Like Jesus, who went on His way through towns and villages throughout His earthly ministry, we, too, are on a pilgrimage, a journey through this life. Our journey is a difficult and rough pilgrimage, which requires patience and endurance. Every person on this earth is on a pilgrimage, and this pilgrimage extends from here to eternity. But where is our destination? Where are we going?
Now, some look inward, as they dig deep into their innermost being, to discover the answer inside themselves. Some conclude that there is no destination. To them, only the journey matters, since there is nothing beyond this life. Others think that we are all being shaped by some Divine being — whatever it may be — and this Divine being will take us to heaven. While the last idea is nice to imagine — especially for those who say all religions lead to salvation, so why not “coexist”? Jesus, however, says just the opposite in Luke 13 on this the 11th Sunday after Pentecost.
You see, there are two paths and only two paths. Either one or the other — the wide way to eternal death or the narrow door to eternal life. To think of our earthly pilgrimage as a destination in itself is along the wide path to eternal death. To forget about eternal death in hell and to believe that all people go to heaven no matter what they believe is actually walking along the wide path to hell.
So, Jesus says, “Strive to enter through the narrow door” (Luke 13:24). Right now, the narrow door stands open. But oddly enough, so many people will try to enter it through their own means, and on their own terms, but they will not be able to do so. These people who refuse to enter through the open narrow door think they have lived a good enough life; they think they have given enough to others; they think that they have enough faith. But the thing is, our good works mean nothing to God. Yes, our good works help our neighbor, but they are of no use to God, since as God, He doesn’t need our good works. We can never do or give enough to please God. And any belief, when it is not clinging to Jesus Christ, will never be enough.
The narrow door is standing open, but the time will come when this narrow door will be closed forever. On that Last Day, when Jesus returns descending from the clouds at the sound of the trumpet blast, the door will be closed.
This time of grace that we have now will end on the Last Day. Right now the narrow door is open but on that Last Day, the narrow door will be finally closed. The owner of the house will turn away from Him those who have nothing in common with Him. And the many who did not enter through the narrow door will stand there shocked, desperate, anguished, and enraged.
Jesus says: “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets” (Luke 13:26). This is like saying: “We came to church — it might not have been every week, it might not have been every month, it might have not been too often, but I at least thought about it. We gave to to the poor — we gave to the Red Cross through my phone app. Jesus, we know who you are.” Now, even if you do come to the Divine Service every week and hear Christ’s teachings, have you truly taken His teachings to heart?
You see, being a Christian is not just about going through the motions. As I said earlier, we are all on a pilgrimage. And this pilgrimage is not an easy one. This is why Jesus says again, “Strive to enter through the narrow door” (Luke 13:24a). In order to enter, we must “strive,” that is “struggle.” Now, when you hear the word “struggle,” what do you think about? Are you picturing yourself doing something? Struggle implies human responsibility. But that is not what Jesus is saying. Rather, “the struggle” is the Christian life of repentance, which is a work of the human heart.
“The struggle” is produced when the Word of God — the very teachings of Jesus — calls one to repent and trust in Him, but at the same time, the sinful human nature wars against God’s Word. This is the struggle known as the Christian life of repentance and faith. The Apostle Paul summarizes our Christian life as the ongoing, lifelong struggle that characterizes the lives of all who are baptized into Christ.
Like any lifelong struggle, we need sustenance. Yes, we come to faith through being enlightened by the Holy Spirit through the waters of Holy Baptism. But our faith life doesn’t end with baptism. Baptism is the entry point of faith. We don’t just get baptized and attempt to be Christians by ourselves.
Like our need to eat, or to fill our car’s gas tanks, faith has a difficult time running on empty. So, we must remain steadfast “in the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread, and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
So, as followers of Christ, we each have a loving duty to warn fellow church members, our family, and our friends that habitual, chronic neglect of God’s Word and Sacrament delivered here in the Divine Service runs the risk of draining one’s faith to empty. And if the church member is physically unable to come, then that person ought to be added to the shut-in list, so that he or she would hear God’s Word and receive His Sacrament.
During Christ’s earthly ministry, the table was one of the prime locations for His instruction so they would know His true identity. To those disciples on the road to Emmaus, their eyes were opened to the crucified and resurrected Jesus only after Jesus opened to them the Scriptures and through the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:31).
So after Christ’s bodily ascension, the preaching, teaching, and table fellowship of Jesus continued in the worship life of the church. Jesus is still present now as He teaches through His Word and continues to serve guests at His Table. For those who now ignore this open door, it will be too late to enter when the final feast arrives at His return on the Last Day.
This is the struggle. Again, the entrance through the narrow door is gained only by those who repent and trust in Jesus for forgiveness. Our sinful nature, however, would rather find another way, since we want to enter through the narrow door on our own terms. For many people, they would rather enjoy living in their own sin than repent of them.
But for anyone who refuses to repent of their sin, Jesus, the owner of the house will say, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” (Luke 13:27). This is Christ’s final reply. No more can anyone plead with Him at this point. The narrow door is closed. Every good work will be counted against this person and will be considered evil, filthy, and unrighteous. Everyone who refuses to repent will be barred from the heavenly feast.
So, let us not be one of those who hears Jesus, but refuses to cling to Him. Let us not follow the wide path to hell. Rather, let us strive to enter through the narrow door. Jesus is the Narrow Door.
Jesus tell us that people will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, taking their places at the royal feast in heaven.
Jesus, the Narrow Door, is drawing all people to Himself. He has come into this church, teaching among us, preaching His saving Word, and absolving our sins. He does not wish to slam the door on anyone’s face, but He wants each one to enter into the feast that He has prepared. This is God’s call to us.
Yes, there is a lot of Law in today’s Gospel text, which is why Martin Luther once said of this warning, “It is enough to frighten the greatest saints.”
Despite all the frightening talk about a narrow door becoming closed and people being shut out and weeping and gnashing their teeth, there is gospel present. Thank God, there is a door: Jesus the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Thank God, Jesus is the doorkeeper too — that very Jesus who is on His way to Jerusalem to suffer and die and be raised again for our salvation. Thank God, our salvation depends upon His knowing us and not upon our feeble claims of knowing Him. Thank God, there is a table in the kingdom of God at which we, by grace, may be privileged to eat with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thank God, people from all directions shall sit down in the kingdom of God. Thank God, some who are last can be first. Thank God, everything depends finally upon His doing, and not our doing.
Right now, the narrow door is wide open. God is gracious to us. Here, Jesus speaks His sacred Word of Absolution: “I forgive you all your sins.” As we receive the Lord’s Supper this day, we receive a foretaste of the eternal feast in heaven, the forgiveness of your sins, the very Body and very Blood of Christ under the bread and the wine. God uses these means — Word and Sacrament — known as the Means of Grace to keep us all on the path to the narrow door. God uses His Means of Grace to guarantee your salvation.
So, while we may not always know where we are going on our earthly journeys, Jesus knew where He was going. He knew His destination. He set His face toward Jerusalem, to the cross of Calvary. And as Jesus spread wide His arms as He was nailed to the cross, the narrow door to heaven was thrown open to all who repent and cling to Him as their Lord and Savior.
Here, Christ calls out to you through His Word and Sacraments. Repent and trust in Him. Receive His forgiveness. Enter the narrow door. Recline at His table. Amen.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen!
+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +
No comments:
Post a Comment