The Narrow

The Narrow 

By David Brenneman 

"And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.” Luke 13:22-30

There's quickly coming a day when indeed the mockers of the return of Jesus Christ will be silenced...who then cry out for Jesus to come back. 

The world isn't getting better. 

The world isn't becoming more enlightened. 

The world isn't becoming inclusive. 

The world is moving towards that day of the return of Jesus, of the 7 years of the greatest tribulations that have never been seen nor will be seen again. 

2020 will be seen as an annoyance compared to what's coming.  

Jesus said that all His words will come to pass.  

That being said, what kind of person ought you and I to be?

Should you be really excited about His return or are you apprehensive?

Should you be involved in the things in life that you are or should your motivations in life be more Christ-centered?

While life, at the moment, does go on just what are you including in your life that has positive eternal ramifications?

If we truly believe that our lives are not our own, that we are bought with a price, the shed blood of Jesus Christ...what manner of people ought we to be?

The facts are this: Jesus came as He said He would. He lived a sinless life as the Scriptures said He would. Died a horrific painful death as the Scriptures said. Arose from the dead as He said He would. Appeared to the Disciples as He said He would. Appeared to more than 500. The words of Gabriel at the foretelling of His birth proved to be truth...what ought to be believed of the same angelic beings saying that as the Disciples saw Him go, so shall He return?

The narrow door is going to be closed at some point. The Bible says that the path is wide that leads to destruction.  

Million per minute have no problem finding that wide path that leads to destruction...to Hell.

The Scriptures tell us that inside of that particular 7 years of great tribulation...billions and billions of people are going to die. If you thought 9/11, thought that 2020, and the like forever altered our world as we know it. My Dear Reader, you cannot fathom what's coming next, nor do you want to know personally. 

Jesus said that the Disciples ought to pray for help in reaching the lost because the fields were ripe for harvest. They still are.

Many professing Christians might go to Church but have the mentality that the work of the Spirit is someone else's job...and wonder why life is so difficult. 

There's a really good reason why Paul mentioned being sure about your salvation in Christ Jesus. It's not always going to be like it is right now. When Christ returns millions of people will vanish. Graves will be opened up. Bodies will disappear at funerals. Massive amounts of casualties will occur the world over. Accidents will flood the news headlines. Food supply chains, financial markets and services will be decimated. The irony is that after this begins...the world will seek someone to lead them through the recovery. Setting the stage for the Antichrist. 

These are truths of God's word. These aren't made up fairy tales. 

Everything surrounding the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus absolutely happened to the letter. 

So why doubt what He says of His return?

There's a day fixed by the Father’s own authority. A day that is going to be that singular moment in time when Jesus stands up to come back to Earth to get His Church. That day we read earlier of when the owner returns and closes the door.  

What manor of person ought we to be? It's no time to hide your faith in Christ Jesus. It's the precise time to be living out our faith for all the world to see. Set your mind on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world. 

Will you be ashamed at what the account of your life that you are going to give shows about how well and how much you loved your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ?

The narrow door is going to close just as assuredly as it was opened. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.