Last Door the 1979

Matthew 23 13. But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men for you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. How nice it would be if after we get off our high horse of pride and take off that big wide mask of pretense and go through the narrow door into the kingdom that our days of going through narrow places would be ended.

And for a while, very often it seems that way. This narrow road allows us, it seems for a while, to take with us all kinds of bulky furniture and we get away with it. But every so often the road goes through a place so narrow that in order to get through we have to divest ourselves and strip ourselves down to the bare essentials again.

We keep going through these narrow places and so finally at the outward extremity, the border of this kingdom of disappointment which is this world, there is one last door cut out of sheer rock. Through that door travelers can see sunlight, blue sky, green grass, fountains, rivers, fruit trees in abundance. By the time they get to this point most of the travelers are traveling in clusters.

Now a cluster gets to the door. It stops because it's so narrow they have to wait while each one goes through single file. Recently there was such a cluster, came a long way, they finally arrived at this final door and shouted for joy when they looked through and saw their destination.

But when they tried to file through it they ran into all kinds of problems. Here was this guy with an automatic rifle which suddenly flew up and just jammed itself against the door and wouldn't move. He could pull it this way but he couldn't get it through.

And all the man would have to do of course would let go of his rifle and walk through but he didn't want to do that. Then along comes this pair of ladies pulling behind them a small wagon loaded with gold. And it was a tiny wagon, doesn't have to be a big wagon, carry gold at 400 bucks an ounce.

But they can't get through. It's still too wide to get through. And behind them is this couple that take turns pushing each other in this painted pavilion on bicycle wheels.

And the idea is that if you sit inside this pavilion which has no windows, you look at magnificent scenery and gives the feeling you know that my circumstances are endlessly beautiful. But when they get to the door this won't go through. And so here they are pushing, shoving, struggling, and scratching and trying to get their equipment through without any success.

A messenger comes along and says I'm sorry but you can't lock the door so why don't you just leave your equipment and go on through. But if you won't do that, if you want to hang on to your things, if you love them that dearly, then you'll just have to move over there into Hesitation Park. And over there in the hillside indeed there must be at least 750 groups of travelers who have established themselves there and set up camp.

Some have tents, some have houses, some have even built rather attractive churches. And they're holding prayer meetings and they're singing songs and listening to sermons and attending seminars and having wonderful spiritual group therapy. Various names, some of the more popular are the Church of God and Manna.

It's growing all the time. You know and over here is the Tabernacle of Sanctified Racism. You know and over here is the counterpart, the Community of Christian Revenge.

And then you know here is the Spiritual Assembly of the Refined. In order to get into this one you have to demonstrate that you have intimate knowledge of the best in art, literature, music, poetry, and dance. And then of course very rapidly growing is the Church of the Positive Confession.

Nobody's ever allowed to say anything negative or to talk even about sin, death, or hell. At least as concerning themselves. But this group gathered by the door, they don't want to go over in Hesitation Park.

They want to get through. They want to walk through that door but they just don't want to let go of their equipment. Finally the messenger says, I'm sorry but you have one minute left.

You have to get out of the way within a minute. Please move. A minute passes, they don't move.

Suddenly a big explosion. When the smoke dies away they're scattered all over the place, sitting on the ground bewildered or holding their heads. By the next day this group has established itself in Hesitation Park and the door is open so that others can get through.

Woe to you stripes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men for you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. When Jesus died on the cross on Calvary and rose on the third day, he opened the door in such a way that anybody, no matter who they are or what they've done, can come through. But no one, no matter who they are or what they've accomplished, can block that door.

Hesitating, standing there. The same Jesus who so graciously invites us to come in. I am the door.

Come to me all you who are labor and are heavy laden. I'll give you rest. That same Lord becomes firm with us when we want to stand there and hang on to our rifles and our little wagon loads of gold and our painted pavilions and somehow he manages to push us off to the side so that others can get through.

And we see that clearly already in Scripture. In John 6, many of his disciples when they heard it said, this is a hard saying. Who can listen to it? But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured against it, said to them, you take offense at this.

Then what if you were to see the son of man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life. The flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

But there are some of you that do not believe. For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe and who it was that should betray him. And he said, this is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the father.

After this, many of his disciples drew back and no longer went with him. Acts 5. But a man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold a piece of property. And with his wife's knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles feet.

But Peter said to Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land while it remained unsold? Did it not? Did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have lied not to men, but to God. When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died and great fear came upon all who heard it. And the young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

Now, as a flock and as individuals, ever and again, we find ourselves arriving at a new door that we have to go through. This door leads us out of where we are and out of our kingdom of disappointment into the light of God. And we keep going through these doors until we finally arrive at the last one.

And through each of these doors, we can already see some vision of the father and his throne and the land and the fountain of the Holy Spirit and the refreshment that waits for us on the other side of the door. But along the way, we've picked up certain things that we just don't want to let go of. We can't bring ourselves to.

And so here we are. Our choice is either let go of that thing, whatever it is, and go on through. Or move over and set up camp in Hesitation Park.

But one thing God won't allow us to do, and that is lock the door for others so they can't get through. You know, be either individuals or a fellowship of compromise. Now, our problem is that we really want to go through the door.

We don't want to compromise. We want to go through the door. And yet, you know, when it comes right down to it and the moment comes to take that step, we can't bring ourselves to let go of this thing we're dragging along with us.

And the father says to us, I'm sorry, you have to make up your mind. Either let go and come on in or go over there and play church in Hesitation Park. And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? She said to him, why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.

You know the commandments. Do not kill. Do not commit adultery.

Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not defraud.

Honor your father and mother. He said to him, teacher, all these I have observed from my youth. And Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, you lack one thing.

Go sell what you have and give to the poor and you'll have treasure in heaven and come follow me. Now here was a man who would come all the way up to the door. One step remains.

Jesus shows him what it is and he says, come on, don't be afraid. Come on in. At this saying, his countenance fell and he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions and he turned away.

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents. And as he could not pay, his Lord ordered him to be sold with his wife and children and all that he had and payment to be made.

So the servant fell down on his knees imploring him, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay you everything. Out of pity for him, the Lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. Here's another one.

Right up to the door. One step remains. The only thing this man now has to do is start showing the same mercy to those around him that he's been shown and he's in.

But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii and seizing him by the throat, he said, pay me what you owe. So his fellow servant fell down and he saw him have patience with me and I will pay you. He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt.

And he turned away from the door. On the other hand, we have Peter. After the resurrection, he's having breakfast with Jesus on the shore of Galilee.

And Peter, who had denied his Lord and still this was bothering him. And you can imagine we know what that's like to just be plagued with something that we wish we hadn't done. Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? Feed my sheep.

Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? Feed my lambs, tend my sheep. Follow me. The end again.

Just like he did at the beginning, Peter forsakes everything and follows Jesus. Today, each of us really stands at that door. One step and we're in it again.

We're in the presence of God. But in order to get through the door, there are certain things that have to go. You know, the only way we can get through this door is to come through clean, you know, and to let go of this equipment that we picked up along the way or this thing that we want.

That's all we have to do. Come on, says the Lord. You know, and each of us is having problems.

Each of us. Some of us can't get through the door because our automatic rifle is jammed right up there and we don't want to let go of it. And it's so much a part of us that we think of it almost as an extension of our body.

You know, the rifle of anger. We're made of everything and everybody. We smile sweetly, you know, and nobody perhaps would even imagine how angry we are underneath.

But there it is, you know, and now it flies up and it stops us there and it's either let go of your wrath, the wrath of man, work if not the righteousness of God, and go through. But you can't bring it in, says the messenger. You can't.

If you want to hang on to your rifle, then take it over there in Hesitation Park and shoot everybody you can find. You know, go ahead, let your fire spit out at everybody and criticize and, you know, do whatever you want. But you can't do it here in front of the door.

Some of us are pulling our little wagon load of gold and it's very small. It doesn't look like very much. And we may be rich or we may be poor, but we form the habit of thinking that with money we can order our circumstances in a pleasing way.

Now, in a sense, that's true. I mean, you're cold, you have the money, you can buy a coat, you know, you're fed up with Detroit, you have the money, you know, you can fly to Hawaii. You know, but once you form the habit of thinking money is going to get you out of the problem, out of the situation, next thing that happens is that money becomes God.

Now, we really want to go in. We want to go in, but we don't want to let go of man. And the messenger says to us, let go.

You'll be all right. You will have the money that you need. You'll have the clothing.

You'll have a place to live. You need a break. You get a break.

You need a helicopter. We'll see that you have one. But let go of your little wagon load of gold.

You say, well, look, how about we do it this way? I'll leave the wagon here and I'll just take three nuggets. Look at it. If you want the gold, take it all and get over there in Hesitation Park.

But if you want to come in here, you've got to come in clear. Others of us are willing to do anything. We've just, there's only one thing we're holding out for.

We want pleasant surroundings. Now, look, God, I'll pray. I'll serve you.

I'll go to the ends of the earth. I'll do anything for you. There's only one thing I would, I require, and that is that you let me have some green grass, blue sky, snow-capped mountains once in a while, peace and quiet.

And we're so in the habit of taking our little painted pavilion with us, you know, where we manage to make everything comfortable looking and safe, you know, that we dread the thought of really taking that away and exposing ourselves to the harsh realities of the raw, ugly world. And so the messenger says to us, look through the door, can't you see that the beauty of the Lord is infinitely more beautiful than your little painted wagon of fantasy, your pavilion that goes with you everywhere. And you'll have pine trees once in a while and you'll even get some fresh air to breathe from time to time.

Trust us. But leave this ridiculous little pavilion with bicycle wheels out out here. And come on.

Surely in each case, each one of our lives, we know at least one thing. And this is the beautiful thing about God. He doesn't throw it all at us at once, but he makes us to know at least one thing that's getting in our way right now.

We know what it is. And the spirit of the Lord is pleading with us. Let go of it.

It's not worth hanging on to. Come on, come on through. And at this moment, if possible, if we'll let go before God, he'll help us.

And we'll experience tremendous relief. You know, what a burden will be lifted from us. And we'll start, we'll have a fresh start today again.

We will. Before long, there will be that final surge on the narrow road of travelers. Millions of them will go.

Then one day, the last cluster of travelers will arrive at the door. Those who will, will walk through. And those who don't want to, will settle over there in Hesitation Park.

And then, without warning, the door will close. And it will never open again in all eternity. Let's wait upon God.

And we'll, a couple things. If there are those who feel helpful to come up and kneel at the rail, come up and somebody will pray with you. And if there are those who feel inclined to pray, then pray loudly enough so that we can say amen to what you're saying.

It's not fair to pray together with brothers and sisters if they can't hear what we're saying. Lord God, we're just asking that you'd bring comfort and reassurance to the sisters who are up at this rail right now. Lord God, we just pray that you'd help us.

Any of us, you know, and those of us who are in our pews, in our chairs or whatever. Lord, just help us to take that one thing that you're making known to us, even at this moment, and let go of it. Oh God, we pray a strong spirit of encouragement for those of us who are just being consumed by resentment.

Maybe we have been mistreated and really misunderstood and walked over. But now resentment has just got hold of us and we can't even think straight. Help us, Lord.

Help us. We want to give it to you today. Put your finger on those areas of compromise in our lives, Lord.

Help us to really come clear and be relieved of the things that have just bound us down to ourselves. May your spirit just breathe over this assembly now and give us liberty in prayer and in worship and in praise.