Series: Luke – The Lord’s Favor Has Come Lk 路 13:18-35 Which Side of the Narrow Door? 窄門的哪一面？

Lk 路 13:18-35

Lk 路 13:29-30 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last. 29 從 東 、 從 西 、 從 南 、 從 北 將 有 人 來 ， 在 神 的 國 裡 坐 席 。30 只 是 有 在 後 的 ， 將 要 在 前 ； 有 在 前 的 ， 將 要 在 後 。

Lk 路 13:34 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 34 耶 路 撒 冷 阿 ！ 耶 路 撒 冷 阿 ！ 你 常 殺 害 先 知 ， 又 用 石 頭 打 死 那 奉 差 遣 到 你 這 裡 來 的 人 。 我 多 次 願 意 聚 集 你 的 兒 女 ， 好 像 母 雞 把 小 雞 聚 集 在 翅 膀 底 下 ， 只 是 你 們 不 願 意 。

The God-centering message of Lk 13:18-35: Jesus is the keeper of the narrow door that leads into the kingdom of God. 耶穌是通往神國的窄門的看守者。

Small, But Only for Now

Lk 路 13:18-21 18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” 20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” 18 耶 穌 說 ： 神 的 國 好 像 甚 麼 ？ 我 拿 甚 麼 來 比 較 呢 ？19 好 像 一 粒 芥 菜 種 ， 有 人 拿 去 種 在 園 子 裡 ， 長 大 成 樹 ， 天 上 的 飛 鳥 宿 在 他 的 枝 上 。20 又 說 ： 我 拿 甚 麼 來 比 神 的 國 呢 ？21 好 比 麵 酵 ， 有 婦 人 拿 來 藏 在 三 斗 麵 裡 ， 直 等 全 糰 都 發 起 來 。

Small, But Only for Now: Our present daily, material life is a window into knowing the currently unseen but surely coming FULLNESS of God’s Kingdom.

Small, But Only for Now: Be mindful that the fullness of the Kingdom that WILL come and IS coming;

Small, But Only for Now: Be mindful that the fullness of the Kingdom that WILL come and IS coming; be mindful that what we see as the start of the Kingdom is NOT representative of the GLORY and GRANDEUR of the Kingdom that will come and is coming.

Small, But Only for Now: While the humble inception of God’s kingdom on earth might be easily missed or dismissed, if we do miss or dismiss it because of its humble inception, we do so at our own peril.

Narrow, And Always Will Be

Narrow, And Always Will Be: Focus not on how many will be saved by the Lord, but focus on whether the Lord who can save you knows you or not.

Narrow, And Always Will Be: Focus not on how many will be saved by the Lord, but focus on whether the Lord who can save you knows you or not. What each person should focus on is the individual responsibility to turn favorably and live committedly to the Lord.

Narrow, And Always Will Be: Jesus’ teaching on Salvation: Salvation by the Lord is a matter of intimate relationship the Lord has with the person.

Narrow, And Always Will Be: Physical closeness does not equate to relational nearness; physical appearance does not equate to relational presence; participation in religious activities does not equate to justification of a person’s sin.

Narrow, And Always Will Be: There is only ONE way through the narrow door for each person i.e. for the Lord who keeps the door that leads to God’s kingdom to say to the person, “I know you! Come on in!”

Narrow, And Always Will Be: The effort is not to earn merits to enter into the kingdom of God; the effort is the effort put in to KNOW the Lord.

Narrow, And Always Will Be: The effort is not to earn merits to enter into the kingdom of God; the effort is the effort put in to KNOW the Lord.

Narrow, And Always Will Be: 1/ Do not be COMPLACENT nor PRESUMPTUOUS toward entering the kingdom of God Entry into God’s kingdom is not by our will but by the Lord’s hospitality/ welcome.

Narrow, And Always Will Be: 2/ REGARD entering the kingdom of God as something of prime importance < > We put in most effort (time, energy, thoughts, resources etc.) in what we regard as prime importance.

Big & Broad, His Commitment to Save

Big & Broad, His Commitment to Save: Knowing that he will die but also be raised to life, Jesus pressed on in his commitment to save sinners.

Big & Broad, His Commitment to Save: Knowing that he will die but also be raised to life, Jesus pressed on in his commitment to save sinners. By his brief reply to the Pharisees, Jesus makes clear that he knew and believed his death and resurrection form the ONLY way to bring God’s salvation to sinners.

Our Next Move to Respond Momentous, Our Next Move to Respond

Momentous, Our Next Move to Respond: We are now living in the time between the seed and the tree, the activated yeast and risen dough < > The narrow door is STILL OPEN

Momentous, Our Next Move to Respond: We are now living in the time between the seed and the tree, the activated yeast and risen dough < > The narrow door is STILL OPEN What then is our daily response to the Lord? Are we making every effort to know the Lord and be known by the Lord?

Lk 路 13:34-35 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ 34 耶 路 撒 冷 阿 ！ 耶 路 撒 冷 阿 ！ 你 常 殺 害 先 知 ， 又 用 石 頭 打 死 那 奉 差 遣 到 你 這 裡 來 的 人 。 我 多 次 願 意 聚 集 你 的 兒 女 ， 好 像 母 雞 把 小 雞 聚 集 在 翅 膀 底 下 ， 只 是 你 們 不 願 意 。35 看 哪 ， 你 們 的 家 成 為 荒 場 留 給 你 們 。 我 告 訴 你 們 ， 從 今 以 後 你 們 不 得 再 見 我 ， 直 等 到 你 們 說 ： 奉 主 名 來 的 是 應 當 稱 頌 的 。

3 他 們 都 偏 離 正 路 ， 一 同 變 為 污 穢 ； 並 沒 有 行 善 的 ， 連 一 個 也 沒 有 。 Psa 詩 14:3 3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 3 他 們 都 偏 離 正 路 ， 一 同 變 為 污 穢 ； 並 沒 有 行 善 的 ， 連 一 個 也 沒 有 。

Psa 詩 32:6 6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. 6 為 此 ， 凡 虔 誠 人 都 當 趁 你 可 尋 找 的 時 候 禱 告 你 ； 大 水 泛 溢 的 時 候 ， 必 不 能 到 他 那 裡 。

Isa 賽 29:13 13 These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. 13 主 說 ： 因 為 這 百 姓 親 近 我 ， 用 嘴 唇 尊 敬 我 ， 心 卻 遠 離 我 ； 他 們 敬 畏 我 ， 不 過 是 領 受 人 的 吩 咐 。

Momentous, Our Next Move to Respond: “Lord, I want to be in Your house, because I want to be with You.”

Selah (Holy Communion): ___Ask for the grace of forgiveness on the thoughts and deeds that keep us apart from God; ask to know how much our sin grieves Him. ___Ask for the grace of adoration, so that we seek to be in God’s kingdom because we desire God and are beyond delighted to be with Him.