May it please God to bless us
together this evening as we meditate in his word. Let's turn to the
Gospel of Luke, chapter 13, and we'll read verses 23 and 24.
The Gospel of Luke, chapter 13, and reading verses 23 and 24.
Then said one unto him, Lord, Are there few that be saved?
And he said unto them, strive to enter in at the straight gate. For many, I say unto you, will
seek to enter in and shall not be able. It is important for us to recognise
how the Lord graciously answered such a question as this. In reality, he did not even answer
the question. There are many questions which
people ask, which are really irrelevant. This question was
really irrelevant. It wasn't going to serve any
truly useful purpose. It might have satisfied an inquisitive
mind. It may have brought some natural
satisfaction. But the reality was that the
question, are there few that be saved? Well, the person that
asked the question only really has to refer to the word of God. And he would have known the answer.
you see many today wants to have their natural inclination satisfied
this wasn't a spiritual question this was a natural question and
how important for us to be found asking spiritual questions and
not natural questions because the things naturally will fade
away there are no real relevance to our eternal standing there's
no real relevance to what we truly need to know and so we
should recognise that here again we find the devil trying to sidetrack
us and more often today sidetracks people he gets them asking what
we might term religious questions and people think it's good to
do that and they think by so doing people will think well
of them because they've asked something religious the reality
is it is in the sight of God of no value and all it does is
to satisfy our natural ego it doesn't profit our souls and
it's very important for us to recognise that see people hide
under just an outward form of religion. They think by asking
religious questions they're qualified for eternal heaven. Not at all. Not at all. The great issue is
to know that you and I are born again by the Spirit of God. And the Lord answered very directly
to everyone. And this is what he said. Strive
Strive. That means to be diligent. That
means to be concerned. That means to have a true heart,
a right heart in the things of God. Strive. To do what? To enter in at the
straight gate. For many, I say unto you, will
seek to enter in and shall not be able. relevant answer, isn't
it? It's a very necessary answer
for all of us. How important it is that God
gives us that grace to earnestly seek that you and I might be
found entering in at the straight gate or putting it another way,
entering in into the narrow way. The Lord Jesus speaks about that
in the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew and verse 13
in that 7th chapter tells us this remember this is part of
what we refer to as a Sermon on the Mount a wonderful sermon
wonderful statements necessary for us to take heed to and he
says this verse 13 and 14 enter ye in at the straight gate for
wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction
and many there be which go in thereat because straight is the
gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there
be that find it so our great question should really be are
we amongst the few? are we amongst those who seeking
to be found in the narrow way are directed by the Spirit of
God straight is the gate narrow is the way which leadeth unto
life and few there be that find it the devil is concerned that
you and I are walking in the broad way there's a broad way
is an easy way. There's not any obstacles, it's
nice and smooth and we can be thought well of by everyone and
yet you see perish in the end, drop into an eternal hell as
we come to the end of our journey. And so these words tonight are
very relevant we are to strive to enter in at the straight gate not be concerned about those
who perhaps pretend to be amongst the true Church of God but concerned
about ourselves again the hymn writer says how stands the case
my soul with thee for heaven are thy credentials clear Jesus
Christ thy only plea is he thy great forerunner there true and
real religion is between our soul and God it's not what man
thinks it's what God thinks and God looks at the heart man looks
at the outward appearance what a mercy it is if you and I have
a God-given heart religion so that we have found ourselves
diligent in the things of God this won't be just a passing
fad or a passing phase the true Church of God are concerned to
be blessed with spiritual union with the Lord Jesus Christ and
if they find that's lacking And if they find they seem to be
far off, they won't be happy about it. They'll be concerned
about it. They won't want to carry on in
an outward form. They want to be blessed with
spiritual union with the Lord Jesus Christ, as I quite often
refer to the case of the Apostle Paul. And it is a good illustration
that he gives when he wrote to the church at Philippi and he
said, I might know him, him and the power of his resurrection
and the fellowship with his sufferings. You see, these are things which
are not that which ungodly man wants. He thinks there's no relevance,
but the apostle Paul knew the blessing of it. he knew it was
a good desire a right desire a God-given desire and he was
striving for it you might think well surely the Apostle Paul
great man as he was he could have sat back and taken it easy
and rested on his laurels well he didn't do that at all did
he no the Apostle was concerned to know the blessing of Christ
and in this third chapter it really commences this but what
things were gained to me in a natural way those I counted loss for
Christ it's really like having scales isn't it balances on one
side the things of the world on the other side the things
of God many people today are more concerned about having things
of the world on the one side and on the other side were just
a few little trifles which they think will satisfy Almighty God
and bring them home to glory well that's not the way of the
gospel and you and I should be concerned to follow the great
and blessed example we have in the Word of God of the Savior
himself and of those that illustrations the Word of God gives us and
as we mentioned this one of Paul as he says what things were gained
to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless there was
no doubt about this statement he's going to make no doubt about
it I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord Well how valuable to you and me is
the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. It's not how many people
are saved. It's whether you and I are saved.
It's whether you and I have the wonderful evidence of this knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord. And the Apostle tells us for
whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do countenance
but done that I may win Christ. What is our desire tonight? Are we striving? Are we diligent
in our efforts, in our concern to be found those whom Christ
has loved? That we are indeed in Christ,
that we may win Christ, not because of anything that we've done,
but because of the wonderful love and mercy of our Saviour."
And he goes on to expand this statement, "...and be found in
Him." In Him, as we mentioned this morning how vital this is. "...and to be found in Him."
Not outside of Christ. Many people are happy to be outside. They're on the periphery. They
don't want to be involved. They just think it's too Costly,
well it is costly, the Christian religion, without any doubt.
But the end is a good one. The end is eternity in glory.
And that of course is a most blessed and wonderful prospect. So, you see, may we then therefore
be striving to enter in at the straight gate. There's a broad
way, an easy way. Turn out of it. don't follow
it the devil will tell you this is the right way you can put
both your feet if you like in a broad way you'll be alright
in the end no you won't for whom he says I have suffered
the loss of all things and do countenance but dung well we
know dung is not very valuable is it? it's valuable for manure
but otherwise it's not valuable at all that I may win Christ
Christ was his great concern if you read through the epistles
if you read through the Acts of the Apostles his great concern
was to know Christ and his great concern was for others to know
Christ see when he was there stuck in Athens alone what did
he do? sit in his room? fold his arms? no he went out into the marketplace
when every opportunity was given to him speaking about the things
of God of course he was opposed people really killed him so they
do today and they will continue to do so but we see the wonderful
evidence of the life of God in the Apostle that he was able
to say that I may win Christ and be found in him not having
mine own righteousness which is of the law he was very familiar
with that he'd been brought up to establish his own righteousness
under the law and he proved he could not do it and you and I
should be aware of that you see our chapel going and all that
kind of thing it won't stand us in any good stead by itself
nothing wrong in it I'm not speaking against it but don't rely on
your chapel going to get to heaven chapel going is a means to an
end chapel going is a place to come and hear the gospel chapel
going is a place to come and receive the blessing of God but
my friends if you don't receive the blessing it's of no value
you may as well stop at home for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things and be found in him not having mine own righteousness
which is of the Lord but that which is through the faith of
Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith well I hope
you're familiar with the blessing of righteousness by faith we've
gone through the Romans a while ago on that and setting forth
the glory of God-given faith just like Abraham was given that
faith to believe when everything seemed against him he believed
in God my friends today what a blessing if you and I can believe
in God even when things seem against us and it was accounted
to him for righteousness God gave him his righteousness he
imputed his righteousness in return took his sin upon himself
what a blessing today if that is given to us we must all have
God's righteousness you won't get to glory without it and you
won't get to glory with your righteousness you'll only get
to glory with Christ's righteousness is this word not true? strive
to enter in at the straight gate to desire earnestly that we may
have the evidence that God has clothed us with His righteousness
pure and spotless to cover our nakedness what a great and wonderful
Gospel we have what a great and wonderful Saviour we have through
faith God gives us faith to believe no less faith than Abraham was
given we might think Abraham had great faith so he did God
gives his people great faith it may seem to us perhaps as
Little faith. Well, don't despise it. Because
the Word of God tells us a little that a righteous man has, a man
with God's righteousness, is better than that of many wicked. And so here we have this statement. Not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ. the righteousness which is of
God by faith. Go home. Go home and study these
words. It's in the third chapter and
the ninth verse. Very, very blessed. Very, very
instructive. Very, very important to us. Because
this really is the kernel of religion. We don't want to have
just an outward shell. We don't want to be like a hypocrite,
which is, hypocrites described as A whited sepulcher, looks
all nice and clean outside. A den of thieves inside. We want to have the blessed work
of the Holy Spirit within us. Strive to enter in at the straight
gate. Therefore the Apostle then goes
on to say that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection. This is a wonderful blessing.
Resurrection power. What does that do? It brings
life from the dead. It brings life to our spiritual
deadness. It brings blessing of eternal
life. Well, you may feel dead. Perhaps you are dead, I don't
know. Maybe no life at all. You may be pretending there is.
My friends, strive. Yes, to enter in at the straight
gate, in the narrow way, desire to be diligent in the things
of God and to give God no rest until he has assured you of your
interest in his death, interest in his resurrection, interest
in his ascension and interest today in his intercession. These are the things which are
vitally important to all of us that I may know Him and the power
of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings naturally we
probably turn away from it we think, oh I can't do that it's
just going to be too hard well you don't know what it means
just don't jump to a conclusion the Apostle desired to be blessed
with fellowship of his sufferings you see that wasn't to be in
the Apostle Paul's case although of course he did have to face
natural sufferings it really often becomes a spiritual state
when you and I suffer perhaps in a mental way perhaps from
what people might say against us we find it's very trying and
very hard to bear and not pleasant at all remember the Saviour how
many evil things He had spoken of Him now if the Spirit of God
then causes such things to enter into your life and then it will
remind you of such a word as this fellowship of His sufferings
it will put everything in the right place and what will happen? you will rejoice. You were counted
worthy to suffer for his sake. It's union with Christ. It's that which the world knows
nothing of. It's that which separates a true
Christian from one who is false, one who is vain, one who is a
hypocrite. It's the blessing of Almighty
God, fellowship of his sufferings and being made conformable unto
his death. Conformable unto his death, to
agree with his death, to be satisfied with the blessed death of the
Saviour and to be aligned with a despised and crucified man. Union with Christ. So far different. from what natural man thinks
but this is a blessing which the Spirit of God gives and may
we be found striving then for these things because this is
entering in to the narrow way entering into that way and to
walk with the Saviour to walk with the Lord Jesus Christ He
walked a difficult path, didn't he? a most difficult path a far
more difficult path than you and I are called to walk. But
what a mercy if the Lord draws us to Himself, draws us to have
some understanding of what our salvation has cost. This puts
things in a right perspective. We won't worry then about what
this person asked for, either few that be saved. We will be
so thankful to know that Almighty God has caused His Holy Spirit
to descend upon us and given us that desire, that living desire
after the things of God, the true things of God, the spiritual
things of God, those things which will edify our soul, those things
which will bring honour and glory to our God. Well, you and I,
my friends, live today in a difficult day, but it hasn't changed. since
the days of the Apostle Paul and we should be thankful, thankful
indeed that we have such a statement as this he says having made that
statement being made conformal unto his death if by any means
I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead it's a very great
statement isn't it if by any means whatever it cost whatever
the Lord had deemed right for the Apostle if by any means I
might attain the resurrection of the dead what it's really
doing is putting eternal things and time things in a right perspective it's directing us to the vast
importance of eternal things and by contrast the unimportance
of time things. Well, not as though I had already
attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after if
that I may apprehend or if that I may understand that for which
also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. again it sets before us
really union with Christ then he says brethren I count not
myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting
those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those
things which are before the Apostle was wonderfully blessed
in his life but he was pressing forward, pressing forward. And he tells us in the next verse,
I pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus. By the grace of God, the apostle
was striving. It's good that you and I have
such expressions before us and such evidence of what this really
means and how easy it is for the evil one to come and sidetrack
us into the broad way and we find then we're very lukewarm,
we're very carnally minded we're taken up with the poor things
of this world and so many things in this material age that the
devil endeavours to track us into and in those paths we don't
find union we don't find communion we don't find we are in the narrow
way we find we are in the broad way we find our heart becomes
hard we find we become worldly minded we find we concentrate
on the things of time rather than the things of God And yet
the Lord has set before us this great and glorious example before
us that we should strive to enter in at the straight gate. He just
goes on to say, for many I say unto you will seek to enter and
shall not be able because they've gone into the broad way and they
thought they're all right. There are millions of people.
today who think they're alright. And there are many strict Baptists
who think they're alright and yet do not possess the true life
of God in their souls. They think they're journeying
on safely, in actual fact they're in the broad road. They're not
striving to enter in at the straight gate. For many I say unto you,
will seek to enter in and shall not be able we have the example
don't we set before us in the 25th of Matthew of the 10 virgins
the wise and foolish virgins well it's a good example for
us you see they all look the same they all look the same 5
were wise 5 were foolish there was a vast difference in reality
The difference was very simply this. Five had oil in their lamps. Five possessed the grace of God. The other five did not. Their
lamps had gone out. They did not possess the grace
of God. And therefore, at midnight, the
bridegroom came, and those that were ready, Those
who were wise, those who had been given grace to strive, went
in to the Marian Supper of the Lamb. The others then rushed
around trying to find some oil and got to the door and it was
shut. And it was shut. My friends,
bless God for the Gospel day. Bless God we have the Gospel
to direct us into that which is right and that which is wrong
my friends be not like those foolish virgins who thought they
were all right we need the evidence of the life of God in our souls
we need the evidence that we possess oil in our lamps and
that we are amongst those who don't come like these which we
are going to read about here in the 25th verse when once the
master of the house has risen up and was shut to the door,
and ye begin to stand without and to knock on the door, saying,
Lord, Lord, open unto us. And he shall answer and say unto
you, I know you not whence you are. And many think they're on
the right road. And many think they'll be accepted
for what they've done. No, you and I will only be accepted
upon what Christ has done for us. And that you and I have a
blessed interest in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord goes on to say, Then
shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence,
and thou hast taught in our streets. Yes, there are many who've done
that. They've been and heard the gospel preached. But you
see, it hasn't entered into their hearts. But he shall say, I tell
you, I know you not when she are. Depart from me, all you
workers of iniquity. He tells us what will happen.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you shall see Abraham
and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God
and you yourselves thrust out, shut out eternally. terrible isn't it? terrible to
think upon and yet how solemn it is that so many come and hear
the gospel has no effect they're not moved by it they carry on
in their own way assuming they're alright and concerned about trivial
things and concerned it might be thought well of just like
this person here asking this question Lord are there few that
be saved? my friends don't be concerned
about things which are irrelevant be concerned about the salvation
of our souls be concerned about where we shall spend eternity
be concerned about whether we are amongst those for whom Christ
has died amongst those for whom that blood was shed to atone
for all our sins there's no other way you and I must be under the
blood the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ what a mercy then if Christ
has evidence to us that we are amongst those that he has died
for he did shed his blood and you and I will be so thankful
for it and so amazed that the great God the Ruler of the Universe
should have looked down and touched our hearts well to God be the
glory surely for that will it not cause you and me to thank
God from the bottom of our hearts for all his mercy for all his
favour for all his blessings Strive to enter in at the straight
gate. Desire access at the throne of
grace. Desire you may be blessed with
prayer, true prayer, God-given prayer, not just a form of words
which you gather away to satisfy your conscience. You see, when
the publican came and prayed that gracious prayer, God be
merciful to me, a sinner, It was from his heart. He was in
a real need. He was a great sinner before
God. He needed salvation. He prayed from his heart. What
did Jesus say? I tell you this man went down
to his house justified rather than the other. Oh tonight may
we be blessed with a wonderful favour. of being amongst those
who are justified, who have been given living faith to come to
the Seder in our time of need, not come with any high thoughts
of ourselves, but come in the same way that that publican did,
smiting upon his breast, looking down, he couldn't lift up his
eyes, not like the Pharisee, proud of what he was doing and
what he was saying. There's a great difference. There's
a vital difference. the difference between heaven
and hell simple as that and yet solemn as that so may we, each
one of us be really concerned not to be worried about such
questions as how are there few that be saved? but vitally concerned
about whether we are saved ourselves whether we have the evidence
the Lord Jesus Christ has died for us upon that cross at Calvary
that he has shed his precious blood to atone for all our sins
so that we are therefore eternally safe and we can look forward
with a gracious anticipation to the day of our death to believe
there is a place reserved in glory what a mercy that is that
can't be removed, can't be taken away. There it is, waiting for
us to occupy that place. And so, are there few that be
saved? And he said unto them, strive
to enter in, be diligent to enter in at the straight gate. For
many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be
able, or maybe not be amongst those, but may be amongst those
who are given that diligent spirit and are blessed to find a crucified
Saviour as that One who has redeemed our souls. Amen.