Luke 13:22-35 - Jesus: The Narrow Door

Today’s sermon will be from Luke 13:22–35.

In today's text, Jesus continues to teach and heal as He journeys toward Jerusalem. He is likely in the towns and villages east of the Jordan River in Perea, where Herod Antipas ruled (the same Herod who killed John the Baptist). We should also remember that persecution from religious leaders continues to increase because He is teaching that the kingdom of God is much different than they expected.

Now, in this passage, someone asks Jesus a question about the number of people who would be saved. They assumed a small number because they were limiting salvation's scope. After this, the religious leaders try to keep Jesus out of Jerusalem because they are rejecting Jesus' purpose of bringing about God’s kingdom. Both of these groups show a tendency of humanity in general, which either limits salvation or rejects it.

This is incredibly important because we and others need to know that anyone can come into the kingdom of God so long as they enter by the right way, through the door. Though we might not think so, we are a lot like these people. We often tend to limit the scope or power of Jesus' salvation, and the consequences of doing this are deadly for us and for others, as it can cause us not to be in the kingdom of God and enter through the door, or it can cause us to fail to share the good news that Jesus offers salvation to anyone who trusts in Him.

But imagine if we saw Jesus as the narrow door that anyone—whether from the north, south, east, or west of this world—could enter and join us as God's family in His house. You see, this is the opportunity that we have today. We have a vision of salvation that isn't transactional, but rather relational. And the opportunity is that we can share this with everyone we see and know.

So let’s listen with expectation to Luke 13:22–35.

Luke 13:22–35 ESV

He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 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.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

The first thing that we see in this text is that…

The only entry into God's house is through the narrow door.

Imagine with me for a moment that you have just gone to a concert where you had a backstage pass to meet the band. Later, you find out that they are having a private dinner, and you try to join them. Even though you have a backstage pass, you've met them earlier, you know all their songs, and you know all these facts about them, when you try to enter their private dinner and sit at their table, the security guard stops you at the door. Do you think that guard will let you in? No, why not? Though you know about them, you aren't their friend or family. In like manner, you cannot gain entry into God's house unless you go through the narrow door.

If we look at verses 23 and 24, Jesus is responding to a question someone asks about whether the number of people saved will be few. Jesus responds by saying that God's house only has one narrow door. Notice He says, "Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many I tell you will seek to enter and will not be able."

The kingdom of God is made up of those people who are of God's household, those who access the household of God through the door that God has provided. You can't get into God's household by jumping over the wall or by blasting through the wall with a wrecking ball and expect to be seated at the table. Jesus is the Master who shuts the door, having the right to cast out those who are unknown by him just like the demons. Jesus says here to strive to enter through the narrow door. That word "strive" speaks of an intense work, an intense effort, straining every nerve to enter. He's telling them that this isn’t about being saved by proximity or membership into the community, but by making every effort to enter God’s house by the narrow door.

But next, we see in verse 29 that access is not just simply for a few, but for many. Though Jesus says that the entryway is narrow, He says that people will come from the east and west and from the north and south and recline at the table in the kingdom of God. In other words, they will be in God's house. Though there is only this one way, this narrow door to enter, it doesn't mean that there are only going to be a few. So Jesus answers this man's question not by saying that only a few are going to be in, but that there is only one way in—a way that is narrow.

God's kingdom is made up of people from everywhere throughout the world who enter through the narrow door. Also, we should note here that access is granted through union with the Son, which makes us members of the family.

Notice what we see in verse 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.'" Then in verse 27, He repeats, "I do not know where you come from." But in verse 29, people come into the kingdom, and the last will be first, and the first will be last. And finally, in verse 35, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

What we see here is that the Master knowing where you come from is what is required to enter the household. What does that mean? The Master must know you. And how is it that the Master knows those who are trying to enter through the narrow door? It is that they are either His servants, like the angels, or His sons and daughters, like those who are united to Christ. There is no entry, and people are left out, if they are not known by the Master.

This passage does not explicitly say "union with the Son," but as we look at the entire New Testament—the Gospel of John, the writings of Paul—we see that union with Christ is how we become a child of God. In other words, the only way the Master knows where we are from is if we are from his family. John 1:12 says that for those who are in Christ, He gave the right to become children of God. It's those who are born again, those who are united to Christ by the Holy Spirit. And so, the only entry into God's house is through the narrow door.

But though there is only one narrow door to enter into God's house, the second thing we see is that…

We think we can enter God's house by our proximity to and knowledge of him

If you asked most people, they would say they want to live forever in God's house. The only problem is many are like a deranged fan who thinks that just because they have a backstage pass, know all the band's songs and trivia, and have been to all the concerts, they can have a private dinner with the band after the show. Or they are like people who don't know the band at all and just want the benefits of a really nice dinner, thinking they can just barge in and sit down.

But Jesus tells us that we must be from God in order to enter God's house. God must know where we are from.

In verses 23 and 26, we notice that the religious assume a connection with Israel—and today, the church—will save them. They confuse covenant membership with covenant faithfulness—thinking that just because their parents were members, they are safe.. They assume that being a part of the church or Israel is the same thing as being known by God, being a child of God. Notice that they say in verse 23, assuming they are among the saved: "Will those who are saved be few?" They assume they are in the number. Then in verse 26: "We ate and drank in your presence and you taught in our streets." They have heard His teaching, they have eaten and drunk with Him, but they assume that proximity to Him is the same thing as being known by Him and united to Him.

The religious also assume that their study of God will save them. Look at verse 26. Their entrance into the kingdom for them is simply this knowledge. They equate knowledge about God to being known by God.

The irreligious, though—as you see in verse 31, "Get away from here for Herod wants to kill you"—assume that they don't need God. This is like Herod. Those outside the religious structures assume they are self-sufficient. They don't need Jesus. They don't want His teachings. Just like Herod put John the Baptist to death, this is the posture that Herod embodies. Even though Herod would be a part of the Jewish structure, he used his power to resist God's authority rather than to submit to it. In other words, he rejected God's house altogether.

So, we see that we think we can enter God's house by proximity to Him or knowledge of Him, or we reject Him altogether and think we can have His benefits without being united to Him. And yet, the truth Jesus tells us here is that the door is narrow. Those who don't know God personally or reject Him will be cast into a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. As verse 28 says: "In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourself cast out."

If this was all we knew, we should be absolutely terrified. How do we know that we are known by God?

The good news is that…

Jesus was cut off from life so he could be the door into God’s house

I don't want to overstretch this analogy, but I want to return to the idea of the dinner party for the band briefly. We try to get into the dinner party, but instead of being cast out by the bouncer, we are let in. Why? Because Jesus willingly bore our being "cast out" (because we were unknown by God) so that we could be known by God through Christ. We are adopted into God's family by union with Him, so that we would have the right to enter the Kingdom of God.

In verses 24, 25, and 29, we see that there is this narrow door that we must strive to enter, and that the last will be first. This narrow door isn't a door that we open by our own works. Jesus, who calls Himself "the narrow door," is the narrow door that opens our entry into the kingdom. But, we must strive with every effort to ensure that we are found entering through him, the one who instead of taking the wide door of safety is willingly heading to Jerusalem to die to take the narrow Door of the cross for us. By rejecting self-preservation he models the striving we must do to be found in him. Through union with Him, many will enter from the north, south, east, and west.

Jesus is reframing the limitation. The limitation isn't the number; the limitation is the path into the house.

How is He the door? It is because Jesus bore the judgment signified by "weeping and gnashing of teeth" in verse 28. We were the evildoers who were not known by God by nature. Jesus bore the eternal weight of our sin on the cross in Jerusalem. As He cried out on that cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", Jesus Christ was the one who was made desolate. He was the temple of God; in Him, the whole fullness of deity dwelt bodily, and yet He was forsaken. He was stripped of dignity and bore our shame.

Just like the Pharisees who were trying to get Jesus out of Jerusalem, we wanted Jesus out as well. And yet, He says to these Pharisees that their house was forsaken because they rejected Him. Notice that He calls it 'your house.' He doesn't call it 'My Father's House' anymore. God has left the building. They were not willing to be gathered under His wings. But here is the gospel: Jesus Christ Himself was forsaken and rejected in Jerusalem so that God's true house might be open to us through Him.

Jesus was the ultimate prophet who was cut off from life by dying in Jerusalem. If you look at verses 31 to 34, the Pharisees are trying to keep Him out, telling Him Herod wants to kill Him (though some scholars argue that they were trying to protect him). You might think they were doing Jesus a favor, but they really didn't want Jesus to interrupt their control. But Jesus responds that He is going to continue His work and come into Jerusalem. He must perish because He was rejected by His people. Jerusalem was the city that killed the prophets, yet Jesus longed to gather His children together as a hen gathers her brood.

Because of our rejection, Jesus must bear that rejection upon the cross. He was the ultimate prophet who was cut off so that we could have entry, willingly dying so that He could gather us together with Him into His kingdom to sit at the table in the Father's house as children.

But that isn't all. Since Jesus lived, died, and rose again to be the narrow door, at His resurrection, by the Spirit…

We can enter God’s house through the Door and as his children invite others to join us

Because of what Jesus did, we know that anyone who wants to sit at the table with Jesus can enter if they go through the narrow way. As long as they are a member of the family of God, anyone known by God in Christ can enter. It is as if we have been commissioned by Jesus Himself to tell everyone the free offer of the Gospel: that they can go in through the narrow door. If they are born again, they can enter the house because God will adopt them.

Jesus brings us into the house and gives us a seat at the table. Our position is secure. I don't just know about Jesus; I know Him because I am united to Him. He lives in me, and therefore He knows me. He knows all who are united to Jesus Christ by the Spirit. In union with Him, I am not just a servant; I am a child of God. You are a child of God. We don't have to live as beggars, searching for scraps of food from God's table; we can live in our Father's house as children having right and access to His table.

Jesus isn't simply a narrow door that shuts a massive number of people out. He brings people in from all over—from the east, west, north, and south. This is a joyful, delightful thing. The Spirit of God calls us to be witnesses, calling people into the kingdom of God as children. This is what Jesus lived, died, and rose again for.

Now, what does this look like practically in our lives?

First, instead of living as those who are shutting people out, we are like a light on a hill shining the light of Jesus Christ so that others can know Him. Instead of fearing to tell other people about Jesus because we're afraid they might be offended that the entry point is narrow (only through Jesus Christ), we can joyfully tell others that they can enter the kingdom by being a part of the family of God through Christ. And so, by the Spirit we might just ask a co-worker out to lunch and ask him or her what they think about God.

But the implications aren't just for evangelism. When the devil or my own flesh puts doubts in my mind—wondering whether I'm truly going to heaven because I have just committed a fresh sin, or got angry at my spouse or child, and I can't stop being worried about whether I am in the narrow door. The Spirit reminds me that it isn’t through my perfection, but through striving to be found in Christ who died for these very sins.

Or when spiritual pride starts to kick in, and I start to feel like I’m closer to God than others who don’t read their Bible as much as me, reading for 30 minutes or an hour a day, the Spirit corrects me, showing me that it is about being known by the Master, Jesus, not about their works. And so, I can be assured of my own seat at the table and don't need to worry about whether somebody else is out or in. Instead, I can pray that they might come to love the word.

When I'm struggling to feel whether I'm actually a child of God or not, and shame creeps in, I can remember that by the Spirit, I am a member of God's family. The Spirit reminds me that the fruit of my union with Christ is the Spirit's work, not my own, and enables me to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, knowing it is God at work in me.

Because Jesus is the narrow door, anyone found in Him can be welcomed into His Father's house.

If the Holy Spirit does not testify to you today that you are a child of God, then I must warn you that no amount of good works, Bible knowledge, or church attendance can save you. You will be cast out into outer darkness unless you come through the narrow door, Jesus. So, I beg you: if you do not know what it means to be a child of God, cry out to Him. Confess Christ as your Lord, your Master, your Savior. Trust that God raised Him from the dead to make you His child, and you will be saved and adopted into God's family.

If you are one of His children, worship Him and remember how free and amazing the good news is. Instead of being afraid of sharing this news, remember that God uses us to draw more people into His family, where we will spend eternity eating with and enjoying God, each other, and His world together. By the Spirit, you don't have to see sharing the good news as a chore, but as a delight, knowing you are at the Father's table.

Remember, Jesus is the door. We enter by trusting in His completed work in Jerusalem on the cross, where He was perfected in suffering and rose again on the third day so that we could be made sons and daughters of God. Let us lead others to do the same, by the Spirit, all to the glory of the Father, whom we will worship and love together forever. Amen.