You will probably notice as you read these verses that some themes in this passage resemble those we have looked at over the past few days. Who is going to be in the kingdom of God? We know that not all will be saved in our divided world (vs 25–28); we also know that some will be saved and will experience God’s healing and blessing (v 29). 

As well as this, our passage today talks about what God’s kingdom is like. And the answer? It’s everywhere! It’s like a mustard seed that grows into a healthy, growing tree (v 19), and yeast that spreads through a ball of dough (v 21). People will come from east and west and north and south (v 29) – so God’s kingdom spreads and flows – including some you might not expect.

Verse 30 should make us pause for thought. Clearly, God’s kingdom does not necessarily share the same values as our world – a bit like our story yesterday when Jesus saw an unseen woman and healed her. So, let’s be on the lookout for God at work in unseen, unexpected ways – and ask him for the faith to see him at work.

‘There was no other good enough / to pay the price of sin. / He only could unlock the gate / of heaven and let us in.’¹

Like yeast in a batch of bread dough or the small seed that grows into a tree, the kingdom of God grows from small beginnings, but Jesus’ band of followers, walking the dusty backroads of Samaria, could not see it yet. It was becoming less clear to them that following Jesus would lead to anything significant. They had eagerly left all to follow him, but doubts were arising in their minds. They were small and vulnerable. There were even rumours that Jesus’ life was in danger. Was this it? Was this dusty and travel-weary group all that the Jesus movement would achieve? Jesus had promised them eternal life. Were only a few people going to make it? The question prompted a very stern answer, one which we must take to heart: the door to eternal life is narrow, entry is restricted and one day it will be closed. 

Jesus does not explain why the door is open to some but not others. Over the centuries, numberless preachers have thumped their pulpits, thundering their pronouncements of what will keep us out of heaven, but Jesus does not say here. What does Jesus say elsewhere about who might be excluded? Those who do evil?² Those who don’t feed the hungry or clothe the naked?³ Those who enjoy their comfort and ignore their needy neighbour?⁴ Those who don’t believe in the Son of God?⁵ Perhaps it is best if, like Luke, we let Jesus’ words retain their mystery and ambiguity. What we know for certain is that entry through the door is entirely up to God and that there will be surprising reversals. We must never presume upon God’s grace. We must strive to live as if heaven depended entirely on how we lived our lives, but we always know that, in the end, everything depends on God’s grace.

Lord of the narrow door, we have fallen short. We do not merit heaven. We relinquish ourselves entirely into your hands. Open the door to us and let us in.

¹ Cecil Frances Alexander, 1818–95, ‘There is a green hill far away’  ² Matt 13:41  ³ Matt 25:41–43 ⁴ Luke 16:19–26  ⁵ John 3:18