Luke 13:24-27 “He replied, The door to heaven is narrow. Work hard to get in, because many will try to enter, but when the head of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. Then you will stand outside knocking and pleading, Lord, open the door for us! But he will reply, I do not know you. You will say, But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets. And he will reply, I tell you, I don’t know you. Go away, all you who do evil.”
This is a sobering passage. It is a “wake up” passage.
Jesus communicates pretty clearly, that the way to heaven is narrow. There is one way, God said to get to heaven, Jesus is the only way. The world would say, the view of society would be, that this way to God through Jesus is narrow-minded and “intolerant.” Many will try their own way to enter, they will follow their own path, they will look for their own door, but once they have discovered their error, it will be too late. There will come a time when the door will be closed and people will realize the truth and then they’ll try, and knock, and plead. But the response of the Lord will be, “I don’t know you.” And the decieved, misguided, and wrong way followers will try to rationalize and justify and respond by saying, but… we did this and we did that and we were involved in these things and those things, we were good and doing “god” stuff. But the response will still be… “I don’t know you” and the reason is because they didn’t know and follow “the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus. They were relying on a different road, a different path, a way that seemed right, but in reality was wrong. Because they didn’t “know Jesus.”
The sobering, wake-up from this passage is the obvious question? Do I know Jesus? Will Jesus say to me, “well done, good and faithful servant” or will he say “I never knew you.” Romans 10:9 says, “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” I have done this, I believe in Jesus, I have confessed him as Lord. But do I know Him? Am I living for him? Or am I doing a bunch of “semi-blessed” busy work that just makes people think I’m doing a good job? And God is going… “that’s good stuff… But do you know Jesus?” Not know about him, but know Him?
Jesus says in Luke 13:24 “Work hard to get in…” What does that mean? We can’t earn our salvation. We can’t work for it. It is a free gift. It is grace. We rely on the work of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us, so that “no one can boast.” But Jesus says here “work hard to get in.” I think this is an issue of obedience and discipleship for those who have put their faith in Jesus. If I have given my life to Christ, then I am a changed person and my desire is going to be to live for Jesus and “to work out my salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). According to this verse I already have salvation and now I am putting effort into the relationship that I have with Jesus, just like I would in any relationship. Leon Morris says…”It is not about human achievement that merits entrance into heaven: it is the attitude that is in mind.”
So what am I saying? Bottom line? I want to know Jesus and I want to know, that I know Jesus. I don’t want to be doing stuff that impresses others, I want to be living my life for the Lord that shows Him, that I know Him. The way is narrow, but that door is still open for anyone who is willing to believe and put their faith in Jesus. Any person who would seek and seek earnestly the Lord’s way of getting to heaven, through knowing Jesus, will find eternal life. Those who strive now, enter. It’s not about working for it, it’s putting faith in Jesus and desiring to live for Him in that relationship.
Lord Jesus, help me to rely on you. Help me to know you and remind me of the assurance I have that because I have put my faith in you and trust in you, I am known by You. Keep me Lord from putting my hope in work, and busy “Christian” service. Give me the ability to serve you out of a heart that belongs to you and desires to do your will. Not a heart that just wants to impress you and others with all my work oriented stuff. May my work for you be because of what you have done for me, not because I am trying to earn a place in heaven. Thank you for this passage today. Help me to put it into practice and to live a godly life by the power of your Holy Spirit. Forgive me Lord for the times I have tried to prove myself to you and tried to earn your love. Please let me rest in the gentle reality of grace and then to take that renewed perspective and whole heartedly give myself to you because of what you have done for me and because you know me. In Jesus Name, Amen.