Not Because of the Door

Scripture: Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you’re from. Get away from me, all you evildoers!’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown out. They will come from east and west, from north and south, to share the banquet in the kingdom of God. Note this: Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last. Luke 13:26-30

Observation: When Jesus speaks of entering the kingdom by "the narrow door" or gate, it is confusing. The question is even asked if this means only a few people can enter. Jesus does not directly answer that. Instead, he says everyone needs to enter by that narrow door, for someday it will be closed up and those outside will not get in, even though they claim they were friends with the Lord in the place where he ate and drank and taught.

There is almost no other interpretation possible about this ... Jesus is the door, by faith in him everyone enters the kingdom, and this is a warning for the Jews. It is the Jews who can claim that the Lord was in their presence. It is the Jews who can say Jesus now - and Yahweh for generations - ate and drank with them, and taught in their streets. It is the Jews who would recognize that the patriarchs and all the prophets taught them and warned them and themselves believe, but the populace rejected it. Furthermore, it is the gentiles who will come from all directions to share in the kingdom. It is the gentiles who are the last to be reached, and will greatly accept Jesus, while the Jews - the first to be reached - will not, and will thus be 'last'.

Application: My son is in Israel right now, and last night my in-laws wondered about why the Jews continue to reject Jesus as the Messiah. I don't know the answer as to 'why'. I do know that Jesus knew it would happen, and he tried to warn anyone who would listen.

Yes, fewer people will enter by the "narrow door" than will not. That is not because of the dimensions of the door. It is because of the decisions of the individuals. Most people look at the door - Jesus as the way - and choose not to enter. And yes, that door locks at some point for everyone, and once locked perhaps they recognize the lost situation but can do nothing about it then.

It isn't just the Jews who reject Jesus, but most people do. This has probably always been true from a purely numbers perspective. But again, that isn't because the door is too narrow to allow anyone who chooses to enter to pass through. The door is narrow, but it's also open.

I am thankful that God specifically opened the door to gentiles like me ... those who would "come from the east and west, from north and south, to share the banquet in the kingdom of God." I have entered through the narrow door, knowing Jesus is the way.

Prayer: Lord, I pray today for Israel and for your chosen people. I am not wise enough to understand your ways, and therefore I do not know how the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants apply today. I do not know how or why your chosen people can know everything about Messiah, and not know Messiah himself. Yet I do know you have always had a plan that involves the function of the Jewish people in the world, as a method of making yourself known. May many, many more of them choose the narrow door. Amen.