Part 2 The Narrow Door: Volume or Validation?

S - Luke 13:22-30 (NIV): "Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 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.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 “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. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”"

O - Trying to enter and not able? Whatever happened to who so ever will may come? Knocking, pleading and shutout? Others in and "your yourselves thrown out"? And of course the first last and the last first. This final statement is the easiest after the others because at least last means in and in is very good. So, exactly how narrow is the narrow door? Is Jesus speaking "code" for a yes answer to the question regarding volume? At the end of the age the issue is not volume but validation. Sheep or goat? In or out? Known or unknown? Once again it is striking that freely by grace does not mean without choice or effort (Make every effort to enter through the narrow door …). Jesus is talking to those who seem to know Scripture and have some desire toward God, Messiah and the like. They have familiarity with Jesus (ate and drank with you) and with his message (you taught in our streets) and yet are at risk. What should we/I make of this? Pharisees (those who think they're in) ultimately keep (use) the words of Scripture but lose the meaning. And perhaps the narrow door is at least in part narrow because in the loss of meaning; the meaning is redefined to accommodate their own perspective, desires and outcomes. The words of Scripture aren't meaningless but they are redefined. Words mean something and they mean something in context … it is narrow but true. All can come but they must come to the understanding the same way. It is narrow but it opens up to a very broad, beautiful and abundant place. The effort is to keep the words and their meaning; to live out the meaning rather than redefining it; to recognize that we enter only on his terms and never on our own.

A - The application is simple but not easy. Make every effort to enter the narrow door. There will be millions and billions in the kingdom of Jesus … volume will not be the issue. The issue will remain validation … and this begins and is maintained at the very narrow door.

P - Lord who is the Door,

You know how I am made and the way I take. You know the perpetual and sad state of affairs I am currently required to endure with little reprieve or respite. I am unclear on much and while how I got here was certainly not all pretty, spiritually uplifting and great, I do believe it was you. Lord, assigned but for what purpose? I know that today the narrow door remains my only hope and therefore my only and greatest need. So, I will lean toward, into and hopefully through this door unto life. In this seemly unending season, I am fully prepared to be last … I just want to be with you and therefore I want to be there. You say I have a place to take there, I believe … Lord help my unbelief. I yield to your awesome brilliance, your limitless power and your extreme goodness. I will work hard today because I work with you not for anyone or anything else. I ask that you enable me to understand (formulate) the steps you prefer that your will is done on earth. Lord, withhold all that you want just please do not withhold yourself from me … I offer my very little self, in totality, to you.

Steve