“Strive to enter through the narrow door.”

Luke 13:22-35 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

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.”

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!’”

“Strive to enter through the narrow door.” In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus also says this, expanding the idea a bit more.      “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because  narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”    Jesus also says:     I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.(John 10:9-10)   And finally:  "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)  There are many in the world today who say it is narrow minded to believe that Jesus is the only way, the only door or gateway to the Father. It would seem then that they accuse Christ, not Christians, of narrow mindedness.

Could it be though that there is more to the narrow way that Jesus refers to is more than a reference to the way to salvation?  The cross of Christ, Jesus Himself is the way to salvation. Could it be that this wide or narrow way we are to choose is about how we are to live our lives? Could it be about our daily choices to follow our own path or the path which follows God’s plan? Is it possible that the broad way which leads to destruction is not necessarily a completely different way than the narrow way, it just veers a bit off course? Picture a major multi-lane highway leading to a destination. It is possible to remain in the proper lane and complete the journey, to arrive at the destination. Along the way though there are also many other paths that can be taken, many other roads which seem like they will lead to the same destination. Some of these alternate routes seem good for a while, there are good things along the way to see and do, many pleasures to satisfy yourself.  Other routes may lead quickly into areas that you don’t want to be in, dark and dangerous places. Whether it is a pleasurable path or a dangerous, reckless path, the farther off the right path you go the harder it is to get back to that narrow way.  

Even on the right path, following the intended route, there are wide shoulders on either side. These may continue along the same path as the right lane, but certainly traveling on the side of the road is slower and more difficult than being in the right lane. Additionally to the side of the shoulder of the road there is a ditch. It seems quite often that many believers and much of the church today, while they may be staying on the right route, they seem to spend most of their time along the shoulder or even in one ditch or the other. We get slowed down by the programs of the church, or the familiarity and the traditions of our preferences in worship. Or on the other hand we forsake gathering with other believers and focus strictly on ministry to the needy and sinners in the world. Our doctrines also tend to drive us far to one side or the other. Either we become legalistic, holding people to a higher standard than Christ Himself holds them. We forget the mercy and grace, the gentle forgiveness, the love of God which drew us to the path in the first place, we end up in the ditch of judgment and condemnation, prohibiting both ourselves and others from moving forward on the right path. Or, on the other hand we go far to the other side, focusing only on mercy and grace, disregarding righteousness and the consequences of sin, we end up in the ditch of tolerance and inclusion, cultural buzz words for the acceptance of sin.

The older I get, the more I come to believe that whether it is in matters of faith, politics, social behavior or any area of life, if I am being criticized by those on both sides, I am probably close to where I should be. If I am neither fully aligned with people, politics, religious doctrines, social or societal preferences of either side, I am probably close to the path of Christ. Only Jesus could perfectly love sinners and hate sin, associating with and loving sinners, not for the sake of tolerance, but to call them to repentance. Jesus loved so that He could speak the truth in love. We don’t love people as Jesus did by judging or condemning them. To the woman caught in adultery, Jesus said: “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either.” (John 8:10-11) We must be careful though, in that same verse Jesus said:  “From now on sin no more.”  

The path of Christ is neither a path which condemns sinners, nor is it a path which condones sin. Like Christ, we need to love people and even go to them where they are, but we also need to love them enough to call them from the place and path they are on to the path of Christ’s love. Our love should point them to the greatest demonstration of love the world has ever known. Romans 5:8 says: God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

In Revelation 3:20-22 Jesus says:  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ²² “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”            It is not enough though to simply dine with Jesus and remain unchanged, not yielding to His call. In today’s text Jesus says:   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.’         Jesus says: “Strive to enter through the narrow door.”     In truth though if we are on the path of Christ, following His way we will not strive at all, rather as He says:   “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”(Matthew 11:28-30)    

The only sure way to remain on the narrow way is yoked to Jesus.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit for Your love, Your mercy, Your grace and Your truth, the righteousness and holiness You call me to and guide me in. Thank You that as I am yoked to You, You lead me on the narrow way. Amen.