Invited to Enter Heaven, but His Way

Invited to Enter Heaven, but His Way 

In Luke 13:22-30 , we read about a man who asks Jesus if those who will be saved will be few in number. 

Jesus answers back and says, "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able," Luke 13:24 ESV. The answer Jesus gives is not one that many of us want to hear. Pastor Donald preaches about this question and the answer Jesus gives that many believers ponder over when reflecting on their lives and the security on their salvation.

We do not know who this person is, but we do know that he calls Jesus Lord. This person must be a believer of Jesus. Why else would he call him Lord and ask about salvation.  It is important to know this because Jesus is addressing believers and not unbelievers when he answers back. As we read further on Jesus tells us that there will be two categories of people in the church. Those who will enter and those who will not be allowed.

When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then he will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.'  But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!' 

Luke 13:26‭-‬27 ESV 

What is the Lord's way? The narrow door is the answer. The invitation is given to everyone, but you must enter the narrow door. What is the narrow door? There are two requirements to enter the narrow door.

1. We need to have a deep personal relationship with Jesus. Some people are religious, but they do not know Jesus. By knowing Jesus we need to have an intimate relationship and not a superficial one. If He is our Lord, we follow what Jesus tells us. We pray to know His will and obey.

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.  "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.  In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." 

John 14:15‭-‬21 ESV 

 

2. Entering in the narrow door is a life of self denial and one focused on the Kingdom of God. Those who invest in the world will be poor in heaven. People who put their interests in their current life and not in heaven, will not go through the narrow door. Just as Jesus lived a life of self denial and sacrifice, so must we also live a life like Jesus' life.

We know more than anyone else if we are following Jesus as our Lord. Those who allow Jesus to be their true master will be saved. 

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