Pastor Scott Andrews | February 8, 2026
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Luke 13:22-30
Some of you remember the game show, Let’s Make a Deal. No, I’m not talking about the recent remake which began airing in 2009. I’m talking about host Monty Hall, assistant Carol Merrill, and announcer Jay Stewart. Monty Hall hosted the show for almost 30 years, from 1963 to 1991, before many of you were even born.
Typically, the show’s finale called the Big Deal was when Carrol Merrill would stand on the stage by three doors or curtains. Monty would ask the contestant, do you want to trade what you have already won? Of course, the answer was almost always yes, in hopes of winning the big deal. So, do you want door number one, door number two, or door number three?
You see, one door had the grand prize, while the other two held what were called zonks, booby prizes, usually a goat or another live animal, a garbage can, a junked car, a or something similar. After the contestant picked a door, Monty would ask, “Carol Merrill, would you show us what is behind door number” … one of the unselected doors. You see, he knew which one contained the prize. After revealing the zonk, or some lesser prize, he would ask the contestant, do you want to keep your unopened selection, or pick the other door. Do you want to trade? The crowd would go wild, scream, the selection would be made. Monty would ask Carol to open the selected door – and it would be joyful glee or crowd-sized groan.
You see, you had to pick the right door for the grand prize – and you had a one in three chance, but there was only one. Interesting to note, people would groan, but it was just a game, and they didn’t have a problem with only one door being right. They didn’t start complaining, why wasn’t there a grand prize behind every door. Of course not.
Now, think about that. Let’s turn our attention to religion, shall we? Philip Ryken in his commentary on Luke reminds us there are currently some 1000 religions from which to choose in the US. Imagine, he said, a very long hallway with lots of doors – door number one, door number two, all the way up to a thousand to be exact – lining each side of the hallway, representing those respective religions. And you get to pick one. One in a thousand. But pick rightly, because only one is right, leading to the grand prize of eternal life.
That is, if you believe only one is correct. This view is called exclusivism – that there is only one way exclusively right. Of course, many, maybe even most today believe that it really doesn’t matter which door you pick since they all work – every religion, if faithfully followed, leads to eternal life. Even with contradictory truth claims. That position is called pluralism – it doesn’t matter what you believe, just believe something since all roads lead to heaven.
There are others that suggest you don’t even have to pick a door, just be good – let your good outweigh your bad – and you’ll make it. Then there are others who deny any afterlife at all or deny any punishment of hell and suggest that all will eventually make it to heaven – this position is called universalism.
Now, if any or no religion will work, or if all will eventually make it to heaven, or if the atheists are right and there is nothing after this life – then Jesus of the Christian faith, was a fraud and a liar. He may have been a good person who did good things who taught universal truths, but in the end, He could not be the Son of God, as claimed. And He actually couldn’t even be a good person, since He claimed that He alone was the way, the truth and the life, and that no one comes to the Father – in heaven, the context makes clear – except through Him. Well, that would have been a lie, an error. It’s not true. Jesus was mistaken, or worse, again, a fraud. You cannot say the things He said, and be good, if they were not true.
I am going to suggest today, biblically, that you pick a door, and there is only one door. Oh, and by the way, it’s not a game. Your eternity hangs in the balance. You can poke and hope that you get the right door, or, you can decide that all the doors are right or all the doors are wrong…or you can choose the one Jesus identified and then have eternal life. It’s in our text today – Luke 13:22-30. Let’s read that.
The point of this teaching is twofold: there is only one door, and it is only open for a limited time. Enter through the narrow door. My heart is very burdened today. I want you to hear, and I want the Holy Spirit to open your heart to respond to the message of the gospel. There is one door, and there is limited time.
We are reminded in this text, Jesus had set His face irrevocably to Jerusalem in Luke 9. It’s a six-month journey, one which will end in His crucifixion and resurrection – when He dies for the sins of His people and is raised again for their justification. Justification is a theological term that simply means this – your sins are forgiven and removed by grace and you receive the righteousness of Christ. The cross and resurrection work is that to which all the Word of God points, the apex of human history – which provides the singular door through which one must enter to have eternal life.
Jesus said this in John 10:9, “I am the door [of the sheepfold], if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” And then He says this, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish.” I want that for you today. So let’s look at it – here’s the outline of our text 13:
- The Setting and the Question (22-23) It’s an important question.
- The Answer to the Question (sort of) (24-30)
Let’s start with the setting. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem, long the religious capital of the nation, passing through one city or village after another. There were hundreds in Galilee, Samaria which we’ve seen He didn’t avoid, and Judea. He’s going everywhere, you see, because everyone has the same need, teaching, no doubt concerning the kingdom of God as we saw last week, and the need of repentance and faith in Him to enter through the door into the kingdom. It was His message throughout His ministry.
You see, since He left Caesarea Philippi, He’s demanded exacting discipleship to anyone who would be His follower. No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me. You see, you can’t reject Jesus and pick another door – there is only one. It’s a narrow one – found only in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why would you hear this good news and reject it?
No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. This is eternal life, He said, that they may know You, and Me, the One you have sent. So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. The narrow door will be opened now.
He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does gather with Me, scatters. I could go on and on. This very night your soul is required of you. Seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Jesus clearly makes it known throughout this trip to Jerusalem – there is a way, seek urgently to find it. There is an increasing urgency to His message. I did not come to bring peace on the earth, but division. I tell you, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
It’s becoming clear that it is not easy. Oh, the gospel is easy – He’s done all the work. But believing and following – another thing altogether. Because, Christianity is so exclusive – there’s only one door. I get it – that sounds so…exclusive, so bigoted. And many would rather be committed to their own acceptance – to their own brand of fairness than truth. And with all those stringent and forceful warnings, someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” The demands are so great, onerous even. The people had watched as many who were following, the crowd, departed and followed no more.
They were aware of the increasing hostility of the religious leaders. His movement seems to be faltering. Lord, are there just a few being saved? That question could have come from a true follower – from one of the Twelve. Lord, what is going on here? Are there just a few? Things seemed to be going so well up in Galilee – maybe we should return there and continue Your miracles and healing ministry. They liked you up there. What’s going on? It’s called the cross – the necessary work for our redemption. He’s been telling them along the way what Him in Jerusalem.
Remember, just before this, Jesus had said, the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed; it’s like leaven. It has meager beginnings, but it will grow, and it will eventually permeate everywhere. But now, as they are looking around, they’re noticing diminishing returns and increased opposition. Will there only be a few?
Now, the question could also refer – and likely does refer to the Jewish understanding that they, and largely they – not exclusively, but largely they alone would be in the kingdom. One small nation – God’s chosen people – among all the peoples of the earth. The Jews actually thought their physical bloodlines, being descendants of Abraham, guaranteed them a place in the kingdom, and a seat at the messianic table. An ancient writing which they held firmly, said:
“All Israelites have a share in the world to come, for it is written: ‘Thy people also shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land for ever; the branch of my planting, the work of my hands that I may be glorified.’”
Sure, they thought there would be some proselytes – those Gentiles who had converted to Judaism – but they were very few. The reason I say the question likely included this idea is because of the way Jesus eventually says, those seated at the table will come from all over, and the first will be last, and the last first. It’s not what you think. You should not be asking how many, but who. We’ll come back to that.
Will there only be a few who believe? Who receive the gospel and are saved? Who enter the kingdom? Jesus answers in verses 24ff. But, He doesn’t really answer – at least not clearly. Again, they want to know, how many – but He tells them who – and tells them urgently to be considered among that number. There is only one door, and limited time.
Look at verse 23, “And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; [wait, you’re talking to Jews here] for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” These are stunning words even to us today, but they would have shocked the initial hearers. They thought they were in – we’re Jews, we’re fine. And Jesus looks them squarely in the eyes, and looks you squarely in the eyes today, and says strive to enter through the narrow door, for many will seek to enter the kingdom is the idea and will not be able.
What’s He talking about? I thought we were saved by grace through faith – without works, and you would be right. But the point is this: strive to find the right door of the gospel. Listen, there are 999 ways out there calling for your attention, and they are all wrong. Strive to enter through the narrow door.
If you’ve been around awhile, you know one of my favorite words is this word – strive – related to the word agonizomai. It’s the word from which we get our word agonize. Strive earnestly, agonize, make every effort to find the right door – the narrow door of the gospel – and enter that way. Do not listen to the myriads of voices around you. There is only one door.
What does Jesus mean when He says, “for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” It could be this seeking to enter and not being able is because they are not coming through the narrow door of the gospel. They’ve selected one of the other doors – the other religions, thinking they will enter heaven’s gates, but they won’t be able. Possible – it is a corollary truth.
But notice the next verse, “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door” – the idea seems to be, shuts and locks the door. No longer any entry, and you are standing outside, knocking on the door – it seems to be the right door, the narrow door. They are calling out, Lord, open up to us. But they are unable to enter. Why? Two reasons.
First, the door has been shut. The opportunity to enter has passed – it is too late. When will that be? When will it be too late? When you die and want to enter heaven without entering in this life, through faith. It could perhaps be at the judgment – Lord, open up to us? But it’s too late. Perhaps it is after Jesus comes back. The point is, there is a limited time to enter through the narrow door of the gospel – that is, repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, I’ll get to it someday. Or, I will believe when I am convinced – when all my questions and objections have been answered. Or, I’ll believe before I die. I hope that’s true – I hope you get to it.
Here’s another thing I want to say gently – some of you think you’re smarter than God, that your way of many ways is better than God’s only way through His Son. You understand you are setting yourself up as God’s judge. You are judging and dismissing the sacrificial loving way of grace. You are turning your back on God, saying, I don’t like your way; I’ll find my own way. My friend, do not presume on God’s grace – there is only one way, and it is narrow. Strive to enter through the way of grace. It’s a gift – receive it.
Second, the door is shut, because only those who come by faith will enter. All those who will be saved have been saved. Notice what those knocking on the door are saying, “We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught us in our streets.” Obviously, Jesus is speaking to those who were around when He walked the earth. We ate with You, we drank with You, we listened to You. We heard You in the streets. That’s good enough, right?
The same could be said to many today. You see, we might say, we ate and drank and hung out with You through Your body called the church. We heard Your teaching through the Word of God. That’s good enough, right? Listen, Jesus communicated this truth at a different time in the Sermon on the Mount, where we read these words:
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
Not only did they eat and drink with Jesus and listen to His teaching – they did lots of things in His name. They looked very Christian – why, they prophesied in His name, they cast out demons and performed miracles in His name. There was only one problem, verse 23:
23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
That sounds familiar. Back in our text, when they are pounding on the door, Lord, open up to us, and He responded, “I do not know where you are from.” I don’t know you. I don’t know where you’re from and how you think you got here – but the door is closed. So, they’ll provide their resume, we hung out with You – ate and drank with You, we even listened to Your teaching, and He will respond, “I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.” I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.
Why does He say this? What’s the difference? There is an eternal difference between knowing about Jesus, even doing things in Jesus’ name, hanging out at that church with God’s people, and being in relationship with Jesus Christ. As He and the rest of the NT have been making clear, that comes through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It isn’t what you know about Jesus, it is, do you know Jesus, and does He know you? In another place in Matthew 7, we read:
13“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
14“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
There’s the direct answer to the question – many find the broad way, all the other doors; few find the narrow way and the narrow door. The way is not wide. People complain that Christianity is a narrow religion. Well, it is, according to Jesus. Because to allow other religions to be right is to deny Himself. Christ leads to life; all others lead to destruction. It is narrow in that there is only one way – but it is broad in that all are invited. It is exclusive because you must come the narrow way; it is inclusive because all may come.
Depart from Me, all you evil doers. Remember, I said Jesus was crucified for our sins and raised for our justification – to have our sins removed and receive the righteousness of Christ. These who did not know Jesus – who were not in relationship with Jesus – still had their sin unremoved and therefore, their guilt. Jesus called them still yet evil doers – sinners.
Depart from Me – and go where? Verse 28 – in that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is a common phrase, especially in Matthew, referring to the eternal judgment of hell. Weeping refers to the pain and remorse of punishment; gnashing of teeth refers to the angry heart still in rebellion against God.
And we see here, they will somehow see or be aware of the messianic table – of which they are not apart. Oh, they were on the guestlist, but they never responded to the invitation. They will see the table at which are seated, as promised throughout Scripture, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God. Yes, the patriarchs and prophets will be there – not because of Abraham’s blood which flows through their veins, but because of Jesus’ blood shed for their redemption – His blood which washed them whiter than snow. But these who expected to be there because of Abraham’s blood – or because they selected another door beside the narrow door – will be thrown out. Cast out into outer darkness.
Then Jesus throws a major curve ball – one which should make us most humbly grateful. While these non-believing Jews will be thrown out – not in the kingdom, not seated at the table – others will come from east and west, north and south to recline at the table. To whom is Jesus referring? Believing Gentiles. Everyone who repents and believes the gospel – who enters through the narrow door. Spatially, if we think of the New Jerusalem as being in the New Heaven and the New Earth – we will be coming from the west. Not because we deserve it – but simply because we have entered through the narrow door, the only door of the gospel. Not because we know about Jesus, but know Jesus, and He knows us.
And then He says this, some who are last who will be first, and some who are first will be last. The first is speaking of the Jews, the last are speaking of the Gentiles. It could be first in chronology or importance; last could be last in chronology or last in importance. But those who believe will be there. Outsiders have become insiders; “insiders” have become outsiders. We who were far off have been brought near. One of my commentators pointed out that we often use this statement flippantly – to refer to being first in line or last in line at a buffet or the like. But every time we use the statement or idea, it should humble us. While we were last, we will be there. We’ve been grafted in.
Here’s the question – will you be there? That was Jesus’ point. They wanted to know how many – He zeroed in on, strive to make sure it includes you. Have you entered through the door of the gospel? Have you believed in Jesus and His death on the cross and His resurrection? Have you surrendered to His lordship? Do you know Jesus, and does He know you?