Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Gospel Lesson just read, from Luke 13. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- Appearances are often deceiving. So not everyone who appears to be a certain thing necessarily is that thing. We all know about hypocrisy, deceptions, and the “personas” that people like to exude. People like to present themselves to others as being more “wealthy” than they really are, or as being “physically stronger and fit” than they really are, or as being more “intelligent and educated” than they really are, or more “influential and powerful” than they really are. All of this is one of the great irritations in life.
- We would like to assume that within the church this would never be a problem – that no one would come into a church and pretend to be something that they are not. Sadly, this is not the case. I suppose that the more desirable and prestigious a certain status is, the more temptation there is for people to “fake it” and to falsely claim to have that status – especially if there is opportunity to manipulate others to one’s own advantage and benefit. Obviously, when it comes to “membership” within a church, all such hypocrisy and superficiality excludes any real faith in God. In fact, it makes a mockery of both faith and God.
- This is what Jesus warns about in our text – that we take great care not to engage in such hypocrisy ourselves, and also that we be aware that such unbelieving superficiality will be present within the fellowship of the church, so that we can defend ourselves against it. It is quite a dismal and deplorable reality – especially in view of the will of God, His great love for us, and His gracious mercy and forgiveness!
- So let us first:
I. Remember That God Wills All People To Be Saved
1 Tim. 2:4 “God wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
A. So Christ Died For All People, For The Sins Of All Mankind
1 Cor. 5:14 “He died for all.”
1 John 2:2 “He is the blood atonement for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
B. So Also The Invitation Into Christ’s Kingdom Is Extended To All People
Matt. 11:28 “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Is. 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”
Statement: There really is no need for hypocrisy within the church at all! Every single human being has been freely invited in, and the sins of every single human being has already been paid for in Christ’s suffering and death on the cross, and forgiven!
Why then does hypocrisy exist within the church? Only because of our refusal to properly repent of our sins – and our perverse desire to find a basis in ourselves to compare ourselves favorably with others, to elevate ourselves over others. So we turn the church into a “do-gooders” club – and the ones who have “done” the most with Christ, spent the most time in His presence, and had the closest “fellowship” with Him, they win and elevate themselves to the loftiest places within the church!
Application: All of this is utterly perverse and contrary to the very heart of God and the very purpose of Christ’s coming into this world as “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” And there is only one reason why it continues – the stubborn ignorance and idolatrous nature of our sin, our horrid pride and arrogance!
Christ spoke these words to warn us about this hideous aspect of our sinful nature – so that we do not spend a lifetime within the church only to spend eternity in “weeping and gnashing of teeth” outside of His kingdom!
For:
II. Christ Our Dear Savior, His Gracious Mercy And Forgiveness, Is The Narrow Door, The Only Door, And He Is Entered By Faith And By Faith Alone – So Strive For This True And Proper Faith
Text: “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”
John 10:9 “I am the door”
John 3:36 “He that believes the Son has eternal life; he that believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Statement: That this seems odd to us, contrary to common sense and reason – that sinners, prostitutes, and tax collectors will be with Christ in His kingdom, along with His prophets and apostles, while all the “good people” of the world are cast out – is weighty evidence of just how corrupt and perverted out sinful nature truly is! So beware! This is just what our dear Lord Jesus, our dear Savior, is warning us about. For how easily a church, a congregation, is perverted into a “do-gooders” club, where people forget and deny that they are included in the judgment of God’s Word that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” and where Christ is dismissed so that people may elevate themselves and all their “goodness” – the good things they are doing!
Application: The antidote to this wretchedness and hypocrisy is honest and heartfelt repentance. This is “striving to enter the narrow door” – recognizing the horrid nature of our sin and rejoicing in one thing – that Christ the Lamb of God has taken away the sin of the world, including our own sin and guilt! Then our trust and reliance is in Him alone – in the gracious mercy, forgiveness, and love of God! This is “THE NARROW DOOR.”
And don’t forget, that all others who knock at the door – claiming to have done all kinds of wonderful things with Christ and for Christ – will not be granted access. Indeed, Christ will not even acknowledge knowing them!
Transition: And obviously, this is important for us to understand as a congregation! The Lord Jesus bids us to:
III. Beware, For Many Impenitent Unbelievers, Hypocrites, Hang Around With Jesus
A. They Try To Stake Their Claim To A Place In His Kingdom Based Upon Their Accomplishments
Text: “We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.”
Matt. 7:22 “On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and do many mighty works in Your Name?’”
B. But These Unbelieving Hypocrites Are Dismissed To Hell
Text: “Depart from Me, all you workers of evil. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.”
Statement: First, Jesus bids each of us fair warning – do not be among the impenitent, the unbelieving, the hypocritical, the “do-gooders.” Not only will you not make it in, your place will actually be one of utter misery – weeping and gnashing of teeth! Second, beware of this evil hypocritical dynamic within the life of the church – and of those who try to “high-jack” Christ’s own church and turn it into their personal “merit club.” No one who joins them will enter the kingdom of heaven!
Application: So we have much to contemplate when we hear these words of Jesus, both personally and also in regard to the fellowship of our congregation! Obviously, Jesus does not want any of us to be among those who are excluded from His kingdom through unbelief and hypocrisy! He calls all of us to repentance and faith, to enter through “THE NARROW DOOR” – which is He Himself, His self-sacrifice and gracious gift of salvation! He warns us not to trust in ourselves, or to think that His kingdom can be entered into on the basis of our merit! All of this is grotesque hypocrisy in view of the reality and pervasiveness of human sin.
Conclusion: Throughout the world, and in all aspects of our life in this fallen world of sin we are confronted with hypocrisy – people putting on appearances which hide and obscure what they really are in order to try to elevate themselves. We know the game – and have played it ourselves from time to time.
It is a horrible game – silly, contrived, and a horrid waste of time and energy! But within the church it is even worse, for it rejects Jesus and trifles with Almighty God. And the outcome for those who engage in this game within the church is dire: God will not be fooled and He will not be trifled with, and those who pervert His church in this manner will surely fall under His wrath!
So let us hear Jesus and humble ourselves – trembling with fear at our perverse sinful tendencies, and rejoicing in the promises of God, that “he that believes the Son has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation!”
The door may be narrow, but it is wide enough for all of us to enter – all who repent of their sin and who put faith and trust in Christ alone! God grant that we all be among them! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.