Tough & Tender - Week 6 - St. Peter - Seminarian Zach Flunker
Tough and Tender
Week 6 - St Peter
Seminarian Zach Flunker
Do you ever get news or information that you don't take seriously enough?
Think about it. Our lives are filled with messages. And whether we realize it or not, we're constantly reacting to this information that we get and determining how important it is. Take a bucket of ice cream. For example, you ever pay attention to the serving size on the back. Are you like me and you kind of just take it in your arm with a spoon and sit on the couch. Or what about the weather report in the winter? It could impact our travel plans or during the summer, it could alter or cancel a tee time. Or what about the check engine light in your car? It's time to take it to Matthews Tire or, or any other shop that's close by.
What about the pain in your chest?
It's time to see the doctor.
You see the consequences for ignoring or delaying action regarding this information varies, the serving size, on the bucket of ice cream. Maybe, isn't that important? At least this once.
But the doctor's recommendations or the new diagnosis, Is very serious.
Today in Our Gospel, Jesus is giving us a warning that we must take seriously. It's a warning that we can't just push to the side. It demands our instant attention and action.
You see, Jesus is talking about heaven.
And he describes it as a feast that we all want to be at. And so this is our first fill in the blank for today. Jesus tells us to strive to enter the feast, strive to enter the feast and see what these words are. Jesus is warning us, and he's also giving us a call to action strive to enter the feast,
When Jesus spoke these words, he was traveling around from town to town and he was preaching to, and teaching the people that he met along the way, And someone came up to Jesus and said, Yes, Lord, are only a few people going to be saved. And I think this is a good question. I think it's a question that maybe we can relate to. I mean, this is something that I think about some 2,000 years later.
It seems like there's so many people that live contrary to what the Bible says.
Our society is removing any trace of God.
And our society is reaping the bitter Harvest.
So it's a good question are only a few people going to be saved?
But Jesus, ignores the question in a loving way of course, because he's Jesus,
But then he actually does a answer the question in a way that only the master teacher could Jesus says make every effort to enter through the narrow door because many I tell you will try to enter and will not be able to
You see Jesus doesn't really answer the question.
Jesus answers, the question that should have been asked.
The question that we should ask.
How am I going to be saved?
You see these words from Jesus are a very personal warning.
While it certainly isn't wrong to be concerned about the salvation of others.
These words direct our Focus inward. And not outward. They were a spiritual gut, check for Cheese's. Here's then, And for us today,
And so, let's focus in on one of those important words in Jesus response and that's our next fill in the blank for today. The door to the feast is narrow. Let's think about that word narrow.
You've probably heard this question before. If you were to die tonight, what would happen to you?
Really think about that for a moment.
As Bible believing Christians. We know that there's only two options. There is eternal death.
Or eternal life.
Jesus, in John chapter 14, says these familiar words. He says, I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the father, except through me.
And so if you died tonight, And you desire to go to heaven, you would only gain entrance through Jesus. And that is the narrow door.
Faith in Jesus is the only way through the door to the feast. Now, if you're like me, the idea of a narrow door triggers claustrophobic thoughts, sometimes. I think, I'm pretty claustrophobic that narrow door.
And that's a good thing because this door is very narrow. And Jesus warns us that many will try to enter and won't be able to
Take the Jews for instance. Who would've made up much of the audience of whom Jesus was speaking to here.
You see the Jews, they care deeply about getting into the feast.
But the Jews wouldn't be allowed into the feast because they were too fat.
Well, really? They were, they were too fat.
They wanted to bring along with them their family heritage and they're supposed good works.
They tried really hard.
But their efforts were worthless.
They couldn't grasp the narrowness. Of the door.
You see the Jews answered saying this? They said, We ate and drank with you, Jesus and and you taught in our streets.
The Jews fought that their vague connection with Jesus would gain them entrance to the feast. It's sort of like when you hear the buzz about a party or wedding coming up. And all of a sudden that co-worker or that classmate or that distant relative, who you don't really talk to that much all of a sudden, you like to be buddies with them again. You didn't really care much for their company before. What you do want to be invited to the party here to the wedding?
That's how the Jews were.
They wanted to be invited to the feast, but they didn't understand the narrowness of the door.
And what about us? How, how are we like those Jews? I think we can fall into two similar traps.
The Trap of thinking, I'm a good person. I help people give some money to church. I do get me in.
For the Trap of thinking? Well, you know, someone asked me, sure. I'd say that I, you know. Yeah. I believe in God, right?
Or, you know, I go to church more than most people, right? So I'll be invited to the feast
But here's the problem. Jesus knows our hearts. Jesus sees right through the outward appearances.
And so now it's time to return to that question. How will I be saved?
You see this? This is about you.
Just you as an individual.
When you stand before the Judgment, Throne of God. And seek access to the Eternal feast.
There's only one thing that will squeeze you through the door and that is faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.
It won't be your church membership or your year-end offering statement.
It won't be about the the cross that hangs on the wall in your home.
It won't be your blessed tattoo on your forearm.
No, it will be Jesus. The author of the guest list. Granting or denying permission to enter the feast.
So, it's clear that the door to the feast is narrow.
Faith in Jesus is the only way we still need to understand this. There is an urgency to this message. There's an urgency to strive to enter the feast because the door to the feast will close. The door to the feast will close. In verse 25, Jesus lays out these high stakes.
He says, 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.
Once the door was closed to the feast, it was too late. And and this is true for for every single human being on earth, right?
None of us knows when our last moment will come, but this much is certain our last moment will come
This is especially real for me and my family right now. On Thursday morning, I was at the funeral for my grandmother.
She had 88 wonderful years on this Earth. But the door closed, we're not, we're not all going to get 88 years.
Some of us might be closer to the door closing than others. And so Jesus is warning us to take this seriously. He's warning us against having an indifferent attitude.
Because the door will close and so what what might this indifferent attitude look like, well, it could be our attitude about attending church. Sometimes we make excuses about, you know, being busy or Going up no lures or you know I'll go more when I have a family someday.
We can have an indifferent attitude toward reading our Bibles.
I'm just so tired after a long day. Or it's such a big book. I don't even know where to start. Where would I? What page would I turn to?
Or maybe it's an indifferent attitude towards a sin in our life.
We think to ourselves. You know I'll take care of that sin later. Now's that was my time to be young and dumb.
But here again these words that we just heard a couple years or a couple couple weeks ago in this sermon series, the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
The day of the Lord will come like a thief and Jesus. Jesus goes on to give us a terrifying glimpse of hell. And he says this, he says I don't know you or where you come from away from me. All you evildoers.
I don't know, you are away from me.
Imagine showing up at a wedding and the bride and groom say I don't know. You get out of here.
Any of those words will be spoken by Jesus.
The judge of the living and the dead.
More terrifying words have never and will never be spoken. But that, that's what hell is Jesus saying away from me? I don't know you.
Unfortunately, Jesus isn't tongue their Jesus. He is more tough words for us. He says, 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. You see those those Jews who lived at Jesus time, they had the Old Testament, which pointed to Christ's coming.
They literally interacted with Jesus in the streets.
They saw him perform miracles.
They listened to his preaching in his teaching.
They were physically so close to him.
And he had spiritually so far from entering through that narrow door.
Don't let the same be said about us to be physically, so close and spiritually so far.
Inhale unbelievers will be filled with regret knowing that they missed out on the feast.
But Jesus has some tender words for us too.
Jesus wants us to know that the invitation still stands.
Sure, those religious people of Jesus day were going to miss out.
As a final encouragement. Jesus says this, he says,
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?
Maybe you don't feel like a Bible scholar.
Maybe you're the only person in your family who believes in Jesus.
Maybe you feel like you've messed up too much, there's no way that you could ever be invited to the feast
But it's not about you.
You didn't do anything, turn a spot at the feast.
Jesus. Invites you in.
And so, there it is the most generous invitation of all time.
And where does that leave us?
Hopefully, with this thought, I want to strive to enter the feast.
Yes, the door is narrow but we know the way. Yes, the door will close so let's be ready. Jesus is giving us strong warnings in this lesson. But he is pleading with us to make every effort. He wants us to hustle to grind to go all out.
He wants us to be all-in as we pursue entrance to the feast.
And so, what does that look like for us? Well, it's about striving after the right things.
Jesus has given us a taste of the Eternal Feast. He's given us his word. He's given us baptism. He's given us, holy communion.
We'll take Holy Communion in just a few minutes.
And when we do so we proclaim the truth that Jesus. Shed his blood on the cross to take away all of our sins. It's by his word and his sacraments that he restores us. When we feel burdened, He defends us against in.
And he gives us hope when we feel hopeless.
And that's why that's why we gather for worship. That's why we open our Bibles and we grow at home. Pastor. Tim told me that if I mention all five, G's in the sermon. Need. Give me a prize.
My quaking and gets all five, but
Don't let weeks go by without hearing the word. Preached don't let your Bible collect dust on the Shelf.
Before your day gets too busy before you make plans for the entire weekend. Feast Feast on the words of life. Hang across on the wall, in your home. If getting a tattoo of your favorite Bible passage helps you then. Not going to tell you to get a tattoo, but The point is this.
Will do whatever it takes to stay focused on that narrow door, knowing that it will close.
Jesus has some.
Tough words for us to hear. He wants us to take this message. Seriously. He wants us to Feast with him forever in heaven. And that is why he taught us to pray. These words Deliver Us from Evil.
You know, that short phrase towards the end of the prayer that Jesus modeled for us.
With those words we are confessing that there's so many ways that we could miss out on the narrow door. But we are asking Our Father who is in heaven, To deliver us. From the things that attack us. We're asking that he would bring us safely to our Heavenly home. The feast. That he has prepared for us in heaven.
Jesus is the way. Come on in. Amen.
