Heaven’s door

Read > Luke 13:22-35

Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail (v. 24).

I know of a man with such poor circulation in one of his feet that it has turned black and died. The dead tissue is starting to spread and his doctors are urging the man to have his foot amputated. If he doesn’t, this condition will certainly lead to his death. So far, however, he’s refusing to listen to medical advice, unable to bear the thought of losing his foot.

It seems obvious to us that the man has one choice – amputation. Yet how often do we, at crucial times, close our ears and minds when we should stop and listen to the counsel of others? Never is this truer than our need to hear the words of Jesus, for He’s the One who tells us how to enter heaven. He said, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail” (Luke 13:24).

As we look at Luke 13, we find some examples of people who desperately need to follow the narrow way. There are the individuals who knock on heaven’s door, who heard Jesus’ teaching but never gave their lives to Him (vv. 25-27). They haven’t openly rejected Jesus, but by ignoring Him, they show the same attitude as that of Herod who wanted nothing to do with Jesus and even tried to kill Him (v. 31). Then there are those who openly reject Him. Jesus grieved for Jerusalem – the people of Israel – because they rejected Him and other messengers that God had previously sent (v. 34).

Jesus warns each of us not to forfeit our place in the kingdom (vv. 28-29). The warning is a strong, but necessary, one. For if we say no to Jesus, God will say no to us when we one day knock on heaven’s door. – Chris Wale

More >

·         Matthew 3:8-12

·         John 8:31-40

·         Acts 13:26-39

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What reasons would you give to Jesus for why He should allow you to enter heaven’s door? What does it mean to enter the “narrow door”?