Sep 24
8
Old Testament Reading: Malachi 1:6–14
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the LORD’s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.” (Malachi 1:6–14, ESV)
New Testament Reading: Luke 13:22-35
“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!’” (Luke 13:22–35, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
In the previous sermon, I labored to demonstrate that Luke’s Gospel is about the arrival (or inauguration) of the kingdom of God along with the arrival of the Messiah, Christ the King. Jesus is the King of God’s everlasting kingdom. Christ the King brought with him the kingdom! Furthermore, in the previous sermon, I argued that Luke 13:18 marks a shift in emphasis. While the first half of Luke’s Gospel is most concerned with demonstrating that the kingdom of God was present with power in the days of Christ’s earthly ministry, the second half of Luke’s Gospel (from 13:18 onward) is more concerned with teaching us about the nature or character of Christ’s kingdom. In other words, while the first half of Luke’s Gospel emphasizes that the kingdom was at hand in the days of Christ the King’s earthly ministry, in the second half, Christ teaches us what this Kingdom is like. In Luke 13:18 we hear Christ say, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?” And again in Luke 13:20, Christ says, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?” As you will probably remember, Christ compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed and leaven in that passage. But I do believe that as Christ continued his journey towards Jerusalem, where he would soon be crucified, buried, and rise again on the third day, he continued to teach his disciples and the crowds that followed him about the nature, quality, or characteristics of this kingdom he came to establish. Here in the passage that is open before us today, Christ teaches us who will enter his kingdom and how.
The Question: Will Those Who Are Saved Be Few?
What prompted this teaching from Jesus? Well, someone from the crowd asked him a question.
In Luke 13:22 we are told that Jesus, “went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem.” It was back in Luke 9:51 that we read, “When the days drew near for [Jesus] to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” So Christ is here continuing his journey towards Jerusalem. And do not forget that Christ had sent 72 of his disciples into this region ahead of him to heal and to say, “The kingdom of God has come near to you” (Luke 10:9). It is no surprise, then, that as Jesus journeyed from the north towards Jerusalem in the south that crowds of people flocked to him. Why did they flock to him? Because they were excited about the possibility that God’s King and kingdom had arrived. They wished to see it for themselves and to know more.
Friends, though I will not take the time to demonstrate this to you today, you must know and remember that the Old Testament Scriptures have a lot to say about the eventual arrival of the kingdom of God. Those who have sat under my preaching for some time will recall what I have said many times before, that the Bible is all about God’s kingdom. The kingdom was offered to Adam in the Garden, but forfeited when he fell into sin. By God’s grace, God promised to Adam and Eve that he would establish his kingdom in another way and through another king (see Genesis 3:15). This promise was reiterated to Abraham (see Genesis 12). And in the days of Moses and Joshua, this kingdom began to be prefigured on earth through Israel. The prefigurement of the kingdom of God on earth reached its climax in King David and in his reign, for he was a type of the Christ to come. It was to King David that the Lord promised, saying, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13). I remind you (yet again) of this Old Testament history of the kingdom of God offered (but lost), promised (even to Adam), and prefigured (in Old Covenant Isarel), so that you might understand the excitement of the crowds who flocked to Jesus at this point in his ministry. Not only had the 72 disciples of Christ traveled through these towns proclaiming the nearness of the kingdom of God, but these people also knew the Scriptures and they were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the King and Kingdom that had been promised by God to Adam, Abraham, and David long before. They were longing for the arrival of the Kingdom of God, but as I have said before, misunderstandings abounded. And so Christ taught them about the nature of his kingdom.
Returning now to our text, Jesus “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?’” (Luke 13:22–23, ESV).
You understand the question, don’t you? The question is, how many will be saved? How many will enter into this kingdom of yours and be kept in it? Will many enter your kingdom, or will only a few?
Why did the man ask this question?
Perhaps his question was simply driven by curiosity. With all of the thousands of people flocking around Jesus, and with Jesus heading toward Jerusalem, he simply wished to know how many would enter Christ’s kingdom and be saved.
Perhaps his question was biblical. By this I mean, that perhaps this man was aware of the many passages in the Old Testament that speak of an elect remnant within Israel being saved. Isaiah 10:22 comes to mind. This passage is quoted by Paul in Romans 9. It says, “For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness” (Isaiah 10:22, ESV). This theme of only a remnant within Old Covenant Isarel being saved is found throughout the prophets, and especially Isaiah. Perhaps this man had this biblical theme in mind when he asked, will those who are saved be few?
Or maybe this man’s question was personal. It could be that he was concerned to know whether or not he would be amongst those saved in the Messiah’s kingdom.
Whatever his motivation, Christ’s answer was bigger and better than the question he asked. Hear his question again: “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” I suppose Christ could have responded very simply by saying, yes or no, but an answer like this would have been very dissatisfying. “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” If Christ simply answered, yes, many other questions would have been raised. Few relative to what? Who will the few who are saved be? Will I be among the few? And the same questions would have lingered if Christ answered no. The man: “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” Christ: No, many will be saved. The crowds would have been left to wonder: Many relative to what? Who will the many who are saved be? Will I be among the many? As I have said, Christ’s answer was bigger and better than the question posed to him.
Christ’s Answer: Strive To Enter Through The Narrow Door
Instead of simply answering yes or no Christ spoke to the man and the crowds, saying, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (Luke 13:23–24, ESV)
As you can see, Christ did not ignore or dismiss the man’s question. He answered in the affirmative. Yes, those who will be saved will be relativity few. This is the answer Christ gave when he employed the metaphor of a narrow door. The door by which a person enters the kingdom of God to the salvation of their souls is a narrow door – it is not designed to facilitate the passage of all who have ever lived. And Christ explicitly tells us that “many… will seek to enter and will not be able.” So then, many will not enter the kingdom of salvation, but some will.
I have said, that those who will be saved will be relatively few because the answer given by our Lord does not contradict the fact that the total number of those saved will in the end be very large. Will those who are saved be few? Yes, few relative to the total number of people who have ever lived. But we know that the total number of the redeemed will be very large. The Apostle John was shown a vision of the assembly of the redeemed ones in heaven. It is recorded for us in Revelation 7:9. There we read, “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 7:9–10, ESV). Will those who are saved be few? I suppose the answer is yes and no. Few, relative to the total number of people who have every lived. But this does not mean that Christ’s consummated kingdom in the new heavens and earth will be sparsely populated. On the contrary, the new heavens and earth will be filled with those who have trusted in Christ in every age and from every tongue, tribe, and nation when Christ returns to judge and to make all things new.
The man’s question was, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” Christ answered him in a very personal way. He responded to the man and the crowd with a command: “Strive to enter through the narrow door” (Luke 13:24, ESV). It’s as if Christ said, do not be so concerned with the question, how many will be in the kingdom of heaven? Instead, be concerned with the question, will I be saved in the kingdom of heaven? And strive to enter through the narrow door”
What does the narrow door symbolize? It must symbolize repentance and faith in Christ! You might be tempted to respond to me saying, but the text does not say that the narrow door represents repentance and faith in Christ. That’s true! But one of the most important principles of Biblical interpretation is that we must use Scripture to interpret Scripture. By this I mean, we must allow other passages of Scripture to help us in our interpretation of a particular text. In many other places, the Scriptures are abundantly clear that the way sinners come to be saved is through repentance and faith in Christ. Many Scripture texts could be piled up. For the sake of time, I’ll cite only 2 Timothy 3:15, for there Paul speaks of the “sacred writings” or Scriptures and says that they are able to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15, ESV). So then, this is what the Scriptures reveal, that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. And this is what the narrow door symbolizes. When Christ commanded the man and the crowd to “strive to enter through the narrow door” it was a call to repentance and faith.
Some might be bothered by the language of striving. Some might think, does this not contradict the doctrines of predestination and effectual calling? Not at all! While it is true that it is those who have been predestined and effectually called who will believe, this does not negate our responsibility to “strive” to enter heaven. In fact, in God’s word, we are called to do many things. We are commanded to repent. We are commanded to believe. We are commanded to mortify the flesh and to pursue holiness. We are commanded to abide in Christ and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Who will do these things? It is those who are predestined and effectually called who will do these things, being made able and willing to do them, by God’s grace. But these are things we must do, and so the Scriptures command them. We must strive to enter through the narrow door of repentance and faith in Christ. And neither does the command to “strive” contradict the doctrine of salvation through faith in Christ alone, and not by law-keeping. If the narrow door symbolized the law of Moses, then the command to “strive” would mean that we are to strive to keep the law of Moses to enter the kingdom of heaven. But if the narrow door signifies faith in Christ (which it does) then the command to “strive to enter through the narrow door” is simply a call to repentance and faith.
Here is a very important observation to make: When Christ said, that “many… will seek to enter and will not be able”, he did not mean that many will try to enter through the narrow door of faith in Christ and will be hindered. No, he meant that many will seek to enter the kingdom of God in the wrong way. In other words, when we imagine Christ’s metaphor we are not to imagine crowds of people frantically trying to enter the kingdom in the right way, that is to say, through the narrow door of faith in Christ, but being hindered. Rather, we are to imagine the narrow door standing open. Some see it as the way into the kingdom of heaven and walk through it. But many more pay no attention to it. Perhaps they think, how could such a small and narrow door be the entrance to such a glorious kingdom? And so they reject this narrow door as a door of entrance. Instead, they attempt to enter the kingdom in another way. Eventually, the narrow door will be shut and no other entrance into the kingdom will be found.
Dear friends, all who strive to enter the kingdom of heaven through the narrow door of true repentance and sincere faith in Christ will be granted entrance into Christ’s kingdom. None will be turned away. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, ESV). And Christ has promised, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37, ESV). But the narrow door of entrance into Christ’s kingdom will not remain open forever. Once it is shut, many “will seek to enter [the kingdom] and will not be able.”
What does the shutting of the narrow door symbolize? I believe the shutting of the narrow door may refer to two things: One, the narrow door of entrance into the kingdom of God will be shut to every individual at the moment of their death. It is in this life that we have the opportunity to repent and believe in Christ. After death, no opportunity for repentence and faith will be given. The door of entrance into the kingdom will be firmly shut. Two, the narrow door of entrance into the kingdom of God will be shut to all humanity at the second coming of Christ. When Christ returns, this age, wherein sinners are called to repentance and faith, will be brought to a close. Then, all who die unbelieving and in their sins will be judged.
This is what is described in verses 25-28. There Christ says, “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.’” Christ is the master of the house. I interpret the word “risen” to be a reference to Christ’s resurrection from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion – something that would happen not long after Christ spoke these words. I interpret Christ’s comment about shutting the door to the kingdom as I did before – as a reference to an individual’s death and especially the return of Christ and the final judgment. First, Christ would be raised from the dead and ascend to the Father. The narrow door to the kingdom would be left open. But eventually, Christ will shut the door. When men and women die in their sins or when Christ returns, sinners will wish to enter the kingdom of heaven, but no access will be granted. They will say, “‘Lord, open to us,’ then [the master of the house] will answer…, ‘I do not know where you come from.’” In other words, those who fail to enter the kingdom of God through the narrow gate of faith in Christ in this life will be treated like foreigners and strangers to Christ’s kingdom on the day of judgment.
This is true for all who die in their sins, but to interpret this passage properly we must remember that Christ was speaking to Old Covenant Jews. The people lived under the Old Covenant. They were, under the Old Covenant, God’s chosen people. The kingdom of God was prefigured on earth in Israel, and every Israelite was a citizen of that earth kingdom. They were in. They were in based on their ethnicity. They were in covenantally. But here Christ warns them that if they fail to enter through the narrow door of faith in the Messiah, they will find themselves on the outside looking in.
Look with me at verse 26. There Christ says, “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.” Why will Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets be in the kingdom? Because they believed in the Messiah who was promised to them. Or to use the language of our text, they entered the kingdom through the narrow door while it was still open. And why would these Jews be locked out? Because they did not turn from their sins (they were workers of evil) and they did not trust in Jesus the Messiah. On the last day, Christ will speak to all who die unbelieving and in their sins, saying, “Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” And they will be cast into hell. “In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
In verses 29-30, Christ says something that would have been most shocking and outrageous to the Jews: “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” (Luke 13:29–30, ESV). What is the meaning of this? The meaning is that many from the nations would enter the kingdom of God through the narrow door of faith in the Messiah while, ironically, many from amongst the Jews would reject the Messiah and be denied entrance into the eternal kingdom of God.
This might be difficult for you and I to fully appreciate, but a great transition occurred when Christ died and rose from the dead to inaugurate the New Covenant. The kingdom of God which for generations was prefigured on earth in Israel was brought into the world with power and it spread to all nations. From the days of Abraham to the resurrection of Christ, God’s kingdom work was confined largely to Israel and the Hebrews. But from the resurrection of Christ to the consummation, God’s kingdom is spreading to all nations. In Matthew 21:43 Christ spoke to the unbelieving Jews, saying, “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.” In Matthew 24:14, Christ said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” In Matthew 28:18 Christ commissioned his disciples, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The Apostle Paul reflected on this great transition away from Israel and to the nations when he spoke to his fellow Jews, saying, “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved…” (Romans 11:25–26, ESV). As Paul reflected on the history of redemption he could see that for many hundreds of years, the Jews enjoyed privileges as it pertained to the advancement of God’s kingdom. In Romans 9:4-5 Paul reflected on those privileges, saying, “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.” But Paul could also see that under the New Covenant, a “partial hardening has come upon Israel”. He calls it “partial” because, under the New Covenant, some Jews will place their faith in Jesus the Messiah. Paul was one of these. But in general, under the New Covenant, there is a great reversal. Whereas under the Old Covenant God worked primarily amongst the Hebrews while the nations remained in darkness, now under the New Covenant, the kingdom has advanced with power amongst the Gentile nations while most of the Hebrews have persisted in unbelief. When Paul says in Romans 11:26, “a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved…”, he speaks of the fulness of the true Israel of God, that is to say, all who have the faith of Abraham from amongst the Jews and Gentiles. He does not say that attention will return to the Jews, as many imagine, but that in this way – through a time of focus upon the Jews followed by a time focus upon the Gentiles – all Israel (the true Israel of faith) will be saved. And this agrees with what Christ said in Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Earlier, I said that the closing of the narrow door of entrance into the kingdom of heaven signifies an individual’s death and the second coming of Christ. Both of these events – one personal and the other redemptive historical – may be likened to the closing of the door of salvation, for they bring the opportunity that one has to repent and believe in Jesus to a definitive end. Now, given what Christ has said in verses 28-30, I do wonder if the closing of the narrow door of salvation does not in some way also signify this great transition away from the Jews and to the Gentiles with the passing away of the Old Covenant and the inauguration of the New. In other words, I suspect that in this metaphor, the master of the house rising (from the dead) and closing the door to the kingdom, has something to do with this great transition. It has something to do with what Christ said to the unbelieving Jews in Matthew 21:43: “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits” and with what Pauls said in Romans 11:26: “a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Metaphors and parables are somewhat flexible. They can have layers of meaning. And based on the context, I do believe this is one of the layers of meaning.
You should know that I intended to go further in Luke when I started to write this sermon but I ran out of space. This has been happening to me a lot lately. As I write my manuscript I sometimes realize that I had better stop stop earlier in the text lest I frustrate you or rush through an important section of Scripture. Lord willing, we will carefully consider Luke 13:31-35 in a future sermon. But I would like to quickly show you why I intended to continue through verse 35. Notice that in Luke 13:34 Christ pronounces woes upon the city of Jerusalem. And notice that in verse 35 Christ speaks to the Jews regarding the Old Covenant temple in Jerusalem and says, “Behold, your house is forsaken.” These statements from Jesus indicated that the time wherein the kingdom of God was prefigured on earth amongst the Hebrews living in Israel and Jerusalem with the temple in their midst was coming to a close. The door was closing, if you will. Ffor something greater than the land of Isarel (Isaiah 65:17), Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2), and the Temple (Matthew 12:6) had arrived. The greater thing is the Messiah and the eternal reward he has earned.
I draw your attention to these things, briefly, so that you might recognize the theme that runs through our passage for today and into the next one. Christ commanded the crowds to strive to enter the kingdom of salvation through the narrow door. The narrow symbolizes repentance and faith in Jesus, the Messiah promised long before and brought into the world through Israel. But we must enter before the door is shut and it is too late.
This door will be closed for every individual at the moment of death.
This door will be shut permanently for all humanity when Christ returns to judge and to usher in the new heavens and earth.
And there is also a sense in which the door was shutting on the Hebrews in the days of Christ’s earthly ministry. I believe the way to speak about this is to say that the was shutting covenantally as the Old Covenant order was being fulfilled and the New Covenant order was about to be established. By this I do not mean to suggest that the door of entrance into Christ’s kingdom was in those days shut to all Jews. Of course not. Jesus is a Jew. The Apostles are Jews. Most of the first Christians are Jews. And Jews have come to repentence and faith in Christ throughout the history of the church, thanks be to God. But the fact remains, when the Jews crucified their Messiah at the hands of the Romans, and when the Messiah rose from the grave on the third day, a great transition occurred. The Old Covenant was fulfilled and taken away. The New Covenant was instituted. The temple in Jerusalem was declared by Christ to be desolate. It would be leveled to its foundation stones in 70 AD. A partial hardening did at that time come upon Isarel (Romans 11:25-26). The kingdom of God was taken from the Hebrews and given “to a people producing its fruits” ( Matthew 21:43). Who are the people to whom the inaugurated eternal kingdom of God has been given? They are the elect of God from amongst the Jews and the Gentiles (the dividing wall of hostility has been broken down, see Ephesians 2:14). The heavenly and eternal kingdom of God belongs to all who have faith in the Messiah in all times and from every tongue, tribe, and nation.
Conclusion
I’ll now move this sermon toward a conclusion by offering a few suggestions for application.
One, instead of fixating on questions about the total number of those who will be saved, or questions regarding the timing of Christ’s return, let us strive to enter the kingdom of God ourselves. How many will be saved? God has not revealed to us the total number of his elect. When will Christ return? God has not revealed this to us either? But what has God revealed? He has revealed the way of salvation. He has revealed the way of entrance into the eternal kingdom of God. If we are to enter the eternal kingdom, it must be through the narrow door of repentance and faith in Christ. This is how things have always been. Under the Old Covenant and New, the way of entrance into the eternal kingdom of God is through repentance and faith in Christ. The door is narrow, friends. Not many will pass through it. And to pass through it we must repent – we must drop the baggage of our sin and self-rightous pride – and we must trust in Christ, for he alone the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him (John 14:6). Christ is the door by which we must eneter (John 10:1-9). So let us stive to enter. Friends, I must exhort you to repent often and well. Do not toy with sin and do not delay in your repentance. And I must exhort you to cling to Christ Jesus by faith. You must abide in him. You must work out your faith with fear and trembling. Strive to enter the kingdom through repentance and faith in Christ. We must persevere in him.
Two, let us do as Christ and his Apostles did and urge other to strive to eneter the kingdom along with us. Let us point others to narrow door of entrance. Let us urge other to repent and believe in Jesus. Friends, Christ preached the gospel of the kingdom freely, and so too did the Apostles. Yes, we know that it will be the elect who repent and believe, but we do not know who the elect are. And yes, we know that for someone to repent and believe the Holy Spirit must work upon them inwardly to make them them alive, able, and willing. But the Spirit works in concert with teh word of God. And so we must preach the word – we must proclaim the gospel freely – trusting that God the Spirit will work according to the will of the Father to apply the redemption the Son has earned at the appointed time. We must preach the gospel of the kingdom, friends.
Three, I would encourage you to continue pondering the kingdom of God as we progress in our study of Luke’s Gospel. I have told you that Luke teaches us a lot about the nature of Christ’s kingdom in this section of his Gospel. Let us ponder these truths. I would encourage you to think about how glorious the kingdom will be when Christ returns to bring it into its consummate state. For help in pondering the consummated kingdom, I would urge you to read Revelation 21 and 22. There you you find an account of the vision that was shown to the Apostle John of the kingdom in its full and final form. But I would also encourage you to ponder the kingdom of Christ as it is now. The eternal kingdom has been inaugurated. Christ the king is enthoned in heaven. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. And especially rules over his church consiting of all who have repented and belived upon him, confessing him to be Lord. And where is Christ’s church made visable today? It is made visable in local congregations consisting of officers and members who assemble together each Lord’s Day to listen to the word of the King and to sit at the King’s table. Dear brethren, let us grow in our appreciation for the local, visible church where the eternal kingdom of Christ is presently manifest. Strive to enter the kingdom, Christ says. Strive to enter it in the end! And to enter the kingdom in the end, one must enter it now in this life. To enter it now you must turn from your sins and trust in Jesus. And what are those who trust in Jesus to do? They are to be baptized? And what is the duty of those who are rightly baptized? “It is the duty of those who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ, that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Baptist Catechism 101). May the Lord deepen our understanding, love, and appreciation for the kingdom that Christ has inaugurated and our longing for its consummation.
