FBCWest 397 | Enter Through the Narrow Door
Recorded On: 01/01/0001
Bulletin
FBCWest
May 24, 2020
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
“I Love You Lord”
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING – 1 Timothy 1:17
“All Because of Jesus”
“Spirit and the Bride”
“Found in You”
“Tune of His Glory”
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Enter Through the Narrow Door”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Benediction “Won’t Stop Now”
Sermon Notes
Luke 13:23 & 24 The question are just a few saved?
Luke 13:25 – 28 It’s not that you know Jesus, does He know you?
Luke 13:29 & 30 They come from all over
Luke 13:31 Warning about Harrod
Luke 13:32 – 35 Jesus’ response to the warning
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
Going through there is a life and Ministry of Jesus. When we last sick to look he was in Jerusalem during winter time at the feast of lights.
An any left Jerusalem and he went across the River Jordan.
And now we come, which was in the winter time. And now we've come close to the spring, and we see that Jesus is now.
Heading his way back to Jerusalem. And so in.
Luke Chapter 13, verse 23, will pick up from there and it says.
In verse 22 and he was passing through the city and the village to another.
Teaching an proceeding on his way to Jerusalem and someone said to him, Lord.
Are there just a few who are being saved now?
I find this interesting, and even though this took place during the 1st century, it still goes today. We all like to argue theology.
Or You See, and their theology, there were two views that all of Israel would be saved.
And then there was the other view that no, not everyone from Israel would be safe, and so there was this controversy. And so they asked Jesus is there just a few being saved?
I find a while I'm very much in favor of having correct theology. We have this tendency to bite more about whether we're right or wrong, and then because somebody disagrees with our theology, we somehow think that there less than Christian or maybe not even save, so people will have these heated discussions about predestination versus free will, or whether you're free trimming Trib or post Trib Rapture.
An an I've kind of experienced.
From all sides of the sense of when you have a disagreement with somebody, somehow all of a sudden.
They don't think you're saved, and so, uh, that's kind of their asking Jesus to kind of solve this.
The theological point. But notice what Jesus does, he does not answer the question directly.
He says this.
You said to them, shrive to enter through the narrow door. For many I tell you will see to enter and will not be able.
Jesus doesn't answer the question about few or many. What he says is the question is what about you?
And we are also often worried about the world that we forget to think about us. What is our journey? What is our destination? So Jesus uses the term door because he has in his other teachings talked about that he is the door. He is the way he is, the truth, he is the life. And so a lot. So basically Jesus announces that there is an exclusive way.
To Heaven.
Now a lot of people think that we Christians are so exclusionary.
Well, heavens, not my home. It will be.
But I didn't create it. I didn't set the rules God did.
So if you have a problem with God being exclusionary, I suggest you take it up with him.
But I suspect the answer will be.
You won't have the words to say.
Is when you come in front of a holy God, you will be like.
I say who says I'm a man of unclean lips, and I come from a people of unclean whoops, woe is me.
And so I want to use instead of a doorway, something that were more kind of familiar with, and that's.
A street or highway.
When I was a child, I would go with my mom from Los Angeles to Virginia and we would do that every summer.
And we would take Route 66. I'm showing my age 'cause some of you all you know about Route 66 is either used to be a really old television show. There was a black and white, or you might have heard it through some kind of music or whatever, but it was an actual place and it was pretty much in most places A2 Lane Highway by a two Lane highway. I don't mean two lanes going one way in two lanes. Going another way is one Lane going one way and one way coming back the other way.
And it we would go there an Route 66 would basically end and about Little Rock, and then it would head up towards Chicago. We would take a different highway.
So let's say.
For the sake of it that in order to get.
To Heaven, you need to go on Route 66. Route 66 goes East and West at least until Arkansas.
If you are traveling on.
Interstate Hwy 5.
I don't care how busy.
Whether it's through traffic, Ann and rush hour, or whether there's nobody on the highway an you can travel fast, you can go above the speed limit. The problem is you're going in the wrong direction, and I don't care how fast you're going. You're not getting any closer to the East because the root because Hwy 5 goes North and South. It can take you from the Mexico border to the Canadian border and you can make great time.
But you're no closer to the East then when you start it. And Jesus is saying.
It's not about how many people are traveling on the road and is not a matter of whether other people are traveling on the right road. Are you on the right Rd?
So he passes the question. Now Jesus has said it so in other areas where he said there was a way in few who find it.
And so there should not be a whole lot of comfort if we find ourselves traveling with a large group.
But then he said something even one. So he tells US1. Make sure you go the right direction through the door or on my example on the highway says once ahead of the house gets up and shuts the door. You will begin to stand outside and knock on the door saying Lord, Open it up to us.
Here's the next warning that we should take.
He too.
There is a time when he's going to shut the door.
We think I have all of eternity in essence, to respond to Jesus.
The answer is you have all of your life to respond to Jesus, and the question is you don't know how long that is.
You may have four stage terrible cancer, and you may think that you have only a certain time and the next person to you is young and vibrant and you think boy they have all their life ahead of them and then they get hit by a bus.
Tomorrow is promised to no one. So Jesus is saying.
Not only should you enter the door, but you should do so now because there may come a time when the Master of the House will say that's it, and so he says and you want to be on the outside, knocking on the door and notice the response and the Lord opened up to us. Then he will answer and say to you.
I do not know where you're from.
Then you will begin to say we ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.
Now I want to kind of update that for today's world.
You're going to say Jesus.
I had brunch with you.
We were cool. We were together. I went to some of your seminars.
You taught them in Parables, and I didn't quite understand it, but they were kind of. The stories were cool and you know the women were they were kind of good looking. I dated a couple of.
No, that they were good women. They were nice woman. That's so you know, I dated some and um, so so you should. and I even hung around some of the people that you called disciples, and some of them were pastors and they would preach. and I yeah later.
Isn't so Jesus? I know you. I mean 'cause I've heard about you. I ate with you. I even I am a hung. I even saw you feed 5000 with Lowe's and fishes. That was a cool stunt. I don't know how you did it but that was great and I was there and I saw these miracles and I saw you either one time heal a blind man.
Well, I.
Wow, that was cool and a lot of people got to know you in in in I was impressed.
The answer they give is I know you. I know what you did I saw these things and unfortunately we do the very same thing in the 21st century as they did when Jesus was ministering on Earth. Yeah, I saw you. Yeah, I heard you. I know who you are, but notice what the responses.
I tell you.
I do not know where you are from. Depart from Maine.
You are you evil doers.
But notice he said before that I will send you. I tell you, I do not know where you are from the part from Maine.
The answer to the question is not whether.
We know Jesus.
Or whether Jesus knows us.
He just taught in Jerusalem. My sheep, hear my voice, and I know them.
He is consistently. This isn't a new teaching. Jesus is telling him it's not so much whether you know him. Does he know you?
And those comments.
Are pretty rough, I tell you. I do not know where you are from the start from Maine all you evil doers.
Yeah, but God. I thought I lived a pretty good life. You know I did more good things and bad things.
It's not a matter of.
Wayne
even if it were, you would be found wanting.
He says in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This is Jesus is short or long form of.
You gonna end up in Hell.
When did Jesus ever talks about weeping and gnashing of teeth? He's talking about great discomfort eternally.
When you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the profits in the Kingdom of God, but you yourselves being thrown out.
He's saying You're going to see all the Old Testament guys.
Unisee, Abraham, you're going to see Isaac. You wanna see Jacob? You're going to see the profits. You're going to see them in the Kingdom.
But you will be ushered out.
You think because you are children of Abraham. Somehow that entitles you?
To get out of health card.
Not so.
And they will come from the East and West, and from the north and the South, and will recline at the table in the Kingdom of God. Now Jesus is just really gone too far, 'cause he's saying, you people who were relying on being the children of Abraham will see the true children of Abraham entering into the Kingdom.
And you will see people who were Gentiles, the people that you look down on because they weren't the people of God. They will come from the north and the South and East. And they come from all directions and they will recline at the table. They will be served. They will receive the benefits of the Kingdom.
Because I know them.
And behold, some, our last will be first, and some who are first will be last.
Or you see.
It is taken Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob and Moses.
Isaiah and Jeremiah and Daniel and NIA Maya.
And Hosea, and Haggai and John the Baptist along time to see the Kingdom of God.
They may have been first.
But they are now last and the people coming from the north and the South may have been last in there getting there.
Their first
Just at that time some Pharisees approached saying to him, go away, leave here for her. It wants to kill you.
Now.
I don't know if you catch it, but I find this.
Mildly ironic.
Is every time Jesus teaches the Pharisees pick up stones to kill him.
They're really worried about Jesus is life.
You would think if they were being honest they would say her. It's they wouldn't say anything. Let her and get rid of them because that's what they want.
But you see, it's not necessarily they want his life. At this point. They want him out of there. They don't want him teaching, they don't want him going to Jerusalem. They don't want him doing what the father has called him to do, so they tell him about a threat. Oh, Herod, the King, known after all, he beheaded, John.
So he somebody to take serious, so you need to get outta here. I know you're heading toward Jerusalem, but that's a dangerous place.
But notice what he says and he said to them, go and tell that Fox, so this gives you a clearer understanding of what Jesus thinks about her. It he's a conniving, deceitful.
Person.
He's that Foxy's crafty.
So you go tell. So Jesus isn't saying, oh you, you told me this for my benefit. You told me this thinking somehow I would cower.
This is go tell that Fox, Behold I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reached my goal. Now Jesus is insane in three days. He's going to be in Jerusalem. He's saying that he has a plan, an agenda, and those those plans are to continue to teach to continue to heal, to continue to minister.
And he is going to do that regardless of the threat.
Because he knows what the father's plan is, and he's following the father's plan day after day after day. So many of us wanna follow God when we are in a threat.
That same Jesus saying I'm following the will of the Lord Everyday.
Threat or no threat.
I'm not changing what I do because there may be a threat.
I'm continuing to minister.
Nevertheless, I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day, or it cannot be that a profit would perish outside of Jerusalem.
He saying the place where the temple of God is the place where the thing ought to be listening to the profits, the place where there should be, spiritual hunger and spiritual.
Movement.
Is a place where they reject the people.
That God is sent.
Is profits now? Not every Prophet died in Jerusalem, but many did in Jesus is saying.
If Perot is true true threat.
Then it will happen in Jerusalem, which it will.
And then he says this.
Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills a profits and stones those sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wing and you would not have it.
We love the verse that says for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life because we think about that and we think about all the people who will come to him. All the people that are going through that narrow door and we think of that.
This is a tremendous statement of love. Jesus is saying I love those people who hate me.
I love those people.
Who reject me?
I love those people who will crucify me.
We think about God's love and how he loves us.
And yet
We were enemies of God at one time.
And God is saying, I love those who even reject me.
Not just that, he loves the world.
And he demonstrated that low on the cross when he said father forgive them, they do not know what they're doing.
He showed his love by forgiveness even when they crucified him.
And his desire was for Jerusalem to gather them under, to protect them, to love them, to make sure that they are close.
And yet they would not have any of it.
He hold.
Your house is left to you desolate.
And I say to you.
You will not see me until the time comes when you say bless, it is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
A prophecy of Jesus that is going to happen in a short period of time.
On that Sunday before Passover.
He will enter Jerusalem not before, as he says, you're not going to see me in Jerusalem before that day. But when that day happens, you will say, Hosanna Bless. It is he who comes in the name of the Lord. You see, Jesus is always in control.
He lay down his life for us. He had authority lay down, and he had authority to pick it back up. Jesus was in control, even when we think he is it.
And Jesus is in control of our lives. When even we think he isn't.
So.
The question.
Ask is.
How many?
In this space that we use a we like we love to be loved. We love to be popular. We love to have to be in places that it's happening.
And so there are churches.
After
this pandemic there will be filled again.
And they'll have outstanding music.
You will have what they consider to be great, free, sing.
The jury is out, as far as I'm concerned.
And they'll say, well, because this place is filled, this must be where the Lord is.
Maybe we should be reminded.
Of what?
Elijah found out.
There was a great earthquake that God wasn't there.
There was a great wind blowing.
And God was in there.
He was there in the still small voice.
Maybe we get around a crowd so large that it blocks out our hearing.
Of our Shepherd.
And we should not find comfort that we find ourselves in a large or small group.
We should find comfort in the fact that we hear his voice and he knows me.
And so.
The question that Jesus asked.
I asked in a different way.
Not only are you going on the right highway.
Not only going through the right door.
Does that door.
No you.
Are you on the narrow way?
Are you just along for the ride?
One of the ways to know that.
Is to make a commitment to him that says I have decided to follow Jesus.
No turning back.
Route 66 is an arrow highway. It runs through the desert.
You might say, well, if God, he was certainly want me to go through, you know, like the vineyards of Northern California, where it's kind of neat and.
Said he sends us through a desert.
One of the ways that you know.
And he knows you.
Is on your travel.
You're not alone.
Or he is with you.
And he will never leave you or forsake you. He doesn't say I once knew you, but now I forgot.
This I never knew you.
Once he knows you.
Your name is written in the book of life and it will never be removed.
And so.
If.
Heaven is real and it is.
And God wants you to be there, and he does.
Then we should take seriously.
Going through the door he has chosen.
So that we might, as those who come from the north and the South in the East and the West, recline at his table.
And receive all the benefits of the Kingdom of God.
Well, you see those who aren't there.
We're going to find.
Not only that, they miss out on those blessings.
They will probably get much of their wish.
Or you see they were comfortable saying there is no God.
It will end up in a place.
Or there is no God and no hope.
So that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Since we do not know when the door closes.
As a word says, now is the acceptable time.
Now is the acceptable place.
You know him wonderful.
Follow him closely.
If you've gotten away from him, he doesn't say, whoops, I don't remember you since I know you. Welcome back.
And if you're not his.
I encourage you to make the decision now.
To decide to follow Jesus and all gods, people said.