Are You Willing?
Are You Willing to Come Under the Authority of Jesus?
In a world that constantly tells us to forge our own path and do things our way, there's a profound question that cuts through all the noise: Are you willing to come under the authority of Jesus? This isn't just about wanting His salvation or protection—it's about surrendering to His lordship completely.
The Journey to Jerusalem: A Mission with Purpose
Jesus was on a deliberate journey to Jerusalem. This wasn't wandering or incidental movement—this was the mission. Every step was intentional, every mile measured. He was advancing toward the place where salvation would be purchased with His very own blood.
Yet as He journeyed, Jesus didn't rush past people in the name of purpose. He ministered as He moved, teaching about the kingdom of God. This confronts us with a sobering reality: it's possible to be so preoccupied with what we believe we're called to do that we fail to reflect the heart of God along the way.
The Question That Cuts Deep: Will Few Be Saved?
Understanding the Cost of Discipleship
As Jesus taught about the Kingdom, someone from the crowd asked a penetrating question: "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" This wasn't casual curiosity—it was born from everything Jesus had already said about the cost of following Him.
Jesus had not painted the kingdom in soft, sentimental tones. He spoke of cost, sacrifice, and surrender. To follow Him meant taking up a cross, denying oneself, and relinquishing all competing allegiances. This Kingdom doesn't fit into your life—it reorders your life entirely.
The Narrow Door
Jesus responded with words that challenge our modern sensibilities: "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." We live in a culture that speaks of forming your own path and doing things your way. This thinking has crept into the church, leading people to believe they can create their own systems to enter God's Kingdom without paying the associated price. But Jesus made it clear—there's only one way to be part of the kingdom of God, and it's through Him alone.
Why Many Will Be Shut Out
Proximity Doesn't Equal Relationship
Jesus warned that many who think they belong to the Kingdom will find themselves shut out—not because they lacked religion, but because they lacked relationship. Having proximity to Jesus doesn't mean having a relationship with Him.
Some people think because they have Christian family members or attend church, they're automatically part of God's kingdom. But Jesus spoke to people who thought their lineage guaranteed their salvation, and He told them it was only through Him that anyone could enter.
The Tragedy of Being Unwilling
The most heartbreaking part of Jesus' message comes when He speaks of Jerusalem: "How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing."
The tragedy wasn't that the invitation was unclear or that protection wasn't available. The tragedy was that people were not willing to accept the invitation. They thought they had a better way, that they were clever enough to create their own system, that they didn't need to submit to God's authority.
Standing Firm Against Opposition
When Threats Come
When the Pharisees tried to intimidate Jesus by warning Him that Herod wanted to kill Him, Jesus responded with unwavering resolve. He called Herod "that fox"—not a casual insult, but a deliberate one exposing Herod's cunning and ultimately insignificant nature in the face of divine sovereignty.
Jesus was clearly threatened but in no way intimidated. There was no anxiety in His voice, no urgency to escape, because He knew He was operating according to His Father's will, not on the Pharisees' timetable.
The Enemy's Strategy
The enemy often tries to tempt us first, attempting to make us stumble into sin. But if that doesn't work, he might use intimidation and fear. Fear can be a powerful strategy that scares us away from our God-given calling. Don't let the enemy intimidate you or strike fear into your heart. Stand firm on who you are in Christ Jesus.
The Heart of a Savior
Divine Grief Over Rejection
When Jesus spoke to Jerusalem, you can hear the grief in His voice: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it." For generations, God had sent messengers calling for repentance, and time after time, they were rejected, oppressed, and killed.
Now the very Son of God stood before them, offering not control but cure, not condemnation but salvation. Yet the invitation was met with the same response—rejection.
Like a mother hen who sacrifices herself to protect her chicks from fire, Jesus sacrificed His life to save us from the fires of hell. The protection is available, the invitation is extended, but we must be willing to come under His authority to receive it.
Life Application
This week, examine your heart honestly. Are you truly willing to come under the authority of Jesus, or are you trying to create your own path to God? Don't assume that because you have exposure to Christianity—through family, church attendance, or religious knowledge—that you automatically have a relationship with Jesus.
The narrow door requires complete surrender. It means confessing Jesus as both Lord and Savior—Lord meaning complete surrender to His authority, and Savior meaning believing His death on the cross was sufficient to pay for your sins.
Ask yourself these questions:
The call that went out 2,000 years ago to Jerusalem still goes out today. The question remains: Are you willing to receive the mission of the cross and come under the authority of Jesus? Don't wait—no one knows when that door will be shut for all eternity.
In a world that constantly tells us to forge our own path and do things our way, there's a profound question that cuts through all the noise: Are you willing to come under the authority of Jesus? This isn't just about wanting His salvation or protection—it's about surrendering to His lordship completely.
The Journey to Jerusalem: A Mission with Purpose
Jesus was on a deliberate journey to Jerusalem. This wasn't wandering or incidental movement—this was the mission. Every step was intentional, every mile measured. He was advancing toward the place where salvation would be purchased with His very own blood.
Yet as He journeyed, Jesus didn't rush past people in the name of purpose. He ministered as He moved, teaching about the kingdom of God. This confronts us with a sobering reality: it's possible to be so preoccupied with what we believe we're called to do that we fail to reflect the heart of God along the way.
The Question That Cuts Deep: Will Few Be Saved?
Understanding the Cost of Discipleship
As Jesus taught about the Kingdom, someone from the crowd asked a penetrating question: "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" This wasn't casual curiosity—it was born from everything Jesus had already said about the cost of following Him.
Jesus had not painted the kingdom in soft, sentimental tones. He spoke of cost, sacrifice, and surrender. To follow Him meant taking up a cross, denying oneself, and relinquishing all competing allegiances. This Kingdom doesn't fit into your life—it reorders your life entirely.
The Narrow Door
Jesus responded with words that challenge our modern sensibilities: "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." We live in a culture that speaks of forming your own path and doing things your way. This thinking has crept into the church, leading people to believe they can create their own systems to enter God's Kingdom without paying the associated price. But Jesus made it clear—there's only one way to be part of the kingdom of God, and it's through Him alone.
Why Many Will Be Shut Out
Proximity Doesn't Equal Relationship
Jesus warned that many who think they belong to the Kingdom will find themselves shut out—not because they lacked religion, but because they lacked relationship. Having proximity to Jesus doesn't mean having a relationship with Him.
Some people think because they have Christian family members or attend church, they're automatically part of God's kingdom. But Jesus spoke to people who thought their lineage guaranteed their salvation, and He told them it was only through Him that anyone could enter.
The Tragedy of Being Unwilling
The most heartbreaking part of Jesus' message comes when He speaks of Jerusalem: "How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing."
The tragedy wasn't that the invitation was unclear or that protection wasn't available. The tragedy was that people were not willing to accept the invitation. They thought they had a better way, that they were clever enough to create their own system, that they didn't need to submit to God's authority.
Standing Firm Against Opposition
When Threats Come
When the Pharisees tried to intimidate Jesus by warning Him that Herod wanted to kill Him, Jesus responded with unwavering resolve. He called Herod "that fox"—not a casual insult, but a deliberate one exposing Herod's cunning and ultimately insignificant nature in the face of divine sovereignty.
Jesus was clearly threatened but in no way intimidated. There was no anxiety in His voice, no urgency to escape, because He knew He was operating according to His Father's will, not on the Pharisees' timetable.
The Enemy's Strategy
The enemy often tries to tempt us first, attempting to make us stumble into sin. But if that doesn't work, he might use intimidation and fear. Fear can be a powerful strategy that scares us away from our God-given calling. Don't let the enemy intimidate you or strike fear into your heart. Stand firm on who you are in Christ Jesus.
The Heart of a Savior
Divine Grief Over Rejection
When Jesus spoke to Jerusalem, you can hear the grief in His voice: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it." For generations, God had sent messengers calling for repentance, and time after time, they were rejected, oppressed, and killed.
Now the very Son of God stood before them, offering not control but cure, not condemnation but salvation. Yet the invitation was met with the same response—rejection.
Like a mother hen who sacrifices herself to protect her chicks from fire, Jesus sacrificed His life to save us from the fires of hell. The protection is available, the invitation is extended, but we must be willing to come under His authority to receive it.
Life Application
This week, examine your heart honestly. Are you truly willing to come under the authority of Jesus, or are you trying to create your own path to God? Don't assume that because you have exposure to Christianity—through family, church attendance, or religious knowledge—that you automatically have a relationship with Jesus.
The narrow door requires complete surrender. It means confessing Jesus as both Lord and Savior—Lord meaning complete surrender to His authority, and Savior meaning believing His death on the cross was sufficient to pay for your sins.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Am I trying to enter God's kingdom through my own efforts rather than through Jesus alone?
- Do I have proximity to Christianity but lack a personal relationship with Christ?
- Am I willing to surrender complete control of my life to Jesus' authority?
- What fears or intimidation tactics might be keeping me from fully following God's calling on my life?
The call that went out 2,000 years ago to Jerusalem still goes out today. The question remains: Are you willing to receive the mission of the cross and come under the authority of Jesus? Don't wait—no one knows when that door will be shut for all eternity.
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