STRIVE
A question from someone in the back...
"He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" (Luke 13:22-23, esv)
As I read this, I find myself wondering what thought process had to have been going on in this person to have sparked such a question as this, maybe he/she had been following Jesus for some time and heard Him say things such as,
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:13-14, esv)
or maybe he/she was there when Jesus said,
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it" (Luke 9:23, esv)
Did this person come with a weight of grief constrained by lost loved ones, or those dear to him/her who did not care at all for the things of God? or were they simply concerned for their own salvation, coming to Him to ease their mind of doubt? Maybe this person understood that the life Jesus called people to live (the same life He calls us to live) is a life of sold out allegiance to Him, and a life of great difficulty.
Strive to Enter!
Whatever the answer to those questions may be, Jesus, in classic fashion, goes straight for the heart of this individual,
and He said to him, "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to. When 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.’ Then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In 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..." (Luke 13:24-29a, esv)
It's as if no one else is there, and Jesus says straight to him/her, "you strive! I won't tell you if there will be few, but I will say that there will be many unable to enter in because they were unwilling to strive. Don't let that be you." If you came here with a burden for your loved ones, plead with them to strive. If you find yourself lacking assurance in your salvation, strive! If you feel that the way is hard and you're being weighed down with doubt, strive!
To Strive
I want to take a brief moment and look at the meaning of this word Jesus uses for strive, it is the Greek word agónizomai (ἀγωνίζομαι) - from it we have our English word 'Agonize' - it means, to endeavor with strenuous zeal, and strife, in order to obtain something. Properly it means, to struggle, as if engaged in an intense athletic contest, or in warfare.
This is the word Jesus uses to describe what our attitude ought to be in light of the difficulty/narrowness of the way of salvation. This is a "do whatever it takes" mentality that Christ is calling us to have with regards to Christianity. Sadly many people do not have this mentality when it comes to salvation, few will ever say with Paul, "for His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him...". So many people would gladly have the crown of life, but they are unwilling to bare the cross, and strive to enter.
Who are those who were unwilling?
They are those who were not willing to enter heaven "through many tribulations" (Acts 14:22); they are those who when the Gospel seed was sowed it sprang up quickly, but because they had no root in themselves once trials came "on account of the word" they fell away "immediately" (Matt. 13:20-21); they are those whose faithfulness is choked out by the "cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches" (vv.22); they are those like Ananias & Sapphira who were unwilling to surrender all they have for Jesus and His call (Acts 5); they are those like Demas who partner with us in the gospel for a time, but end up falling away because of their love for this present world (2 Tim. 4:10).
They are those, who in the words of J.C Ryle,
"after a faint struggle, they give up in despair, and leave the world hopeless, graceless, and unfit to meet God! They had flattered themselves all their days that religion would be easy work when they once took it up seriously. but they open their eyes too late and discover for the first time that they are ruined because they never counted the cost."
They are all those unfaithful and unwilling to strive with zeal to obtain the imperishable wreath. They are those who were willing to sit and eat with Jesus for a moment, and hear Him teach in the streets, but due to their unwillingness to strive they are forever counted with the many who failed to obtain the prize.
This call is for us
This call from Jesus is a call to all who take up their cross and begin to follow Him. In whatever place we find ourselves, whether we are running well, or sluggish in our pursuit of Christ. This call to endeavor with zeal is for you. Count well the costs of following Jesus, and then consider long the unfading crown of glory that will be yours if only you would strive in faith to obtain it. We must strive because the way is hard; we must strive because our time is short; We must strive because our enemy is fierce; we must strive because the reward is unsurpassed! Set your mark this day, forget what lies behind and press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14)!
I think there are some key things to remember, or focus on, in our striving.
1) Pay Close Attention to yourself.
The author of Hebrews exhorts us in chapter 2,
Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it... for how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? (vs 1 & 3)
We must pay close attention to what we have heard in the gospel, lest we become like those "many" who drift away. Even Paul said this of himself in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27,
I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
And in the next chapter he warns us all,
Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Cor. 10:12)
Pay close attention to yourself, Christian.
2) Pursue holiness
In our striving may our goal be to become more like our Savior, in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24). Many times in the New Testament we are exhorted to "put off" the old self with it's desires, and to instead "put on" the new self which is being made into the image of God. J.C Ryle said it well when he said,
"Christ will never be found the Saviour of those who know nothing of following His example. Saving faith and real converting grace will always produce some conformity to the image of Jesus."
Paul exhorts Timothy that as a "man of God" he must flee from sinful things and instead,
Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. (1 Tim. 6:11)
The Author of Hebrews also encourages us to this same way of life,
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; (Heb. 12:14-15a)
In the words of John Owen,
"Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it while you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you"
In a world where personal holiness is almost a laughing matter, we must strive for it! Let us lay aside every weight and sin, which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus! (Heb. 12:1-2)
3) Set your hope fully on the one who can keep you from stumbling
In all of our strivings we must depend on the grace and mercy of God to keep us.
Philippians 1:6 says,
And I am sure of this that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:13,
Therefore, preparing your minds for action and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
And Paul, writing to Timothy, says,
For to this end we toil and strive because we have our hope set on the living God who is the savior of all people, especially of those who believe. (1 Tim. 4:10)
and of course, Jude 24-25,
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Trust the One who is able. We saw all those who were/are unable to enter, but here is One who is able to keep you from stumbling and who is able to bring you into His presence with great joy, trust in Him, depend on Him, set your hope fully on Him!
May God give us the grace to run this race with endurance, zeal, and humble dependence on His grace to keep us every step of the way, taking heed lest we fall, realizing with every step our own proneness to wonder and our own inability to stand on our own devices, may He give us the grace to run in such a way that we obtain the prize!
Whatever it may cost, I will, at any rate, strive to enter in at the small gate. - J.C Ryle
