WBS.209
FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
DISCIPLESHIP 101
Part 6 – Gates and Ways
Luke
13:23 Then said one unto him, Master, are there
few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24 Strive
to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter
in, and shall not be able.
Peter thought, if he was going to be killed as a
consequence of his obedience to the Master; what was John’s fate going to be? Yahushua’s reply was “What difference does it
make, Peter? Are you going to follow me
or not?” Even after the resurrection,
Yahushua did not coddle his disciples.
Discipleship was not going to be easy.
It was going to cost everything. It still does.
Yesterday, I listened to a recorded sermon given
by a contemporary minister of the gospel.
In his message he said that Christians, today, were looking to go to
Heaven; and that Heaven was the focus of the gospel message. He then clarified
that Messiah did not come to bring people to Heaven; but rather, he came to
bring people to IAUE. Let’s pause to
contemplate that for a minute.
If I am delivered a message that promises me
Heaven, then I am the important element in the message. Heaven was made for me, for my enjoyment, to
please men. It’s all about me, me,
me. I can then embrace this no-cost message,
gain the promise of eternal security in a wonderful place; and have no real
constraints on how I live my life until I get to Heaven.
If I am delivered a message that explains how
IAUE took the steps to accomplish all that was necessary to restore man into
fellowship and relationship with him; and all it takes is to repent (to turn
from the very thing that demonstrates our rebellion against Him), and to bow my
knee in allegience to the mastery of His Son, Yahushua Messiah, then I realize,
though I am obviously deemed important by IAUE, it is all about HIM, not about
me. The focus is not on me having an expectation of a happy eternity. The focus is on living before IAUE as He
wants me to live, now.
The first message leaves man utterly
selfish. Though he may embrace a
religious culture and refine some of his behavior and activities (at least when
he is in the eye of the public), his focus is still on what he wants; not what
IAUE wants. Unfortunately, it is
true. The contemporary gospel message
and the frequent reinforcement of sermons on Sunday mornings absolutely protect
a selfish focus for our lives. In fact, it would almost seem that some messages
are not satisfied with how selfish we already are. They promote a genuinely materialistic
purpose for IAUE being in our life.
The way in which Yahushua taught, the message
in many of his parables, and the comments he made to and about the Pharisees
and to the rich and to the teachers of the law lead one to ask him:
Luke
13:23 Then said one unto him, Master, are there
few that be saved …
We
have already noted in recent weeks that Yahushua was not quick to receive one’s
devotion to become his disciple. He
would always challenge them with something that was absolutely offensive to their
selfish sensibilities; and one by one….and sometimes masses by masses, they
turned and walked away from him, no more to follow after him.
So,
are there few that be saved? How did the
Master respond to that question?
Luke 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for
many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Notice that he did not say, “Yes” or “No.” He said, “Strive.” It was a similar answer
to that which he gave to Peter when he asked what John’s fate would be. “This
is what YOU need to know.” This word “strive” (agonizomai
– to endeavor with effort, to contend against that which opposes your success)
indicates that just getting through the gate is going to be a contest of the
heart. It is going to require zeal and
purpose.
A “strait”
gate is not a “straight” gate. It is a
narrow gate. It will require upon being
opened, that you turn sideways, and squeeze through the entrance. It means exposing yourself to be utterly vulnerable
and indefensible as you move through the entrance. Why is this? It is because, beyond this gate,
it is NOT ABOUT YOU. IT IS ABOUT IAUE.
The Master DID tell this questioner, however,
that “many” would seek to enter this gate
but they would not be “able.” This word, “able” means, to have the ability;
or, to be capable of accomplishing. In
this context, it means they are not qualified to enter. Once again, we see that the Master is focused
on the quality of his disciples and not on the number of them. He does not lower
the entrance requirements just because the masses cannot follow him at the
current standard.
Messiah made similar comments recorded in the
gospel of Matthew.
Matthew
7:13 Enter
ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is
the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Notice in this passage, the Master gives a
reason why you should strive to enter in at the strait gate. It is because the “other” gate is deceptively way
too easy to pass through; and it leads to destruction. When you know that, it isn’t much of a choice. Or is it?
He also gives the reason why most do not enter
in at the strait gate. It is because the
“other” gate is broad. It has much
easier entrance requirements; and not only that, beyond the strait gate, the
way it leads to is “narrow” (thlibo
- compressed and fraught with troubles).
It isn’t a life of smooth sailing.
It is a life filled with conflict.
How can that possibly be deemed desirable to choose that way of life?
There you see the difference between the
gospel that focuses on IAUE and the message that focuses on YOU.
The problem is, when you are the listener, you
either believe or reject the message preached.
If you believe the gospel of Heaven, then you walk through the wide gate
to a broad way. Once on that broad pathway, it is intoxicating, satisfying,
full of yourself. If you ever become
aware of the fact that you are on the path that leads to destruction, you still can make
the choice. “Will I embrace a gospel
that is about IAUE instead of about ME?
Will I forsake all to follow Messiah?
Will I willingly lay down my life, my defenses, my selfishness, and
choose a life that will be resisted and opposed and persecuted all to glorify
IAUE and to honor the King?”
Though Yahushua tells us in this passage of
Scripture that many will choose the wide gate and broad path BECAUSE the gate
is narrow and the pathway is one of hardship and conflict that leads to life; one
does not necessarily understand the destination of each gate and pathway. You can
see the difference in the gates and the paths; but not the destination. Many choose the wide gate and broad path
thinking it is the right choice; thinking it is the better choice for them. After
all, that is where the masses are entering; and that many people can’t be
wrong, can they? Of course motivated
self-interest also is a function of their choice. They do not realize the destination promised
to their choice; they only know it is an easier option to obtain what they
believe is the same goal.
It could be said of most preachers, today,
what Messiah said of the teachers of the law in his day.
Luke 11:52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye
have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them
that were entering in ye hindered.
Once we become aware that we have entered the
wide gate to a broad path; we must acknowledge that its destination is
destruction. That leaves us with the
choice to continue on to our own destruction; or to repent and believe the TRUE
gospel, and then live for IAUE. One
might think this would be a “no-brainer,” but the hold of the broad pathway to
an unrepentant life is strong. This is why the Master instructed the questioner
to strive to enter the strait gate. Can we
let go of the fairy tale of an already-secured Heaven to reach for something
that will cost us everything?
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
