Enter Through the Narrow Door

Which door will you choose?

If you’re of a certain age, you may recall a game show host asking the winning contestant “which door will you choose?” at the end of each episode. Hidden behind each door was a mystery prize! It could be a fantastic new car or a disappointing year’s supply of soup. It was a game of chance.

Thankfully, there is no door with hundreds of soup cans behind it when Scripture mentions doors or rooms. (If that’s your idea of heaven, then sorry!) More importantly, our faith life is not a game of chance.

Our “door” is very concise, and decisive. The narrow door. It is the most difficult, at times uncomfortable, and the only way. There is no game of chance.

That narrow door is Christ, and it is only through that narrow door we have the prize of all prizes – the gift of eternal life. All we have to do is believe. Sounds easy, but we, with our earthly flaws, struggle daily with our faith. Our egos/pride/selfish desires get so bloated we can’t make it through the door.

But then, we repent and shed all the dead weight of our wrongs. We find forgiveness in His all-extending grace, washed clean by His blood, and are made new.

There is only one way. One narrow door. “Believe and be baptized” as Mark 16 tells us.

Thanks be to God for the clarity and decisiveness of one narrow door!

Here is today’s sermon text from Luke 13:

²²[Jesus] went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, ²⁴“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ²⁵When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ ²⁶Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ ²⁸In 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. ²⁹And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. ³⁰And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

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Announcements

Vacation: Pastor Jenson is taking a well-deserved, extended vacation until September 18th. If a need arises, please contact one of the Deacons (Loyd Harris, Sean Poe, Doug Helwig, Andrew Berg, and Bruce Selin). Their contact information is printed in the bulletin and in our church directory.

Bible Study: Our midweek Bible study is on hiatus. Sunday morning Bible study starts at 10 am.

Donations: Even during the pandemic and with a decline in attendance, the expenses continue. If you wish to make a donation please mail them to the St. James post office box as that is a secure location. You may also donate online.

Prayer requests. Bring your prayer requests to Pastor Jenson, Deacon Poe, or Loyd Harris (bulletin typist). They will be printed in the bulletin and prayed in the Sunday service. The deadline is Tuesday. Remember to obtain permission if you bring a prayer request on behalf of another person.