Are There Few that Be Saved?
A Sermon on Luke 13:23-28
Originally preached March 27, 1960
Scripture
23Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24¶ Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25When once the master of …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Luke 13:23–28 titled “Are There Few That Be Saved?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on Christ answering a man’s question: “how many will be saved?” Instances like these, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, allow the believer to see how Jesus walked and talked on Earth. These conversations are important because understanding how Christ acted clues Christians into how He has always been, since the beginning, and for eternity. Jesus answers, “Strive to enter through the narrow door.” Dr. Lloyd-Jones, however, wants to know why Christ answered so strangely. He didn’t quote a number or provide a list of names. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says Jesus didn’t answer because the question wasn’t important. It doesn’t matter how many people will be saved, but rather if the one asking will be saved. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that these types of questions reveal a person’s heart. The man asking Jesus wasn’t interested salvation. He wanted to approach Christ as an equal, to discuss matters of philosophy or theology. He concludes by saying that Jesus isn’t interested in discussion. His opinion is the only opinion that matters, and when it comes to salvation, Christ wants to see to a person’s soul, to show him or her His redemptive love.
Sermon Breakdown
- The devil is subtle and seeks to prevent people from believing in Jesus.
- The devil encourages interest in Christianity along the wrong lines to prevent salvation.
- A wrong interest in salvation is as hopeless as no interest at all.
- Salvation must be approached in a personal manner, not theoretically.
- Salvation is about one's relationship with Jesus, not just interest in Christian principles.
- One must know Jesus as Savior, by seeing one's need for Him and one's sin.
- One must also know Jesus as Lord, by following Him and obeying Him.
- A true interest in salvation has an urgent, pressing quality.
- The gate of salvation is open now but will one day be shut; there is no second chance.
- Many will be left outside, weeping and gnashing their teeth in hell.
- One must strive and agonize to enter the narrow gate of salvation.
- Have you been convicted of your sin? Troubled about your soul?
- Have you confessed your sin to God and received His free offer of salvation?
- Are you willing to follow Christ no matter the cost?
Sermon Q&A
What Does the Bible Say About the Importance of Personal Salvation?
What was the question asked to Jesus in Luke 13:23, and how did He respond?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon, someone asked Jesus, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" Rather than directly answering this theoretical question about the number of people who would be saved, Jesus responded by addressing the crowd, saying, "Strive to enter in at the straight gate. For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able." Jesus deliberately shifted the focus from a speculative question about numbers to the urgent personal matter of one's own salvation.
Why does Lloyd-Jones say Jesus ignored the man's question about how many will be saved?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus ignored the man's question because it was asked from a theoretical, speculative standpoint rather than from personal concern. The man approached Jesus as an equal, standing on his feet with intellectual curiosity, not as someone who recognized his need for salvation. Lloyd-Jones says, "He only ministers to sick people" and "He said himself, 'they that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.'" Jesus rejects those who come merely for intellectual discussion while being unconcerned about their own spiritual condition.
What does it mean to "strive to enter in at the straight gate" according to the sermon?
According to Lloyd-Jones, to "strive to enter in at the straight gate" means to "agonize" about one's personal salvation with urgency. It involves: 1. Approaching salvation as a deeply personal matter rather than a theoretical topic 2. Recognizing one's sinfulness and need for a Savior 3. Seeking a personal relationship with Jesus Christ rather than just being interested in Christianity 4. Having a sense of urgency because the opportunity for salvation won't always be available 5. Being willing to sacrifice anything that stands in the way of salvation
The narrow gate is compared to a turnstile that only admits one person at a time - salvation is an individual matter between a person and God.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the devil's strategy regarding salvation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the devil as incredibly subtle in his approach to preventing people from finding salvation. His strategies include:
- Keeping people so busy they never think about spiritual matters at all
- If people become interested in religion, encouraging them to approach it in the wrong way
- Fostering theoretical and speculative interest rather than personal concern
- Getting people to focus on others' hypocrisy rather than examining themselves
- Encouraging religious discussion and debate instead of personal repentance
- Making people content with an intellectual interest in Christianity without personal commitment
As Lloyd-Jones puts it, "A wrong interest in salvation is quite as hopeless as no interest at all."
What is the difference between being interested in Christianity and knowing Christ personally?
According to the sermon, being interested in Christianity involves: - Theoretical knowledge and discussion about Christian doctrines - Appreciating "Christian values" or "Christian civilization" - Having opinions about religious matters - Participating in religious activities or attending services
In contrast, knowing Christ personally involves: - Recognizing one's sin and need for salvation - Meeting Christ as Savior at the "straight gate" of conviction - Having a personal relationship where Christ knows you and you know Him - Submitting to Christ as Lord, not just Savior - Being transformed in character, no longer a "worker of iniquity" - Having an urgent concern about one's spiritual condition
Lloyd-Jones says, "The man who knows Jesus Christ is not a man who's interested in him primarily as a miracle worker, nor as one who teaches in the streets... The one thing he wants to know is this: Canst thou save me?"
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.