March 20, 2017 – Luke 13
"Make every
effort to enter through the narrow door, because many will try to enter and will
not be able to.” Luke 13:24
Many think they are
good enough to walk into heaven, but only those who have a relationship with
Jesus will enter the door.
Highway 401 in Ontario Canada is considered by many to be
the widest road in the world. With as
many as 22 lanes available to move traffic through daily, it can handle
thousands of cars in an hour and provided the largest volume of people access
to the city.
But I’ve come to believe it’s still not the widest
road. The longer I live, the more I
believe that the widest road runs out of every funeral home and cemetery. It’s the road that leads to eternity, and
everyone believes their loved one is on it.
Apparently, everyone is going to heaven, because every funeral I’ve
attended, the person was good enough or religious enough or connected enough to
be on the road.
Now before you take offense, I’m not being judgmental about
anyone. The truth is that we often DON’T
know the hearts of men, and it’s not our responsibility to decide who is going
to heaven and who isn’t. My guess is that
we will be surprised by who was saved when we get there (assuming WE get
there).
The truth is that most people WANT TO THINK they are going
to heaven. And when loved ones die, we
instantly WANT TO BELIEVE they were saved.
By the hope invested in our souls from our Creator, we certainly desire
eternity for everyone we love. And for
some that will be true.
But that’s why Jesus’ words are both frightening and
convicting. He warns us that the road to
heaven is much narrower than we want to believe. It’s not a 22-lane freeway, it’s a one-lane
path. You don’t make it to heaven
driving in a car built on your performance or works, you get there walking
along a path following a Savior. Good
feelings won’t fuel our trip, the gas that we need is a relationship.
Jesus said: “Many will say to me on that day: Lord, did we
not drive out demons, and perform good works… but I will tell them plainly: I
never knew you.” Clearly, Jesus wants to
know us and be known by us. He wants to
see the fruit of a relationship in our lives.
Not works - but worth. Living for
Jesus will result in works, but it’s not the works that put us on the
road. Our desire to be with Jesus and
follow Him is the only lane that gets us to heaven.
Listen to the caution from Jesus. Only Jesus gets us to heaven (not any other
religion). Only a relationship with
Jesus opens the door (not our resume).
Start walking the one-lane path with Him today. Don’t get left in the cold.
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