Luke Chapter 13, Narrow way, Blessed is He, Baruch haba B’shem Adonai, until, Does God still punish sin, How many will be saved, narrow gate, straight gate, Universalism, Why doesn't God save everyone, salvation condition

1. Luke 13
Luke Chapter 13, Narrow way, Blessed is He Baruch haba B’shem
Adonai, until, Does God still punish sin?, How many will be saved?,
narrow gate, straight gate, Universalism, Why doesn't God save
everyone?, salvation condition
Beach after the earthquake in Costa
Rica, DLK, 2012

2. Let's read Luke 13:1-9
• Christ teachers concerning repentance
2

3. Luke 13:1–5, Does God Still Punish Sin? by
Sean Lazar
• Does God still punish sin?
• Does God still chastise Christians and punish
His sons?

4. Luke 13:3
This Was Very Important To Jesus
• NIVO Luke 13:3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent,
you too will all perish.
• Memorize these two;
• KJV Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish.
• Let’s examine this word “repent”;
• Many people teach that this Greek word means to
stop sinning, or turn from your sins. But it actually
translates “to have a change of thought or mind.”

5. Luke 13:3, Repent Or Perish
• NAU Luke 13:3 "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will
all likewise perish.
• If someone's should stop sinning, or turn from their sins, will
they not perish?
• Is the penalty for sin that you must stop, sinning, or turn from
their sins?
• If you stop sinning, or turn from their sins, will your sin debt
be paid in full?
• Or must you have a “change of thought or mind” and trust in
Jesus finished work on the cross for the forgiveness of sins.
• Is the gospel a gospel of good works and stop sinning, or trust
and believe? Eternity hinges on your answer.
5

6. Luke 13:6-9, The Fig Tree In The Vineyard
gracethrufaith.com
• Q. “…I recognize the man who owned the vineyard was God, and the visiting the tree over
three years’ time was Christ’s ministry on Earth, but I wondered who might the vine dresser
of the vineyard be? Also, when the vine dresser asks to be allowed to “dig around it and
fertilize it,” what does that infer? I notice there’s no time period mentioned for waiting to
see if this action produces fruit before the decision is made to cut the tree down. Is that a
reference to the Church Age?
• A. The context in which this parable was set is revealed in the two previous examples
of Luke 13:1-5. They tell us the Lord was speaking of the need for Israel to repent or they
would perish. He had been doing this since the beginning of His ministry (Matt. 4:17).
Repent means to change one’s mind, and what Israel was being told to do was to change
their mind about their need for a Savior to save them from their sins.
• As for the parable of Luke 13:6-9, I agree that the fig tree belonged to God. Most scholars
believe that when used symbolically both fig trees and vineyards represent Israel. The
three years represented the earthly ministry of Jesus, and I think the one called a vine
dresser in the King James translation and a gardener in the NIV was Jesus Himself.
• This parable shows the Lord Jesus pleading with His Father for mercy on behalf of
Israel. He was cultivating and fertilizing with the Gospel and asked His Father for time to
see the effect of His efforts. But He agreed they couldn’t wait forever, and within a
generation Israel was cut down for their failure to bear fruit.

7. Let's read Luke 13:10-17
• Christ heals the crippled woman
7

8. Luke 13:19 Mustard Seed
• NAU Luke 13:19 "It is like a mustard seed,
which a man took and threw into his own
garden; and it grew and became a tree, and
THE BIRDS OF THE AIR NESTED IN ITS
BRANCHES."

9. Luke 13:19 Israeli
Mustard
• NAU Luke 13:19 "It is
like a mustard seed,
which a man took and
threw into his own
garden; and it grew
and became a tree,
and THE BIRDS OF THE
AIR NESTED IN ITS
BRANCHES."

10. Luke 13:19 Israeli
Mustard
• Matthew 13:31 He
presented another
parable to them,
saying, "The kingdom
of heaven is like a
mustard seed, which a
man took and sowed
in his field;

11. Let's read Luke 13:18-30
• Kingdom parables
11

12. Luke 13:23, “Lord, will only a few be
saved?”
• NAU Luke 13:23 And someone said to Him, "Lord, are
there just a few who are being saved?" And He said
to them,….
• Theologically, and logically, there are only four
ways to answer this question:
• Everyone will be saved.
• None will be saved.
• Some will be saved.
• We can’t/don't know.
• As usual Jesus answers the question with another 12

13. Luke 13:23
What Must
I Do To Be
Saved?
• NAU Luke 13:23
And someone said
to Him, "Lord, are
there just a few
who are being
saved?" And He
said to them,

14. Luke
13:23
Narrow
Gate,
Straight
Gate

15. Luke 13:24
The Narrow
Gate
• NAU Luke 13:24 "Strive to enter
through the narrow door; for many,
I tell you, will seek to enter and will
not be able.
• Limited Atonement, or bad timing?

16. Matthew 7:13
• Matthew 7:13
"Enter through
the narrow gate;
for the gate is
wide and the way
is broad that leads
to destruction,
and there are
many who enter
through it.

17. The Narrow Door, Gate
• Jerusalem Daily Photo, Today’s photo by Rebecca Kowalsky features
a beautifully gated home in the Beit HaKerem neighborhood in
Jerusalem.

18. The Narrow Gate
• Luke 13:24
"Strive to
enter
through the
narrow
door…

19. Luke 13:24, His Path Is Narrow
• NAU Luke 13:24 ..the narrow door…
• NAU Matthew 7:14 "For the gate is small and the way is
narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

20. Luke 13:24, His Path Is Narrow
• NAU Luke 13:24 ..the narrow door… (Matthew 7:13)
• NAU Job 23:11 "My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way
and not turned aside.
• NAU Hebrews 10:20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated
for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,
• NAU John 10:7 So Jesus said…I am the door of the sheep.
• NAU John 10:9 "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will
be saved…
• NAU John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and
the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
• NAU Ephesians 2:18 for through Him we both have our access
• NAU Romans 3:17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT
KNOWN."

21. Luke 13:24, His path
• Narrow Path or Broad
Path
• C. S. Lewis said, “The
safest road to hell is a
gradual one. This safe
road has a gentle
slope, without turns,
without milestones,
without signposts,
without warnings.”

22. Luke 13:24, Strive For God
• Luke 13:24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for
many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. William
Carey said, “Attempt great things for God and expect great
things from God.”
• Psalm 55:18 He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle
which is against me, For they are many who strive with me.
• Proverbs 28:4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law strive with them.
• Romans 15:30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus
Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me
in your prayers to God for me,
• 1 Timothy 4:10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because
we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of
all men, especially of believers.

23. Luke 13:24, The Narrow Gate
• Luke 13:24 "Strive to enter
through the narrow door;
for many, I tell you, will
seek to enter and will not
be able.
• Matthew 7:13 "Enter
through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the
way is broad that leads to
destruction, and there are
many who enter through it.

24. Luke 9:23-24, GotQuestions.org
Will more people go to heaven or to hell?
• Question: "Will more people go to heaven or to hell?"
Answer: The question of whether there are more people in heaven or hell is answered by
Jesus Himself in one succinct passage: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and
the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate
is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few”
(Matthew 7:13-14).
• This passage tells us that only those who receive Jesus Christ and who believe in Him are
given the right to become children of God (John 1:12). As such, the gift of eternal life comes
only through Jesus Christ to all those who believe. He said “I am the way, and the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). It’s not through
Islam, Buddha, or other false gods of man’s making. It’s not for those wanting a cheap and
easy way to heaven while continuing to live their own selfish and worldly lives on earth.
Jesus only saves those who fully trust in Him as Savior (Acts 4:12)….
• Those who preach a gospel of inclusiveness where “all ways lead to heaven” preach an
utterly different gospel than the one Jesus preached…. The fact that few find God’s way
implies that it is to be sought diligently. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me
with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). The point is this that no one will stumble into the
kingdom or wander through the narrow gate by accident. Someone asked Jesus: "Lord, will
those who are saved be few?” He replied, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For
many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:23-24)…. there is no doubt
that more will go to hell than to heaven. The question for you is, then, on which road are
you?…”

25. Luke 13:30,
First Will Be Last, And The Last, First
• Luke 13:30 "And
behold, some are
last who will be
first and some are
first who will be
last.”
• (Mark 10:31)

26. Let's read Luke 13:31-35
• Christ mourns as He predicts the destruction
of Jerusalem
26

27. Luke 13:34, …I wanted to gather your
children together…
• NAU Luke 13:34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills
the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I
wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen
gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have
it!
• Jerusalem Daily Photo, Today’s Jerusalem photograph
taken by Ilan Rosen depicts a school group made up of kids
from the entire spectrum of Jewish backgrounds, coming to
pray together at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

28. Luke 13:34, Gather Your Children
• NAU Luke 13:34 …I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her
brood under her wings…
• Jerusalem Daily Photo, A family praying together at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, by
Noam Chen…”

29. Luke 13:34, Willing,
Not Willing,
Would Not Believe
NAU Luke 13:34 "O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the
city that kills the prophets
and stones those sent to
her! How often I wanted
to gather your children
together, just as a hen
gathers her brood under
her wings, and you would
not have it!

30. Luke 13:34, “…ye would not!”
• Why is there a broad path to hell?
• NAS NAU …and you would not have it!
• KJV …ye would not!
• NET …you would have none of it!
• NKJ NIVO …you were not willing!
• YLT …ye did not will.
• NJB …you refused!
• BGT …καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε.
30

31. Unwilling Not Willing, Would Not Believe
• NAU John 7:39, 5:40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you
may have life.
• NAU Matthew 22:3, 23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the
prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted
to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks
under her wings, and you were unwilling.
• NAU Isaiah 30:15 For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has
said, "In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and
trust is your strength." But you were not willing,
• NAU Ezekiel 20:8, 3:7 yet the house of Israel will not be willing to
listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the
whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate.
• NAU Acts 28:24 Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but
others would not believe.
• 1 Co. 7:12, 1 Co. 14:24, 2 Co. 6:15, 1 Tim. 5:8

32. Universalism, Why Doesn't God Save
Everyone, Salvation Conditional
• NAU Matthew 23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and
stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your
children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
and you were unwilling.
• NAU Romans 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant
heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
• NAU John 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does
not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 "And this is the
judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the
darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.

33. Luke 13:35, Blessed is He
• NAU Luke 13:35 "Behold, your house is left to you
desolate; and I say to you, you will not see Me until the
time comes when you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES
IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’”
• Many had already called this out to Jesus before;
• Mark 11:9, NAU Matthew 21:9 The crowds going ahead
of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,
"Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO
COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the
highest!“
• John 12:13 took the branches of the palm trees and
went out to meet Him, and began to shout, "Hosanna!
BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE
LORD, even the King of Israel."

34. Where Does The Name Come From?
gracethrufaith.com
• “Q. What is the meaning of Yahweh or where does it come from?
• A. It was against the law for the Jews to speak or write the Lord’s name
except for one day each year when they spoke it 7 times in a Temple
ceremony called Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
• When they wrote His name they used 4 initials to represent it. They
were translated into English as JHVH. The King James translators put
LORD, all in caps, where the initials appeared in the Hebrew
text. Somewhere along the way vowels from Elohim, which means God,
and Adonai, which means Lord, were added to the initials forming
Jehovah. Later it was determined that since in the Hebrew language the
four initials are pronounced Yodh, He, Waw, and He, Yahweh is a more
accurate pronunciation of God’s name.
• But the truth is no one alive today knows God’s actual name. After the
Temple was destroyed the Yom Kippur ceremony changed and they no
longer spoke it. Scholars estimate it was eventually lost to the memory
of man in about 300 AD. Today Jesus is the name above all names (Phil.
2:9-11).”

35. Luke 13:35,
Baruch haba B’shem Adonai (YHWH)
• NAU Matthew 23:39 "For I say to you, from now on you will not see
Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE
LORD!’”
• NAU Psalm 118:26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the
LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
• NAU Matthew 21:9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who
followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS
HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the
highest!”
• Hol3193 ‫…יהוה‬the name of God, first in Gn 24; Qr ‫ָי‬‫נ‬ֹ ‫ד‬ֲ‫,א‬ hence
printed texts ‫ָה‬‫ו‬‫ְה‬‫י‬; for pronunciation (almost certainly yahweh)…
• NAU Jeremiah 33:3 'Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell
you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'

36. Blessed is He
• NAU Luke 13:35 "Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I say to
you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'BLESSED
IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'“
• Mark 11:9, NAU Matthew 21:9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and
those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David;
BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in
the highest!“
• NAU Matthew 23:39 "For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me
until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE
LORD!'“
• John 12:13 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet
Him, and began to shout, "Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN
THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel."
• NAU Psalm 118:26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the
LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.

37. Jeremiah 33:3 Psalm 118:26, Baruch haba
b’shem Adonai (YHWH)
• NAU Psalm 118:26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of
the LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
• NAU Matthew 23:39 "For I say to you, from now on you will not
see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE
NAME OF THE LORD!'“
• NAU Matthew 21:9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those
who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David;
BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
Hosanna in the highest!“
• Hol3193 ‫…יהוה‬the name of God, first in Gn 24; Qr ‫ָי‬‫נ‬ֹ ‫ד‬ֲ‫,א‬ hence
printed texts ‫ָה‬‫ו‬‫ְה‬‫י‬; for pronunciation (almost certainly
yahweh)…

38. Palm Sunday – Jesus Last Journey,
By Jonathan Lipnick , Holy Land Studies
• Psalm 118:26 is quoted in all four Gospels. But we usually
don't look at verse 25, the word “hosanna” is used;
• “…Hosanna comes from the Hebrew “hoshia-na” meaning
“save us, please” found in Psalm 118:25. The original name of
Jesus in Hebrew, Yeshua, is built on the same root: to save. So
the crowds have spontaneously devised a new ritual,
welcoming the messianic savior to Jerusalem using a well-
known phrase out of season. The waving of palm branches in
April would have struck bystanders as very odd until they
realized that Hosanna matches the name of Jesus perfectly. It
would then be clear that indeed this is “the one who comes in
the name of the Lord” (Ps 118:26).
• http://holylandstudies.eteacherbiblical.com/palm-sunday/

39. Luke 13:35,
“until the time comes"
• NAU Luke 13:35 “…your house is left to you desolate… until the time
comes…”
• The “until” indicates a coming change, and the world and all of us have no
idea what that will be like. When the “until” change happens, all Heaven is
gonna’ break out.
• NAU Zechariah 14:4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be
split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of
the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the
south.
• Micah 1:3 For behold, the LORD is coming forth from His place. He will
come down and tread on the high places of the earth. 4 The mountains
will melt under Him And the valleys will be split, Like wax before the fire,
Like water poured down a steep place.
• NAU Revelation 16:19 The great city was split into three parts, and the
cities of the nations fell…
39

40. Luke 13:35,
“until the time comes"
• NAU Isaiah 24:16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs, "Glory to the
Righteous One," But I say, "Woe to me! Woe to me! Alas for me! The
treacherous deal treacherously, And the treacherous deal very
treacherously."17 Terror and pit and snare Confront you, O inhabitant of the
earth.18 Then it will be that he who flees the report of disaster will fall into
the pit, And he who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare; For the
windows above are opened, and the foundations of the earth shake. 19 The
earth is broken asunder, The earth is split through, The earth is shaken
violently. 20 The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard And it totters like a
shack, For its transgression is heavy upon it, And it will fall, never to rise again.
21 So it will happen in that day, That the LORD will punish the host of heaven
on high, And the kings of the earth on earth. 22 They will be gathered together
Like prisoners in the dungeon, And will be confined in prison; And after many
days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be abashed and the sun
ashamed, For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
And His glory will be before His elders.
40

41. Luke 13:35, Justice to Victory
Dr. Stanley D. Toussaint
• “A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not
put out, until He leads justice to victory.” (Matthew 12:20, NASB)
• “At first blush this verse seems to be out of place in the Christmas
devotional booklet, but it has everything to do with the birth of the Lord
Jesus. He was born in humble circumstances. No armies guarded the
infant Jesus. So it was in His ministry; He humbly retreated when faced
with opposition (Matthew 2:14, 22;4:12; 12:15; 14:13; 15:21;
16:4; 21:17). In Matthew 12:14 the Pharisees took counsel how “they
might destroy Him.” The Lord’s response was not to fight and make a big
scene, but simply to retire from them. This was exactly as Isaiah 42:2–3
predicted. In fact Christ humbly dealt with “battered” reeds and
“smoldering” wicks. Reeds were

42. Luke 13:35, Justice to Victory
Dr. Stanley D. Toussaint
• cheap and dispensable. A smoldering wick could be quenched with a
squeeze of the thumb and forefinger. Matthew 12:19 further states He
would not cause a loud public clamor in the streets.
• This is a description of Christ’s earthly ministry in weakness. 2 Corinthians
13:4 says, “He was crucified because of weakness.” A crucial point in
Matthew 12:20 is the adverb “until.” The construction in the Greek NT
gives an impression of some indefinite future time. In this age we are still
seeing the weakness of Christ—the blaspheming of His name, the mocking
of Christians, and the flaunting of disobedience to the point of
lasciviousness. However, one day this will change when He returns to
reign and “He leads justice to victory.” Although great power is revealed in
the gospel (Romans 1:16), the whole world still lies in the Evil One (1
John 5:19).
• Jesus is our example (1 Peter 2:21). We are not to be brawlers but quietly
and gently to be His servants. As Paul stated, we are to eat our bread in
quietness (2 Thessalonians 3:12). What a gentle Christmas reminder
Matthew 12:20 is.”

43. In
Conclusion
Stand tall
and strong
for the
truth!
Dallas Seminary
Stearns Arches
43

44. THE END
• So be steadfast, long-
suffering, and still
standing, “until” He comes
again!
44

45. Matthew 13
• Matt. 13:31
• Matt. 17:20
• Mk. 4:31
• Lk. 13:19
• Lk. 17:6

46. How Many Will Be Saved?
Luke 13:22-29
• Ray Pritchard
Keep Believing Ministries
Dallas, Texas
How Many Will Be Saved?
Luke 13:22-29
•
I can think of only four ways to answer the question raised in the title of this sermon:
Everyone will be saved.
• No one will be saved.
• Some will be saved, some will be lost.
• There is no way to know.
•
In recent years answer # 1 has become increasingly popular. The people who say that everyone will eventually be saved point to the grace and mercy of God, which they believe will ultimately triumph in the end, guaranteeing that even those who reject Christ in this life will share in eternal glory. This strikes a chord with manypeople who cannot bear the thought of anyone going to hell.
Answer # 2 suggests that in the end, no one will be saved because there is no such thing as salvation. If there is no God, there can be no heaven, no hell, and thus no salvation for anyone.
Answer # 3 is certainly correct as far as it goes. The most popular verse in the Bible, John 3:16, points to the two destinations, when it declares that those who believe “will not perish but have everlasting life.” So there you have it:
Some will perish.
Some will have everlasting life.
John 5:28-29 says it another way when it speaks of some who are raised to “life” and others who are raised to “judgment.”
Answer # 4 gives us another perspective by supposing that no one can know who is saved and who is lost. That is certainly a correct answer when viewed from this life. We do not know with final certainty how many people will end up with eternal life.
The question could be framed this way:
How many people does God intend to save out of the great mass of humanity?
Will it be only a few?
Will it be a vast number?
Is there any way to answer that question?
Whenever we come to a question like this, we need to go back to the Bible for the answer. So that’s where we will begin.
I. What Does the Bible Say?
•
Luke 13 tells of an occasion where Jesus actually discusses this question.
Then Jesus went through the towns and villages,teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” (Luke 13:22-23).
This question arises as Jesus is going through the villages on his way to Jerusalem for the final time. One day someone comes up with a question that obviously had been troubling him:
“Are only a few people going to be saved?”
That’s a good question. We can think of various ways to ask that question today:
“Lord, I live in Brooklyn. Are only a few people in Brooklyn going to be saved?”
“What about Dallas, Lord? How many people in Dallas are going to heaven?”
“I’m from China and I love my country. Will only a few Chinese be in heaven?”
“What about my family--My brothers and sisters, my mother andfather, my children, my grandchildren? What about them? Will only a few people in my family be saved?”
We all wonderabout these things from time to time. The way the question is phrased suggests that the questioner expected Jesus to say, “You’re right. Not manypeople will be saved.”
Suppose I asked you to estimate the percentage of people who will one day be in heaven. What number would you give?
3%?
5%?
10%?
Would you go with a higher number?
25%?
33%?
58%?
Note that Jesus does not directly answer the question. It’s almost as if he says in reply, “Listen, friend. That’s none of your business.”Jesus doesn’t give a number or a percentage or any indication at all. The number of true believers is hidden in the mindand heart of God.
He knows, but he’s not telling us.
But notice what he actually says in verses 24-27:
He said to them, “Make every effortto enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ ” But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ “But he will reply,‘I don’t know you or where you
come from.Away from me, all you evildoers!’
Jesus turns the tables on the questioner andsays to him, “Make sure that you are among the saved!”
Don’t worry about the others.
Take care of yourself first.
Jesus reminds us that not only is there a “door” to heaven, it’s a “narrow” door, meaning that not everyone will find it and it will be easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “Don’t get so wrapped up in esoteric questions that you yourself miss the door to heaven. While you are philosophizing about everyone else, make sure you find the door that leads to heaven and make sure you go through it."
You may remember the children’s chorus that goes this way:
One door and only one,
And yet its sides are two.
Inside and outside,
On which side are you?
If we stopped here, it would seem that Jesus has answered the question without answering it. He seems to be saying that not very many people will find that narrow door.
And that is certainly part of the answer.
Jesus even says that somepeople will knock on the door but won’t get in. Who are these people who try to get in but won’t be allowed to enter? In this context Jesus mustbe speaking of the Israelites who took his coming for granted, who disregarded his message, who thought their religion would be good enough to guarantee them a place in heaven so they delayed any decision about Christ until it was too late.
Let all religious people be warned.
Your religion will not get you to heaven.
I’m a Baptist but there are no seats in heaven reserved for Baptists. The same is true for Methodists, Lutherans, Catholics, Presbyterians, Mennonites, Brethren, Church of Christ, Bible church people, Pentecostals, or whatever your personal brand happens to be.
Jesus doesn’tsavepeopleaccording to denominationalaffiliation. Even if you attend the best Bible-believing church in town, don’t think your church membershipgives you a reserved seat in heaven.
Without a personal response to Christ, your church membershipwill lead you not to heaven, but to hell.
• God Wants Bolivians in Heaven
•
But that’s not the end of the passage. Jesus adds two important pieces of the puzzle in verses 28-29.
There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselvesthrown out. People will come fromeast and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.
God intends to havelots of peopleat his banquettable. Jesus specifies that people will come from every point on the compass. No part of the globe will be excluded. It’s not like God says, “I want a lot of Americans but only a handful from Asia.”
No! It’s not like that.
When God throws a party, he invites peoplefrom everywhere. Andthey will come streaming in from north, south, east and west. Think about what this means:
God intends to have Bolivians in heaven.
He wants Koreans at his banquettable.
He calls them from the islands of the Pacific.
He intends to save people from Kosovo.
He wants Russians at his table.
He wants Chinese at his table.
He calls them from Canada and Sweden.
He invites them from Nepal and Tibet.
He intends to have Moroccans feasting with him.
He wants Turks there.
He calls Iraqis and Israelis.
He wants a host of believers from Irian Jaya at his table.
In 1908 William Dunkerley wrote these words for the Pageantof Darkness and Light at the London Missionary Society’s exhibition “The Orient in London,” which ran from 1908 to 1914:
In Christ there is no East or West,
In Him no South or North;
But one great fellowship of love
Throughout the whole wide earth.
In Christ now meet both East and West,
In Him meet North and South;
All Christly souls are one in Him
Throughout the whole wide earth.
That brings us to the other side of the question. If the first part of Jesus’ answer seems to be narrow, the last part seems to be very broad indeed.

47. Luke 9:23-24, Narrow Gate
• Question: "Will more people go to heaven or to hell?"
Answer: The question of whether there are more people in heaven or hell is answered by Jesus Himself in one succinct passage: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way
is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14).
This passage tells us that only those who receive Jesus Christ and who believe in Him are given the right to become children of God (John 1:12). As such, the gift of eternal life comes only
through Jesus Christ to all those who believe. He said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). It’s not through Islam, Buddha,
or other false gods of man’s making. It’s not for those wanting a cheap and easy way to heaven while continuing to live their own selfish and worldly lives on earth. Jesus only saves those
who fully trust in Him as Savior (Acts 4:12).
So, what are these two gates in Matthew 7:13-14? They are the entrance to two different “ways.” The wide gate leads to the broad way, or road. The small narrow gate leads to the way
that is narrow. The narrow way is the way of the godly, and the broad way is the way of the ungodly. The broad way is the easy way. It is attractive and self-indulgent. It is permissive. It’s
the inclusive way of the world, with few rules, few restrictions, and fewer requirements. Tolerance of sin is the norm where God's Word is not studied and His standards not followed. This
way requires no spiritual maturity, no moral character, no commitment, and no sacrifice. It is the easy way of salvation following “the course of this world, following the prince of the power
of the air, of the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). It is that broad way that “seems right to a man, but end is the way to death” (Proverbs14:12).
Those who preach a gospel of inclusiveness where “all ways lead to heaven” preach an utterly different gospel than the one Jesus preached. The gate of self-centeredness, self-absorption,
and a proud, holier-than-thou mindset is the wide gate of the world that leads to hell, not the narrow gate which leads to eternal life. As a result, most people spend their lives following the
masses who are on the broad road, doing what everyone else does and believing what everyone else believes.
The narrow way is the hard way, the demanding way. It is the way of recognizing that you cannot save yourself and must depend on Jesus Christ alone to save you. It’s the way of self-denial
and the cross. The fact that few find God’s way implies that it is to be sought diligently. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). The point is
this that no one will stumble into the kingdom or wander through the narrow gate by accident. Someone asked Jesus: "Lord, will those who are saved be few?” He replied, “Strive to enter
through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:23-24).
Many will seek to enter that narrow door, the door of salvation, but “will not be able.” They are unwilling to trust/rely on Jesus alone. They are unwilling to pay the price. It costs too much
for them to give up the world. God’s gate is a gate through which one cannot carry the baggage of sin and self-will, nor can one carry the accoutrements of materialism. The way of Christ is
the way of the cross, and the way of the cross is the way of self-denial. Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For
whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:23-24).
Jesus knows that many will choose the wide gate and the broad way which leads to destruction and hell. Correspondingly, He said that only a few will choose the narrow gate. According to
Matthew 7:13-14, there is no doubt that more will go to hell than to heaven. The question for you is, then, on which road are you?
Recommended Resources: Logos Bible Software and Jesus Among Other gods by Ravi Zacharias.

48. The Withered Fig Tree. Follow Up
• Q. Re: The Withered Fig Tree. My Question is: If the cursed fig tree is
symbolic of Israel, and Jesus’ words were that it would henceforth bear no
fruit forever, how do we reconcile that with national Israel being in the
millennial Kingdom obviously bearing fruit to the Lord? “Henceforth” and
“forever” don’t leave any wiggle room for “except in the millennium”.
• A. This is a case where you have to be careful with literal vs. symbolic
interpretations. The same Greek word that is translated “forever” in the
King James version of Mark 11:14 can also mean for an age, or a period of
time. The appropriate meaning comes from the context in which the word is
used.
• In the literal interpretation the fig tree may never have borne fruit again. In
that case “henceforth” and “forever” would convey the appropriate
meaning. But in the symbolic interpretation it’s also true that while Israel
has borne no fruit in this age, the nation will be fruitful in the next age, the
millennium. So the alternate meaning “henceforth in this age” would be
appropriate for the symbolic interpretation.
• http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/withered-fig-tree-
follow/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gracethrufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

49. Your Children
• There is hope for your future, the word of the Lord, and your children will
return to their border.
• JEREMIAH (31:16)
• Shabbat Inspiration
• Today's verse from Jeremiah declares that the future should be seen in
the children who inhabit the world and provide hope for a perfected
universe. By watching children and their enthusiasm for life we can remind
ourselves of the need for energy and excitement in the service of the Lord
in our daily lives. A child's given Hebrew name is said to reflect their true
essence which we hope reflects this intrinsic enthusiasm.
• Jerusalem Daily Photo
• Today's Jerusalem photograph taken by Ilan Rosen depicts a school group
made up of kids from the entire spectrum of Jewish backgrounds, coming
to pray together at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

50. Luke 13:24
• Thus Rachel died and was buried on the road to Efrath, which is Bethlehem.
• GENESIS (35:19)
• Jerusalem Inspiration
• Today's verse cites the tragic death of our Matriarch Rachel during childbirth. Jacob
buries Rachel at the site of her departing, the road to Efrath, which is right outside
Jerusalem. In modern times, Rachel's tomb is a place where many tears are shed by
people seeking Mother Rachel to intercede with God on their behalf. In particular,
women seeking to bear a child come to pray by Rachel's tomb, as she too was barren for
many years and God heard her prayers. The Efrat organization aknowledges the value of
every Jewish child and provides financial assistance to mothers in need who would
otherwise consider abortion.
• Jerusalem Daily Photo
• Joe Aminoff's beautiful photo of a blooming path in the city of Efrat, just outside
Jerusalem.
• NAU Luke 24:15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and
began traveling with them.

51. 2 Corinthians 13:4 Psalm 51:17 Isaiah 42:3 Matthew 12:20, Luke
13:35, until, Justice to Victory, Dr. Stanley D. Toussaint
• “A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out, until He leads
justice to victory.” (Matthew 12:20, NASB)
• At first blush this verse seems to be out of place in the Christmas devotional booklet, but it has
everything to do with the birth of the Lord Jesus. He was born in humble circumstances. No armies
guarded the infant Jesus. So it was in His ministry; He humbly retreated when faced with opposition
(Matthew 2:14, 22;4:12; 12:15; 14:13; 15:21; 16:4; 21:17). In Matthew 12:14 the Pharisees took
counsel how “they might destroy Him.” The Lord’s response was not to fight and make a big scene,
but simply to retire from them. This was exactly as Isaiah 42:2–3 predicted. In fact Christ humbly
dealt with “battered” reeds and “smoldering” wicks. Reeds were cheap and dispensable. A
smoldering wick could be quenched with a squeeze of the thumb and forefinger.
Matthew 12:19further states He would not cause a loud public clamor in the streets.
• This is a description of Christ’s earthly ministry in weakness. 2 Corinthians 13:4 says, “He was
crucified because of weakness.” A crucial point in Matthew 12:20is the adverb “until.” The
construction in the Greek NT gives an impression of some indefinite future time. In this age we are
still seeing the weakness of Christ—the blaspheming of His name, the mocking of Christians, and the
flaunting of disobedience to the point of lasciviousness. However, one day this will change when He
returns to reign and “He leads justice to victory.” Although great power is revealed in the gospel
(Romans 1:16), the whole world still lies in the Evil One (1 John 5:19).
• Jesus is our example (1 Peter 2:21). We are not to be brawlers but quietly and gently to be His
servants. As Paul stated, we are to eat our bread in quietness (2 Thessalonians 3:12). What a gentle
Christmas reminder Matthew 12:20 is.

52. Jeremiah 33:3 Psalm 118:26, Baruch haba
b’shem Adonai (YHWH)

53. • Paul Wilbur - Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai –
Lyrics
• Music video in; Videos, Bible in Five Videos
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFsAOT0
DJ8o
Jeremiah 33:3 Psalm 118:26, Baruch haba
b’shem Adonai (YHWH)