I AM: Discovering the Nature of Jesus!

Wednesday, March 10, 2004

My Prayer Today

Dear Jesus, I thank you that your are the "door" to salvation. I want to know you, and I want to be known by you. I don't want to come to the end of my life and miss my opportunity to enter the door. I want to enter this day and ask that you be the Lord of my life. Help me to honor you in every way, even when it isn't easy. I don't want to waste my life away. I ask that you would help me today to make the most of every opportunity to share your love and your truth to those around me so that they may enter the "door" of salvation too. I pray this in Your name, Amen.

God's Word Today

Luke 13:24-25

"The door to heaven is narrow. Work hard to get in, because many will try to enter, but when the head of the house has locked the door it will be too late. They you will stand outside knocking and pleading. 'Lord, open the door for us!' But he will reply, 'I do not know you."

Reflecting on God's Word

According to Luke 13:24, why must we work hard to get into the door?

When will the door be locked?

Who is the "head of the house?"

A Deeper Exploration of God's Word

According to Luke 13:25, why will the Lord not let people enter the door?

How does the Lord's response help to describe those who have already entered through the door?

According to these verses, will the opportunity to be "saved" be over at a certain time? If so, when?

Understanding God's Purpose

According to Luke 13:24-25, is God concerned about timing? Does it matter how soon we desire to enter the door of salvation?

What does Jesus mean when he says "work hard to get in (the door)?"

Why do you think Jesus said the door to heaven is "narrow?"

Applying God's Word to Our Lives

Have you entered the door? Do you know Jesus?

Can you think of several people in your life that have not entered the "door" to salvation?

What is one thing you can do this day to share your faith with them so that they might have an opportunity to enter the door?

Thoughts

Timing is everything. There is a right time and a wrong to do things. Sometimes it is possible to do the right thing at the wrong time, and still miss the point. If you arrived late for your flight at the airport and the plane took off, it doesn't matter how many times you try to ask the airline representative to go on board, when they tell you the flight is in the air it is impossible for you be on it. You missed your flight because timing is everything. If you were planning to be at a meeting but you arrived a day late because you wrote the wrong day on your calendar, your meeting was missed. You cannot go back and arrive at the meeting which took place the day before. You missed your meeting because timing is everything.

In Luke 13:24-25, Jesus reveals that timing is everything. He says that we should "work hard to get in (the door to heaven), because many will try to enter, but when the head of the house has locked the door it will be too late. Then you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Lord, open the door for us!' But he will reply, 'I do not know you." What he is saying is the salvation is available now, but it won't always be. When either we die, or he returns from heaven, the door will be "locked." At that time we may want to enter, the opportunity to enter the door will be over. So he says that we should do everything we can now to accept the gift of salvation through Jesus "the Door." Following Jesus isn't always easy, but in the end it will be rewarded. Accept Jesus into your heart today, because timing is everything.

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