Big Questions
Only One Way to Heaven? | Luke 13:22-30 | Chris Meade | April 19, 2026
Luke 13:22–30, Jesus confronts a common question—“Who will be saved?”—by turning it into a deeply personal one: Will you be saved? Using the image of a narrow door, He teaches that salvation comes exclusively through Him, not through good works, religious familiarity, or personal effort. Like the diver forced to shed what he thought was keeping him alive, we must let go of anything we are trusting in besides Christ—whether pride, expectations, fear, or self-reliance—and enter by faith alone. The warning is urgent: the door will not remain open forever, and many who assume they are “in” will find themselves outside because they never truly knew Jesus. Yet the invitation is wide in scope—people from every nation will enter —reminding us that salvation is available to all who humbly surrender and come to Him alone.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?
2. Heart Check: Read Luke 13:22-30 Letting Go and Entering Through the Narrow Door
o What are the things you see people cling that keep them from stepping into the “narrow door” and putting their faith in Jesus? (Ex. Pride, Anger, Wanting their own works, etc.)
o What are the things you cling to that hinder your growth and greater trust in Jesus? What are you currently holding onto (success, control, comfort, relationships, anger) that may actually be keeping you from fully surrendering to Jesus?
o How are your’s similar…and how are they different from hinders those to believe?
3. Closed Door: Jesus is the DOOR and Jesus CLOSES the DOOR:
o Luke 13:24-25 and Matthew 7:21-22–talk about Jesus closing the door and not reopening it. Hebrews 9:27-28 shares this door of opportunity closes when we die. Luke 13 also shares that this door closes when the “banquet” begins.
o How does this understanding that the door closes a) shape your view of salvation? b) shape your motivation to share the gospel with others?
4. One Way To Be Saved?
o How would you address the critique of Jesus that there is only one way to be saved? What would you say to someone who shared that this is keeping them from Jesus?
o What percentage of assurance do you have that you are saved? 75%? 80%? 90% 100? Read the following passages: John 3:16; Romans 8:37-39, 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 John 4:13-16. How can these verses take you to 100% assurance?
o Practice with someone: How would you share the gospel and offer someone to come to faith in Jesus? What important things does someone need to know? What truth would you make sure you share with them? How would you offer someone the opportunity to put their faith in Jesus? Practice sharing the gospel and offering that person an opportunity to come to faith with someone you trust.
- Is there someone that does not know Jesus that you can communicate this truth to this week?
Palm Sunday
The Unexpected King | John 12:12-16 | Chris Meade | March 29, 2026
There’s something quietly sobering about this moment in John 12. The crowd is not indifferent—they are passionate, loud, celebratory. They are waving palm branches, shouting “Hosanna,” declaring Jesus as King. And yet…within days, many of those same voices will fall silent or turn away. Not because Jesus failed—but because He refused to be the kind of King they wanted. That tension still lives in us. The “not-so-triumphal entry” isn’t just about a crowd that misunderstood Jesus—it’s about how easily we can do the same. The invitation of Palm Sunday is not just to wave branches, but to lay down our expectations and receive the King as He truly is.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?
2. Heart Check: Read—John 12:12-16.
o The crowd worshiped loudly when Jesus looked like a conquering hero. But when He moved toward a cross instead of a throne, their praise faded. It’s easy to praise Jesus as long as He aligns with your expectations—your timeline, your outcomes, your idea of what “victory” should look like.
o But where might you be subtly asking Jesus to serve your agenda instead of surrendering to His?
o Has my been worship rooted in who Jesus is—or in what I hope He will do for me? How do we distinguish the difference? What are examples you where you have lived both scenarios?
3. The DIAGNOSIS: Let Scripture shape our expectations, not culture or circumstance.
o John tells us even the disciples didn’t fully understand what was happening until later. We are just as prone to misread Jesus if we filter Him through politics, comfort, or personal desire rather than the whole counsel of God’s Word.
o The people wanted freedom from Rome; Jesus came to bring freedom from sin and death. One is temporary, the other eternal. Where are you tempted to settle for short-term relief instead of the deeper, lasting work Jesus is doing in your life?
4. The ACTION ORIENTATION:
o The crowd had excitement, but not endurance. Deeply rooted faith is not just loud in moments of celebration—it remains steady through confusion, tension, and even silence. What would it look like for your faith to be deeper than the moment? What does it look like/take to turn toward Jesus in those moments?