The Narrow Door

I visited my son at Christ Church in KC Sunday and the minister expounded on this. My comments are below in purple.

22Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"
The minister explained that the Jews who were asking Him this already assumed they were "saved" simply because they were God's chosen people.
He said to them, 24"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'
So what is this "narrow door?" One could say, I suppose, that the Jews were a narrow door, if they were simply saved because of their preferred race or religion. Obviously, everyone can't be a Jew. I think we Christians often assume that the narrow door is some constricted mode of behavior that qualifies us for the kingdom. But that would be works. What we do know from scripture is that Jesus is the door (or the gate, if you prefer). So what is the "effort" they needed to make, since effort clearly can't save you. They needed to make the effort to enter through Jesus, who is the door. So, when He says, "I don't know you" it is partly because you don't know Him: you haven't placed your faith and confidence in Him for your salvation. You're trusting in something else: maybe your religion, your goodness, your superior intellect, your right beliefs, whatever. But that is why the door is so "narrow." Not everybody can believe and put their faith in Christ.
26"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'
27"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'
28"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."
Simply put, these were Jews who had been taught that they had it made because of who they were. They considered themselves first. But Jesus was saying to them that the Lord would reply to them, "I don't know you." That is because Jesus is the Kingdom of Heaven, and no one can come to that place except through him. So the qualification here is not human effort or just being fortunate enough to be one of the chosen people: it is recognizing and following the Lamb. So easy. And yet so hard for many.

Why is that? Because, while it is easy, it is also ultimate commitment. But even more than that, it is a revelation. Jesus is known only to those to whom the Father reveals Him. But the proof of salvation in a person is not their denominational tag, nor is it their mode of religious expression. It is their confession. They confess who Jesus is. Like Simon Peter: "You are the Christ." Jesus said to Him, "You are blessed, Peter, because the Father has revealed that to you."Matt. 16: 17

Do you believe? You are indeed fortunate: no matter what your other circumstances are.