Sermon

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September 2, 2007
Pentecost 14c
Luke 13:22-30
Pastor Ben Berger

Make Every Effort to Enter Heaven

Fight, fight, kick and bite. My wife told me that her friend’s dad always encouraged them with those words before a basketball game. He encouraged them to work hard, do their best and make every effort to win the game. Fight, fight, kick and bite; it’s a battle out there. Today Jesus encourages us to fight, fight, kick and bite in our spiritual battles against the devil and his evil forces. They do not want us to go to heaven. They will do everything in their power to keep us out of heaven. We are in an all-out, knock-down, winner take everything battle. To win, we’ll have to fight, fight, kick and bite. Jesus said it this way, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door” (24). He uses a word that means to agonize, to do your best, to give all you got or to fight, fight, kick and bite. And the time is now. Jesus encourages us to Make Every Effort to Enter Heaven 1) while the door is open and 2) before the door is closed.

While Jesus was making his way to Jerusalem teaching in different towns and villages, someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” (22-23). Jesus’ answer directed the people then and now us to ask a different question, “Am I going to be saved?” While Jesus wants us to think about the salvation of others, he first directs us to be sure of our own salvation. Therefore, Jesus encouraged, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door” (24).

Jesus himself is the narrow door that leads to heaven. Notice first that Jesus has already opened the door to heaven. To open the door God requires a perfect life without sin. We all know that we were born in sin and continue to live in sin every day. We cannot open the door. That’s why God sent Jesus to open the door for us. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was born without sin and he lived without sin all his days on earth. Jesus lived a perfect life. And then he died an innocent death. His death on the cross paid for all sin of all people. By his perfect life and innocent death, Jesus opened the door to eternal life.

Notice second, however, that the door to heaven is narrow. In other words, there’s only one way in, and that way is through faith in Jesus. Our world today teaches that any faith in any god leads to heaven. The world thinks that Jesus and Allah and Mary and Buddha and all other gods are all the same. That’s not true. Jesus is the only God and the only one to open heaven’s door. The world also wants us to believe that we can enter through heaven’s door if we just try hard enough or live good enough lives. That’s another lie.

To enter through the narrow door to heaven, we must strip ourselves of all else but Jesus. We must take off our sinful pride and self-righteousness. We must confess our sins. We must let go of all the other people and things in which we trust. And we must trust only in Jesus. He is the only door, the narrow door that leads to heaven.

Now is our opportunity to establish and strengthen our faith in Jesus as Savior. Take a look at verse 26. Jesus warned the people in the crowd that day that knowing about him wouldn’t be enough. The Jews were privileged to be the first to receive God’s word. Some of them were also privileged to live at the time of Jesus. They ate and drank with him and he taught in their streets. And yet, that wasn’t enough to get them through the door of heaven. Knowing Jesus isn’t enough; he wants us to trust in him.

You and I are privileged to have Jesus among us. He comes to teach his word in our church and in our schools and in our homes. He invites us to eat and drink with him at his Table. How often do we take advantage? We know Jesus, but do we trust in him? Do we make time to strengthen our relationship with him? It’s not easy.

That’s why Jesus encourages us to fight, fight, kick and bite. He knows the temptations that we face. The Devil tempts us to take a lackadaisical attitude toward God and his word; he wants us to think that we have plenty of time to worry about God later. The world tempts us to drop God down the list of priorities. We say he’s the most important, but he’s often the last item on our to-do list. Our own sinful natures will tempt us to be selfish and do what we think is fun and exciting rather than boring old Bible study.

Fight, fight, kick and bite. Agonize, work hard, and make every effort to enter through the narrow door. Remember that Jesus gives you the strength to do everything he asks. He wants to take you through that narrow door that leads to heaven. He’s given you his word and invited you to partake. Come, then, and listen. Work hard at listening to sermons and applying them to your life. Make time for the family to attend Bible study on Sunday mornings. Reprioritize so you can talk to God daily at home. Now is the time; now is the day of salvation.

Make every effort to enter through the narrow door while it is open and before it is closed.

At some point Jesus will close the door. That could be the time of your death or the time of Jesus’ return. In either case, we don’t know when that time will come. It could be in five minutes or in 5000 years. Either way – when the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, will you be saved?

Once Jesus closes the door, he will never open it again. Hebrews says, “a man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment” (9:27). When Jesus returns on the Last Day, he will separate believers and unbelievers. No second chances. Will you be left standing outside?

Many will be left standing outside. They wait to struggle until after the door is closed. They stand outside knocking and pleading, “Sir, open the door for us.” But Jesus answers, “I don’t know you or where you come from” (25).They will again admit that they saw Jesus, they knew Jesus. It won’t matter; they didn’t trust in Jesus. So he will repeat, “I don’t know you or where you’re from.”

Then Jesus will send them to hell. They had their chance. They had better things to do or they just didn’t care. Now it’s too late. “Away from me you evildoers,” Jesus will proclaim (27). An evildoer is anyone who does not believe in Jesus. They will be cast out of his presence forever, outside the door of heaven, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. They will agonize over the complete loss of happiness. They will suffer anger and rage toward God. And they will live forever with regret over all they lost.

Thankfully, many others will enter through the narrow door to heaven. They will come from all nations, from east and west and north and south. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the prophets and all believers will take their place at the feast in the kingdom of God. These are the ones who entered through the narrow door before it was closed. When they saw Jesus or heard his word, they took advantage. They trusted in Jesus as Savior and by his word he regularly strengthened that trust. Now they live forever where there is no weeping, no gnashing of teeth, no pain or sorrow or sickness or death. They live in complete joy and perfect peace with God and one another. Isn’t that where you want to be?

Then fight, fight, kick and bite. Make every effort to enter through the narrow door before it’s closed. Take every opportunity to strengthen your faith in Christ. He comes to you in so many ways. Daily remember your baptism and the washing of rebirth and renewal it offers. Receive Jesus’ body and blood often for the personal forgiveness of your sins. Spend time in the word, letting Jesus calm your fears and assure you of your eternal salvation.