Restricted Access

          Back in my BC days there were two things I liked to do. Find my way to the front row at a rock concert and gain access to off limits places to explore. At concerts it began with a study of the arena. Which seats are empty? Where is security stationed? Then after a few songs we’d begin to weave through the crowd. Scurrying through seats and jumping over the wall that separated the seats from the floor. Most of the times were met with success. Sometimes we would get caught and to rewind and try again. Another game Joy and I would play with our friends was to explore a city and try to make our way into off limits buildings or find doors that would give us access to the roof or upper levels. We find an old church and want to get in to admire its beauty and gain the view from the rooftop. Bottom line is we were trying to gain access to seats we didn’t pay for or locations only accessible to authorized personnel.
Growing up I said “God bless you’ when someone sneezed, prayed for the occasional meal, helped people when I could, and attended church on occasion. I knew who Jesus was and what He did. Even prayed to Him once in a while when I needed out of a jam. Surely when I surveyed my life I had done enough to satisfy entrance to heaven. 
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus addresses guys like me. “Not everyone who says to me “Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21) Jesus said one day people will tell him all the stuff they did in His name (7:22) and He say ‘Who are you?” (7:23).
You see, it’s not about the stuff we do, that’s easy. We can’t finagle our way by sneaking through a door of good works. The way is secure and accessible only through the work and person of Jesus Christ. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” He would tell His disciples “no one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).
It’s about Him! He is the narrow gate (7:13) through which we gain access. It is His work, period!

Pastor Rob