Jesus is the only way to salvation

Luke 13:23-24 (ESV)

23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Years ago, a minister donated some items of furniture to a family. He was moving to another church, with a smaller house, and thought someone else could use the extra pieces for their home.

One item was a beautiful walnut cabinet dresser, which had lots of drawers for accessories and clothes. It was about seven feet tall and just as wide, made in the good old days when furniture was sturdy, solid and hand-made. The family was delighted to receive such a handsome piece of furniture, but there was only one problem. They couldn’t get it through the front door.

So they had to take it apart, piece by piece, shelf by shelf, drawer by drawer. It took almost two days to do that, and then they had to put it together again. As usual, they ended up with more screws than they started out with, so somewhere along the way, they had missed putting some in.

It didn’t fall apart and served for many years at the top of the stair landing. When they left Scotland to come to Tennessee, they had to leave it behind because they would have to take it apart again.

Having faith in Jesus is what gets us through the narrow door into heaven. We just can’t turn up and expect God to take us apart so that we will fit the doorway to enter in to His Kingdom. If we have any "fitting" to go through, it must be done on this threshold of life. If we don’t take the opportunity to shape our lives according to Christ’s ways, then we lose the ability to get through the narrow gate.

Heaven is not a given, no matter who we are or how highly we think of ourselves. Jesus is the only way to salvation. Everything else is just wishful thinking.

Dear Lord, You were very specific when You stated that the doorway to heaven is narrow. We can only enter one at a time. Help us and all our loved ones to recognize how serious You are about reshaping our lives according to Your ways. In the Name of Jesus.  Amen.