Agonizing Over Faithfulness

Luke 13:22-30 (ESV) 22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” 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. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 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 you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Vs 22-23: He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them,

This is a Jew asking more specifically is ALL Jews will be saved. 

• The audience is important….. they alone thought they were above others due to their lineage alone. 

Vs 24: “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Strive: agōnizomai - to contend, struggle with difficulties and dangers, to endeavor with strenuous zeal,  to obtain something

We should agonize over our faithfulness to the Lord’s will. 

Romans 6:1-4 (ESV) 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

James 4:17 (ESV) 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Vs 25: When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, I do not know where you come from.’

There IS a time in which the door WILL be shut to those who had been previously invited. 

John 6:44 (ESV) 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day

Vs 26-27: Then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’

They protested Jesus declaration of not knowing them…. 

Jesus knew them in a sense; He knew who they were and knew of their life. Yet He did not know them in the sense of relationship, of the vital connection of faith. His words stress the importance of that affects the manner of living (you workers of iniquity).– David Guzik

Vs 28: 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 you yourselves cast out.

Two responses outlines, weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

Weeping: true sorrow over the missed opportunity to have a relationship with Almighty God and spend an eternity with Him.

Gnashing of teeth: pain & misery but also enraged anger.

In Revelation Chapter 9 there was the 5^th and 6^th trumpets. 

Revelation 9:20-21 (ESV) 20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, 21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Mark 9:42-48 (ESV) 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

When you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.

• This is a realization that lineage does nothing to save them from their rebellion. 

Vs 29-30: And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

This was a shock to their senses as they were taught that there would be no Gentiles present in heaven and that the Messiah would be sent for Jews only. 

One Question…. Are you agonizing over your faithfulness?