The Sermon on the Mount - that body of teaching found in Mathew 5 thru 7 - is generally viewed as the hallmark of the teachings of Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount is considered to be one of the most beautiful sections of the Bible. This is quite true.
Who does not appreciate the beauty of the Beatitudes found in the opening verses of Chapter 5?
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
"Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you
falsely, on account of Me.
Also, found within the Sermon on the Mount is what is considered by most people to be the greatest ethical teaching ever delivered to the world - the so-called Golden Rule found in Matthew 7:12 - “Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” The Lord expounded upon that revolutionary thought in commanding, "I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44.
There definitely some beautiful and inspiring teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. However, in the midst of the beautiful lessons and inspiring teachings in that Sermon are, what I consider, the scariest verses in the entire New Testament. The thoughts presented in two short passages, when I seriously contemplate them, send a shiver down my spine.
I want us to contemplate those two passages from the Sermon on the Mount in this lesson.
The first scary passage is found in Matthew 7:13-14 - "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.”
Jesus presents to us the reality that there are only two pathways to eternity. There is a pathway that leads to eternal destruction and another that leads to eternal life. Every person who is of an age to choose right from wrong, every person who has the mental capacity to understand that there is an eternity and that there are two pathways that lead to it, are on one of these two pathways as I speak. Right now, you and I are on one of these two pathways.
Jesus first describes the pathway to destruction. The Lord says it is easy to enter this pathway because the gate that opens to this pathway is exceedingly broad. So broad is this gate that you might not even recognize it being a gate, as such. It is very easy to walk right through it. There are no custom agents at this gate. You can carry anything you want through this gate. There are no personal inspections. Come as you are and be as you may… anyone and everyone is able to go through this inviting gate.
And once you enter this gate, the pathway ahead of you is very broad or wide. There is lots of room to travel on this pathway. It is user-friendly. In fact, so wide is this pathway that it is virtually impossible to accidently fall off of it. It doesn’t require diligence or concentration to stay on this path. Once you are on it, just hit cruise control and you can enjoy the ride. And there are many different lanes on this road to suit your fancy.
And you don’t need to worry about being lonely on this road, because there is an abundance of people traveling on this soft and easy road. There is plenty of travelers to help make the experience all the better and easier. You’ll have plenty of company. For, many are those who enter this pathway and stay on it all the way to its destination - eternal destruction.
The great mass of humanity have entered the wide gate and are traveling down the broad way of life. It is the popular road because it is the pleasurable road. All of one’s fleshly desires are enticed and satisfied on this broad road. There are some on this road that even seek eternal life but think that their road of choosing must surely be the way.
But, Jesus pleads for us not to enter the wide gate and to travel down the broad way. He pleads us to take the alternate route in life - “Enter by the narrow gate.”
The way to eternal life is so different than the one that leads to destruction.
It begins with a narrow gate. The gate is the Lord Himself, John 10:9, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved.” There is no other entrance into the path of life except through Christ Jesus. One must become a Christian. Many say that there are many paths to the same destination. Jesus says it is not so. Jesus was narrow-minded according to today’s standards. He said that there is but one path, one way, and it is made known only by Him and in Him. John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’”
You must enter the way of life only in the manner that Jesus teaches. Its not easily entered. To fit through this gate, you must lay-aside your baggage of pride and become small and humble. You must lay-aside fleshly arrogance and adopt the posture of “not my will, but Thine be done.”
Concerning the gate-way to life, Jesus says “few are those who find it.” The reason that people do not find it is not because it is hard to find, but because they prefer to walk in the broad way. They want to live life as they want to live it. People are so wedded to their own desires and determined to follow the intents and ambitions of their own hearts and minds, few there be that actually find the way of life.
Another reason why few find the way is because few are seen walking in it. People are prone to follow the crowd. Many believe that there is validity in numbers. People have an aversion to being among a few. People prefer to be in a large group. Jesus warns us that few will even find the path that leads to life.
As opposed to the broad path, the path of life is narrow. It is not an easy path to follow.
It is a path of great self-sacrifice. Matthew 16:24, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’”
It is a path of tribulation. Acts 14:22, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."
It is a path of persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12, “And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
Turn with me to Luke 13:23-24, “And someone said to Him, ‘Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?’ And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’”
Notice what Jesus says about what is needed to enter the narrow door - striving. This Greek word is used of the effort of athletes to be victorious. How they pour every ounce of focus and energy and strength to the task at hand - to win the sporting event. It speaks to striving to the point of being in agony. Jesus is saying that if you are one of the few who finds the narrow door, give everything you got to enter into it. Sacrfice everything to enter. Your eternity is at stake.
Notice what Jesus says, “for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’” In Matthew, Jesus says that few will even find the gate or door to life. Now, he says that many who actually find the gate or door will like to enter (that is, obtain the blessings of salvation) but will not be able. Why? Because there is something in their life that keeps them from obeying the Gospel and traveling the pathway of life.
We share the Gospel with many people. Out of the many who hear the Gospel, only a few will acknowledge the Bible as to what it says we must do to be saved. Yes, there will be a few who will come to an understanding that one must believe that Christ is the only Savior of Mankind, must repent of former sins and lifestyle and make a commitment to make Jesus Lord of their life, confess belief that Christ is God’s only begotten Son and be baptized - immersed - for the remission of sins. Yes, there will be a few who will acknowledge this to be true BUT will not submit themselves to what they know is true and right….just as Jesus says here. They are not able because they are not yet willing to surrender all to God.
Friends, if your road is easy and well traveled, you do well to watch out - "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.”
The second scary passage found in the Sermon of the Mount is Matthew 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ’I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”
This passage should catch the attention of everyone who thinks that they belong to the Lord and enjoy salvation. This passage should catch the attention of everyone who is engaged in so-called Christian ministry. Because this passage doesn’t pertain to those who are unbelievers but to those who are believers.
Jesus says that not everyone who calls Him ‘Lord’ is going to make it to Heaven. Not everyone who professes to be a Christian - a child of God - is going to be welcomed at the ‘Pearly Gates’.
Jesus says that there are going to be many shocked believers at Judgment Day. There are going to be many who will plead how well they served Him and promoted His Cause only to be told to get out of His sight.
During the last 75 years, there has been a movement within Christendom that has promoted the idea that as long as you believe in Christ as your personal Savior and strive to live an up-right life, then you are part of God’s elect. As long as you acknowledge Jesus, you are saved. And this movement says that you ought to ignore what church you belong to and what doctrines one might hold to because everyone is a-okay as long as you acknowledge Jesus. Therefore, most folks in most churches are in good standing with the Lord because they believe in Jesus and they pray to Him.
But Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of Heaven.”
He goes on to say that there are going to be people who have been prominent in ministry that are going to be turned away. There will be those who preached in the Name of Jesus….There will be those who actually cast-out demons in the Name of Jesus….There will be those who worked miracles in the Name of Jesus ….who are going to be told by Jesus on Judgment Day - “I never knew you!” In other words, they never were saved to begin with! They believed in Jesus, they talked about Jesus and they had wonderful ministries with the focus on Jesus but they were lost all the while.
You tell me that that isn’t a scary thought!
How can a person who believes in Jesus, prays to Jesus, talks about Jesus, preach about Jesus and do wonderful works in the Name of Jesus not make it to Heaven??
Jesus says that salvation is reserved for “he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.”
Too many people think that they can become Christians their way and not the Bible way. Too many people listen to pastors and preachers and evangelists and crusaders but not the Father Who is in Heaven. They ignore the law the Father has delivered through Christ and His Apostles.
One wonders how many T.V. evangelists, radio preachers, stadium crusaders, Christian book writers that we know so well will one day - on THAT Day - hear the Lord say, “I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.”
The Heavenly Father “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” He has given us the Scriptures which contain His ‘law of liberty.’ We must take heed to it from the beginning of our spiritual journey.
Luke 6:46, "And why do you call Me, ’Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
Today, what road are you on? Have you entered the wide gate and are traveling on the broadway that leads to destruction or have you exited that expressway and joined the few who have entered the small gate and are traveling the narrow way that leads to life? Its not too late to change roads!
Do you call Jesus ‘Lord’ but only pay Him lip service? Have you fashioned your Christianity based upon your desires and wishes or have you surrendered to the ’will of the Father Who is in Heaven.’ Have you made Christ Lord in deed? He wants to know you now - He stands at the door and knocks, He wants to be invited into your life.
