August 21, 2022 Text: Luke 13:22-30
Dear Friends in Christ,
How many doors did you go through this week? Let’s make a list. Bathroom door. Garage door. Car door. House door. Basement door. Workplace door. Grocery door. Restaurant door. Retail establishment door. Gas station door. Church door. Maybe a hospital or doctor or dentist door. Barn door. Bar door. And how many of you married men walked right through the door to your wife’s heart?!
One can assume all these doors were open. But we have all had the experience of a locked door. It was my last year of seminary; Toni and I were engaged. Christmas 1990 we had gone to Wisconsin for two days of Lueck family Christmas. Toni had to be back to work on the 26th so we had to leave Reedsburg, Wisconsin and make the 6 ½ hour trip back to Ft. Wayne, Indiana. These were the days of being young and carefree. We didn’t really care how late we left. With me being a late night being and Toni a morning aficionado, we lost her somewhere east of Chicago. I was fine until about an hour out of Ft. Wayne. Heat in the car, good music and my eyelids are drooping. Time to stick my head out the window and let that 20-degree air keep me awake. Finally, we make the seminary and I can get to bed. Except the door is locked. Middle of the night, Christmas, no one around. This is no fun. Toni lived with a family on a farm and accommodations were made.
It is disappointing when doors are locked. Let’s take that image with us as we explore our text. We have a question poser to begin, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” (v. 23) This was a common debate back then. It is still debated today. Who is going to be saved? What is the standard for salvation? Will those who haven’t heard the Gospel get a pass? The person was essentially asking about themselves. Let’s focus on that. You are here. You are listening.
“WILL YOU BE SAVED?”
Jesus answers, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (v. 24). The reality of the Savior once again comes through. There will a lot of souls that will not pass through to eternity. Not only is this true but Jesus answers this way to get our attention. He doesn’t want us to have a comfortable Christianity. He does want us to have trust in His promise.
Striving or effort can be translated in the Greek as “agony.” There is going to be struggle in the Christian life. Paul uses the same word in 1 Timothy 6:12 in asking us to “fight the good fight of the faith.” Following Jesus takes some effort.
John Bunyan wrote the classic book Pilgrim’s Progress. It follows a man named Christian, who is tormented by spiritual anguish. A spiritual guide name Evangelist urges him to leave the City of Destruction and he tells him only salvation can be found in the Celestial City of Mt. Zion. He gets tempted by distractions and shortcuts. He perseveres. The gatekeeper Goodwill gets him on the “straight and narrow” King’s Highway. It is revealed later in the book that Goodwill is Jesus Himself.
Don’t we also look for the easy way out? Don’t we get distracted? Don’t we despair? Yet, Jesus helps us to persevere. He agonizes with us so that the narrow door can be opened.
But beware that the door also closes. This is the warning, “’Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’” (v. 25b) That is frightening.
Don’t ignore the open door. Don’t let time and family problems and financial challenges and world events and your health get your mind off the Savior. The narrow door is there. Strive through the work of the Holy Spirit to recognize it.
What is the greatest open door of all time? The Easter tomb. “No one is here.” The death and resurrection of Jesus means that this narrow door is open to us. Many of us each year go through “open enrollment” to decide on a health plan. But this is not unlimited. For the Concordia Plan here at church it lasts about 40 days. Even God’s Church has limits. You don’t get enrolled on time, and you can be in healthcare hell.
The same is true for our salvation. The narrow door is only open so long. Once closed, the only other option is hell. There are those who are going to be disappointed thinking they had more time as they wasted their life away.
Let’s ask it again: “Will You Be Saved?” How can you be saved? Salvation comes through knowing Jesus. The rejected hear, “I never knew you.” To know Jesus is to know him intimately and personally in His Word and Sacrament. Jesus has opened that door to have that relationship with you through his death on the cross. In John 10, Jesus is declared the door and that “if anyone enters by (him), he will be saved.” (v. 9). He has laid down his life for you . . . and to be known by you. The door stands open. The invitation remains. Don’t ignore the open door.
Amen.