Connected in The Word 8-18-24
Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Luke 13:24
The Gospel Reading for this coming weekend (Luke 13:22-30) is one that can be confusing if you read only part of it, or even if you read the whole thing, but then don’t read anything else in the Bible. We must always read Scripture in the Light of Jesus, and in the context of the entire Biblical Narrative. If we read only a portion of the grocery list, part of the instructions to set up a new phone, or half of our child’s school supply list – WE MISS IMPORTANT THINGS! The same is true when we read only a few verses in our Bible.
If we read only the verse above, or even if we read Luke 13:22-30 in isolation from the rest of Scripture, we might think that God is unfair, heartless, and cruel. We might think that Christianity is all about striving to squeeze through a narrow door only to find out that God might just slam the door in our face. When we look at this text in the Light of Jesus and in the context of the entire Biblical Narrative, something very different is revealed – And what it is might surprise you!
So, this week I encourage you to study God’s Word, keep reading these devotions, come to church, and ask lots of questions. When you do you might discover that no matter how hard you strive, it is impossible for you to fit through the “narrow door”. You might discover that Jesus is the “narrow door”. You might discover that God is merciful and loving, but that He must kill the Old Adam in you to pull you through the “narrow door”. You might even discover that in the waters of Baptism God put you to death and raised you back to life in and through Jesus, and that you are now alive and well on the Kingdom Side of the “narrow door”! But you’d need to read your Bible to know that!
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