Daily Bread 2011 - Luke 13
Daily Bread 2011 – Tuesday, March 22st, 2011 Luke 13
The Narrow Door
22 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!’
What Does This Mean?
Luke 13 is one of those really challenging chapters. We mentioned before that Luke has a strong emphasis on discipleship, and in this chapter Jesus teaches on what a disciple looks like. In the parable of the fig tree in the Vineyard, Jesus teaches that the fruit trees that continue to bear no fruit will be cut down. Notice in the story though it does not bear fruit for 3 years, the man gives it one more year and digs around it and fertilizes to give it every chance to bear the fruit it was intended to bear.
Then, in the parable above, Jesus teaches on the “narrow way”. He teaches many will try to enter in and will not find this way. When the owner closes the door, it will be final and even those who plead to for the door to be opened will be met with the words, “I don’t know you or where you come from.”
What Does This Mean For Us?
Seems kind of harsh doesn’t it? Isn’t God all loving and wanting everyone to come to heaven? Why the narrow way? As I ruminated over this apparently troubling passage for some time, I heard someone say something that helped me. He said, “Even though it is a narrow way, it is still open to everyone and in that sense it is very broad.” Meaning, God wants all people know Him and His love for them and He has provided a very specific way to make that happen. And yet for those who choose to go another way, this way may seem very narrow to them.
Remember too Jesus is confronting a Jewish culture, and especially its leaders, who thought that just because they were “children of Abraham” they had an automatic “in” already. Jesus is confronting a pride that, instead of accepting the narrow and open way He is offering says, “No thanks I think I have a better way than you.”
I guess it is narrow in the sense that it requires us to acknowledge our sin and turn to Jesus for forgiveness. That is in a sense a narrow proposition, because it doesn’t leave many alternatives. It cuts out the “all roads lead to God” religion that some purport. But when you consider that Jesus is the only Son of God, who laid down His life for us on the cross and was raised from the dead so that we could enter that narrow way, maybe it doesn’t seem so narrow any more.
I have found in my life that once I entered the narrow way by faith and by God’s grace and offering that way to me, that it opened up a broad array of opportunities to know, enjoy and love God. And then, to have the ability through the Holy Spirit’s power to become the person (slowly, but surely!) that God wants me to be! Maybe narrow, but definitely worth it!
Jesus, thank you for reminding us of the narrow road that leads to life abundantly. When we see where the other roads lead to, we are so grateful you have revealed God’s preferred future and will for us. May we continue to trust you wherever you lead us knowing that Your way leads to abundant life now and forever in eternity with you Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.
The Narrow Door
22 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!’
What Does This Mean?
Luke 13 is one of those really challenging chapters. We mentioned before that Luke has a strong emphasis on discipleship, and in this chapter Jesus teaches on what a disciple looks like. In the parable of the fig tree in the Vineyard, Jesus teaches that the fruit trees that continue to bear no fruit will be cut down. Notice in the story though it does not bear fruit for 3 years, the man gives it one more year and digs around it and fertilizes to give it every chance to bear the fruit it was intended to bear.
Then, in the parable above, Jesus teaches on the “narrow way”. He teaches many will try to enter in and will not find this way. When the owner closes the door, it will be final and even those who plead to for the door to be opened will be met with the words, “I don’t know you or where you come from.”
What Does This Mean For Us?
Seems kind of harsh doesn’t it? Isn’t God all loving and wanting everyone to come to heaven? Why the narrow way? As I ruminated over this apparently troubling passage for some time, I heard someone say something that helped me. He said, “Even though it is a narrow way, it is still open to everyone and in that sense it is very broad.” Meaning, God wants all people know Him and His love for them and He has provided a very specific way to make that happen. And yet for those who choose to go another way, this way may seem very narrow to them.
Remember too Jesus is confronting a Jewish culture, and especially its leaders, who thought that just because they were “children of Abraham” they had an automatic “in” already. Jesus is confronting a pride that, instead of accepting the narrow and open way He is offering says, “No thanks I think I have a better way than you.”
I guess it is narrow in the sense that it requires us to acknowledge our sin and turn to Jesus for forgiveness. That is in a sense a narrow proposition, because it doesn’t leave many alternatives. It cuts out the “all roads lead to God” religion that some purport. But when you consider that Jesus is the only Son of God, who laid down His life for us on the cross and was raised from the dead so that we could enter that narrow way, maybe it doesn’t seem so narrow any more.
I have found in my life that once I entered the narrow way by faith and by God’s grace and offering that way to me, that it opened up a broad array of opportunities to know, enjoy and love God. And then, to have the ability through the Holy Spirit’s power to become the person (slowly, but surely!) that God wants me to be! Maybe narrow, but definitely worth it!
Jesus, thank you for reminding us of the narrow road that leads to life abundantly. When we see where the other roads lead to, we are so grateful you have revealed God’s preferred future and will for us. May we continue to trust you wherever you lead us knowing that Your way leads to abundant life now and forever in eternity with you Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.
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