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Luke 13:23-28 Lord, Are There Few That Be Saved? audio

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Reading: Matthew 7:13-14

Text: Luke 13:23-28

Introduction

QUOTE: John 3:16-17

When you read the message of God, you should get excited, because God has made a way for all in the bondage of sin to be delivered out darkness into the Light by Jesus – Colossians 1:12-14

Therefore, salvation is being delivered from end result of sin (death).

Almost Everyone Wants to Be Saved

Interestingly, when you converse with people about salvation, almost everybody wants to be saved or wants to go to heaven, but only a few are willing to strive to comply with God’s requirements to be saved – Luke 6:46; Matthew 15:8-9

Today, the sermon is titled LORD, ARE THERE FEW THAT BE SAVED? (Luke 13:23-28)

Jesus Says to Strive (Agonize) to Enter in at the Strait Gate

Jesus admonishes striving to enter the strait gate – Luke 13:23

The word strait means to be constrained, restricted, or narrow.

Therefore, the strait gate will be difficult and not easy to pass through because it requires faithfulness (obedience) to God.

As a result, few will enter in – John 14:15

Deception

It’s a deception of our adversary the devil (1 Peter 5:8), to believe entering into the kingdom of God (the strait gate) takes little forethought or effort – Luke 13:23

In Acts 14:22, we learn it will take continued faithfulness, and going through much tribulations to enter into the kingdom of God.
It’s not good enough just to get at good start.

We must continue to the end – John 8:31-32; Matthew 10:22

Entering the strait gate will require faithfulness until death – Revelation 2:10

Two Ways

There are two ways you can follow, the narrow way (life) and the broad way (destruction) – Matthew 7:13-14

There will be many people whom will follow the broad way, and a few will be faithful to God and follow the narrow way that leads to eternal life.

Jesus, tells us to strive to enter the strait gate because many will seek to enter in and not be able – Luke 13:23

Jesus Says That Many Will Seek to Enter in and Not Be Able

Many Will Seek

Many will seek to enter in and not be able because they have entered the wide gate of disobedience to God – Matthew 7:21-23

Multitudes in this group will take the path of least resistance, they will do things there way and not God’s way and will find themselves lost – Luke 13:25-29

A High Price

The cost of becoming a Christian (or entering the strait gate) is too high a price for many people to pay for salvation – Mark 10:17-22; Matthew 16:24-26

For masses of people, obeying the gospel of Christ is not easy task for them. Why? Because it requires one to forsake all things and to love God more than man – Luke 14:26-33

Biblical History

And finally can anyone ignore the Biblical history on the question Lord, are there few that be saved?

– In Genesis 6:5-8, God sees the wickedness of man but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

– In 1 Peter 3:20, we find a few souls were saved from the great flood.

– Shall we not also consider Israel whom God saved from Egyptian bondage but afterward destroyed them because of unbelief – Jude 5.

– Only two men entered Canaan land that left Egypt Joshua & Caleb – Numbers 26:63-65

Therefore, let us strive to enter in the strait gate, since few will be saved! When Jesus comes back again, do you want to be on the outside looking in? – Luke 13:28