Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Why Many Will Seek to Enter Heaven but Few Will Enter (Luke 13:24-30)
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Why Many Will Seek to Enter Heaven but Few Will Enter (Luke 13:24-30)
Jesus said, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). We should consider the following verses to see why many will seek to enter heaven but few will enter.
Table of contentsWe Should Consider Why Many Will Seek to Enter Heaven but Few Will EnterThe Question Is, “Does the Lord Know You?”The Lord Doesn’t Know People Who Haven’t RepentedJesus's Indignation Toward UnbelieversThe Main Problem with Easy-BelievismThe Jews Thought They Would Enter Heaven and the Gentiles Would Enter HellThe Jews Learned They Will Enter Hell, and the Gentiles Will Enter HeavenNot a Universal LawThere Will Be Surprises in the Kingdom of GodA Sobering Passage
https://youtu.be/VJ6vNVMs3yQ
Jesus said, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. Many will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). We should consider the following verses to see why many will seek to enter heaven but few will enter.
There are some things in life that you can be late for while other things can be very problematic if you’re late. For example, you can be late to a movie or a sporting event, but if you’re late for the bus or a flight, you’re in trouble. When I was in Army ROTC in college the commander of the program was Colonel Brewer. He told all of us, "My class starts on time, and when it starts I shut the door, lock it, and I don’t open it. If you’re late, don’t try to get in.”
One of the cadets told me about a time that he was eating lunch at the same time as Colonel Brewer. He was watching him to see when he left so that he could follow him to class. He walked behind Colonel Brewer, expecting that Colonel Brewer would let him in when he reached the classroom because he knew he was walking behind him, but he still locked him out.
The most terrifying example of being locked out in the Old Testament occurred in Noah’s day. Noah spent 120 years building the ark. The earth began to flood. Noah, his family, and the animals got on the ark, and then we read: "Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And THE LORD SHUT HIM IN" (Genesis 7:16). Shutting them in meant shutting everyone else out.
We Should Consider Why Many Will Seek to Enter Heaven but Few Will Enter
I can’t imagine what it was like for those people locked outside the ark. As terrible as this would have been it doesn’t compare to being locked out of heaven: "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able" (Luke 13:24). So, let's look at the following verses to see why many will seek to enter heaven but few will enter.
Jesus said, "I say to you." The word you occurs 13 times in Luke 13:24-28, because Jesus wanted to make this personal. Please keep that in mind. We should picture Jesus speaking directly to us if we haven’t entered!
Luke 13:25 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.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’
This is interesting! These were not people who openly rejected Jesus. They were people who spent time with him during His earthly ministry. They had been around Him. They heard His teaching. He had been among them. They probably witnessed His miracles. They had even eaten and drank with Him and enjoyed His fellowship. The simple way to say it is this: they are people who looked like they were saved.
And they seemed to think they were saved. They mentioned their behavior that led them to this conclusion and caused them to think they should be able to enter. But the claim to have been in social settings with Jesus and even to have been in his audience list...
View all episodes
5
99 ratings
Jesus said, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). We should consider the following verses to see why many will seek to enter heaven but few will enter.
Table of contentsWe Should Consider Why Many Will Seek to Enter Heaven but Few Will EnterThe Question Is, “Does the Lord Know You?”The Lord Doesn’t Know People Who Haven’t RepentedJesus's Indignation Toward UnbelieversThe Main Problem with Easy-BelievismThe Jews Thought They Would Enter Heaven and the Gentiles Would Enter HellThe Jews Learned They Will Enter Hell, and the Gentiles Will Enter HeavenNot a Universal LawThere Will Be Surprises in the Kingdom of GodA Sobering Passage
https://youtu.be/VJ6vNVMs3yQ
Jesus said, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. Many will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). We should consider the following verses to see why many will seek to enter heaven but few will enter.
There are some things in life that you can be late for while other things can be very problematic if you’re late. For example, you can be late to a movie or a sporting event, but if you’re late for the bus or a flight, you’re in trouble. When I was in Army ROTC in college the commander of the program was Colonel Brewer. He told all of us, "My class starts on time, and when it starts I shut the door, lock it, and I don’t open it. If you’re late, don’t try to get in.”
One of the cadets told me about a time that he was eating lunch at the same time as Colonel Brewer. He was watching him to see when he left so that he could follow him to class. He walked behind Colonel Brewer, expecting that Colonel Brewer would let him in when he reached the classroom because he knew he was walking behind him, but he still locked him out.
The most terrifying example of being locked out in the Old Testament occurred in Noah’s day. Noah spent 120 years building the ark. The earth began to flood. Noah, his family, and the animals got on the ark, and then we read: "Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And THE LORD SHUT HIM IN" (Genesis 7:16). Shutting them in meant shutting everyone else out.
We Should Consider Why Many Will Seek to Enter Heaven but Few Will Enter
I can’t imagine what it was like for those people locked outside the ark. As terrible as this would have been it doesn’t compare to being locked out of heaven: "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able" (Luke 13:24). So, let's look at the following verses to see why many will seek to enter heaven but few will enter.
Jesus said, "I say to you." The word you occurs 13 times in Luke 13:24-28, because Jesus wanted to make this personal. Please keep that in mind. We should picture Jesus speaking directly to us if we haven’t entered!
Luke 13:25 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.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’
This is interesting! These were not people who openly rejected Jesus. They were people who spent time with him during His earthly ministry. They had been around Him. They heard His teaching. He had been among them. They probably witnessed His miracles. They had even eaten and drank with Him and enjoyed His fellowship. The simple way to say it is this: they are people who looked like they were saved.
And they seemed to think they were saved. They mentioned their behavior that led them to this conclusion and caused them to think they should be able to enter. But the claim to have been in social settings with Jesus and even to have been in his audience list...