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The Narrow Door
Luke 13:22-27
22Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, 24"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' 26"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' 27"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'
1. The Door is Narrow
2. It takes every effort to enter through it
3. Many will try but will be unable to enter
4. The Door will close
5. People on the outside will plead for the owner of the house to open the door
6. He Will Reply, I Don’t know you or where you come from
7. They will reply we ate and drank with you and you taught in our streets (see #6 again)
1. The Door is Narrow
Jesus is the Door
John 10:7-9
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
John 14:5-7
5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.
Matthew 7:13
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
2. It Takes Every Effort to Enter
Matthew 11:12
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
Matthew 13:44
44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
3. Many Will try but will be unable to Enter
Do God’s Will, be Obedient
Matthew 7:21-23
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
4. The Door will close
When the door closes there is no more opportunity to get into heaven.
The Door on this life can close two different ways.
At physical death you will discover if you have an open or a closed door into God’s presence
At the end of the age. When the wheat and Tares are brought into the barn
Matthew 13:24-30
5. People on the outside will plead for the owner of the house to open the door
Matthew 25:10-12
10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!‘ 12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
6. He Will Reply, I Don’t know you or where you come from
In order to be with God in eternity we must be known by Him. It’s an absolute necessity.
Relationship Relationship Relationship.
7. They will reply we ate and drank with you and you taught in our streets
Unfortunately for those people, Jesus doesn’t have the same association to the memory of these events.
Either they didn’t happen and the people lied or they did happen but the people didn’t have the right heart condition while they were happening.
Maybe they were there in body but not in heart.
Jesus wants your Heart
One Christian Comedian used to say, going into McDonalds doesn’t make you a hamburger any more than going to a church makes you a Christian.
We must do more than be in the proximity of Jesus. We must make him our Savior and Lord giving him our hearts.
Much in the same way you may go to a dinner with the governor but the two of you may never have a conversation that’s meaningful enough for the governor to remember you.
Are you Known in the Spiritual Realms?
Acts 19:13-16
13Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15(One day) the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
Works w/o Communion = Stress
Luke 10:38-42
38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" 41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Obedience vs. Ritualistic Practice
1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
John 6:29 (Amplified)
29Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].
By their Fruit
Matthew 7:18-20
18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
I don’t know how to get God to know me in any other way other than to attempt to know Him. To pursue him in his Word, in prayer, in Worship, in communion, by being obedient to his word.
I believe and trust that like any relationship as I get to know God he will get to know me in a personal and deeper way. My heart will open up to him and His to mine. From this relationship all other facets of life will flow.
James 4:8
8Come near to God and he will come near to you.
Please take the time to watch the following videos in order. Listen to S.M. Lockridge describe the God he knows.
Watch this video and pray that you would know God more.
Jubilee Family Church
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