From Clochr Valley in County Tyrone we present Let the Bible Speak. It's good to have you join us as Gospel Minister the Reverend Peter McIntyre is here to let the Bible speak and preach Christ in all his fullness. We're reading today from Luke chapter 13. We'll begin at the verse 22. And Jesus went through the cities and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, strive to enter in at the straight gate, for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able. When once the master of the house has risen up, and hath shut to the door. And ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us. And he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not, whence ye are. We know that God will bless his word to our hearts. We often sing the chorus with our children, one door and only one, yet the sides are two. I'm on the inside, on which side are you? Here in Luke chapter 13, the Lord was responding to a question. The question was, are there only a few people who are going to be saved? Will there be many saved, Lord, at the last day? And the Lord answered the question by saying, strive to enter in at the straight gate or the narrow gate, for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and will not be able. He didn't really answer the question, did he? Why did he speak in that way? It was not really the concern of the questioner how many were going to be saved. What was the concern of the questioner or what should have been his concern was, am I saved? You see, sometimes we can be filled with thoughts about who is going to be saved. Will this person be in heaven? Will that person be in heaven? The real question is, will I be in heaven? Rather than thinking about others, we should be thinking about ourselves and our own state before God. and therefore Christ would say, strive, make every effort to enter in at the straight gate. The Lord Jesus here compares salvation to a door. This is a very common gospel illustration employed chiefly by the Lord himself. Let's think about this gate that we need to enter in, this door. First of all, there is one door. Who is the one door? It is Christ. He is the way of salvation. The Lord said in John 10 verse 9, I am the door. The personality of the one who is our head is crucial for Christianity more than for any other religion. You see, other religions have their leaders, but those religions would have existed without the personality of the founder. The founder devised a certain philosophy, a certain religion, a certain idea. And it is the idea, it is the philosophy that is important, not the founder. If another founder had come along and established the same set of principles, that religion would be in existence. Not so Christianity. Christianity is inseparable from the person of Jesus Christ. His person, his identity lies at the heart of what Christianity is. We cannot divorce the Christian message from the person of Jesus Christ, not in any way. He is the only one who could have established Christianity. Therefore he says, I am the truth. He doesn't say, I am telling you the truth. I'm pointing the truth out to you. He says, I am the truth. He doesn't say, I'm showing you the way of life. He says, I am the life. These are astonishing claims. How could a man ever say such thing? But he could say such things because he is the son of God. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. That is how John begins his wonderful gospel. He was the son of man which came down from heaven. And through him we have access to God. Through him alone. He is the one door. Also, I want to talk to you about this door being a narrow door. Jesus talked about a straight gate. Why is the door narrow? Why is it so straight? Because Jesus is the only way of salvation. There's no such thing as pluralism where the gospel is concerned or where Christianity is concerned. There are not many ways to God. There is only one way to God and that is through Christ. If you do not know Christ today, You're not a Christian. You're not right. You're in your sin. Your soul will be lost forever. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your saviour, if you haven't expressed your faith in him, there's no hope for you. No hope for you outside Christ. It is a narrow way. Religion cannot save. Some people depend upon their religion, their good works. That can't save you. No other religion can save you. Morality can't save you. Christ alone can save. Jesus only. Jesus only can save because we are sinners and only he could deal with the sin question. He dealt with that sin question on the cross when he died for us and on the resurrection morning when he rose again for us. Thank God there is a way back to God from the dark paths of sin. There is a door open that we can go in. Calvary's cross is where we begin when we come as sinners to Jesus. I also want to talk to you about this door being an open door. The door is open now. God is calling you to come to him. This appeal is to everyone. And written on the front of this door are the words, whosoever, whosoever. Will you enter through this door today and trust Christ? This door is not a mountain that we have to tunnel through. It's not a wall that we have to climb over. It's not a great sea that we have to sail across. It is a door and nothing is simpler than a door and nothing is more inviting than an open door. The door is open for you today. All you have to do is come in. How can you come in through this door? Well the Lord said strive to enter in. This word strive is the word from which we get the English word agonise. Agonise to enter in. Make every effort to enter in. You have to enter in through the means that God has given to you. You enter in through the Word of God. That's why you should read the Bible, learn about Christ, listen to the Bible, be taught. Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. We strive to enter in through prayer, honestly praying to God, I'm a sinner, forgive me. I want you to show me my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I'm sorry for my sin. There is repentance, there's parting from sin, not wanting it any longer, wanting to serve God. We strive to enter in through the means that God has given to us. Oh dear friend, today the burden of sin may be upon your shoulders, it's upon your back, it's weighing you down, you're guilty. Is there hope? Yes, there's hope because this door is open for you today. But then we have a shut door because the Lord said there will come a day that many will seek to enter in and shall not be able. How will the door close? The door could close for you when your mind becomes incapacitated. As a result of accident or illness, you may not be able to think, and when you're not able to think and make choices, you'll not be able to come to Christ. The door will be closed. Don't bank on a deathbed conversion. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to think upon their deathbed. The door of spiritual opportunity can close. God's Spirit will not always strive with man. There will come a day, a day for some, when they will not be able to come because God's Spirit won't be speaking, God won't be calling. And there will be the door of eternal opportunity when death comes. There will be no second chances. You will have received your time, and this is your time to come to Christ. Today is your time. Now is the day of salvation. Wherever you are today, I would urge you to do something. Lift up your heart to the Lord and say, Lord, save me. Pass through this open door and so pass from darkness to light. I pray that you will do this. And I thank you for listening. you've been listening to Let the Bible Speak. If we can be of any further spiritual help, or if you would like to receive some free gospel literature, we invite you to write to us. Our mailing address is Let the Bible Speak, Rev. Peter McIntyre, 13 Willand Crescent, 5 Mile Town, County Tyrone, BT75OQL. That's Let the Bible Speak, Rev. Peter McIntyre, Thirteen, Willand, Crescent, Five Mile Town, County Tyrone, BT75, OQL. You may hear Mr. McIntyre preach each Lord's Day here in Clocker Valley Free Presbyterian Church at 11.30am and 7pm. For further information you may phone us at 028 8952 1611. 028 8952 1611. We assure you of a very warm welcome at all the services and look forward to having you visit with us. Thank you for listening today. May the Lord richly bless you, and don't forget to tune in on this same station at the same time next week, when once again we turn to the scriptures and let the Bible speak.