He [Jesus] went on His way…toward Jerusalem…someone said…Lord, will those who are saved be few?
Luke 13:22-30
Jesus is on His last journey to Jerusalem. As He travels, through Judea now, to villages and towns along the way, He is asked by someone, from a large crowd following Him, about “those who are saved.” In His response, Jesus talks of a narrow door through which the saved are to enter. Most people who “followed” Jesus were curious about this man from Galilee. They knew about His teachings, healings, raising dead people, feeding thousands and, exposing the unbelieving, hypocritical religious leaders. What most of the crowd did NOT do, though, was BELIEVE Jesus for who He really was. The Jewish mindset for the Messiah was that of a political, military messiah to wipe out the enemies of the Jews first, then, to bring about a great salvation to all the Jews and, then, to the rest of the world. No one was going to go to hell. A “Suffering Servant,” a Messiah who would die for His people’s sins, a Messiah who would bring righteousness to His chosen people, these ideas never entered the minds of the Jews although they had the same access to God’s Word that we do today. Centuries of unbelief, blind leadership, sinful behavior, and downright rebellion against God, the Creator, had darkened the Jews to be as dark as the rest of the world they had been chosen by God to witness to. The Old Testament descriptions of “a remnant” meant only that there may be few Jews around when salvation came but, all Jews would be saved. Jesus did come to seek and to save the lost sheep of Israel and to send Apostles to the Gentiles to bring salvation to the “other sheep” He has that are not of the Jewish fold. The “narrow door” is that entry through which true Christians will enter to everlasting life. It is narrow because Jesus said, “I AM the way, I AM the truth, and I AM the life. All who come to Me will not be turned away.” Christianity is not a “head game” that requires nothing else of believers. Christians are to be Christians in all that they do, willing to give up all earthly things, including this life itself, to gain the glory of Heaven. That is indeed a narrow door that true believers must enter. One day, maybe soon, that door will be shut for eternity. There will be no further entries into Heaven!
Source: S C Ball February 28, 2023
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