Jesus Journeys Toward Jerusalem
I think something becomes apparent as we begin reading this passage: we learn that the Lord Jesus, he is the traveling saviour. He’s moving from city and from village. Where is he going? Where is the saviour going? This traveling saviour, where is he going? He was headed to Jerusalem. In fact, in Luke’s gospel, there is a verse in chapter number nine and that verse in chapter number nine, the Lord Jesus, it is said in that passage that he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Now, now that is really a turning point in Luke’s gospel because from chapter number nine, the end of that chapter, all of a sudden, the traveling of the Saviour is now direct. He is heading to Jerusalem. Why is he going there? Why is the traveling saviour headed to Jerusalem?
Well, we were singing tonight about the wounds of the saviour in Calvary. We were singing tonight of the redeemer and the shedding of his precious blood. You see, outside of the city of Jerusalem, that’s where the Lord Jesus died for sins. That’s why he came from heaven. By the way, you know, he was born in Bethlehem’s manger. Do you know why his name was called Jesus? Have you ever asked yourself the question, why? Why did they give his name Jesus? Why did the angels tell Joseph and Mary that his name was to be called Jesus? You know what Jesus means? The Lord is saviour. When the angel spoke to Joseph, the angel said this, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” That’s why the Lord Jesus came from heaven.
That’s why he left the realms of eternal glory and came into this world. It was to go to the cross. And on the cross, he would die for sinners. And the Lord Jesus in this passage, he is the traveling saviour.
The Tenderness of Christ
He’s not just the traveling saviour. You notice he’s a tender saviour. He’s a tender saviour. He’s a saviour who had an interest in souls. I would have loved to have listened to the tone in which the Saviour preached. I tell you that there would have been no one who preached as sweeter as he did. No one whose language was so clear as his. Even when he chideth, tender is his tone. The tenderness of Christ was seen in the way that he addressed people, in the way that he handled people, in the way that he cared for people. I hope in some respect or another we try to emulate that tenderness of Christ as we preach the glorious gospel concerning him. The Saviour was a traveling saviour. He was a tender saviour.
What Jesus Taught Along the Way
But you notice while he traveled from city to village and village to city heading towards Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus, he was the teaching saviour. Every spot he came, he saw a need. He saw people who were without him and he began to teach them. In this very passage, we learn what the Lord Jesus taught them. Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Could I ask you tonight, friend, have you ever heeded to the teaching of Christ. The Lord Jesus said, “Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. If you don’t turn from your sins, you’ll perish in your sins.” The Lord Jesus taught in that parable of the fig tree. Bring forth fruit or be cut down. That’s the teaching of the Lord Jesus.
You think of the that woman who was in the synagogue that we thought about yesterday. And the Lord Jesus teaching there in the synagogue. And this woman came to where Christ was after the Lord Jesus called her to him. He said,”Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmities.” Oh, he was a traveling saviour. He was a tender saviour. He was a teaching saviour. And there were many people, multitudes that gathered to listen to the language of the Lord Jesus, to listen to the best of preachers that ever walked upon planet Earth. They listened to him.
Are There Few Who Are Saved?
There was one man. And as he saw these people who were gathered around, he obviously must have saw a few that were a little bit different, a few that were saved. He used that language. Lord, are there few that be saved? That’s where I want to I want to start there tonight. A man in his great perplexity. His great perplexity. Lord, are there few that be saved? I mean, here is the best of preachers. This is the Messiah himself. He has finally come. And yet, while the Lord Jesus is here himself, where’s the response? Where’s the big response? Why aren’t people coming in droves to trust in him? He said, ‘Lord, are there few that be saved? Could I ask you tonight, are you saved? Are you saved? The Lord Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 7, verses 13 and 14.
He talked about a wide gate, a broad way that leadeth to destruction. He talked about a narrow gate and a narrow way which leadeth to life. Every single one of us, we were born. There were someone who was asking me before the meeting, there’s no gate here. No, but there was at birth, all of us went through the broad gate. All of us could. You’re not one of us who were born apart from the problem of sin. We were all born in sin, shaped in iniquity. David says in Psalm number 51, we were all born on this broad way. The Lord Jesus said there’s many that wouldn’t there. But he spoke about this narrow way. He said there’s few that be that find me. But I ask you tonight, will you be among the few that find the narrow gate?
Will you be among the few that are saved? Now, everyone who’s entered that narrow gate, that narrow gate, it’s a moment they’ll never forget. It’s clear in their mind. A vivid a vivid moment when they trusted Christ as their saviour. Tell me, tell me this. Nicodemus, the man who came to the Lord Jesus by night, do you think he forgot the night that he came to the Lord Jesus? Absolutely not. What about the woman that we thought about last night in up the chapter in Luke chapter 13? Do you think she forgot the moment when she heard the words of Christ, woman, thou art loose from thine infirmity? And she felt the very touch of Christ. She was saved from the bondage that she was in. Do you think she’d ever forget that moment?
I go back to a moment in my experience as a boy of seven. And for eternity, I’ll ever be thankful that the Lord Jesus saved me from my sins, that I am among the few that are saved. Could I ask you tonight, are you among the few? Here was a man and he asked the question, Lord, are there few that be saved? It was a man who was full of great perplexity.
Strive to Enter Through the Narrow Door
But I want you to think not of not just of his great perplexity. I want you to think of the great plea that he heard. The Lord Jesus said, “Listen, sir. Don’t don’t worry about the few that are saved. What about you?” He said, “Strive to enter in at the narrow gate.” You see, this man was thinking in general terms of the general populace of life. Lord, are there few that be saved amidst the multitudes of the of the earth? The Lord Jesus really pointed the finger right at himself and said, “Sir, you make sure you’re in. You make sure you’re saved. Strive to enter in at the narrow gate.” You know,
Jesus Is the Door of Salvation
I think of the narrow gate. I want you to think about that tonight. It is really a door that is open. Mr. Percopio gave out that hymn the other night. There is a door stands open wide and through its portals gleaming a radiance from the throne of light. A God of love revealing what is the narrow gate? You know a better question is really this. Who is the narrow gate? Do you know John chapter 9 and verse number John chapter 10 verse number nine? It’s the reference that is on the door. It’s the words of the Lord Jesus. You know what he said? I am the door. I am the door. By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. If any woman enter in, she shall be saved. You see, the Lord Jesus is the door.
And I’m so thankful tonight because of the crosswork of the Lord Jesus. When Jesus Christ came and he shed his precious blood, he satisfied God on account of sin. There is a door, a door that is opened. You know, I think of a door that’s open. You know what it reminds me of? Reminds me of opportunity. Opportunity. An open door is opportunity. And I think of this opportunity, of course, in relation to the door. The Lord Jesus himself, he is the passage. He is the door. But I think not just of the passage, but of the possibility. Whenever there is an opportunity, whenever there is a door that is opened, there is always a possibility. Either you will get in or you will stay out. There’s a possibility tonight for you.
You came into this meeting, maybe you came into this meeting in your sins and you could leave this meeting saved and on the road to heaven. The possibility the Lord Jesus said, “I am the door. By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” The possibility is that salvation is available. The door is open and the Lord Jesus is the way. You trust in him and you’ll know your sins are forgiven. You trust in him and you’ll know heaven as your home.
Why Salvation Cannot Wait
But I think of an opportunity. Not just the passage and not just the possibility, but I think of the priority. The priority. Now, now whenever we think about priorities, whenever it comes to the gospel, it’s not that you make number one salvation on a list of 10. And so you have a list of 10 things and you put salvation at the top of the list. That’s not what we’re talking about. You know what we’re talking about? Nothing else on the list matters but salvation. It’s making salvation everything. That’s why the Saviour said, “Strive to enter in at the narrow gate.” Literally agonize to get in at that narrow gate. Why? Because there’s coming a day when the door will be closed and the possibility of salvation is passed.
That’s why the Lord Jesus said, “Strive to enter in at the narrow gate.” My friend, whatever you do, don’t miss the open door. Don’t miss Christ. You say, “Could I miss it?” Sir, you could miss this door tonight. Young people in this meeting who are listening to us. You could miss the door of salvation tonight and you could be lost forever. David himself said this, “There is but a step between me and death.” Just a step. It’s an appointment that we won’t miss. Hebrews chapter 9 27 says this. It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment. What about the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ? You know what James chapter 5 says? Says the coming of the Lord draweth near.
For those of us who are Christians, we anticipate that day when the Saviour comes. Can almost hear his footfall on the threshold of the door. My heart, my heart is longing to be with him ever more. You know the rapture and the coming again of the Lord Jesus is actually depicted on this chart right here. Saints, Christians who are living presently could bypass death when Jesus Christ comes. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, you can read about it. You know what the Lord is? He’s going to come. He’s not going to send an angel to receive his people. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God. The dead in Christ shall rise first.
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet our Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. That’s a truth that every believer understands from the scriptures. We anticipate the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if the Lord Jesus came tonight and you’re in your sins, you’d be left behind. If you were to die tonight, friend, in your sins, all possibility of salvation, it would be over. The Saviour said, “Strive. Strive to enter in at the narrow gate. Do whatever it takes to get inside that door.”
A Plane Sinking Through the Ice: Nothing Matters but Getting Out
My grandfather, besides being a gospel preacher, was also a pilot. He was a he was a pilot. He had an aircraft and from the coast of Newfoundland and into Labrador many years ago. he used to do a lot of bush piloting. What that was is that you didn’t use a you didn’t use a regular airport. You just landed wherever you could get the plane down. In the summertime, he had he had floats. He was landing on ponds. In the winter months, he had skis on his plane and he landed on the snow. Well, there was a time he had to go up to Charlotte Town, Labrador. And so, him and my grandmother were in the aircraft and they brought the plane down and they always landed on the on the bay, the harbor right there in Charlotte.
So, so my grandfather, he brought the plane down and he taxied his way into the into the wharf and he parked the plane, left it there overnight and he was there and must have been there for a meeting for a day or two. And when he was leaving, there was another man who wanted to ride down the coast to English Point. And so Warren Roberts got into the plane with grandma and grandpa. Grandpa started the plane and taxied it out onto the harbor. And he wanted to do one loop before taking off just to kind of pack down the snow a little bit. And so he took the plane out and he did a loop around the harbor. And whenever he came to do the second loop, all of a sudden, one of the skis dropped down through the ice.
I remember my grandfather telling me of the things that they had in the back of that plane. In fact, one of the things that was in the plane was a Bible that was packed full of notes. What mattered when that plane went down? Nothing but getting out. My grandfather, he swung open that door as fast as he could. and Warren Roberts, he jumped out and he tried to hold up the plane, the wing of the plane as that plane began to sink down through the ice. And my grandfather, he jumped out on the ice and he just one mighty pull, he grabbed my grandmother and pulled her across the water onto the ice and saved her. You say, “What about the things in the back? What about your Bible?” He didn’t care about it. They just wanted to get out.
There might be things, friend, in life that are precious to you, but there is nothing more precious than your soul. And whatever you do, you strive to enter in at the narrow gate. You get inside that door of safety. Why? Because once the master of the house has risen up and has shut to the door, you’ll begin to stand on the outside of that door and you’ll begin to knock. Lord, Lord, open unto us. That’s depicted on the chart, by the way. here and now a door that’s open. Saviour says, “Strive to enter in at the narrow gate. Get inside that door.” When the master closes the door, the door will be closed. That door will be shut forever. And you don’t want to be on the wrong side. of that closed door.
You don’t want to be on the wrong side of that closed door. You want to be on the inside. You want to be in the place of safety. Shelter is found in Christ. And that’s why we point you tonight, friend, to him. I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved. And the Saviour said, “Strive to enter in at the narrow gate. Don’t miss, friend, the open door of salvation. Don’t miss Christ. Whatever you do, a man and his great perplexity, the Saviour and his great plea. There is something else.
What Happens When the Door Is Shut?
Of course, there is great panic. It’s really quite sad. There are people who begin to knock on that door with their great panic. They have the right language. Lord, Lord. But it’s the wrong language. It’s the right language. Too late. It’s the right language too late. My friend, if you want to be saved, you confess Jesus Christ is Lord tonight. You know what the Bible says? Thou shalt confess Jesus Christ is Lord. Believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. You acknowledge the lordship of Christ tonight. You bow to him and appreciate the great salvation that he has to offer. Or in this coming day, you’ll stand having known the divine presence of Christ. You know Christ is here tonight.
He has promised that he himself said in Matthew chapter 28, “Lo, I am with you always, all the days, even unto the end of the age.” And as Mr. Percopio and I tonight take the word of God in hand and preach the gospel. Christ is here. There are people and they will have known the presence of Christ while the gospel was preached. But now it’s too late. They have known the word of Christ. They heard his name spoken upon, they’ll be thrust out.
The Great Pronouncement
And what was great panic will lead to this great pronouncement. Depart from me. I never knew you. I never find it easy to preach a passage like this. But the possibility is that there are people in this meeting tonight. And as great of a possibility as it is for you to be saved tonight, it is a possibility that you will hear the words of the Lord Jesus. Depart from me. I never knew you. Depart from me. I never knew you. And people will enter eternal weeping and wailing, gnashing of teeth, the horrors of an endless hell. We cannot begin to describe to you what hell will be like, what the lake of fire will be like. It’s the everlasting burnings. This is the end. This is the end of those who reject the Saviour. It’s judgment forever.
No ray of mercy will ever lighten your doom and dark abode. No ray of mercy lighten your overwhelming load. Just unmixed indignation and judgment from God’s throne. Unmixed by hope and mercy. just wrath and wrath alone. You get it tonight, friend? That’s why the Saviour said, “Strive to enter in.” That’s why the Saviour said, “Do everything to get inside that door. Don’t miss salvation. Don’t miss him.”
Peace With God for Eternity
Just as I sit down, there is something that I love about this passage. It’s not just the great perplexity and the great plea, the great panic, and the great pronouncement. You know what it is? It’s the great peace. It’s the great peace. Because there will be people who will come from the north, the south, the east, and the west, and they’ll recline in the kingdom at great rest. People that entered into peace with God today will be at peace with God for eternity. And you could be among them. Friend, turn from your sins tonight and trust the Saviour because the Saviour said, Jesus said, strive to enter in at the narrow gate. You strive tonight.
