Narrow Door

Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”
Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once 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.’
“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
“But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
“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. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.” Luke 13:18-30

In yet another confrontation with the legalists about healing on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17), Jesus humiliated them with simple logic and common sense; something legalists just don't possess. Of course, the multitudes were becoming even more delighted with His glorious works.

Then He began to teach them about the the kingdom of God. It starts with a very small seed, but grows and expands quickly into a tree. The tree itself is pure, but the birds of the air (symbolic of demonic evil), will flock to it and use it as much as they can for their own purpose. Unbelieving opportunists have always done this and will continue to until Jesus returns to set everything in order. We may sometimes be confused about who's who in the Church, but Jesus knows everyone's heart. He'll have no problem sorting us all out in the end. Likewise, the principle of the leaven, which symbolized impurity or evil. Notice, a woman (in reference to spiritual leadership, usually synonymous with Jezebel, as in Revelation 17). Incorporates the leaven into the meal. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump," Galatians 5:9. This indicates the infiltration of false doctrine into the teachings of the Church. This is why we must stick purely to the written Word of God as our authority on spiritual matters. Any other source will be false and will distort the truth we have learned. Human viewpoint, human goodisms, man-made morality, mysticisms, any other teaching than the Holy Bible will obscure the person and work of Jesus Christ for our salvation. If it contradicts the Word of God, it is a lie. No matter how nice and attractive the person is who "shared" it with you. No matter how sensible it seems.

Jesus' followers began to worry about how exclusive this kingdom must be. Will there be only a few saved? His answer was sobering, and demands our undivided attention. There is one narrow door into the kingdom of God. He had spent His ministry on earth going through towns and villages, teaching truth to all who would hear. There can be no mistake about this. Everyone has opportunity to be saved, but not everyone will pay attention to His instruction: go in at the narrow door. All paths do NOT lead to God. All those birds in those nests do NOT belong to Christ. That leaven in that dough is NOT the true gospel. John 10:9: "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Let's be clear, Jewish person (first, v.30): just because you're of Abraham's seed, that doesn't get you in. There will be souls from every geographical area and every people group (last, v.3o) who will be admitted while you plead to come in, because you ignored the ONLY provision for admittance: the Blood of Jesus Christ. He's the Door. And He told you so.