When it comes to collecting trading cards, kids understand that some cards are common, and some are rare. Both pocket monsters and players from a court or field cards spark in our hearts the desire for the rare card or the one of our favorite creature or player. Package after package will be asked for, saved for, bought and opened hoping for the one card. And when it is found, it is cared for and preserved.
When it comes to the many mountains named in the Bible, two stand out. First, Mount Sinai stands out as it is the place where God shared his law with the Israelites through Moses after they were delivered from slavery in Egypt by the mighty hand of God through the 10 plagues and parting of the Red Sea. Yet, this mountain terrified the people as God used it to show the separation between God and man due to sin, and the terrible punishment waiting any who would dare approach God as we hear about in our New Testament reading from Hebrews 12, 18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” This Mount Sinai was epitomized by fear, sin and death. The second mountain is beyond the opposite and is of such a better kind as we read, 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. This second mountain where Jesus died and rose is epitomized by love, joy, righteousness, perfection, a new covenant, the sacrifice on the cross and resurrection, grace, eternal life, heaven and Jesus. With the first mountain, the people were too afraid to approach it and even if they did, they would die. Rather, the second mountain called for people to come to it for joy, healing and life. Of the two, second mountain is superior in its gifts and benefits to us, but we often stand at the base of the other.
Even though the mountain is on fire, our fear of it can fade. When our fear of God fades, we grow comfortable and careless when it comes to our faith and view of Jesus. In our Gospel reading from Luke 13, we get an example of this as we hear someone ask Jesus, 23 … “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” The individual was too confident in their salvation. Rather than ask more about Jesus and grow in faith in him as the Savior. This individual had the time to be curious about how many others might have the privilege of sharing in the salvation that was certainly already theirs. We know this question was not the one to ask Jesus because he does not answer it. Instead, he taught that a person cannot simply ask to be saved, mumble the right mantra or rely on the right bloodline to be saved.
Jesus warns us about growing comfortable in our faith. We cannot magically say, “Jesus,” hashtag him, misquote Scripture or blindly follow our Christian friends, family, religious books, social media posts or even pastor to be saved. We cannot grow so comfortable in our faith that we begin to trust it and our own hearts to keep us connected to Jesus or we will be lost. Jesus did not answer the question about quantity in heaven. Instead, he redirected the question to each of us telling us to have a quality faith in him as we hear in Luke 13, 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.” Jesus taught that there are so many things that qualify as wide gate things, which is why it is called such. The wide door leads away from Jesus. It is deceptive because many may acknowledge Jesus as someone great, but to repent and hope in him for eternal salvation is to trust that he was more than a great guy. Jesus calls us to have a growing and maturing faith in him so that we do not end up like the picture from our Old Testament reading from Isaiah 66, 24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.” This is the fate in hell for us if we walk toward the wide door.
Jesus is the narrow door. We have been called to enter heaven through Jesus. His work for us means we do not come boldly asking for entrance into heaven with trust in ourselves, but grateful hearts who have been called by the Holy Spirit. His work for us has taken hold inside of us so that we have a new spirit eager to offer our whole self to him for service in his kingdom. His work for us means we do not trust in our bloodline from Abraham or our family name or any other physical markers, but in the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for our sins. Jesus did not answer the quantity question about heaven because it is only known by God. Instead, he focused on encouraging us in the quality of our faith. Our faith is of the highest quality because it holds on to Jesus. Entrance through the narrow door to heaven is not a philosophical question or some social media post or casual topic of conversation over coffee or a beer. This is personal, personal for everyone, an important and immediate need. Those who do not know Jesus, he gives a wakeup call so they are not lost. And for those who know him, an encouragement to remain focused on him the narrow door or they will be lost. A warning, yes, but done with love so none are lost and will be part of the feast in heaven as we read in Luke 13, 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.” By God’s grace we get to answer confidently, “Yes” to this question, “Have I been saved?” Yes, I am, we are, saved because of Jesus.
As Jesus traveled around teaching, his aim was always Jerusalem. Eventually, Jesus made his way to Jerusalem to be betrayed, sacrificed on the cross and resurrected to save the world from sin, death and hell, and to restore the relationship between God and humanity. Jesus did not travel around giving answers to trivia questions, nor is the Bible today one book of many to have references for historic or moral teaching. Jesus traveled to teach the truth and Scripture has been preserved so that you can have confidence in the narrow door that leads to heaven. The wide door is made up of the worries of our world like how often we let the opinions or actions of someone else dominate our thoughts and affect our mood and actions. We all answer to God first, and his view of us is through Christ as we stand with him on the mountain of Zion, Jerusalem the mountain of joy, peace and salvation. Stop agonizing over foolish personal pride or the pride of others. Instead, make every effort, which is translated from the Greek word from which we get ‘agonize,’ to enter heaven through the narrow door. When you are confronted with something that threatens to pull you away from Christ immediately go to Scripture and prayer.
If I had a package of trading cards, you might be interested because it could contain the card you want. On the other than, if I had a package of trading cards and knew it contained the card you want, then you would care a lot and make every effort to get it. The Bible is the message we all need to hear; Jesus is better than the rarest card or your favorite player or creature. He is your Savior who knows you by name and has called you to be part of his kingdom, and one day you will join him at the banquet table and feast in heaven. Jesus alone has saved us and has given us his Word and sacraments to keep us on the narrow path, so we make every effort to enter through the narrow door. Amen.
Gunnar Ledermann, Pastor Divine Peace Church
Gunnar Ledermann
I’m passionate about Rockwall’s vibrant community and actively engage with local non-profits and community organizations, including the Rockwall Chamber of Commerce, the City of Rockwall, and the Downtown Rockwall Association. My background includes a bachelor’s degree in Classical Languages and a master’s degree in divinity. Currently serving as a pastor at Divine Peace Church in Rockwall, I also enjoy spending time with my wife, Marinda, and our five children.
