Quest for Hope
A Narrow Gate 3-16-16 Intro
Luke 13:22-27
Yesterday, we read about the religious blindness that hinders humanity from taking a posture of repentance before God. When we repent, we are choosing to turn to God’s way of doing things. God’s way and purpose for us is for grace to cause us to bear fruit. Today, in our quest for hope, we will explore a statement from Jesus about the “narrow gate” that leads to the Kingdom of heaven, as well as the difficulty humans encounter trying to enter. I will post the passage this morning, so please read it. We will invest time in interpreting the passage this evening during our Wednesday worship time and I will post the conclusion following our discussion.
Luke 13:22-27 (NLT)
The Narrow Door
22 Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”
He replied, 24 “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. 25 When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’
In the gospel of Matthew, we find Jesus’ teaching or sermon on the mountain where we also hear about this “narrow gate.” “The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it” (7:13).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to take the words of Jesus to heart, today. Minister your grace to us and nourish us. Holy Spirit, help us to understand the hope of our salvation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.