Luke 13:23 "Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be saved?"

There are three questions asked in the New Testament related to the matter of salvation;

1--In Matt.19:25 the disciples asked Jesus, "Who then can be saved?"

Matt 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

This question came from the disciples because they had a misconception as to who was qualified for salvation.

2--In Luke 13:23, the disciples asked Jesus "Lord, are there few that be saved?"

Luke 13:22-24 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

3--The Lord made the way of salvation very narrow, and drew this response from those who were shocked. "What must I do to be saved?"

Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

This question was asked by the jailer who was seeking salvation.

For the present we will be working with the second of the three questions.

"Lord, are there few that be saved?"

We can look around us we see very little manifestation of TRUE SAVING FAITH There are few that love the Lord, and are prepared to declare their love for Him, and live for Him in an open public manner.

The Lord gave an answer to this question in Luke 13:24-30 "many shall not be able to enter in, or be saved The understanding is that few shall be saved. They were not able because they were not known by the gate-keeper.

Luke 13:24-30 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

There are five clear proposals that come into view from the question, "Are there few that be saved?"

I. IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT ALL MAY BE SAVED.

When the Lord died upon Calvary, He did so to make salvation available to all men without exception.

Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The offer of salvation is to all, who will come to Him in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 Tim 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

2-- IT IS CLEAR THAT ALL WILL NOT BE SAVED.

This is the solemn teaching of God's Word. The Bible does not teach the doctrine of universalism, which teaches that all men will be saved. It is absolutely unscriptural. IT IS FALSE

Luke 13:27-28 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

There are three unanswered questions in the New Testament and these indicate that numbers of the human race will be eternally lost.

1--I Peter 4:17-18."For the time is come when judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin with us [Jews] what shall the end be of then that obey not the gospel of God?" "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

2--Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him

3--Mark 8:36. "For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"

III. IT IS CLEAR THAT SOME WILL BE SAVED WHOM WE DID NOT EXPECT TO BE SAVED.

Abraham talking to God before He destroyed Sodom.
Gen 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Another example is found in:
Luke 13:30-And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Last--uttermost lowest
First--In front of-more important, or superior

Consider the following:
1--It was a tremendous surprise to the onlookers when a sinful woman anointed the feet of the Lord Jesus. They thought she could not be saved, but she was saved. Beginning in Luke 7:36 the Bible tells of a sinful woman and ends in verse 50.

Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

2--It was a tremendous surprise to the Pharisees to be rejected, because they were considered to be the greatest of religious people, and to find the Publican, who was such a sinner, was accepted by God. Luke 18: 9-14.

3--It was a tremendous surprise to the people when Zacchaeus, whom they knew to be a "sinner" was saved by the Lord. Luke 19:1-10.

4--It was a tremendous surprise when the thief who was dying on a cross beside the Lord was saved, and went to paradise with the Lord. Luke 23:39-43.

5--It was a tremendous surprise to Ananias when the Lord revealed Himself to Saul of Tarsus, and saved him. Acts 9:1-9

6--It was a tremendous surprise to the disciples when the Lord preached the gospel, and revealed Himself to a Gentile woman, who was a great sinner. The woman at the well. John 4:4-30.

7--It was a tremendous surprise to the Apostle Paul that the Lord had saved him. I Tim.1:12-16.

Yeah folks, among the many surprises we will have in heaven will be those we did not expect to be there.

IV. IT IS QUITE CLEAR THAT OTHERS WILL NOT BE SAVED WHO EXPECTED TO BE SAVED.

Luke 13:25-27 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

Matt 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

How sorrowful it is to live among people that have the wasted hope of heaven and never make it. Many are good moral neighbors and friends.

Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Eph 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Many are deceived by human viewpoints, outlooks or opinions amd assumptions that they will make it to heaven and never make it there.

IV. IT IS QUITE CLEAR THAT NO ONE WILL BE SAVED EXCEPT IN GOD'S WAY.

God's way of salvation is by repentance, and faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Isa 55:6-9 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The Philippian jailer was told, when he asked, "What must I do to be saved"?

Acts 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Jesus Christ is the only Savior for men.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

He is a current Savior.
2 Cor 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured (helped-aided) thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

NOW was the time then and NOW is the time NOW.

He is a complete Savior.
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost (completely) that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

He is able to, and is willing to save anyone that comes to Him by faith.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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