[Sermon Archive] - [Weekly Devotional Guide]

This Week's Sermon The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost 26 August 2007 "The Open, but Narrow Door" Luke 13:22-30 LSB Series C Pastor Philip G. Meyer Soli Deo Gloria!

There are lots of people in the Church today who are concerned with numbers. We're constantly counting how many people are members of a particular congregation or of a Synod. Sadly, many in our own Synod are obsessed with counting heads. Numerical growth is a stated goal by much of our leadership, but our Lord Jesus Christ has always shown a remarkable preference for small numbers and little flocks. In his parable of the Lost Sheep Jesus leaves the ninety-nine to search for the one lost sheep. Modern day missiology-that's the study of how missions are done-says that Jesus was wasting his time by going after only one lamb; he should have aimed at a mass market. But Jesus didn't say that. He did not say, "Where two or three million are gathered in my name, there am I among them." Rather, he spoke of the "two or three [who] are gathered in my name" [Matt. 18.20].

Quite the opposite tack was taken by someone who asked Jesus a theoretical question, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" Over the years I have learned that theoretical questions often hide the questioner's real question. Most of the time, such a theoretical questioner is asking the question for himself or as a way to trap the person giving the answer. We can't tell which was the case here, but we do know that such questions were popular in those days. The idea that a remnant chosen by God would be saved can be traced to the Old Testament, but some groups went so far as to define themselves as that "saved" group. The Essenes believed themselves to be the people of the New Covenant and were very scrupulous about observing the Levitical purity laws and avoided contact with those not of their group. Another other group you already know, the Pharisees. You'll remember how they shunned those they called "tax collectors and sinners." So these people were interested in knowing what Jesus taught about the few that would be saved. They were really interested in knowing if he thought they were the ones! And, of course, that it would be a small group of themselves appealed to them. Even Peter and the disciples would have to learn that salvation wasn't just for the Jews, but for the whole world.

As with most hypothetical questions, the questioner has to speak in somewhat broad terms, not being specific, but Jesus turns the question into a specific answer by using an imperative verb form with "you" as the understood subject: "[You] strive to enter through the narrow door." One can indeed speak of salvation in general terms but it is always personal. It always involves you!

Just how is it with salvation? What does the Bible teach? It is important to know exactly what God's word teaches about this because we often let our feelings get in the way and ignore the answer that God gives. If you were to conduct a poll and ask, "Will most people be saved?" I think that most Americans would answer that in the affirmative because we tend to be somewhat tolerant in our views. In today's politically correct climate we don't want to be considered intolerant. In fact, intolerance is probably the biggest "sin" one can commit these days!

Recently the Roman Catholic bishop of the Netherlands, Tiny Muskens, shocked even Roman Catholics by saying that the way to ease Christian tensions with Muslims is to begin using "Allah" to address God instead of God. He asserted that God doesn't care what we call him. Christians, he said, should give in to their Muslim neighbors. Of course, one wonders what Muslims are giving in exchange! It should be said that Bishop Muskens has been roundly criticized by other Roman Catholic theologians, as well he should be! Yet, what he said underscores an idea that infects many in our nation, too, that Christians, Muslims, and Jews all worship the same God, that all religions lead to the same place, that all doors open into heaven. God is so tolerant, it seems, that he doesn't care that human beings directly contradict his own words and revelation when he tells us exactly what his Name is and how we are to understand him.

Likewise, when it comes to being saved, most people seem to believe that trying hard and doing good is all that God expects or requires. They substitute their own thinking for the clear Word of God. They believe that God himself is not very specific about what we call him or how we make ourselves acceptable to him. But what does God himself say? What does Jesus say? Let's take this clear word from Jesus:

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6, ESV)

"I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:9, ESV)

Salvation is for all people. Jesus has earned salvation for the whole world by his innocent suffering and death on the cross. "He died for all" is what St. Paul wrote [2 Cor. 5.15]. On the basis of what Jesus has accomplished no one need be excluded from salvation. In fact, it is God's greatest desire that all people, without exception, be saved. Again, here's how the Apostle Paul said it:

"This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time." (1 Timothy 2:3-6, ESV)

"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."" (Acts 4:12, ESV)

But how goes it with you, personally? The question must always been intensely personal. It can never be general, hypothetical. Jesus turned to the ones who asked him the question about how many would be saved and directed it personally to them, "[You] strive to enter through the door." The word translated as "strive" in our English version is from the Greek word. We derive our English word "agony" from it. "To agonize" over something in the Greek brings up pictures of the athletic arena. It pictures "contending for a prize." Over the past couple of months you've probably noticed the high school and college athletes running in searing heat in order to get ready for their fall sports seasons. And maybe some of you went out to the Colts camp at Rose and watched the "big boys" sweat, grunt, and strain during pre-season camp. All of it is preparatory for the season. If one is not prepared one cannot really compete.

Jesus is telling you that your biggest struggle is with yourself. Last week's Epistle, picked up again this morning said it this way:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV)

Without repentance you will have no need of Christ, and if you do not have Christ you cannot enter salvation. It's not a matter of you being good enough; it's a matter of you forsaking your sins, of having Christ take them off you because you can't enter salvation loaded with your sins.

Yet it is not enough for you to know this [up here]. Notice the objection to those who were shut out from the master's house, those standing there knocking and demanding entrance when the time of entrance had passed. Notice the master's answer! "'I do not know where you come from.'" (Luke 13:25, ESV) Amazingly, those outside still object, claiming that they had even eaten and drank in the master's presence and that he had taught in their streets, but the master's answer is still the same: "'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!'" (Luke 13:27, ESV)

Here's the important point: it's not what you know, but who you know that makes all the difference! It is not enough to know the facts about Jesus and the Gospel, that one is saved by grace for Christ's sake through faith. Unless one repents and trusts only in Jesus, his knowledge is worthless. Even if such a person has eaten and drunk with Christ-a clear reference to partaking of the Holy Supper of our Lord!-it is not enough. In fact, having eaten and drunk with Christ in this intimate fellowship becomes the cause of one's being shut out if one has not repented. If you do not know Jesus Christ in Confession and Absolution, then you do not really know him. Those who have the words but not the faith will be shut out. Period. One dare not despise the grace of God in Christ!

So, here we are back at the beginning: "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" You must ask yourself: "Am I one of the many or one of the few? Have I repented of my sins? Have I unloaded that baggage that will keep me out of salvation or do I hope that I can slip in with it still attached? Having lived in the presence of Christ in this life, will I exclude myself at the end?"

You see, it will always be a struggle for you, for every sinner. That word that Jesus uses for "strive" is a present imperative, best translated as "[You] keep on striving, struggling, agonizing" over your salvation by daily repentance and a return to the waters of Holy Baptism. That, said Luther in the very first of his 95 Theses, is the essence of the Christian life. Daily repentance and a daily return to the cleansing waters of Holy Baptism as is best practiced in Private Confession and Absolution. And there is also the Holy Supper of our Lord's true body and blood which reassures you of the forgiveness Christ has won for you.

Keep on repenting for our gracious Lord wills to forgive you for the sake of Christ! Through him you will get through "The Open, but Narrow Door."