Luke 13:22-30
Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He replied, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’ “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.
This passage raises the question what did Jesus mean when He said "work hard" to enter into His Kingdom?
Surely the Bible says "it's not of works lest anyone should boast" Ephesians 2:9
Keep on working with fear and trembling to complete your salvation
Philippians 2:12
Perhaps it's like when someone gives me a valuable gift, of say, a new bike.
I didn't pay for it, but now it's mine, it's down to me to maintain it, keep it clean, the tyres pumped, the chain oiled and not to leave it unattended so it can be stolen.
I need to ride it and use it regularly so it becomes familiar to me.
It will always be a gift, but the way I treat it depends on me.
So with our salvation. It is THE most precious gift anyone could give.
It was freely purchased on the cross by Jesus and given to "whosoever will"!
(See the ABC's of salvation
A = admit I'm a sinner
B = believe Jesus died to pay for my sin
C = call on Jesus to save me)
Seeing as it is so precious, I must tend this gift as if I prize it above all else.
That is spiritual hard work.
If we treat what Jesus did as trivial and worthless, we're in big trouble:
Hebrews 10:29
Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled underfoot the Son of God and treated his cleansing blood as though it were common and unhallowed, and insulted and outraged the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to his people.
I walked up our road yesterday and people had flown a Union Jack at half mast in tribute to Prince Phillip as a mark of respect to Him and what he has given to our country.
How much more do we have THE Prince of Peace to honour in our lives as believers.
Thought
How can I cherish the greatest gift that Jesus has given me?
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