1. Luke 13:22-30 After Jesus had proceeded from one city and village to another on His way to Jerusalem outlining the nature, requirements, and restrictions of His coming kingdom, someone asked, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” His answer, though somewhat indirect, was “Yes,” vv.24-25

2. Jesus’ answer poses a problem in the minds of some… “Of all the people of the world, of all time, God is only going to save those of one small group (the church)?” “Yes” seems to be Jesus’ answer, cf. Matt.22:14. “But why just them? That seems harsh; and it seems to contradict how “easy” salvation was presented as being in Matt.11:30. Why will only a “few” be saved, but “many” lost?” Jesus answers this question in vv.24-25.

3. Jesus said “few” will be saved, and “many” will be lost because: 1. “Many” will not strive, v.24a. The word translated as strive is agonizomai, from which our word agonize is also derived. Notice how it is used in other places: 1Cor.9:25, compete; Col.4:12, laboring earnestly; 1Tim.4:10, strive; 1Tim.6:12, fight. Though the question seems to be in regard to “them” rather than “us”, in answering the question, Jesus encouraged individual and concerted effort on the part of the questioners- “you” is implied by His imperative statement. This also means that one reason “many” will not enter is because they are unwilling to put forth the effort necessary, instead relying on “all you have to do is believe,” Jas.2:14-24; or the ‘minimalist’ approach that didn’t work in Matt.25:24-30.

4. Jesus said “few” will be saved, and “many” will be lost because: 2. The door is narrow, v.24b. The word translated as narrow is stenos; it means narrow or strait (constricted). Wide doors offer easy access and free flow; but narrow doors are more difficult both to find and enter, Matt.7:13-14. Excessive burdens and baggage of self and sinful desires/ways must be unloaded and left behind to enter narrow doors, cf. Luke 14:26ff; 18:18-27; Heb.12:1.

5. Jesus said “few” will be saved, and “many” will be lost because: 3. Seeking and entering may share intent, but do not necessarily have the same outcome, v.24c. The word translated as seek is zeteo; it means to seek in order to find. ‘Intent’ is not the problem indicated by Jesus’ use of this word. But… If one looks for a door (of salvation/entrance) where it is not, he does not find it anyway; If one looks for and finds the right door, but is unwilling to enter it because of its narrowness (difficulty), he is not striving, and does not enter; If one looks for a door in the right place, and is willing to enter it only after it is closed, his opportunity (and soul) is still yet lost, v.25. After the door is closed, neither intent or action matters.

6. “Few” will be saved, and “many” will be lost because: 1.Many will not do what is necessary to enter. They may want to enter on their own terms, but it is Jesus’ door to His kingdom, not ours. 2.The door is narrow- Jesus made it that way. 3.Spiritual procrastination and unpreparedness are eternally deadly.