“Will Only a Few Be Saved?”

“Will Only a Few Be Saved?”

This message by Alistair Begg is made available by Truth For Life. For more information, visit us online at TruthForLife.org.

Let’s turn together to the passage we read a few moments ago, beginning with Luke 13:22. If you are visiting, we are currently working through the Gospel of Luke in a systematic, consecutive study. Some of us have already noticed key themes and patterns as they develop, and today’s passage continues this progression.

In verse 22, Luke reminds us where Jesus was going and what He was doing. This aligns with what we have seen from the beginning of this Gospel. Early in Luke, after healing many people, Jesus went to a solitary place to pray. At daybreak, His disciples found Him and, along with the people, urged Him to stay. However, His response was clear:

“I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” (Luke 4:43)

This theme runs throughout Luke’s Gospel. In Luke 13:22, we see once again that Jesus was traveling through towns and villages, teaching and fulfilling His divine mission.

We also observed this in Luke 9:51, where it says:

“As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”

Luke is not merely giving us geographical details; he is emphasizing Jesus’ unwavering journey toward His ultimate purpose in Jerusalem. Step by step, Jesus moved closer to fulfilling His mission.

As Jesus traveled, the crowds following Him continued to grow. By the start of Luke 12, thousands had gathered, so many that they were trampling over one another. Imagine the scene: Jesus, the Galilean carpenter, walking through familiar towns as people rushed to see Him. Some were sick, hoping for healing. Others had heard of His miracles and wondered if He could change their lives, too.

Perhaps a woman, hunched over with pain, had heard someone say, “Jesus recently healed a woman just like you.” In faith, she pushed through the crowd, believing He could do the same for her.

Maybe a struggling family sat at their breakfast table, scraping together their last meal. The husband looked at his wife, knowing they had nothing left. But then a neighbor told them about Jesus reading from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor… to set the oppressed free.” (Luke 4:18)

The husband turned to his wife and said, “We are poor, and you are downtrodden. Let’s go see Jesus. Maybe He will help us too.”

Some people in the crowd couldn’t even explain why they were there—only that Jesus’ words and miracles had stirred something in them, drawing them closer.

In many ways, this is not unlike a Sunday morning congregation at Parkside Church. Some people are there out of deep faith, while others are seeking hope in the face of hardship. Perhaps you recently received a troubling diagnosis, and suddenly, the things that once seemed important no longer hold the same weight. In this moment of uncertainty, you find yourself drawn to Jesus, wondering if He has the answers you desperately need.

No matter the reason you are here today, Jesus invites you to seek Him, to hear His words, and to trust in His purpose for your life.

For more biblical teachings, visit TruthForLife.org.