1. Strive to really know Jesus
He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” 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. 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.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 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. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at 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
My 1st application is strive to really know Jesus.
This passage starts with “He went on His way…journeying towards Jerusalem.”
This wasn’t any journey.
This was His final journey to Jerusalem.
This was His journey to the cross.
This journey started in Luke 9, where He “set His face to go to Jerusalem.”
To go to the cross.
And this was part of His journey.
Someone asked, “Will many or few be saved?”
This was a philosophical question.
But Jesus made it personal.
He said, “You. Strive to enter the narrow door.”
Then He told of 2 people:
- People who knew about Jesus.
- People who really knew Him
The people who knew about Jesus listened to His sermons and attended the same feast as Him.
But Jesus called them “workers of evil,” said He did not know them, and where they were from, and locked them out of heaven.
Meanwhile, Jesus knew the people who really knew Him and welcomed them into heaven.
Jesus ended this passage by saying, “Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
I believe the last here refers to the Gentiles, who were last to receive the promise, but who became 1st by entering Heaven.
And the first here refers to the Jews, who were 1st to receive the promise, but who became last by being locked out of Heaven.
So who do you want to be?
I want to really know Jesus.
And I want Him to really know me.
So I must strive to know Him.
I say strive because:
- Jesus used that Word.
- With all the distractions today, it really is a struggle.
So strive to really know Jesus.
Know His will and walk in boldness
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
– Luke 13:31-35
My 2nd application is to know His will and walk in boldness.
Some Pharisees said to Jesus, “Get away. Herod wants to kill you.”
Jesus was in the region of Perea, which is under Herod.
They said that probably because they wanted Him to leave.
Whether King Herod really wanted to kill Him or not, we don’t know.
But Jesus responded, “Tell Herod that fox.”
That was a brave thing to do.
Herod was king.
And he had the “power” to execute Jesus.
But Jesus was not fearful.
Why? Because He knew God’s will.
He knew that it was God’s will for Him to die on the cross.
And no matter how much Herod tried, he could not touch Him.
When you know God’s will, you will walk in boldness.
He later said, “O Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophet.”
This wasn’t because every prophet was killed in Jerusalem.
John the Baptist, for example, was killed in Perea.
But this was a famous saying during His day.
And Jesus merely quoted it.
Prioritize people who are in need
One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” And they could not reply to these things.
– Luke 14:1-6
My 3rd application is to prioritize people who are in need.
Jesus went to eat at a Pharisee’s house when, behold, a man with dropsy appeared.
Dropsy is when you have swelling because of excessive fluid in their body.
Some scholars believe the Pharisees planted the dropsy person there.
Why?
- This was not the synagogue where people with dropsy might wander in. This was the Pharisees’ house.
- They were watching Him closely.
Jesus was there to eat and fellowship.
He was surrounded by “important” people.
And it was after working hours.
But Jesus prioritized the sick man, the person in need, over His plans.
This convicted me to be more aware of the needs around me: The poor, the hungry, single mothers, people whose car breaks down, etc.
And prioritize them over my plans.
Do not exalt yourself
Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
– Luke 14:7-11
My 4th application is to not exalt myself
In those days, during the wedding, the bride and groom would sit in front.
There will be many tables surrounded by 3 reclining chairs forming the shape of a U at the feast.
Everything is at knee height.
It’s more honored to sit at the tables nearer the front, nearer the bride and groom.
And less honored to sit at the back.
Similar to our weddings today, where close relatives are next to the VIP table.
It’s also more honored to sit in the center of the U.
Back then, weddings were free seating.
Nobody would tell you where to sit.
So people would sit based on how important they thought they were.
Probably, many people in the Pharisees’ house thought they were important.
And would rush to the places of honor, which was why Jesus asked them not to do it.
I no longer see this at weddings.
Probably because it’s no longer free seating.
But I still see this self-exaltation at work.
My company used to ask us to do a self-assessment every year.
And I still remember what my boss said, “Ivan, this is an American company.
To climb, you must blow your horn.”
Another place people exalt themselves is LinkedIn.
And they always start with, “I am humbled.”
I am humbled to…, then brag.
“I am humbled to receive this award.”
“I am humbled to be honored.”
But according to this passage, we should not honor ourselves.
But be humble and let others honor us.