The Narrow Door

The other day I was watching the news on TV, and they were showing some footage of planes trying to land during some particularly stormy weather. It was scary to watch the planes being buffeted by really strong winds and it made me especially glad that I wasn’t on the plane at the time!

The pilots showed great skill in bringing their planes down on to the runway, knowing that if they missed their mark, they would risk a catastrophe for those on board.

I once had a go on a flight simulator and when you see the runway from the pilot’s angle you realise just how narrow a runway really is. It reminds me of Jesus’ famous saying recorded in Luke 13:24. Jesus was asked by someone “Lord are only a few people going to be saved?” (Luke 13:23). But to the question about ‘how many’ Jesus gives an interesting reply: “Many will try to enter and will not be able to” (Luke 13:24). So his instruction comes: “make every effort to enter through the narrow door.”

Just as the planes have to land on the runway, so it seems, there is restricted access for the one who wants to be saved. But what does Jesus mean by the narrow door? And how do we enter through it?

In the next chapter of Luke, we read that large crowds were travelling with Jesus (Luke 14:25). But turning to them, Jesus said some things which might at first reading sound really severe: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes even his own life – he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).

What did Jesus mean?

Well, if we return to the landing aeroplane illustration again, maybe it will be a bit clearer.

If the pilot doesn’t land on the runway, then there won’t be a good outcome, because that is the only safe place to land. So, Jesus seems to be saying that He is the only safe place and that, unless the crowds who are travelling with Him are prepared to put Him absolutely first in their life, then they can’t enter safely through the narrow door of salvation. The way that Jesus uses the word ‘hate’ here is a figure of speech which is just a way of making a drastic comparison. Elsewhere the bible makes it absolutely explicit that we are to love one another, especially our family. Jesus is certainly not suggesting we don’t! But in comparison to our love and commitment to Him, all other loves must take second place.

Jesus goes on to tell two parables to explain His point in Luke 14:28-32. But then He concludes: “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).

Now we need to bear in mind the context for this teaching is a question about how many people will be saved (Luke 13:23). Jesus is here explaining that those who truly want to be His disciples will be those who truly make Him their Lord and Saviour. For them the door is open, but if they are to go through it, they have to choose to enter through it, just as a pilot has to choose to land on the designated runway if he is to land his plane safely.