Shalom,
May God give us the ability to remain faithful to follow Him until the end of our lives because we live in a world full of temptations as well as threats to health, economy, position, etc. which can make our faith weak. Let us always remember Him who never breaks His faithful promise.
This time we follow Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem where He taught from city to city and village to village (Luke 13:22). While He was teaching, someone suddenly asked Him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" (v. 23). Of course, the questioner was waiting for Jesus 'answer, but His answer was addressed to everyone, saying, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” (v. 24).
It is evident that Jesus longed for everyone to be saved, not just a few. Are we among the saved or do we doubt it? What about our families and relatives, have they gained salvation in Christ Jesus?
How to obtain salvation? Jesus gave the instruction: strive to enter through the narrow door because one day the door will be closed by the host. How tight or narrow is the door? The door is able to accommodate one person as an individual. That is the door of shepherding (John 10:7) through which "a sheep" is allowed to enter, followed by another "sheep" behind it. The shepherd knows his sheep very well and calls them by name and leads them out (John 10: 3).
Jesus began His ministry in Galilee before ending it in Jerusalem. In His Sermon on the mount, He said, “But small is the gate [to salvation] and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14); meaning this door must be sought. In His ministry to Jerusalem to suffer and even die on the cross, Jesus again reminded us to struggle to enter through that narrow door. Clearly the direction of the entrance through the small and narrow door never changed. It does not show a third door but only two doors: a narrow door that leads to life and a wide door that leads to destruction. This proves that the Word of salvation never changed from the beginning to the end of His ministry.
Introspection: Where are we today? Have we and our families entered that narrow door?
Jesus further asserted that when the host had closed the door and those outside knocked on the door asking to be opened, he would say, "I do not know where you come from." Truly Jesus was not joking in this even though the people gave the excuse of having eaten and drunk with Him (the Lord’s Supper) and listened to His teaching.
Surely we can listen to the Word of God and attend seminars as much as possible but do we really know the Person of Jesus? Are we already on the right track—on the narrow path to enter the narrow door?
Who is meant by that narrow door? Jesus is the door for the sheep (John 10:7,10). Whoever enters the narrow door will be saved and go out to find the pasture (v. 9), meaning well–provided. Will we trust in Him to obtain salvation? To the jailer who wanted to commit suicide because he thought the convicts had escaped, Paul said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31). Then Paul preached the Word of God to him and to all who were in his house. At that moment the jailer and his entire household were baptized and believed in God (vv. 32-34). Also Lydia, the seller of purple cloth, who, after hearing Paul's preaching, became a believer in the Lord and she and her whole family were saved (vv. 14-15).
It should be noted that when we give ourselves to be shepherded, Jesus as the great Shepherd walks in front to lead us the sheep. And the sheep knows His voice and follows Him to find the pasture (John 10: 9).
Application: Entering through a narrow door (for spiritual maturity) we are provided to feed on the Word of God and refreshed by the water of the Holy Spirit then go out (already spiritually mature) to our respective places or homes, preaching the gospel of salvation to those around us. Who is at the forefront of our life's journey? If we have entered the door (Jesus) to be shepherded by Him (the great Shepherd), do not go out or get lost again!
At that time Jesus spoke to the Jews and the Gentiles did not know anything. Because the Israelites rejected Him, Jesus said, "I do not know where you come from. Get away from me, all you workers of iniquity!" It is evident that they did not know His voice. We should hear His voice (Word) with the ears of the heart, not the physical ears that are often disappointed to hear the human voice with its false promises. But how can we recognize His voice if we do not like reading the Bible or just hold on to a few verses and ignore other verses?
Because the Jews refused to accept Jesus, they were cast out of the Kingdom of God (Luke 13:28). And people will come from all directions (East, West, North and South) to sit and eat in the Kingdom of God (v. 29). Who are they? They are the pagan nation and we are included in it. We, who were without Christ, without promise, without hope and without God are now in Christ Jesus by His blood (Ephesians 2: 12-13). It resonates the Scripture that says last will be first and the Israelites who were first become last because they rejected Him (Luke 13:30).
The Apostle Paul was very sorry for his brothers (Jews) who did not want to believe in Jesus (Romans 9: 2-3); and even now only a few percent become followers of Jesus. We are shepherded to grow spiritually. Therefore, do not let our hearts towards the Word of God be limited by the conditions of the world. Let us imitate the Apostle Paul who though bound like a criminal, declared the Word of God was not bound (2 Timothy 2: 9).
To the Jews (Israelites) who rejected Him, Jesus mentioned Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God (Luke 13:28). What did Jesus mean by mentioning those three? It turned out that the three of them were shepherds and the ancient prophets also shepherded the church of that time.
We should weep and feel sorry for the Israelites as how the Apostle Paul felt for the stubborn Jews. We ourselves are not good, clever or reputable people but because of their transgression, salvation reaches the Gentiles to make them jealous. However, there will come a time when they will be saved (Romans 11: 11,25-26).
What did the Jews do to Jesus who longed to gather them like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings? They rejected Jesus and even killed the prophets and stoned the messengers (Luke 13: 31- 32,34-35).
Jesus wanted to be a shepherd for the Jews but they rejected Him even though their ancestors (Abraham-Isaac-Jacob) were shepherds. Notice, without a shepherd the sheep are scattered, lost, and become prey for all the beasts of the forest (Ezekiel 34: 5-6).
The Pharisees told Jesus not to go to Jerusalem because Herod wanted to kill him, but He went on his way and was ready to be killed. Precisely in Jerusalem where Jesus was slain will appear the New Jerusalem marked by the sacrifice of Christ for protection as a hen protects her young under her wings.
Jesus is the great lineage of the ancestors of Israel. One of her ancestors was Ruth (Matthew 1: 5), a Moabite, who followed her mother in-law, Naomi, back to Bethlehem (Ruth 1: 4,22) and acknowledged the God of Israel as her God (v. 16). Ruth worked picking and gathering barley from sheaves behind the harvesters (Ruth 2: 6).
All the good deeds of Ruth, an unbeliever, to her mother in-law until she left her parents and the land of her birth, were observed by Boaz. Ruth got mercy from Boaz as she was allowed to glean barley in his field. Ruth fell on her face and said to Boaz, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?" (Ruth 2:10). Boaz replied, "May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." (v. 12).
We, the Gentiles, who once worshiped idols now have God’s promise (through Boaz) to receive full reward as well as protection from Him for believing in the living God of Israel.
We need to know the difference between the wings of the hen that serve for protection and the wings of the eagle that renew the strength as they soar high (Exodus 19: 4; 32:11; Isaiah 40:31). When David was hunted down by his enemies, he prayed for protection in the shadow of God's wings (Psalm 17: 8; 57: 1-2). The Gentiles received protection from God because the Jews rejected Jesus. However, the Israelites were His chosen people, they also received protection as David said, “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 36:7). People here include all nations.
By His grace we, the Gentiles, obtain salvation by believing in Christ Jesus and entering into shepherding through the narrow door to seek provision and protection from Him. We must strive to remain in the shepherding and preach the Gospel of salvation to our relatives so that they too can enter through the narrow door before the door is closed by God who is patiently waiting for all to repent and be saved (2 Peter 3: 9). Do not take for granted this remaining time; instead, let us continue to stay in His perfect shepherding and protection! Amen.