https://odb.org/MY/2022/05/28/narrow-door-cafe
When we read Luke 13:22-30, we tended to read it that Jesus meant the narrow door there is the same as the narrow gate He spoke about in Matthew 7:13-14. I guess in the broader sense, we could equate the teaching to be similar and its application to be also somewhat similar, except that in Luke 13 there is no equivalent wide door like in the Matthew 7’s wide gate.
The narrow door in Luke 13 actually refers to Jesus Himself as the only way to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and once the Master of the House (God Himself) closes the door, they will not be able to enter anymore. Although Jesus ate and dined with them and taught at their streets (in Jerusalem and Israel), He will not know them when God closes the door as they had rejected Him. They will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the other prophets but they themselves will be thrown out. Instead people will come from the East, the West, the South and the North (people from all over the world, the Gentiles) and will take their places at the feast (meaning the day of judgment) and indeed those who are last (the Gentiles) will be first while those who are first (the Jews) will be last.
As Gentiles or non-Jews, we have been afforded the privilege to know God and be a part of His family although the Jews were given the first invitation. Instead, the Jews rejected Christ when He came to them two thousand years ago and until today they still reject Him. There are remnants that have turned and accepted Jesus, but their numbers are in the thousands and thus minuscule among the 14-15 million Jews worldwide. In fact if we go into the studies and watch the videos of Jewish rejection of Christ, they really humiliate and despise Him equating Him to faeces although Jesus Himself came to earth as a Jew. It is really sad and heartbreaking because Jesus is God in flesh (Immanuel) and He came to save mankind, in particular, the Jewish nation.
I think the message this morning is that the rejection of Christ has consequences whether we are Gentile or Jew. So long as we do not attempt to enter through the Narrow Door (Christ), we will not be able to enter. Once the door closes, it is the end. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. God is patient and compassionate and His love is unconditional but once the time is up, the entry is no longer available. The invitation to the wedding feast has a time limit for RSVP. It is not an open invitation in perpetuity. We will not live forever and neither will we know when will Christ return again. Enter through the Narrow Gate now. Accept Christ today while we still have breadth and while the Master of the House has not closed the door!
Ronnie's Thoughts 