Scripture to Read: Luke 13:24
Jesus had been asked if only a few would be saved, so God had Luke record Jesus’ answer in Luke 13:24, “And He said to them, 24 ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’” Just as Jesus had already shared in Luke 9:23–24 about the cost of following Him, Jesus again declared that the gate/door to eternal life was narrow. Jesus described it this way in Matthew 7:13–14, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” To get through a small, narrow gate/door means that one must cast everything else off, for there’s no room to bring anything with them, nothing attached to them. It also means that one must humble themself to enter, by getting on one’s knees or possibly even one’s belly. Jesus said that many will seek to enter but will not be able to. Many get to the threshold of surrendering to Christ as Lord and then realize the cost of following Him. Too many are unwilling to cast aside the stuff of this world to know and follow Jesus as Lord. God had Paul record in Philippians 3:7, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” Following Christ is worth it.
Challenge & Application
Why is humility such a vital part of surrendering to Christ as Lord?
Why is the gate/door to salvation small and narrow?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!