St Theodore's Sermon 23/8/98

	St Theodore's Wattle Park

Sermon of the Week

23/8/98

The Narrow Door
Luke 13:22-30

Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. He's been travelling for some time, stopping along the way to teach people. But this is no ordinary trip to Jerusalem, like we might have on our annual holidays. You know, get out the thongs and board shorts and head for Lakes Entrance for a week in the sun. No, Jesus has set out for Jerusalem knowing that at the end of the trip, death was waiting. This was the end of his mission on earth. And as he travels along he encounters all sorts of people on his way. Early in his journey one man comes up to him and says "Jesus, I'll follow you wherever you go." But Jesus turns to him and says "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." And so the man goes away. Then Jesus calls others and says follow me, but they give him excuses about their responsibilities to their families. So Jesus says "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

A little while later he's talking to the Pharisees, the leaders of the Jews, and he blasts them for the way they behave, for their two-faced attitude to obeying God. He ends by saying "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

Now at this stage if you were one of Jesus followers, you might begin to wonder whether anyone was going to be good enough to get into Jesus kingdom. I mean, either Jesus had warned people off, or else they'd made excuses for not following him. And if even the religious leaders of the time weren't going to make it, who could? It'd be like Jesus coming in and telling us that neither the Archbishop, or the other Bishops, or any of the clergy of Melbourne were even close to getting into God's kingdom, when you thought that at least some of them were all right. You'd feel like saying, "well who can get into God's kingdom?"

And in fact that's exactly what happens. In today's gospel reading someone comes up to him and asks "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" Now it's not clear whether this person was concerned for his own situation, or perhaps was thinking about the honour of being part of such an exclusive group. Like the Jehovah's witnesses who strive to be part of the 144,000 who they think will form the inner circle of God's people. Or perhaps it was just his form of small talk, keeping a conversation going. Well, anyway he asks his question.

But Jesus doesn't answer him straight off. As he does so often, he refuses to be involved with some academic discussion on theology. He has no interest in debating the fine points of doctrine with his hearers. Instead he switches the point of the question from the general issue of the number of people who might be saved to the personal question of where the questioner stood. He says "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to." You see, the important question isn't how many will be saved, but will you? He wants his hearers to understand that they can't take entry to God's kingdom for granted. That the way of entry is narrow.

Now narrow-mindedness is not exactly prized as a personal characteristic is it? In fact Christians are criticised when they talk about how hard it is to enter God's kingdom. I've even heard people say it's unchristian to say Jesus is the only way. Mind you we have no problem with narrow criteria in other areas of life. I mean if Tony Locket hits the goal post we don't all shout out "Oh give it to him anyway! Don't be so narrow minded!" That'd be laughable wouldn't it? We have no problem with a pilot being forced to land on that narrow strip of tarmac in the middle of the airport, do we? In fact there was an incident a few years ago when a pilot accidentally went off the runway in Sydney and got bogged. You can imagine how embarrassed he was. You didn't find people then saying, "well what's wrong with that? Why shouldn't he drive on the grass?" Yet when we read that the entrance to God's kingdom is narrow, it worries us. As though God has no right, or no reason, to set limits on entry.

But Jesus goes on to explain further what makes the door narrow. He says "Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'" That is, the time is limited. The door is narrow in the sense that time is running out. Do you remember that scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indiana Jones has to get out of the cave as the trapdoor starts to roll down? So he dives under it then reaches back to get his whip just in time. It's a bit like that. The time is fast running out. Jesus describes it as being like a man inviting friends to a great feast. And he's said come at 7:30 for 8. Now I've never quite understood what people mean when they say that. Do they mean 7:30 or 8? If they want you at 8 why do they say 7:30? Well, in this context what he means is come at 7:30, because at 8 the feast will start and all the doors will be locked. So if you're not there by 8 you won't get in.

But there's actually more to it than just that. You see it doesn't just depend on the timing. What he says next is crucial. "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'" What matters is whether Jesus knows you. You see there's good news and there's bad news. The good news, and we'll hear more about this in a moment, is that if Jesus knows you, then you belong in his kingdom. The bad news is that if he doesn't know you, you have no place in his presence. That's fair enough, isn't it? My daughter had a birthday get together last night, but she didn't invite anyone here to it. Now why aren't you surprised to hear that? Because none of you know her. We don't expect to be invited to a birthday party of someone we don't know, do we? We certainly don't expect to be invited to a wedding of someone we don't know. Well, the same goes for God's wedding feast at the end of time. We can only expect to be invited if we're one of God's friends. And that's why Jesus encourages his hearers to make every effort to enter through the narrow door. That is, to become part of God's family now, before it's too late. Because, he says, it'll be no good to complain later that you always meant to do it one day. He goes on: "Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'" You see it isn't enough, just to be what I call a God fearer. That is, someone who tags along for the ride, just in case, but never commits themselves. It's not enough to say, "Hey, I was there when this miracle happened. I helped build the church hall. I faithfully helped out at Theo's market all those years." The people who tagged along with Jesus as he walked towards Jerusalem had all sorts of motives for doing so. And they could say "We ate and drank with you. We were there when you taught in our streets." But it was only those who had a relationship of commitment to him, who acknowledged him as their Lord, that he'd recognise and acknowledge on the last day. And he says, "Imagine how you'll feel as you watch God's people being welcomed into God's Kingdom, while you're left outside!" How terrible to miss out!

But there is still good news to come. Even better news in fact. Because as Jesus describes the people entering God's Kingdom on the last day here's what he says: "People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God." That is, people from all over the world, will be there. Now of course for the Jews of Jesus day that was bad news. In fact, it was unbelievable. But for us its good news. Why? Because although the door is narrow, it's wide open. Although there's only one way to enter it, by being known by Jesus, that's the easy part. Here's what Paul says in his letter to the Colossians: "God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Jesus], ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. ²¹Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²²But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--". It's easy to be known by God, to be friends with God. Why? Because Jesus has brought us together. Our failings have been made up for. We can now stand before God as though we never did anything wrong. Not because we're without fault, but because Jesus has purified us, like getting out the chlorine bleach and washing down the bathroom walls or the toilet floor or getting the car engine steam cleaned. He's made us sparkling clean again. Not a trace of grease. So there's nothing to stop us being part of God's kingdom right now.

And of course this is great news not just for us, but also for our friends and relatives. Even those who think they're no hopers, or who think they could never be good enough for God. All they need is to come to God now, while the invitation is open, and say, "Yes, I want to be one of your followers. Yes, I want to be your friend, to be committed to you. I want to become one of your children. I want to be one of those who are invited to your great feast." God sends his invitation freely to all who'll come. Rather than being one of those knocking on the door to be let in at the end, the opportunity is there now for everyone to be inside from the start.

And this is such a simple message that anyone can pass it on. We don't need to be particularly clever or articulate. It doesn't require any theological training. It's a simple message that all of us can pass on to our friends and neighbours. So be encouraged to share what you've discovered with your friends and neighbours. Tell them what it's like to be part of God's family, to be loved unconditionally, despite our failures. This is news that's too good to keep to ourselves. And let's thank God that there will in fact be many from all parts of the world who will be saved because of what Jesus has done.


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	Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. He's been travelling for some time, stopping along the way to teach people. But this is no ordinary trip to Jerusalem, like we might have on our annual holidays. You know, get out the thongs and board shorts and head for Lakes Entrance for a week in the sun. No, Jesus has set out for Jerusalem knowing that at the end of the trip, death was waiting. This was the end of his mission on earth. And as he travels along he encounters all sorts of people on his way. Early in his journey one man comes up to him and says "Jesus, I'll follow you wherever you go." But Jesus turns to him and says "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." And so the man goes away. Then Jesus calls others and says follow me, but they give him excuses about their responsibilities to their families. So Jesus says "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
	A little while later he's talking to the Pharisees, the leaders of the Jews, and he blasts them for the way they behave, for their two-faced attitude to obeying God. He ends by saying "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."
	Now at this stage if you were one of Jesus followers, you might begin to wonder whether anyone was going to be good enough to get into Jesus kingdom. I mean, either Jesus had warned people off, or else they'd made excuses for not following him. And if even the religious leaders of the time weren't going to make it, who could? It'd be like Jesus coming in and telling us that neither the Archbishop, or the other Bishops, or any of the clergy of Melbourne were even close to getting into God's kingdom, when you thought that at least some of them were all right. You'd feel like saying, "well who can get into God's kingdom?"
	And in fact that's exactly what happens. In today's gospel reading someone comes up to him and asks "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" Now it's not clear whether this person was concerned for his own situation, or perhaps was thinking about the honour of being part of such an exclusive group. Like the Jehovah's witnesses who strive to be part of the 144,000 who they think will form the inner circle of God's people. Or perhaps it was just his form of small talk, keeping a conversation going. Well, anyway he asks his question.
	But Jesus doesn't answer him straight off. As he does so often, he refuses to be involved with some academic discussion on theology. He has no interest in debating the fine points of doctrine with his hearers. Instead he switches the point of the question from the general issue of the number of people who might be saved to the personal question of where the questioner stood. He says "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to." You see, the important question isn't how many will be saved, but will you? He wants his hearers to understand that they can't take entry to God's kingdom for granted. That the way of entry is narrow.
	Now narrow-mindedness is not exactly prized as a personal characteristic is it? In fact Christians are criticised when they talk about how hard it is to enter God's kingdom. I've even heard people say it's unchristian to say Jesus is the only way. Mind you we have no problem with narrow criteria in other areas of life. I mean if Tony Locket hits the goal post we don't all shout out "Oh give it to him anyway! Don't be so narrow minded!" That'd be laughable wouldn't it? We have no problem with a pilot being forced to land on that narrow strip of tarmac in the middle of the airport, do we? In fact there was an incident a few years ago when a pilot accidentally went off the runway in Sydney and got bogged. You can imagine how embarrassed he was. You didn't find people then saying, "well what's wrong with that? Why shouldn't he drive on the grass?" Yet when we read that the entrance to God's kingdom is narrow, it worries us. As though God has no right, or no reason, to set limits on entry.
	But Jesus goes on to explain further what makes the door narrow. He says "Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'" That is, the time is limited. The door is narrow in the sense that time is running out. Do you remember that scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indiana Jones has to get out of the cave as the trapdoor starts to roll down? So he dives under it then reaches back to get his whip just in time. It's a bit like that. The time is fast running out. Jesus describes it as being like a man inviting friends to a great feast. And he's said come at 7:30 for 8. Now I've never quite understood what people mean when they say that. Do they mean 7:30 or 8? If they want you at 8 why do they say 7:30? Well, in this context what he means is come at 7:30, because at 8 the feast will start and all the doors will be locked. So if you're not there by 8 you won't get in.
	But there's actually more to it than just that. You see it doesn't just depend on the timing. What he says next is crucial. "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'" What matters is whether Jesus knows you. You see there's good news and there's bad news. The good news, and we'll hear more about this in a moment, is that if Jesus knows you, then you belong in his kingdom. The bad news is that if he doesn't know you, you have no place in his presence. That's fair enough, isn't it? My daughter had a birthday get together last night, but she didn't invite anyone here to it. Now why aren't you surprised to hear that? Because none of you know her. We don't expect to be invited to a birthday party of someone we don't know, do we? We certainly don't expect to be invited to a wedding of someone we don't know. Well, the same goes for God's wedding feast at the end of time. We can only expect to be invited if we're one of God's friends. And that's why Jesus encourages his hearers to make every effort to enter through the narrow door. That is, to become part of God's family now, before it's too late. Because, he says, it'll be no good to complain later that you always meant to do it one day. He goes on: "Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'" You see it isn't enough, just to be what I call a God fearer. That is, someone who tags along for the ride, just in case, but never commits themselves. It's not enough to say, "Hey, I was there when this miracle happened. I helped build the church hall. I faithfully helped out at Theo's market all those years." The people who tagged along with Jesus as he walked towards Jerusalem had all sorts of motives for doing so. And they could say "We ate and drank with you. We were there when you taught in our streets." But it was only those who had a relationship of commitment to him, who acknowledged him as their Lord, that he'd recognise and acknowledge on the last day. And he says, "Imagine how you'll feel as you watch God's people being welcomed into God's Kingdom, while you're left outside!" How terrible to miss out!
	But there is still good news to come. Even better news in fact. Because as Jesus describes the people entering God's Kingdom on the last day here's what he says: "People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God." That is, people from all over the world, will be there. Now of course for the Jews of Jesus day that was bad news. In fact, it was unbelievable. But for us its good news. Why? Because although the door is narrow, it's wide open. Although there's only one way to enter it, by being known by Jesus, that's the easy part. Here's what Paul says in his letter to the Colossians: "God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Jesus], ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. ²¹Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²²But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--". It's easy to be known by God, to be friends with God. Why? Because Jesus has brought us together. Our failings have been made up for. We can now stand before God as though we never did anything wrong. Not because we're without fault, but because Jesus has purified us, like getting out the chlorine bleach and washing down the bathroom walls or the toilet floor or getting the car engine steam cleaned. He's made us sparkling clean again. Not a trace of grease. So there's nothing to stop us being part of God's kingdom right now.
	And of course this is great news not just for us, but also for our friends and relatives. Even those who think they're no hopers, or who think they could never be good enough for God. All they need is to come to God now, while the invitation is open, and say, "Yes, I want to be one of your followers. Yes, I want to be your friend, to be committed to you. I want to become one of your children. I want to be one of those who are invited to your great feast." God sends his invitation freely to all who'll come. Rather than being one of those knocking on the door to be let in at the end, the opportunity is there now for everyone to be inside from the start.
	And this is such a simple message that anyone can pass it on. We don't need to be particularly clever or articulate. It doesn't require any theological training. It's a simple message that all of us can pass on to our friends and neighbours. So be encouraged to share what you've discovered with your friends and neighbours. Tell them what it's like to be part of God's family, to be loved unconditionally, despite our failures. This is news that's too good to keep to ourselves. And let's thank God that there will in fact be many from all parts of the world who will be saved because of what Jesus has done.

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