door. We simply fight tooth and nail to hold onto our faith.
Share Jesus’ Words with Others
If it seems like this is only a personal matter, I’d encourage you to think a little more about it. Yes, it is true that Jesus wants each person to be sure that they are going to heaven, but I think we all know people who are not worried about it or feel comfortable about their “afterlife” when they ought to be worried! Maybe they even have questions like that person in the crowd.
I want you to picture those people you know who are not Christians. They are atheist or agnostic or even non-active Christians (in other words, in name only). I want you to picture them on the Last Day, Judgment Day, the day that the door to heaven closes for good. Picture them standing outside that shut and locked narrow door: Once the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open for us!’
Imagine them (and how many others you don’t know but ought to be concerned about) being told by Jesus ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Maybe you can understand their arguments when they say: ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ Many in Jesus’ day ate with, drank with, saw Jesus, knew who he was, but didn’t believe in him as the Savior. Those people then and the people today who have a knowledge of Jesus but not faith in him will hear Jesus say to them on Judgment Day: “I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.”
Perhaps you are be getting the idea that some people who are very comfortable and confident that they will in heaven will be stunned to find out that they will not be there. That is EXACTLY what Jesus is saying! Are you content to let those you know or even those you don’t know be among those who are left outside the door to the kingdom of heaven weeping and gnashing their teeth as they feel that separation from God for all eternity?
When Jesus says in the last verse of our text: Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last,” think of it this way: Many Jews felt that they would be saved simply because they were Jews they had Abraham as their father. They were first That belief about the nation of Israel is actually still around today. Perhaps we also think of people who seem so spiritual or super-religious but lack a trust and reliance on Jesus.
Then there are the many Gentiles (non-Jews) who believed in Jesus as the Savior. They were not part of the “firsts” the chosen nation of Israel! But they trusted in Christ. Today too, you might not think much of the “lasts” around you the homeless, the troubled, the hurting, but if they have faith in the forgiveness Jesus brings to them, they are made “firsts” in the eyes of God and will absolutely enter heaven through the narrow door.
The thing that eternal life hinges on is faith in Christ and that alone. Everything else is disregarded. Good intentions, race, power, wealth, knowledge or anything else does not persuade Jesus to allow a person the walk through the door. He only looks to see if there is faith in him. You know people who need to be steered onto the right path, the one that leads to the narrow door. Faith in Christ needs to be restored or found, false beliefs need to be put away, and strengthening of faith must take place in order to hang on to that saving faith. So, bring your roommate to church with you. Encourage your spouse or your friend. Talk to that person you’re getting to know. We don’t know when the Last Day will be, so don’t waste time.
Getting through the door takes effort! It is a struggle. If you, me, or anyone else are not in training, our faith can die and we will be stopped at the door on the Last Day. Use those faith-strengthening things God provides worship, Bible Study, Bible reading, the Lord’s Supper so that you persevere in your struggle. And be a help to others show them the path that leads to the Narrow Door. Amen.
Now the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.