Luke 13:10-17

Introduction

Christians sure love slogans - anything that makes for a great tagline. Some favorites: Let go and let God; love the sinner hate the sin; If God put you in it, God doesn’t look for the able, He looks for the available, Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship.

Passage

Luke 13:22–30 NIV

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?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 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.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ “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!’ “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. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

Don’t Get Complacent

Our passage starts with a question to Jesus: “Are only a few people going to be saved?” Now this comes from somewhere. If you remember, Jesus was answering question specifically about the Jews. That is, will God save all of Israel? And this doctrine wasn’t exclusively Jewish either. Take a look at what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 11:16-29

Romans 11:16–29 NIV

If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

What can we gather from this? The Apostle Paul reveals to us that the belief that all Israel will be saved is rooted in God’s promises. Now begs the question that’s been asked for 2000 years - what does the Bible mean about all Israel? Is this “all” based on genetics? Real estate? Performance? Is this Jews throughout history? Or just the generation in the day of Judgement? Paul was writing to a church that was struggling with persecution from the Jews and they were struggling to see how the church and the Jews all fit into God’s divine plan. That’s not so different today is it? The church isn’t being persecuted by Jews, but Christians are divided about how the Israel fits into God’s plan. Who is the true Israel? When it comes to mystery, God is a pro. There are a billion and one questions you can ask when you study Scripture and explore God - and that shouldn’t surprise us! An infinite God would also be infinite in depth, and I think it’s a grace and mercy on us that God doesn’t give us all of the answers that we’re asking for - He gives us the answers we need to hear. As it pertains to our passage, “Are only a few people going to be saved?” “Will all Israel be saved?” “What qualifies as Israel?” Jesus cuts to the chase.

The first thing Jesus tells them is: “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

Jesus has described the way to life as “Narrow” before in Matthew 7:13-14 - and why is that? Why is the way to life narrow if God loves us so much? I used to picture this narrow path like it were walking a tightrope as if we’re disqualified if we fall. But now I picture something like a casino or arcade where there’s a game and activity for everyone, where the path to life is the only exit. It’s only narrow because there’s only one way, and every other direction leads to destruction. Isn’t that what it feels like? The way of Jesus is the way of self-denial - and the often times the last thing people want to turn down is themselves.

So Jesus says “Make every effort to enter” pause for a minute. Is Jesus saying if you work hard enough, you’ll be saved? No that’s not what He’s saying. What, then, does Jesus mean by “Make every effort to enter?” Listen to this…

Luke 13:22–30 NIV

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.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ “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!’

What was the issue at the door? Not enough strength? Not enough money? Not high enough a reputation? No. It was a lack of acknowledgement. A Lack of familiarity. Make every effort to know and be known. “But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets!” “I went to Bible Study, I went to church every Sunday, my parents are Christian, my grandparents are Christian, I have a worship playlist when I drive, I’ve read Augustine, Aquinas and Bonhoeffer” Nope, I don’t know you. There was an example of this in the Book of Acts. Seven brothers in Acts 19 thought that they knew the secret formula to access Jesus’ power so they to exorcise someone in Jesus’ name. And, the Evil Spirit said “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you? And then attacked the bothers. “Well, AJ if it’s a lack of acknowledgement, then I do have to work for my salvation!” Well, it’s true that we do need to work. Work is an essential part of the human experience. And, despite what you may believe, there is work in the Kingdom of God also. But that’s not to say that there is salvation in our works. We are not saved by our works. Jesus doesn’t ackowledge us by our works alone. Tell me church, how did Jesus acknowledge people in the Bible?

How did Jesus acknowledge, differentiate discern His friends from His enemies? Jesus percieves our thoughts, He knows the contents of our hearts - better than we can ever know or percieve! And it doesn’t matter if you’re the most religious person, the nicest most philanthropic person out there, Jesus can sniff out heart mold from a mile away. Galatians 6:7a says

Galatians 6:7 NIV

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.

And that means, you can’t fool God. Your good deeds won’t trick God if you have an unrepentant heart. What’s in here matters just as much, if not more than out here - why? Because what’s in here colors what we do out here doesn’t it? It does. Ladies, if your man started making you delicious dinners every night, that’d feel pretty good right? What if you found out it was because He couldn’t stand your cooking anymore? Not so flattering anymore, huh? Kids, how great would it be if your parents did all your homework for you? Pretty great huh? What if you found out they only did because they didn’t think you were smart enough - that’s not nice, is it? Fellas, what if you were complimented you in everything you did, how encouraging! But they weren’t being honest, they just thought you were too soft to take criticism. What goes on in here informs what we do out here. Jesus says that breaking bread with Him, listening His teachings only matter if they matter in here. If you don’t acknowledge Jesus in here, with a heart repentant of your sins, neither will He acknowledge you.

When Jesus is asked “Will only a few be saved?” that comes from someone who believed they can outsource their covenant relationship with God. Someone who thought that they can have salvation by proxy. I’m saved because I come from this family, or this tradition, or this church. A covenant relationship with God doesn’t work like that. Notice what Jesus says in the last part:

Luke 13:22–30 NIV

“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.

He’s telling the questioner, “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, sure they’re saved but they can’t save you.” You need your own covenant relationship with Jesus.

Covenant Relationship

This is what it means to follow Jesus. It’s not only orthodoxy - right thinking - or orthopraxy - right doing. It’s when you have both working in tandem that you have something more like Ortho-eimi (sounds like [E-MI]) - Correct being. When enter covenant relationship with Jesus, it changes our very being - our identity, our nature. The topic of Being is a conversation of essence, the invariable nature of who we are. The essence or invariable nature of a Christian is Christ. As Paul eloquently puts it…

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

and

Colossians 3:10 NIV

and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

That’s the meaning of baptism, that’s what it means to be a born-again Christian. We’re not doing things to gain Christian status, we’re not studying Scripture to pass a knowledge test. We don’t pursue righteousness and godliness to be saved. We pursue righteousness and godliness BECAUSE we’re saved! Because God has invited us into a Covenant Relationship with Him that changes our essence, our nature. Not because we earned it, but rather because Jesus earned it, and He’s inviting us to partake. How freeing is that? That our salvation is based on Jesus’ achievemants, not my own. I am saved because Jesus knows me, not because of how many books I read or bible verses I memorize. Salvation may not control our salvation at the palm of our hands, but it is in the best hands. That’s freedom. Covenant relationship with Jesus is freedom. And that freedom has power. I’ve shared several times with y’all the story of William Wilberforce - he was a man in the late 1800s whose calling from God was to abolish the british transatlantic slave trade, something that no one ever thought or wanted to do before him, yet God put it in his heart to fight for the oppressed, the poor and the downtrodden in the realm of politics. But did you know, William was almost going to leave his political career before any of that began? See, when William was young, he was rich and spoiled. Whatever he asked for, he could have. But this kind of life left him feeling empty and purposeless, so of course he tried to fill that emptiness with alcohol, gambling and empty relationships. That is until William met Jesus, and William was so profoundly moved by this encounter that he gave up his life of indulgance and was then thinking about becoming a pastor. So he mailed his mentor, someone named John Newton. And John told him, God put you in a position of wealth and influence, it’s time to use it for God’s glory. And the rest is history for William. But maybe you recognize the name John Newton, the mentor. That’s because John Newton wrote the song Amazing Grace. A song he wrote after encountering God and giving His life to Jesus when his boat was overtaken by a storm. A boat that was transporting slaves. Are you beginning to see how God works? After giving His life to Jesus, John left the slave trade and became a pastor. The pastor to William Wilberforce who would later build the foundations for ending that very slave trade.

A Covenant relationship with Jesus changes our very being, the essence of who we are, our nature. And through that transformation, comes right thinking and right doing. Does that mean it’s easy? By no means. Being a Christian is hard! But it’s worth it - Jesus is worth it. Now, you might be thinking “I gave my life to Jesus years ago, where’s my transformation?” “Why do I feel the same?” or maybe you’re thinking “I don’t know much about Jesus, but I want to know more. I want to be known by Him.” If you’re thinking any of those ways, I challenge you. Take stock of your life. Take inventory. A covenant relationship is a two way street: Jesus gave His life for yours - He died for our sins, He died so that we may be able to enter God’s presence. But will you give Him yours? Will you give Jesus your life? Your whole life? Can you say in your heart - because remember, God will not be mocked - say in your own heart “Thy will be done, not mine?” “Thy will be done, not my career?” “Thy will be done, not my culture?” “Thy will be done, not my friends?” “Thy will be done, not even my family and loved ones?” What ever you hesitate to give to Jesus, that’s what’s keeping you from a transformative covenant relationship. See, we can do an altar call, I can invite you to raise your hand up as we pray. But what you really need is to ask God to take it from you. Take whatever is in your heart that’s driving a wedge between you and Him. Give Him everything, and you’ll receive so much more.