Luke 13:22-24

The Gospel of Luke, chapter 13, verses 22 through 24. And he went through the cities and villages teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, strive to enter in at the straight gate. For many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able. Now hold your place, but also look with me at Matthew chapter 7. Russell has just read this, but I’m just going to read the verses 13 and 14. Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction. and many there be which go in thereat. It goes straight as the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. God blessed to us His sacred and holy word this morning. In the Old Testament, there’s an interesting story that took place during the reign of King’s Etiquette. of Judah. The powerful armies of the Babylonians had overrun the land of Judah, had surrounded Jerusalem and was besieging the city, and the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, was known to be a rather unmerciful and cruel man. And the Israelites were extremely extremely, fearful of what he would do to them. So they go to Jeremiah the prophet, who was within the city, and they ask him, what shall we do? And he responds by saying this, he answers by saying this. He answers, behold, the Lord says this, I set before you life, and I set before you death. If you want to live, you will surrender. to Nebuchadnezzar. Yeah, you’ll go into captivity, but you’ll live. But if you don’t, if you shelter behind the walls of Jerusalem, you’re going to die. A famine, of pestilence, or of the sword. So there you go. You have two ways you can choose. And that is, and here are the results of those two ways. similar manner, Jesus Christ sets before us here two choices. And depending on which one you follow, one leads to life and one leads to death. Only in this case, it’s not physical life and death, but spiritual life and death. He puts it this way. Entering at the straight gate, if you want eternal life. For if you enter in at the broad gate and you follow the broadway, it leads to hell. Eternal death. And therefore, we see the problem that’s set before man. Now, the question has come up here in verses 22 and 23. What about how many people are saved? And you will find there are few. were actually saved, we’re told here. Now, you may wonder how many people will truly be saved. Jesus is journeying at this point through Galilee. He’s going through their cities and he’s going through their villages toward Jerusalem. He’s sort of taking a circular route. He’s not rushing to Jerusalem. He’s sort of meandering through and hitting, I guess, as many places as possible in Galilee to preach the gospel to people and to talk to them about salvation. And this may be why he’s asked, Lord, are there few that be saved? Because not many people are coming to know the Lord, and he’s heading for Jerusalem and for death. And the question has come up. what about the kingdom? Who’s going to be saved? We’re not too old the motive behind the question, nor were we told who actually asked the question. But since you don’t find multitudes embracing Christ at this time being saved from their sins, it may have led someone to out of curiosity to ask who is going to be saved. Is this just a few people going to be saved? Now, if you look around it in our society today, you may wonder the very same thing. You don’t find great multitudes being brought to salvation in Jesus Christ in our day. It’s more, you know, one here, one there, and so forth that we see. The state of one’s eternal soul is scarcely given the attention that it needs in people’s lives. People are madly pursuing their own. lust and pleasures and when it comes to their spiritual state, that seems like the last thing on the list, that they’re concerned about. So you may wonder how many people will truly be saying. Now, the popular view of our day is that most people go to heaven when they die. The Jews thought that they’re all going to be subjects of the Messiah’s kingdom. and enjoy it. And certainly they were going to enjoy eternal bliss based upon them being the descendants of Abraham and, of course, their circumcision. If you study Christ’s ministry, however, he dispels that notion that notion that your your descendancy from Abraham or some ritual ceremony that you’ve gone through is going to grant you eternal life. And we find here he tells us that the straight gate must be answered if you’re going to have eternal life and enjoy any of the benefits of being a citizen of his kingdom. The people of our own generation are no better informed than the Israelites back in this day. America is called a Christian nation. We do have, in God, we trust on our coins. In the Pledge of Allegiance that we say, it says that we’re one nation under God. And our country is filled with church buildings. In fact, we find that there are thousands of radio stations with religious programs on them every day. And the Bible is still the bestseller year in and year out. And the general public has often assumed that to be an American is to be an American is to be a Christian. We are often classified as a Christian nation, although today I think there’s some question if we’re not a post-Christian nation. So we intend to see you to think that the majority of people of our nation are Christians. But let the words of Christ sink down in your ears this morning. Are there few that be saved? And in mass, Matthew’s gospel, he says that few take the straight gate and follow the narrow way. This nation is no more prepared to receive the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ than the Israelites were many years ago. Life in Christ is not that common. It is more rare than we’d like to admit. I’m not talking about being religious here. I’m talking about actually following Jesus Christ. Not being a Christian in name only, but being a true Christian and dedicated to serving the Lord. Most people who die are said to be in heaven in heaven. you ever go to funerals. Seems like everybody gives the heaven. I don’t know. I guess you have to be a really bad criminal not to go to heaven. I don’t know how many funerals you’ve been to, but they seem like they’re always talking about well, they’re better off. They’re at peace. They’re with the Lord and all these things. It didn’t matter how they lived, but evidently they were professing Christians, so this Julian Lennon, after his father was gunned down in New York City, talked about his father being up in heaven, you know, with Jimmy Hendrix, you know, jamming. I’m thinking, this is, you know, this is the way people think about heaven. It’s all carnal. It’s all, it didn’t matter how you lived, it didn’t matter if you were, an evil person. If you didn’t write a song named Imagine if there’s no heaven or hell. Evidently, that didn’t matter. Everybody thinks when someone dies, they’re going to heaven. Don’t you believe that. Few there be that find the way. I think we need to keep that in mind. Christ’s flock is a little flock, according to verse 32. of this chapter. Now, the reason you will find only a few obtaining eternal life is that the gate is straight and the road is narrow, which leads to heaven. It’s important, I think, to stress the point that salvation is found in Christ, and it’s found by way of entering in the straight gate. It’s important, I think, to stress this. Because the type of evangelism we have today, that’s so predominant, it’s so based on worldly wisdom and carnal motives, that there is no straight gay. In fact, you won’t even find people talking about repentance much today at all. You just make a decision for Christ. Christ talked about repentance. Too often the impression is given. that the Christian is when all said and done, only a little bit different in the world around him, because he’s made this decision for Christ. Christianity is viewed some wonderful, exciting experience that you have. Everything’s going to be just wonderful when you profess faith in Christ. The narrow road is never mentioned. Mortification of sin is never talked about. Our Lord never put it in that light. And we find that he’s too honest to give you an easy picture of salvation. On the contrary, he taught that salvation has a narrow entrance. It has a a straight gate. And entering the straight gate means you have to leave things behind. It’s like going through a turnstile. It’s narrow. We can’t take everything with us. There’s things we have to leave behind. The broad gate doesn’t matter. You can go through that way you are. But straight gate is different. And one of the things we have to leave behind is the majority of people. Many of them are going in a different gate and they’re headed for destruction. The Christian is something exceptional. God has worked a miracle in your life by regenerating you and saving your soul. And so you’re going in a different direction than the world around you. And we should recognize that. It’s inevitable. It’s important for you to know that God says come out from among them. and be separate. The Christian way of life isn’t popular. It’s never been popular, and it never will be popular. It’s exceptional and unique. Everyone else seems to be passing through the wide gate that leads to destruction and traveling the broad way. But you have to deliberately get out of the crowd and you have to go in a different direction than the crowd is going in. If you are going to provide for the safety of your soul, the surging crowd around you is the most dangerous thing you can be associated with. When Napoleon had invaded Russia and they wouldn’t surrender, even when he captured Moscow. He had to retreat through the winter months. And Russia had done a very good job of burning all the crops and things that they wouldn’t be able to eat anything. and finally they’d get through it and it was a really harrowing experience and here they get down to a river which they were trapped against by the russians armies at prasina and the resourceful french however were able to find a ford and they were able to construct a temporary bridge over the river now with the french army with this vast amount of people, which they were called the rabble. They were just hangar-honors. And they were hindrance. As the Russian closed in, the rabble all of a sudden clogged the escape route and thousands of French troops couldn’t get over the bridge to get out. They got cut up in the rabble. And many perished trying to cross the icy rivers, river near the bridge. A crowd of rabble became their undoing. Don’t let that happen to you. So you must realize that the gate that opens the way to eternal life is straight. Now you will find not many are able to enter by the straight gate. For many I say unto you will seek to enter in. It shall not be able. You may seek to enter in, but not be able because you never strove. to enter in. You didn’t strive to do it. There are people who show an interest in entering into the straight gate in heaven. But they’re not vigorous. They’re not earnest. The word of strive here is agonizami, where we get the word agonize to labor, fervently to enter you. So here you are. Maybe you’re not opposed to religion. But you know, you’ll give some. some attention to it, but you’re still not earnest enough to pay the cost in order to follow Jesus Christ. You don’t exert yourself. Perhaps you think the blessing of salvation will be bestowed upon those who think likely of it. I don’t think so. That you can obtain salvation without counting the cost or any sacrifice on your part is wrongful thinking. So you may seek to enter and not be able because you don’t strive to enter. You may seek to enter and not be able because you seek the wrong way. You can be in error in the way you seek justification before God. If you don’t seek in the way of faith by the righteousness of Jesus Christ to find acceptance before God, you’re, you’re, you’re, you’re, you fail to enter a straight gate. Jesus said, I am the door. But if you’re busy seeking to enter in another way, it’s not going to work. Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, have not obtained the law of righteousness. Attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore, because they sought it not by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. It’s not a law. enough to be just concerned about salvation, you must seek it in the right manner. So you may seek to enter and not be able because you seek the wrong way. You may seek to enter and not be able because you seek too late. And here, this seems like a likely scenario here. Notice verse 25, when once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut the door and you begin to stand without and the knock on the door saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are. The door is closed. Not only is the straight gate, is it the straight gate, but if you don’t enter it before a certain time, before you die. you’re not going to enter it. In fact, we have a sort of the same theme in Matthew 25 with the 10 virgins. Five didn’t have oil in their lamp. When they go get the oil, the door to the wedding feast is closed, and they are not allowed in. Do you remember in Noah’s Day, when he and his family entered in the ark, you read those words that the Lord shut them in. He closed the door. And not only did he close the door to secure Noah and his family, but he closed the door, no one else could get in. It was the time to repent was when Noah was preaching to them and telling them to repent. But now it’s too late for the ungod. If any came and. pounded upon the door to be let in, it was close to them. They had long resisted the call to repent through Noah’s preaching, and now they were left to perish. Those who die in their sins, and have heaven’s gate shut against them, discover their folly when it’s too late. It will be impossible to extract. It will be impossible to extract yourself from that hopeless situation. It’s too late. So the reason you find only a few being saved is that the gate to eternal life is straight. You must realize that the gate opens the way to eternal life is a straight gate, and you will find not many able to enter in by the straight gate. Let us keep these solemn words in mind as we feel. think about this passage this morning. Let’s have a word of prayer. Father, we thank you for your word, for the opportunity we’ve had to ponder it. We pray, Lord, that we have entered into the straight through the straight gate and are following the narrow way. May have your encouragement and blessing rest upon us. Remember us, Lord, in our troubles. and help us to carry a witness before those around us who are on the broad, gone through the broad gate and are on the, they, they’re on the broad way to destruction, the wide gate and the broad way. Bless us as your people, Father, and encourage us in the faith. In Jesus’ name we ask these things with Thanksgiving. Amen. Now this morning, since we’re going to observe the Lord’s Supper, I thought I would once again speak to you from the Song of Solomon. We’ve been trying to work our way through this book. The Song of Solomon and Chapter 2. I’m going to read verses 16 and 17. Our focus is going to be on verse 17. My beloved is mine, and I am hit. he feedeth among the lilies until the day break and the shadow flee away turn my beloved be like a row or young heart upon the mountains of better it’s been over a year ago I did speak on this passage but let me review this with you it would be nice if believers were always at their best and enjoy the continual sunshine of Christ’s countenance. But alas, we’re still sinners. There are times of darkness and storms as we’ve seen in this passage, which plague your life. And you must confess that your relationship with the well-beloved Jesus Christ at times gets broken. And you feel like there are mountains of Bether, mountains of division between you and your Lord. All that I knew where I might find him, the bride is seeking Christ. And that’s a constant theme in this song. Let me begin here by saying that you are ashamed of your present distance from Christ. You see the mountains of Bethlehem. Now, in scripture there are no literal mountains of Bethel. This seems to be a symbolic statement. Bether means division. So these are mountains or division. In other words, there’s something between you and the Savior. Maybe it’s sin, it’s remembered, it separates you from your Savior. Maybe you’re backslidden. You’re not in the spiritual state. You should be in. Maybe there’s ingratitude you don’t appreciate all that Christ is done for you at this point. Maybe there’s worldliness and you’re behaving like those heathen around you. Maybe there’s spiritual coldness. Maybe you lost your first love for Christ. Maybe there’s some unbelief where your faith is absent and you’re filled with doubts. And that happens sometimes to the Christian. Notice you’ve found. feel you’re in a darkened state. Do you not enjoy the brightness of Christ fellowship. When he talks here until the day break and the shadows flee away. You’re anxiously waiting the dawning of the day, which was Christ’s reappearance, so to speak, is drawing you back into fellowship with him. At present, shadows encompass you. You’re a child of light, and yet you may for a time have some darkness about things. Sometimes we go through sickness of body, and we struggle whether or not God truly loves us. That’s difficult. That’s a dark day. Maybe there’s some terrible depression. The heavy trials that you faced in our enduring. and you’re emotionally down. That can happen. That’s a dark time. Maybe you’re full of doubt of where you stand with the Lord. Maybe you lost the assurance of your salvation. That can happen. That’s a dark day too. You long for these shadows to be lifted. For the day to break. For the day to break. Son of righteousness to arise with healing in his wings. So all the shadows get the spell. That’s what we want. Nothing’s going to be right until you enjoy the light of his countenance once again. So you may be ashamed of your present distance from Christ, and you’re anxious for Christ to come to you. Turn, my beloved, and be like, a row or a young heart upon the mountains of Beth. Now you notice your inability to restore yourself. The bride here does not try to climb over the mountains. You’re not able to fix the breach between Christ and yourself on your own. The difficulties are insurmountable. For you, by your own power, cannot overcome them. Mountains are too big, too rocky, steep for you to climb. Now your prayer for Christ to restore fellowship with you is found in these words, turn my beloved. Turn back. Come. Jesus can come to you when you can’t go to him. He can shine the light of his countenance upon you once again. And this is a prayer for him to do. do so. Pray for a speedy restoration. That he would be like a row or a young heart, a deer, young deer. Amazing agility they have upon the mountains and they’re short-footed, and they can swiftly go over the mountains and so forth. And that’s how he views the Savior. Ask for pardon for your lukewarmness and forgiveness for your indifference and cry out. turn to me, oh my beloved. That’s the prayer of the saint. That’s our prayer. So you’re anxious for Christ to come to you. Let me mention this. You know, the Lord’s Supper requires that you examine yourself before partaking of the supper. Is there a distance between you and Christ? Are there sins you need to confess? You have my own? of divisions spoiling your fellowship with Christ. Will the Lord’s Supper encourages you to come and fellowship with Christ? This due in re and remembrance of me. Perhaps you are suffering from depression. Maybe you’re suffering from some bodily ailment or you have doubts about things. Confess these things to Christ. And then come. The Lord’s Supper remind you of your needs. to draw near to Jesus Christ. It’s a time of fellowship, isn’t it? Pray to your beloved to turn back to you, to lift up your covenant relationship to him. Let us be encouraged that the Lord continues to come back to the bride throughout this book. She drifts away, but she’s always brought back. Let us keep that in mind. so we do not sorrow as though there’s no hope for us. There is hope. Christ always returns to deal with his people and to help them. So let us keep that in mind when we come to the table this morning. We’re not worthy to come. We don’t say that we’re worthy to come because Christ bids us to come, he has opened the door for us. And he will fellowship with us. Let’s have a word of prayer. I mention this. First of all, have talked with the elders about your profession of faith, that you have confessed your known sin and that you want to have fellowship with the Lord. Let us come with that in mind. Not because we have anything to offer. but because Christ bids us and he wants to fellowship with us. And let’s by faith believe that and partake of the supper. Heavenly Father, we’re so unworthy and it’s discouraging, Father, to see how far we fail you every day. But we pray, Lord Jesus, that you’d hear us. and that you would turn back to us and again, draw us close to you. May this be a time when we meditate upon our closeness to Christ. And if there’s any distance to have that removed. Bless us, Lord, as your people. We look to you to help us. In the name of Christ, our Savior, we ask these things with Thanksgiving. Amen. Mark will have you come and help us here with the supper. Jesus tells us this broken bread represents his broken body. We’re all to eat of it. And in like manner they took the cup, which represents the blood of the covenant that Christ shed for our salvation. Shall we drink of the cup? Shall we pray? Heavenly Father, renew our hearts, renew our spirits. take away any coldness or indifference and revive us spiritually. But we find, Father, often there’s deadness in us, and we battle against it all the time. But be gracious to us and continue to work in us by your spirit to draw us closer to the Savior, that we may rejoice in Him as we should. In Jesus’ name, we pray with them. Thanksgiving. Amen. Let us stand for the benediction. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord, make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.