Striving: Jesus teaching on kingdom
A detailed Account - Gospel of Luke • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 46:49
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What does it mean to strive?
(V): make great efforts to achieve or obtain something. Struggle or fight vigorously.
What is something that you strive for?
We will see in our passage, in Jesus teaching on the way to Jerusalem about the importance of entering through the narrow door, and to do it while it is still open.
We will see that many who believe they are safe, are saved may not be, and why.
A couple of questions to ponder as we look at our passage today, see if they are answered.
What does the narrow door symbolize in this passage?
What warnings does Jesus give in this passage that are still relevant today?
Teaching on entering the kingdom
Teaching on entering the kingdom
22 And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” 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.
25 “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’
26 “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; 27 and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’
28 “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 yourselves being thrown out. 29 “And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.
30 “And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”
What stands out to you in this passage?
What was the question asked of Jesus (v.23)?
“are there just a few who are being saved?”
Why does Jesus tell people to strive (v.24)?
Many, I tell you will seek to enter and will not be able to.
Oh wait, maybe we should look at (v.25) too to understand why Jesus said strive.
Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door. meaning there will be a day that it is too late.
Pay attention to the wording in (v.26), does anything stand out in the wording?
“in your presence.”
Understanding the wording in (v.26) now; what is the admonishment in (v.27)?
Depart from me, all you evil doers
Where will the people come from who will recline at the table (v.29)?
East,west, north, and south.
While not given an explanation yet, what does (v.30) tell us?
Some are last will be first, and some are first will be last.
Jesus starts with responding to a question about salvation.
Strive to enter, we looked at the definition a few minutes ago, another would be the Greek word “Prospatho” which is literally agonize.
Strive to enter the narrow gate. I love what F.F. Bruce said.
“Because the way it narrow, it takes effort and purpose to enter it. A narrow gate also implies that we can’t bring unnecessary things. We must strive to lay aside and come in.”
Laying aside our good works.
Lay aside our traditions.
Lay aside our heritage (speaking to Jews).
This is not a call to strive for salvation through good works. Good works are not the gate, Jesus is the gate, He is the door!
Jesus (vv.24-27) explains why it is necessary to strive. We need to read the passage again and leave out the punctuation (24-25) better grasp it.
24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’
There will be a time when the Master of the house will shut the door. There will be a day when it is too late. Strive to make sure you have entered through the narrow gate (Jesus).
Morgan said this:
“Jesus previously spoke of the narrow door; here he warned of the shut door; Our Lord showed that there are limits to the divine mercy, that there will be those who will not be able to enter in.”
I like what Guzik said:
“There is a real difference between a mere seeking and striving to enter. A casual wish to be saved isn’t enough, because there are too many obstacles on the way.”
Let me show you striving for salvation:
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
then
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
then
13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Or Mk16:16
16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
or
37 And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Can you see that to enter into the kingdom it takes striving? Not works, but agonizing, knowing how serious the commitment is, the cost there is behind it and the willingness to obey the gospel.
Application: Take time and look at your spiritual walk. Do you need to strive to have a closer relationship with Christ? Do you need to surrender to the changes He wants to make in your life to conform you?
26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’
Being in the Lord’s presence is not enough
Knowing something about Jesus is not enough.
Jesus says “depart.” There is a strong admonishment here.
Proximity does not equate to relationship.
(Transition) for those who are told to depart that He knows them not - - - -
28 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, and yourselves thrust out.
Those excluded from the kingdom of God will be in hell (place of weeping and gnashing of teach).
“There was a woman who protested to an evangelist that weeping and gnashing of teeth could not apply to those who have lost their teeth. The preacher solemnly replied, ‘Teeth will be provided.’”
Guzik goes on in his commentary to say a little more about the weeping and gnashing:
“The definite articles with ‘weeping’ (c.f. Greek) emphasize the horror of the sceen: the weeping and the gnashing. the weeping suggests suffering and the gnashing suggest despair.
but then let’s look at the next verse.
29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.
Jesus expands on they will be surprised who is in the kingdom. It will be more than Jews. The Jews believed all Jews would be there. Jesus corrects that thought but also gives some small description of the kingdom.
It is a place of rest where you sit down
It is a place of good company to sit with the likes of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (v.28).
It is a place where people from all over the earth will come to.
It is a place of certainty. He says the people “will come.”
“Jesus reminded the Jewish listeners that just as the Gentile’s racial identity was no automatic barrier to the kingdom, so also their racial identity was no guarantee of the kingdom. There could hardly be a more radical statement of the change in God’s plan of salvation inaugurated by the mission of Jesus.” (France)
(Transition) - now may we look on?
30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
Some of the least expected people will enter the kingdom.
It may not be the religious people; it will be the relationship people.
It may not be the most educated; it will be the simple
It may not be the wealthy; but it will be the spiritually poor.
So, do not be surprised by who will be there, or who you should invite to hear the message.
(Transition): now may we again see one more example of Jesus concern.
Lament over Jerusalem
Lament over Jerusalem
31 Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him, “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” 32 And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’
33 “Nevertheless I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day; for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem. 34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!
35 “Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I say to you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Anything in particular stand out to you in these verses?
Not all Pharisees were against Jesus, some warned him about Herod (v.31)
Jesus was on a mission and He was not going to be detoured (vv.32-33).
Jesus laments over the city; wanting them to come to Him while there is still time (vv.34-35).
Jesus has a deep desire for the people to accept his offer of salvation. Yet He also stresses the consequences of rejecting His offer.
Some applicable thoughts
Some applicable thoughts
We should consider are we in a relationship with Jesus or just in the vicinity or know of Him: Are we striving to enter through the narrow door, or on our relationship with other people externally to get us in?
How can we deeper our faith in God, and Jesus Christ. Can we be striving to improve in prayer, study, and community involvement.
May we be compassionate to all, especially the outcasts
May we learn to stay to mission like Jesus.
(prayer) (Exit)
