QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY
Opening Prayer
Jesus, give me more grace today to live for You. Help me to walk humbly before You.
Read Luke 13:22–30
The Narrow Door
22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone 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. 25 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.’
“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!’
28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Visualize a narrow doorway, with Jesus on one side calling you through to join Him.Luke begins a new section of his Gospel as Jesus sets his face towards Jerusalem and what awaits him there (22). After a seemingly random question (23), Jesus starts teaching about the way of the kingdom, and this is the underlying theme of the next few chapters. He wants to make it clear that there is a choice to be made.
Who and what does the questioner ask about (23)? Jesus replies with an example of a narrow door (24)! He is asked about quantity, but he replies with quality, speaking directly (“you,” 25), and with a little story about timing. The important thing is not how many, but that the time is limited.
When the door eventually closes, some will be on the wrong side (25). How tantalizing to be able to see what’s going on, yet be unable to join in with the celebrations (28, 29)! Yet all one needs for admittance through the narrow door is a relationship with Christ (27). And that’s possible even for those who are despised and viewed as the least important in our society (30).
Apply
There is a cost to entering through the narrow door (24) and joining in the feasting, including giving up the desire to be part of today’s elite (30). What might Jesus be calling you to give up?
Closing prayer
My King, You are worth more than any thing or any position in this world. Be my one desire.
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