Tag: saved

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Welcome Back! Today, we’ll be looking at the Gospel of Luke to see how Jesus answers this question: “Will only a few people be saved?”

So let’s dive in.

(Click here to get a copy of the Gospel Sync document) 

Luke 13:22–30

Then Jesus traveled throughout the towns and villages, teaching as He made His way toward Jerusalem. “Lord,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answered, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And indeed, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

My Thoughts

“Will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answers this person’s question, and His answer should make us pay attention—like a man walking on a frozen lake who suddenly hears a loud CRACK beneath his boots. Something is dreadfully wrong here, and it might just cost me my life! Jesus draws the person’s attention (and everyone else within earshot) to the sobering reality that “association does not equal salvation.”

Jesus was around a lot of people. I mean, a lot of people. His presence may have made them feel safe. And when you’re with the Good Shepherd, you should feel safe… unless, of course, you’re a wolf. Jesus poignantly points out that many people are “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” They obviously don’t see themselves that way. That becomes clear in His story when these people are shocked to find they aren’t gaining entrance into the kingdom of God.

And notice that Jesus connects “being saved” with entering the “kingdom of God” (in fact, He emphasizes this twice in the passage). Those who enter His kingdom aren’t simply people who lived in the same neighborhood or saw Him on TV a few times or even ate a meal or two with Him. He wants loyal subjects who desire to be with Him so much that they submit their lives to Him. They humble themselves by owning their shortcomings and wanting to do something about them. They repent—turning away from living life on their own terms and turning toward the way God wants them to live. The King actually influences their thinking and, by His grace, their actions.

People coming from every direction sounds like a lot of people to me. It’s just not the people who assumed they were “in” simply because they were a “churchgoer,” celebrated Christmas, or prayed a prayer with all the right words. It sounds like Jesus is looking for more than just association. He’s looking for people who love their King so much that He has become their very life.

My Story

I’ve mentioned in a couple of posts that I’m sharing the gospel with an emphasis on the kingdom of God. This week, I was sharing with four soldiers. After we discussed and discovered that Jesus is the King, that we are His subjects, and that He rules over everything, I got to the punchline: “The subjects of the King can respond in three ways: allegiance, indifference, or rebellion. Which one are you?”

For the first time since I started presenting the gospel this way, someone said they were in outright rebellion. This one person’s stark admission was contagious. All four soldiers agreed they were in rebellion against the King.

I asked my next question: “Do you want to rebel against King Jesus?”

All four said, “No.”

Then I asked, “What would it take for you to quit rebelling?”

They were brutally honest and had some good ideas, but they all revolved around being a “better person.” That’s when I explained the reason He had to die for our sins. I shared that we need to respond by believing and receiving the gift of His mercy, and by repenting—doing an “about-face” in our hearts and desiring to have Him rule over our lives. By His grace, He will respond to our heart’s desire; He is the One who makes us better people.

They all thanked my dad-in-law and me for sharing with them, and they resolved to get to know the King better and allow Him to call the shots in their lives.

Our Action Plan

Now it’s time for application. Here’s some questions and ideas:

• Do you and those you are discipling know what true repentance looks like?
• Do a Bible study with those you are discipling on those who believed and repented in the Gospels.
• Share the gospel in a way that emphasizes repentance. 

Jesus offers us a sobering warning: simply growing up hearing His name or attending religious services is not enough to enter the kingdom of God. While these are good things, the King requires more than mere association. He calls for our complete allegiance and a genuine willingness to align our lives with His will. Though we will inevitably stumble along the way, true faith is marked by a heart whose deepest desire is to know and serve Him.

| Gospel Sync | Kingdom Kernels | On the Road Podcast | Website |