As Patrick said, this morning, we welcome all who are with us today. We're certainly glad to have you. As I was thinking about those who are away from us this morning, we have a number of people who are not with us today. They're out traveling and doing some other things. I'm confident they're worshipping on this Lord's day as well, but just in other places, but we have some have kind of taken their place and you've come and been with us. And for that we very much appreciate your presence. And it's just good for all of us to be here and to be able to worship God in this way this morning.
Mary Jane Allamel is with us this morning. We hadn't seen Mary Jane a while and we're glad to have her back with us. She didn't bring Ken and so we're all thankful about that. No, we're not, we like Ken as well. We're glad to have it anytime they can come back and be with us. We're thankful about that. I want to introduce you to a young man who's sitting on the other side of Beth. His name is Damon Tombs. Damon is Jordan Tombs younger brother, considerably younger brother. Damon is living with us this summer, and is working in the area. He is a, he's going to school at the University of Tennessee. So don't any of you throw anything at him this morning, Mike will hug him, but the rest you might. Anyway, Damon is going to UT and as I said is working in the are. And he'll be worshiping with us some over the summer. So if you've not yet met Damon, make sure you do that. So he's a pleasant and very personable young man. And I know you'll get to, you'll be appreciative the fact that you get to know him. So make sure you do that this morning, but he you can expect to see him with us some on occasion. We are glad to have all of you. As I said with us I know some are watching online, some are not feeling well. And I know you're watching online. So we're glad to have you. I'm glad that that's a way that you can be with us that there's a sense in which you can be here even if you don't feel well. So we're grateful that you are doing that.
Two weeks ago when I spoke and I introduced you to a young lady named Alyse Nash. I read some things and showed you a picture too about her and her family and just told you a little bit about her circumstances, I just want to give you an update. And I do this because some of you have really, you expressed interest in the fact that that that that her story was motivational to you and influenced you for good. And it really has me and I've kind of followed along and as I've said been in touch with her in some ways. But let me share something that I think she posted maybe a day or two ago. And again, I don't know what her circumstances are this morning. But anyway, you understand. She said, "if you're counting I'm down to days, but God it is in your hands, your will be done. Hospice changed around a few meds and it seems to be just what I needed. I'm peripherally blind in my left eye. And that seems to be interesting at times. But it's also given me a lot to be thankful for. And a lot to think about. Thank you God for giving us the way out of the darkness and a clear, straight path. Help us not to be stubborn. Thank you for making the path clear even when I clutter it with sin and stupid choices. Thank you for forgiving me through Jesus blood. And the grace extended to me. Several have asked recently how the boys are doing and where they are in their understanding. I think they're doing well. A few nights ago, the three of us talked openly and candidly about what's going on how close the timeline is getting and if I'm soon to go, when will we see each other again? How does that work? I had an extremely proud mom moment. Their answers were articulate and deeply about eternity, and why we need Jesus. We also talked again, about the last timeline I was given. We talked about the important things. And we're all just trying to navigate and do the best we can. You know what I woke up and did today? I rejoiced in another day that God has blessed me with." That, my friend is faith. And as we talked about two weeks ago, that's what is really the perspective that all of us should have. Because the fact of the matter is, we're all dying. And none of us know when she has a pretty good idea that she only has days. But all of us, all of us are passing from this life. So we all need to be aware of that.
Well, this morning, as I announced Wednesday night I want to talk to you about this idea of Will Few be Saved. So I want you to think about that with me this morning as we give some thought to this idea. And before I go down the road in this lesson, I want you to think about something. I'm just going to throw a statistic at you. 1% of the people in this world right now is approximately 80 million people. 1%, generally, of the population in the world, today, right now is about 80 million people. Four and a half of the world's population live in this country, four and a half percent of the world's population live in this country. Now, there's no real correlation between what I just said to you and what I want to talk about other than I want you think about it. I want you to think about it based upon two passages that I want to share with you right now. Okay, so just just keep that idea in your mind and then think about these two passages. In Matthew seven, Jesus said, "enter, by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction. And there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate. And difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it." You letting that sink in? Letting Jesus' word sink in? Alright go to Luke 13. "And he went through the cities and villages teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem and then one said to him, Lord, are there a few who are saved? And he said to them, Strive to enter through the narrow gate. For many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able." I want to ask you a question. Does that scare you to death? You hear what he's saying? Are there few who are saved? The question that this man asked, I suppose he's a man, I don't know. Are there gonna be a few who are saved? And Jesus did what Jesus commonly did, he didn't just come out with a straight answer. He came out with the answer that he wanted to give in order to get people to think and I think this answer makes us think. And I want to talk to you about that this morning. The question of will there be few who saved? I asked this question. This was interesting. I asked this question in high school class a few weeks ago. And of course, I caught them off guard, like I'm catching you off guard. But I said to them, I said, just take a stab. Just take a guess. About how many people you think will be saved? And somebody said 150,000.
And then somebody else Oh, no, no, no, at least 300,000. And that number, just as it's just a stab. And I kind of forced the issue, because when I first asked it, nobody wanted to answer it. And I get that because if somebody asked me the question, like I'm asking you right now, you really wouldn't want to answer that. You wouldn't want to give me a number because you really don't know. You don't have any idea and neither do I. Neither did they. But I thought it was interesting that in that class, the first response was a 150,000. And right now, presently living, there's 8 billion people. Just let just mull that. Just mull that over. And I know I'm asking you to do things and I'm asking you to think about things that we really have no idea about, not specifically. No, we don't. But doesn't this question, "Lord, will a few be saved". Doesn't that question just give you pause? Doesn't it just make you think what is the answer that question? And what can I know about the answer to that question? I'll tell you, I'll tell you why one reason I think it concerns us because and I'm gonna talk about how Jesus responded in just a minute. But we don't like an answer that's really not an answer. But I don't think we want an answer that is the answer. Here's why: because we want a compassionate God. And he is. We want a loving God and He is. We want a forgiving God, and he is. We want a God who who wants to save us. And he is. We want to sacrifice that's been given to save us and he has. All of those things are true. But we want that all the time. We want that loving, caring, compassionate God all the time. That's who we want. We want him, we want him to be that way, no matter what. And I want him to be that way no matter what. And I think he is that way all the time. But there's other factors involved. There are other ways that God operates. There are the things about God that we have to think about that the truth is that Jesus and his father are serious. And they're truthful. They're clearly honest, they cannot lie, whatever they say is the truth. And to the question that was asked, Jesus gave the truth. And we want it, we may not like it. We may not want to hear it. But what if we didn't hear the truth? What good would that do us? It would do us no good. But we need the truth, we must have the truth. Because salvation is not something I want to be deceived about. Would you rather, would you rather Jesus had just said, You know what? You really don't need to worry about because God's gonna say most people. That's not what he said. He didn't give a figure. He didn't say of the billions of people who have ever lived God's going to save this many. He didn't say that. I'm glad he didn't. Because then I'd just be: am I gonna be one of the ever how many he would get? I'm glad we don't have the the specific answer to that. Salvation is not something to be deceived about. It's not something to be misunderstood about. And Jesus' seriousness is a sign of His love for us.
So I want you to consider three factors that are related to that right there. Here's, here's the answer. Yes. There's gonna be few people say, hey, that's the answer. We just read that the gate into eternal life is narrow, and few. It's difficult, Jesus said, it's difficult, and few people are gonna find it. So the answer to the question is yes. There's gonna be few people saved. And so I want us to think about it. Because I don't think he said it, to discourage us. I think he said it to encourage us. I'm going to show you why. Let's look at this. Let's look at this question. The crucial question is, will few be saved? Now, there are other ways in the Bible that the question is asked, or that the related question is asked. For instance, on several occasions, somebody said, Lord, what must I do to be saved? What must I do to have eternal life? That's not that question. But it relates to that question. You say that right? That's not that question. But it relates to that question. So there's a sense in which the way that's phrased it's just as crucial. It is a crucial question. And I want to suggest something. If you're here today, you're here today, because that question is important to you. Most of you are here today, because you've already answered that question. It's very important to me that I'm in that few. And I'm here because my understanding of Scripture would suggest that not only do I have to accept who Christ is, not only do I need to obey Him, but I need to follow what he says. And so you're here. You're here this morning to worship because the indication is clear to you in Scripture, that that's what children of God, that's what disciples of Jesus Christ do. They meet together on the first day of the week, as Mike talked about this morning. And as we sung about. When we meet on the first day of the week, to remember his death and to worship him. That's important to you because you want to be a part of the few. Or you might be here this morning and you're not a Christian. But you're here. And my guess is at least part of the reason you're here is because it is important to you. You might be here this morning and you don't know how to do that. You don't know how to become part of a people who are saved. You don't know how to be forgiven of your sins. If you're here this morning, and that's a question that you have, we'd love talk to you about that. But something tells me that all who are in this auditorium this morning, you're here because this question is important to you.
Now verse 24 is what Jesus said when he was asked a question. Jesus said, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate. For many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able." I want to just break this down just a minute. The question wasn't asked to me. The question wasn't asked to you. The question wasn't asked, in Luke 13, to just some bystander. And somebody thought, well, let me just ask this guy. Or let me ask this woman. Let me just ask them who, how many do they think will be. It wasn't asked of that person. It was asked to Jesus Christ. And he said, "I say to you." In essence he said, I know. And here's what I say to you. And what he says is, he didn't give a number. He didn't give a percentage. He said, strive. Are you hearing that? To the question, Will few be saved? The first word out of Jesus mouth was "strive." That's the answer. Strive what? To enter through the narrow gate. We just talked about it. And a lot of people will, a lot of people want to go. And a lot of people think they're going. They're not going. They're not going. There may be, there may be folks in this audience this morning who think they're going and they're not going. Let me rephrase it. There may be some of us in this audience this morning who think we're going and we're not going. I'm just saying that's a possibility. And I think that's strong language. Would you have preferred Jesus just give a figure? That's not what he did. Here's what Jesus said, he said strive. That word is the word agonizing. It's the word that we get our English word agonize from, or exert, strive. That's that word. That's that word, strive. So Jesus said, what you need to do is agonize. What you need to do is agonize over what it is that you're trying to accomplish. And what would we prefer that Jesus give a figure? I don't think so. We do know this: Jesus wants everybody saved. You know, one of my favorite passages is Second Peter three, verse nine. "Lord's not slack concerning His promises, as some count slackness but he's long suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." I love that. I think that speaks volumes about who God is. He's not willing that anybody should perish. But what's implied is Second Peter three and verse nine is some people will perish. And what's implied in the verses we're looking at is most people will perish. Is that not true? Is that not your conclusion about what we're at what we're saying is morning? What we're talking about this morning? The fact of the matter is, folks, most people will perish. God says that he doesn't want anybody to, but most people will.
Which leads to another question. And this is a question you're thinking. My guess is you're sitting thinking, Well, can you get to the point? Get to what I'm thinking. Here's what you're thinking: is it just too hard? Is it just too hard? If only a few people are going to be saved is it just too hard? What's the point? Has that crossed your mind this morning? As we get to this point, as we talked about this, then what's the poin Kenny? What's the point of trying? Lord, what's the point if not many people are going to make it. And if agonizing is something that we have to do in order to achieve, if you will, and that's, I use that term not in terms of "I our work for my salvation," I use that term just in terms of what He expects of me. And the perspective that I have about that salvation. Can anybody actually do this? Has the thought crossed your mind this morning, thus far that maybe, maybe I'm not. Maybe I'm not going to heaven. I think it's worth considering. I'll tell you, I think it's worth considering. Because most people won't be in heaven. Because there are a few people who are going to make it. Jesus said, stive.
Now let me get to the second question. In fact, there's a exclusive answer. There is an exclusive answer to this question this morning. And the exclusive answer is that most people won't strive. Don't you think we can conclude that? If Jesus said to the question, will you be saved, you need to strive? Well, then what's the implication? Most people won't strive? They're not going to strive. You get to verse 25, "when once the master of the house has risen up, shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door saying, Lord, Lord, open for us. And He will answer and said you, I don't know you. Where are you from? Then you'll begin to say, we ate and drank in your presence and you taught in our streets. And he will say, I tell you, I don't know you, where are you from? Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity." That's strong language. When the end comes, and people are left out, they don't get to go in the gate. They're in the broad gate, but they're not in the narrow gate. And people are gonna say, Hold on just a minute. We were there when you talk, we ate. We sat with you socially, we ate and drank with you. And you're telling us we that we're not in? Is that not what that passage says? And, of course, the initial context of this probably has to do with with the Jews thinking about themselves. And probably a Jew, asking him a few people be saved. And in this Jewish mind, probably thinking it's the Jews that are going to be saved, and nobody else. Everybody else is excluded. If you think about that, if just the Jews are saved, then it would be few. But Jesus, he gets rid of that pretty quick. He gets rid of that pretty quick. Verse 20, "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. When you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and yourselves thrust out." Well he's talking about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, you're talking about the Jewish triad there in terms of earthly people. And he says, you see them and you're the ones left out. So it's not all the Jews, if that's if that's what your mindset is. It's not all the Jews, verse 29. "They'll come from the east and west, the north and south and sit down at the kingdom of God. And indeed, there are those who are last will be first and those who first will be last." That's what Jesus said.
I think the Jews thought they were in just by the very nature of who they were. You remember on one occasion, they said, Jesus said to him, you say you have Abraham as your father. God can raise up the stones to be children of Abraham. Don't think that the fact that you're Jews makes any difference now. It doesn't. God can raise up stones, if that's what he's looking for. This is exclusive. But et me get to what I know you're waiting on, okay. Because I think this is the key. I think this is the key. The issue in this exclusive answer is why does he give this? Does he give this answer because he wants to beat us all over the head? Because none of us are going to make it because it's too hard? Or is this exclusive answer, tt's not designed to rob us of our confidence, but rather to keep us focused, and serious. See, there's the issue, my friends. This is the issue. The answer is given not to beat us over the head, but it's to keep us focused. The problem for us is not lack of faith. The problem for us is distractions. The problem for us is a perspective that's not what Jesus wants. The problem for us is thatwe have a tendency, I think, because I'm thinking about myself, we have a tendency not to strive. We have a tendency to not think about this for a certain period of time because I've got to think about this. And Jesus said, You got to strive, you got to agonize, you got to exert some effort to make this happen.
The text tells us that Jesus, I think, at least it's implied that Jesus is just saying, you have to strive to enter in. And you do that by staying focused. That's what really, at least for me, a lot of my preaching here to you and with us and for all of us, myself included, it's the idea of staying focused. That's our problem. And I think that's why Jesus said to the question, you have to strive. You have to strive to enter. You have to strive to enter, Jesus says. Most people aren't focused. That's why Jesus would say things like, you need to seek first the kingdom of heaven. You need to seek first the kingdom of heaven. So that's why a lot of sermons are about are you seeking first the kingdom of heaven? Are you? Are your activities in life focused upon the kingdom? Are you spiritually minded? Are you? Or do you let this take precedence over this? Or have you made this an idol as opposed to focusing on Jesus? That's why a lot of lessons relate to that. Have you made activities an idol? Have you made money an idol? Have you made power an idol? Have you made your work an idol? That's what all of those things have to do with this question, because that is the question. It's designed to keep us back on it. Are you seeking first the Kingdom? Or as Colossians three says, "Are you seeking those things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God?" I don't know about you. I talked about that some because that's what I need. It is a focus issue. You see that, and that's what Jesus is saying. You got to strive. Or a passage like you need to deny yourself need to take up your cross daily and follow Me. What's that saying? That saying, strive. That's what that's. When I'm too focused on all these other things in my life that distract me that I'm involved with. And I'm not suggesting - all of us, all of us have responsibilities. All of us have things. I get all that. It's the distractions that are the problem. It's the inability to focus that Jesus says is gonna keep you out. And none of us want that. Jesus didn't say it's this percentage will be saved, this number will be saved. He said, strive. Don't you find that interesting? That's his answer. Strive.
Which brings me to the last point that I want to make that relates to this, and that is that the Lord, I think, is broken hearted when he thinks about the fact that few will be saved. I just want you to think about the beginning of our context, in Luke 13 and I want you to think about the end of the context. The end of the context, Jesus looks at the city says, "oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets, stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing. See, your house is left to you desolate. And assuredly I say to you, you shall not see me until the time comes when you say blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." I do think the principles here are applied specifically to the Jews. I do think that. I think that is the immediate context. But I think the ultimate context has to do with all of us. And here the picture is Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. He said, How often did I want to bring you in? How often did I want you to hear me? How often how often did I speak and I wanted you to hear me out? I wanted you to obey. How often did I want all that and you were unwilling? That's what the text says. You were not willing. You weren't willing. So here it's strive, but you're not willing. Exert, but you're not willing. Agonize, but you're not willing. If you're not willing, you're not going to be saved. Jesus told Jerusalem the truth and they didn't listen. Broke his heart. You see the contrast between few will be saved and my heart's breaking over you Jerusalem. You see that contrast? Why do you think? Let me ask you the question. Why would you think that Jesus weeps? Why do you think he wept over Jerusalem? I'll tell you what I think. Because Jesus knows what hell is like. Because he made Hell. He made it for the devil and his angels. And all those who would be unwilling to strive, look at that. He knows. And if I can use imagery that I think maybe helps us folks a little bit on it, he knows what it smells like. He knows what it looks like. He knows everything about it. And he weeps when he thinks about people who are unwilling to strive and stay focused on Him, because He knows that's where they're going to end up eternally. But the opposite of that's true as well. So he knows about heaven. That's why he tells us the truth. It's not a question of, well, you got all these options, and just you need to stay in this range. It's not about range. There's two options binary, Heaven or Hell. And so, Jesus said, I weep. Because you're unwilling to strive. You're unwilling to listen. He knows what's coming. And this is what's interesting, but he makes Christianity inclusive. Christianity's most inclusive religion in the history of the world. It's not exclusive, it's inclusive. Let me ask you this question. Who does Jesus exclude from the gospel? What's the answer to that? Nobody. Nobody. Doesn't matter what you have in this life or what you don't have. Doesn't matter what color your skin is. Doesn't matter how powerful you are? Doesn't matter what language you speak doesn't matter where you live. If you're willing to strive, God will save you eternally. That's powerful. That's powerful. People will be excluded by their choice. By their choice. You're unwilling he said to Jerusalem. You are unwilling. So I'm weeping for you.
Let me close with just three, I want to close with three verses. This is a passage that Eric read earlier. First Peter one. "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober." You know what? That you know what that is? That's be serious. That's strive. Be serious. And on down in verse 17, "And you call on the Father who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear." What is that? That's strive. That's strive. Conduct yourself while you're on the earth in fear. That's strive for it. Well, this passage in Colossians one I love this, "Him we preach," Paul says, "Warning every man, teaching every man in all wisdom that we present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." Here's what Paul said we're trying to do. And then he says this about Himself. "to this end I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily." That's the case study right there. And Paul says, This is me, I'm striving. Or finally, second Corinthians five verse nine, "therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent to be well pleasing to Him." See, what is that? That's striving. We make it our aim.
So my question to you this morning is this. To the answer, or to the question, will few be saved. My answer to you is Jesus answer and that's it right there. Strive. Does that does rob? Should that rob your confidence that you're going to heaven? I don't think so. Should that demand that you focus on whether or not you want to go to heaven and that you're doing what God wants you to do and that you're obeying Him fervently. Should it do that? Absolutely. That's what that means. Right? That's the answer to the question. Will few be saved? Strive.
I think that's a serious admonition that I think all of us need to understand that. You remember, you probably don't but I'll remind you. Remember the song that Bret led before the reading that Eric gave? Let me see if I can remember that verse. Somebody help me. It talks about the strife will soon be over. Remember that? remember that? What is it? The strife will not be long. Thank you, Brett. I should have ask him. The strife will not be long. Perfect. Thats perfect. The strife will not be long, but the strife is real. So the question this morning is, are you striving? If you are its going to be a good day. Going to be a wonderful eternity if you're striving. If you're not striving you're going down that broad way that leads to death. That's about as strong a statement as I can make. I think I can make it because that's what Jesus said, strive. Strive. Would you do that today? Would you begin that process today? Are you unwilling? If you're unwilling, you're unwilling. And the truth is, if you're unwilling, the narrow way it's not a place you'll be in. God help us all. God help us all to go down the narrow way. We can help you today make that choice. Come as we stand and as we sing.
