Jesus Leaves Judea & Teaches About Salvation

We are at a critical juncture in our Lord's life as we've been moving through his life and ministry on Wednesday evenings. And so maybe it would be good if we just take a moment to back up and just review just in a very capsule fashion. The major divisions of our Lord's life and ministry in the Gospels. Obviously the Gospels begin with the birth narratives of Christ and the stories of his incarnation is coming into this world. And there's a good bit of information there very little about his childhood. Just really the one incident when he was 12 years old. And then you move into the first major part of his ministry. There are so many silent years there. The first major part of his ministry is what is often called this early ministry. And it goes for about eight months to a year. There's not a lot in the Gospels, but it's mainly in the Gospel of John in the first few chapters of John's Gospel that that's covered. And then there is an 18 month period of our Lord's ministry that is very intense in ministry. Huge crowds are drawn, growing popularity. It's called the Great Galilee and ministry and he centers around the lake of the Sea of Galilee and is based out of Copernum and has 18 months of ministry there. Following that, the third major period of our Lord's life and ministry is often called the training of the 12. And that's about a six month time period where Jesus pulls away from the huge crowds, although that still happens a little. The focus of this six months is on training his 12 men because opposition is beginning to increase. And the crowds are seeking to push him into proclaiming himself king. And so Jesus pulls away from that and focuses on the 12. The fourth time period of our Lord's life and ministry is the one we've just been looking at over the past several weeks and we're actually finishing up tonight and starting into the last phase of his ministry. And that's often called conflict and instruction is what we've entitled it. It's also called the greater Judean ministry because this is a time when he ministers not in Galilee in the north, but in the south around Jerusalem and Judea. And because of that, because he's right in the center of the religious system of Israel and the Pharisees and the religious leaders, the opposition becomes extremely intense. In fact, so much so that the Pharisees are now seeking opportunities to put him to death. And if they can't do it themselves, they would like to have him arrested and caught in some kind of political trap where they can have pilot take care of it for them. So they're doing everything they can. The gloves are off there in his face. There's no more courtesy or kindness. And this is a very intense time in our Lord's ministry. In fact, it has gotten so intense that Jesus has to move out of the area. He has to get away because they're going to put him to death and it's not time yet. There are three more months left in Jesus life. We began last week talking about the last event of that Judean ministry. And that is when Jesus leaves Judea, we saw that there was a confrontation in the temple. Remember it was the feast of dedication in December to remember the independence that the Jews won over the Syrians back 160 or so years before Christ was born. And the feast of dedication is also called the feast of lights or Hanukkah. It is still observed by Jews today at Christmas time. So Jesus is in the temple. He is surrounded by a group of Jewish leaders and they say, okay, no more dancing around the question, although he had not done that. We want to know for sure, who are you? Are you the Messiah? Tell us plainly. We've got your surround over not going to let you go to your tell us. And Jesus basically answers that confrontation with an explanation. And the explanation is, I've already told you both by words and shown you by works who I am. There's no need for more information. The problem is you don't have the nature to receive that information. And then he goes on to talk about, it's my sheep that hear my voice and follow me. I know them and they follow me. And he gave that wonderful assurance of promise to the sheep that we will be eternally secure in him. He gives us eternal life. No man can take us out of his hand or the father's hand will never perish. Wonderful promises in that explanation. Following that comes a very clear declaration where Jesus does make very clear who he is when he says in John chapter 10. And that's where we will pick up tonight. John 10 where he says in verse 30. I and the father are one very clear declaration as to who he is. We are at the same nature, the same essence. We are one and the same as far as essence or nature is concerned. And obviously the Jews understood that understood what he was saying. And so they come forth with an accusation. And that's where we left off last time the accusation verses 31 to 33. They took up stones to stone him. Jesus said to them in verse 32, I've shown you many good works from the father for which of these do you stone me? We are not stoning you for any good work they replied, but for blasphemy because you a mere man claimed to be God. Now it is blasphemy for any man to claim to be God for anybody who is a mere man to claim to be God and we saw last week their statement is true given their supposition. Their supposition is that Jesus is a mere man. And if he is a mere man then yes to claim to be God is blasphemy and under Jewish law he deserves to be stoned to death. Capital punishment for that crime. The problem is Jesus is not a mere man and he has proven that already by both his words and his works and that is the real problem. So Jesus answers this accusation beginning in verse 34. Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law? I have said you are gods. If he called them gods to whom the word of God came and scripture cannot be set aside. He is quoting the Old Testament scripture from Psalm 82. And so he just makes that little sideline statement. The scripture can't be broken. The scripture has full authority. You can't contradict the scriptures. If he called these men gods then verse 36, what about the one whom the father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said I am God's son. But Jesus answers with an argument they probably never expected. And that is he quotes from the Old Testament Psalm 82 verses 6 and 7. A passage that talks about the fact that there are certain men judges in Psalm 82 who are called gods. These are men Psalm 82, 6 and 7. It's on the screen. I forgot. I said you are gods. You are all sons of the most high. But you will die like mere mortals. You will fall like every other ruler. So these are judges. These are rulers. They're going to their mere mortals, but they are called gods. Now, why do you think they would be called gods? Small G by the way, but why do you think it would be called gods? Because they were speaking in authority given to them by God. Other thoughts? People were treating them as gods that did happen some. Yes, did happen. I think they are called gods because they are because of their position. They are in a position to speak for God judges and rulers in Israel were considered to be those who were representing God. So what Jesus is saying, these judges who spoke for God are called gods in a little G sense in the sense that they represent God. By the way, there are a couple of other times where this same idea is used of Moses. Look at these verses in Exodus chapter 4 verse 16. When Moses doesn't want to go to Egypt and says, I can't speak and God says, okay, I'll send your brother Aaron with you. He's speaking about Aaron here. He will speak to the people for you. And it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. In other words, you, it's not that you are God, but you're taking the place of God. You are the authority receiving the message from God that then is given to Aaron. And before Pharaoh in Exodus chapter 7, God says, the word said to Moses, see, I have made you like God to Pharaoh and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. Obviously again, he's not God, but he's like God. He speaks for God. He represents God. He speaks with the authority of God. And so that kind of carries over to what is said in Psalm 82 about those judges too. So the idea is this, if people who have delegated power, delegated authority from God to speak for God are called gods in the sense that they represent him. Then how much more the one as Jesus said that God set apart from eternity past who dwelt with him in heaven and he set him apart in a unique way and sent him to earth. This is not just a mere mortal who is speaking with the authority of God and speaking as a representative of God. This is God the son who has come down from heaven sent on a special mission by God the father. So how much more should he not be called God if mere mortals who represent God can be called by that term. And so I can just imagine those Jewish leaders kind of looking at him in their eyes blinking like we never thought of that. So Jesus completely rules out their argument and answers their accusation. He is not guilty of blasphemy. He has the right to be called God. If Old Testament people spoke for God and stood in the place of God, the one whom God sent from heaven has the right to be called God. So there's a difference there that Jesus highlights. He follows that up in verses 37 and 38 with an invitation. Do not believe me unless I do the works of my father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me believe the works that you may know and understand that the father is in me and I in the father. So Jesus is doing here is he is appealing to them one more time. Now think about it. These are Jewish rulers who have already denied him who have already said that he does his miracles in the power of antichrist who have already turned their hearts against him. But Jesus is still pleading with them. Here again, we see the infinite love of God pleading for those who have already turned their back on him. And the infinite grace of God reaching out to lost people whose eternal destiny is already certain. But he is pleading with them. If you do not believe what I say, then observe the miracles. Go back to the miracles. The works that I did. Look at the evidence. Look at the evidence. And believe because of the evidence. And when you do that, then you will understand. He says notice the order there. Look at the evidence. Believe. Then you'll understand. Okay. Their minds would be opened if they would accept the evidence of the miracles and believe. So the invitation is clearly given. He's still still holding out his arms to them. Still graciously inviting them to come to him, even though they've turned away from him very definitely. So there's an invitation there. Any question before we see what this leads to as we close up this wall? I can't stand back in silence where you were putting first six and seven works in. You're a God. I don't know. Who's the saying of God? God himself was calling. Yeah, God was calling the judges. God's. Yeah. If they can be called gods, then certainly the son of God can be called God. Okay. Notice anything else before we see what happens as a result of this. What happens is an evacuation. Jesus has to leave. And it's because they're ready to kill him. And it's not time yet. And so Jesus must leave. So look at verse 39. Again, they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. He escaped their grasp. It wouldn't you love to see that? That's several times that he's done that in the gospels. They tried to seize him. Remember, they had him surrounded. That's what the word means earlier. They tried to seize him. They tried to move in. They couldn't get him. I would love to see that. I'd love to just see how he got away. So verse 40, then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed. And many people came to him. They said, though John never performed a sign. All that John said about this man was true. And in that place, many believed in Jesus. So Jesus leaves Jerusalem. And he goes 18 to 20 miles east across the Jordan River to where John had been baptizing and ministering when John the Baptist was ministering. And there are still people there that remember his preaching a few years ago. And they remember what he said about Jesus and introducing Jesus to the Jewish nation. Now this, this is a half pagan area. The pariah is the name of the area. And it's a, it's a half pagan area. It's probably the best way to sit there. Some, some Jews there, but a lot of Gentiles too. It's kind of a mixed bag when it comes to who was living in this area. And Jesus is going to go there to minister into, in a sense, get away from the intensively opposition. Let's take a few looks at where this is. Here's Jerusalem area. Jesus has been ministering here. He goes down to Jericho, which is always the way you went when you went east from, from Jerusalem to get down to the Jordan River area. And goes over to the place where John had been baptizing somewhere in this area, north of the salt seer, the Dead Sea, the Jordan River right here separates Judea from pariah. Take another look. Here you see the two provinces, little better. There's Judea, there's Jerusalem, Jericho, right in here somewhere across the Jordan and pariah is where Jesus is now. And there's one more map to help us get it. This is actually a satellite, a surface map from Jerusalem. This is what it would look like to go to Jericho down to. There's the Jordan River Valley leading into the Dead Sea. And Jesus would be somewhere on the other side in this area. By the way, this is what it looks like. Show a picture of it next. This is the Jordan Valley, the river Jordan cutting down through this. Just a beautiful, beautiful area. Jesus goes to this half-heaven, half-pagan area and great crowds swarm around him again. I want to make sure I kind of set the scene here for what's happening. Jesus does this because of the intense opposition in Judea. And also in Galilee, remember the Pharisees were tracking him there as well. So he goes to pariah where they are not as likely to follow. They're not as likely to come over there, although we will see that some do. And they will still try to track him and keep up with what he's doing. But he goes to this province and great crowds begin to swarm around him again. People who have heard of him, people who remember the preaching of John the Baptist, and he draws tremendous crowds. But more and more, he will focus again on the 12. He will be in pariah or their bouts for the last three months of his life until about a week before he dies and then he'll make the journey up to Jerusalem. So he'll be in this area almost exclusively for the last three months of his life. It's a perfect place for him to prepare himself for the last week of his ministry in Jerusalem, prepare himself for his death. But I want you to grasp as we go through these three months of our Lord's ministry, he knows what's going to happen. He knows that it is three months until he dies. And yet he is very patiently following the Father's timetable. There is no sense of panic. There is no sense of stress or shock. He's just very patiently following the Father's timetable as he prepares his disciples for what's coming for the time that's coming. It's just an amazing time in our Lord's ministry in these three months. It's going to begin with a question that is posed to him. And for that, we have to go back to Luke's gospel. Luke chapter 13, Luke chapter 13, verses 22 to 35. This is the first event of this last three months of his ministry. Luke 13, verse 22, then Jesus went through the towns and villages teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Luke just kind of summarizes this whole three months with his ministry. He doesn't tell us where he is, but we know that it's in Korea. He's just going around different villages in cities and towns there, teaching and preaching as he is making his way to Jerusalem. It's not a straight line to Jerusalem, but it's more of a chronological thing as he's ministering these last three months. In other words, counting down the calendar, if you will, until it's time to go back to Jerusalem for his death. And so notice in verse 23, someone asked him, Lord, are only a few people going to be saved? That's a refreshing question when you think about what Jesus has been through recently, right? When I read that, I almost sensed that Jesus probably smiled and said, I get to deal with some real questions now, not traps by the Pharisees, not political poise and hot potatoes to try to get me in trouble. Someone is asking a genuine spiritual question, and Jesus jumped at the opportunity to explain what salvation is all about. And so what Jesus does here is he teaches about salvation. What a blessing that must have been to him. Now there's going to be some opposition mixed in with this in a little bit, but what a blessing it must have been to be able to address an issue so close to his heart and not have to be fending off accusations about who he was and the opposition of the Pharisees. Jesus teaches several things about salvation. By the way, the rabbis in Jesus' day, the religious teachers, thought that most people would be saved. Only a few hardened sinners would be left out of God's kingdom. Most people would be saved. But evidently, whoever this is, evidently this guy has heard enough to think that, you know, I don't think Jesus believes that. I don't think he teaches that. So he asks this question, Lord, are only a few people going to be saved? And Jesus, as I said, jumps on the opportunity to do some teaching about what salvation is all about. The first thing he says, you see it there on your outline, there is only one way. Now, this is a passage that is so very relevant to our day. Because the same question is being asked today. Will there be many people that be saved? Are there many ways to heaven? Are there many faiths and many religions that if people are sincere, they can get there? Enlighten us, Lord. What do you think about this? And notice, Jesus says very plainly, there's only one way. There is only one way. Notice how he says it. Verse 24, in the verse 23, he said to them, make every effort to enter through the narrow door. Because many I tell you will try to enter and will not be able to. Now, I love what Jesus does in his answer. Notice he took a general theological question. Lord, are there many people that will be saved? Jesus takes a general theological question. And rather than dealing with it in the abstract, he makes it personal. He says to this individual, he asked him to ask him, you, you, make every effort to enter through the narrow door. See, the issue is not theologically, how many people are going to be saved. In Jesus' mind, the issue is, buddy, you need to make sure you're saved. That's the issue. How personal he makes this. That's just wonderful. And our Lord's insightfulness to say to this man, we're not dealing with the theological issue here. We're dealing with an issue of eternity in your life. Make sure that you're saved. And Jesus basically frames it in the way that makes it clear there is only one way. Notice he talks about a narrow door. A narrow door. Unlike the rabbis teaching who said it's very wide. Most everybody's going to get in. Most everybody's going to be in the kingdom. Jesus says, huh, it's narrow. It's only one entrance and it's narrow. In other words, they're not going to be a large crowd of people coming through this door. It's a narrow door. And the Bible makes it very clear what that narrow door is. What is that door? Jesus Christ, Jesus Himself said it in John chapter 10, I am the door or I am the gate of the sheep pin. He is the only way. Of course, we know the scriptures make that clear. The preaching of the apostles, Acts chapter 4. They made it very clear that it was through His name only. People could be saved. There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby men must be saved. They said over and over again they made it clear. There is only one way. Even you religious people in Judaism, if you don't come through Christ, you will not be in heaven. That sounds very coarse and harsh and exclusive to our culture today, which is based on pluralism that every idea, every competing idea has its own merits. So every religion has its own merits. If you're sincere, no matter what you believe, surely God will smile on that and let you in. And Jesus basically says, there's only one way. It's a very narrow door. He had said this before. By the way, we're going to see in this time period of our Lord's life, the Lord is going to review a lot of His previous teaching. He's going to preach a lot of His earlier sermons over again. This is one instance and there will be several others. He's with a slightly different audience. He's in the south rather than in Galilee where he preached most of this before. But he preached this before, didn't he? In the sermon on the Mount, early in his ministry, and look at the way he said it in Matthew 7, verses 13 and 14, enter through the narrow gate for why does the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction? And many enter through it, but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. So Jesus had said this before, a little different wording here, but he makes it clear there's only one way and it's a narrow door. It's not wide, it's narrow. Now notice he also says with this only one way, there's going to be an effort of a lot of people to circumvent that. See what he says in verse 24? He says, because many I tell you, you will try to enter and will not be able to. Now what he's saying is an indictment on our culture as well as the culture of his day. People want a wide door. People want the door to be so wide that many, many, many will be there. Many will enter everybody from any religion who is sincere will be there. Let anyone in, generally who is sincere, be tolerant of many religions and many different ideas and personal philosophies and crises. Now, all those folks who want to come in, if they don't come by the one narrow door, are not going to get in. Now you say, that's awful exclusive. Yes, it is. It is. And graciously so. I've used the illustration many, many times. If I'm in a burning house and a fireman comes in to rescue me and says, I'm going to carry you out. I know the way out. I know what areas of the building are going to collapse and what areas run safe. There's only one way out of here and I'm taking you out. For me to argue with him, that's awful exclusive. There certainly are more ways out of this building than that. I think I can find my own way. That's utter folly. The one who knows the way and is willing to provide the way for me not to trust him, it's crazy. But that's what hordes of people are doing. Saying, no, no, no, that's too exclusive. The way has to be broad. It has to be wide. And Jesus says, no, there's only one way. It's very narrow. Now, we don't have a problem with that when it comes to other things, do we? In order to get in a ball game, you've got to have what? A ticket. In order to get on an airplane, you've got to have what? A ticket. In order to get into a foreign country, you've got to have what? At least a passport. It may be a visa. Some of you will remember a horrible experience I had with that. One of my most embarrassing moments in life and due to my own utter folly. Years ago, it was probably 13 years ago. I was making a trip to Brazil. I visited some missionaries here in the States and was going to be going to Brazil to visit Tim and Alice Moody. And I've been to several foreign countries and never needed a visa. Tim Moody never told me I needed a visa. I never thought to check. That's the folly part of it. I learned very quickly. You always check. You have State Department guidelines when you travel internationally. And so I never thought to check. Here, I fly from Charlotte to Norfolk to visit with the Davies from Norfolk back to Tampa to visit with Francis Weber. And then we flew from Tampa to Miami. And it is in the Miami airport as we're ready to board the plane for Brazil. That the lady asks me for my passport. I hand her my passport. She says, where's your visa? I said, what, what visa? You don't have a visa. You can't get into Brazil. And no matter how much I pled with her, you don't understand. About this trip that's been planned, you don't understand. I didn't get on that plane. I had to turn around and come back to Princeton. It was awful, you know. But I sure learned my lesson. It doesn't matter how kind I was, how sincere I was. I've been invited by missionary. He's going to pick me up at the airport tonight. Sorry, you don't get on the plane. Okay, we understand that in the rest of life. Why don't we understand that with God? God who knows the way, who provided the way and graciously invites all to come to him that way. Certainly has every bit as much right as an airline ticket agent has a right to deny me boarding a plane. Or an usher at the door has the right to say you can't get into the ballgame. You don't have a ticket. Certainly we ought to allow the creator of the universe enough right to say who gets in and who doesn't because I've made the way playing. We understand that in the rest of life. Somehow Satan has blinded our minds to the creator of the universe having that same prerogative. Now God has a good reason for limiting it to that one narrow inference. What is that reason? Why is there a good reason for God to limit it to that? The question was not framed very well. Knives your heart, answer it. Okay, blood of Christ. Faith. No sin in heaven. Okay, we get more. Because he's just. Yes. We're all sinners. And there's only one way that our sin has been paid for. God did that for us. When he gave his son, Jesus, to die for us. And so God has made the way possible. There's no other way for your sin to be taken care of. God has chosen the way and it's the only possible way. You can't pay for your own sin. You can't cancel it out by good stuff. Sin had to be paid for by someone who was willing to take your place who had no sin to be zoned to pay for. Who could offer an infinitely perfect and holy sacrifice and payment for your sin. And the only person who ever could do that was Jesus and God's sitting to earth to do that. So God has very graciously made that way possible for us. Is mercy and compassion and patience. He wants all people to be saved. But on the issue of how he is unbending. It will only be. And only be done. The only possibility is through the one who took our place. And paid for our sin. That's the only way it can be done. There's only one door. It's narrow. It's not broad. Why only one way to get in. And that is through Jesus Christ. So because of that, Jesus says to this man, make every effort to enter through the narrow door. Now does that sound like salvation by works to you? You're afraid to say yes, aren't you? Doesn't sound like Jesus is saying, come on, work hard. Make every effort to get through there. Is that what he's saying? No, of course not. Obviously that would contradict the rest of what he taught and the rest of what the New Testament teaches. What do you think Jesus means by this? Make every effort to enter through that door. Okay, desiring to know Jesus. Deciding to follow him, whatever the cost may be. Okay, other thoughts? Okay, making your calling an election sure as Peter says. Okay. Okay. The works will be a confirmation of salvation. Certainly the Scriptures teach that if we are true followers of Christ, we will give evidence of that in our lives. That's part of what Jesus had said earlier in John 10 about my sheep. Hear my voice, they follow me. Yeah. I felt like maybe you were finishing up the statement there. Okay. Okay. And it is the proof which gives us that assurance of salvation is in the changed life. And that is in a sense how you make your calling an election sure as Peter says. It's what we talked about before the perseverance of the saints. And I think all of that is true. I think all of that factors in here. But I think Jesus really is saying to this man, you need to be in debt earnest about this. You need to be serious about this. You need to understand there's only one way. Don't go fool around with other ways. Don't go thinking that every faith is okay. And if your child of Abraham and you're a Jew and you're in Judaism, surely you're covered everything's all right. No, no, you need to get serious about this. Be in debt earnest. Make every effort to enter that one gate. Make sure you don't try anything else. I think that's the sense of urgency maybe that Jesus is indicating by these words. He's not saying, be sure you work your way in. He's just saying, you make sure you realize there's only one way. You be in debt earnest about that. I think that's that sense of urgency. And then of course all that you've indicated about how our faith is shown and proven by our works is certainly true. And that follows the entering in that narrow gate. So Jesus makes it very plain in salvation. There is only one way. And it's not the broad road. It's the narrow door, narrow door, which basically in and of itself is saying, it's only one way. Only one, one place you can enter. The second thing Jesus says is that of out salvation is that time is limited. Verses 25 to 30. Let's read them and then we'll come in on them briefly. Verse 25, once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading. Sarah, open the door for us. But he will answer, I don't know you or where you come from. I'm cheating a little bit here. This is what gives me the clue that Jesus was talking about. You make sure you end up at the right door and get in at the right door. You make sure you're in debt earnest about how you're saved. Because you can dilly dally around with this thing and play around with other stuff thinking you're okay. And then it all of a sudden it's too late. You see, so he uses this illustration about showing up at the door but it's closed already. You'll stand outside knocking and you can't get in. Verse 26, then you will say, we ain't in drink with you. And you taught in our streets, but he will reply, I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evil doers. There will be weeping there, gnashing of teeth. Now remember he's speaking to a fellow Jew. So catch that when what he says next. There will be weeping there, gnashing of teeth. When you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God. But you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south. Who do you think those people are? Gentiles. Yeah. People will come from outside of Israel and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed, there are those who are last who will be first and first who will be last. Now Jesus, again, paints a wonderful picture, doesn't he? As he's talking about time is limited. And this wonderful picture is a picture of a feast. And so the kingdom of God is pictured as a feast here. And at this feast, the patriarchs are there, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Jewish fathers, the prophets are there. And then there are people from all directions, east, west, north, and south of Jerusalem, of Israel. Gentiles are there. So there are people there in this feast. But there are some who expected to be there who are on the outside, not able to get in. Because they did not come through the door. So Jesus says, you were too late. And there are several reasons he implies why they are too late. One is they're on the wrong way. They didn't come to the right door. They're on the broad way rather than coming through the narrow door. That's the implication here from the follow-up to the question in verse 24 or answer in verse 24. A second reason why Jesus says they're outside, and this is very important to see, is because they have a false sense of security. Did you see it there in verse 25 at the end when they say, sir, open the door to us. He will answer, I don't know you or where you come from. Then you will say, we ate and drank with you. You taught in our streets. But I don't know you. Away from you, are you able to do this? So there's a false sense of security. They have been around Jesus. They know about Jesus. They've heard Jesus speak, but there's never been any personal relationship with Jesus. So Jesus looks at them and says, I don't know you. Remember what he said about his sheep? He says, I know them. I know them, but I don't have a personal relationship with you, indicating that it is possible to have a false sense of security. It is possible to be around religion, to know about Jesus, to have heard about Jesus, all your life, and never have entered into a personal relationship with him. And when the time comes for the feast to begin, you could hear those words, I never knew you. There was no personal relationship. Oh, yeah, you heard me teach, and you know, we were in the street together and whatever, but no personal relationship. It is possible to have a false sense of security and never have any heart response. You've got to make sure that you had a heart response to Jesus, that you've trusted him as your savior, that you're not just a Christian because of being on the fringes of contact with other Christians or knowing about Jesus. And then a third reason for being too late is pride, and that's in verses 28-30. You see Abraham Isaac, Jacob, the prophets there, all fellow Jews, but they're also Gentiles there, and you're on the outside looking in. What's the reason for that first 30, indeed, there are those who are last who will be first and first, who will be last? See, the problem that Jesus confronted throughout his ministry was a pride in religion, a pride in the fact that, oh, we're children of Abraham. We're covered. You know, we're Jews. We're God's favorite people, special people. Doesn't matter whether we really have a personal heart relationship with him or not, we're covered because we're Jews. Oh, there's so many people today, aren't there? That feel like, oh, we're okay. We belong to such and such denomination. We grew up in such and such church. I was baptized, cataclyzed, whatever, pickled eyes, whatever, all those eyes. I got them all crossed. No, eyes are dotted. Got all those taken care of. A lot of folks in the same boat today and pride in religion can cause you to show up too late after the doors already been closed, and you can't get in. Well, the result of being too late is weeping, gnashing of teeth. Jesus saying, I don't know you away from me, which indicates being on the outside of the kingdom, where the feast is, and your outside, where there is, first of all, punishment. But secondly, eternal remorse. Weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus uses that expression several times in descriptions of eternal punishment. And it's the psychological, emotional side of eternal punishment for people who find themselves an eternity on the outside. Not not not not not having gone through the door. It will be this eternal sense of remorse. I was so close, but I never entered in. And this weeping and gnashing of teeth, grinding of teeth, the regret, the remorse, the eternal sense of what was I thinking? That's an awful part of the punishment of hell. And that's what Jesus is talking about here. Well, there are a couple of other things that Jesus says about salvation that we don't have time to get to tonight. We'll get to those next time. But Jesus is already into the last three months of his life. And he is responding to a question about salvation, knowing that within three months, he will be going to the cross to provide the very door that he's talking about here. That's amazing. To think of our Lord responding to this question passionately, knowing that he is the door and in order for him to become that door, he will have to lay down his life. And he knows all about that. He knows what's going to happen. And yet here he is appealing to this man. You need to be indebted earnest about making sure you come the right way through the narrow door into salvation. Let's pray. Father, thank you that you've made the way clear. Thank you that you provided the way, first of all, for us to enter your kingdom and to be in your family forever. Lord, help us to realize that is a narrow door. There's only one way. But help us to also realize what that means for the millions, billions of people maybe across the world who have not had the opportunity to hear about that way. I pray, Father, that you will constantly keep us aware of the need to give them that opportunity. To know that there's only one way. And that's through Jesus. I pray that we'll remember that about our neighbors as well. Our co-workers. May we always make clear that one way in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.