Sermon on the Mount
Pt 13
Two Gates – Life or Destruction
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. [NKJV]
OPENING REMARKS
1. Decisions – Life is full of them.
A. This morning you were faced with some decisions –
To come to SS and church | To come to church only | To just simply stay at home and not come at all
B. Every Day we make decisions –
Some simple:
What to wear | What to eat | Where to go | What to do | What to say | What to buy
Some serious:
Who to marry | What career to follow | Major purchases | And on and on
2. John MacArthur
Our lives are filled with decisions – … Many decisions are trivial and insignificant, and some are essential and life changing.
The most critical of all is our decision about Jesus Christ and His kingdom. That is the ultimate choice that determines our eternal destiny. It is that decision that Jesus here [Text | Matthew 7:13-14] calls men to make. … [This is done] in perfect harmony with His absolute sovereignty, God has always allowed men to choose Him or not … He has provided and shown the way [to mankind], leaving nothing to man but the choice. [For] God made His choice by providing the way of redemption. [Accepting] the choice is now man’s.
The Ways – [John Oxenham, British poet]
To every man there openeth | A Way, and Ways, and a Way,
And the High Soul climbs the High Way, | And the Low Soul gropes the Low,
And in between, on the misty flats, | The rest drift to and fro.
But to every man there openeth | A High Way and a Low,
And every man decideth | The Way his soul shall go.
----- [The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 1-7, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1986), p. 449-450 (adapted)] -----
NOTE: It is decision time!
In these two verses (7:13-14) Jesus is making an appeal for those (especially His disciples) who have been listening to Him to look at and decide which path (way) they are to be traveling down concerning life.
The text indicates that there are two paths (ways) that we can travel. One is through a broad gate that leads to destruction and the other is through a narrow gate that leads to life. Jesus here tells – No | demands (imperative aorist verb) – that His disciples “must” enter the narrow gate. Any other way leads to destruction.
Therefore, just as those disciples were expected to follow His will then, so too we as His disciples are no less obligated to follow them today – we are indeed to heed His Words: “Enter by the Narrow Gate” and walk in its way which leads to life, to do otherwise leads to destruction.
TEXT
Vv. 13-14
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
I. Enter by the narrow gate
A. Enter | Narrow Gate
. Enter – imperative aorist verb: demands a definite and specific action.
. Narrow Gate – Gk. means: an opening (syn. door) [point of entrance] that is difficult for even a small man to pass through w/o distress. Normally associated with an opening in a wall.
1. Example: Mammoth Cave, KY – Fat Man’s Misery. An extremely narrow section on the historic trail that is difficult for those who are over weight to maneuver through.
2. Illustration: Demonstrate the difference between a narrow pathway and a broad pathway.
NOTE: The command here is not to ponder and admire the gate. But is to enter it. Many people respect and praise Jesus Christ but never receive Him as Lord and Savior [John MacArthur, 452].
.. Having a head knowledge of Jesus Christ will not save an individual from their sins – cf. 1 Corinthians 2:14.
. Unfortunately – Many of today’s professing Christians (87% of Americans) as evidenced by their lack of spiritual fruit may only have such a knowledge of Jesus Christ instead of a saving heart knowledge (being born-again) of Him.
II. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
A. What contrast here – Wide/Narrow Gate | Easy/Difficult Way | Few Find/Many Travel It
1. Wide gate | Narrow gate
. Multitudes – walk along this way.
. On the face of this way there is a lot to offer.
a. No restrictions – Come as you are – no need to change – you will be accepted.
b. No limitations – believe what you wish (all roads lead to Rome – so too all the ways to heaven).
.. Wide Gate
Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
.. Narrow Gate
John 14:6
Jesus said … I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
2. Easy way | Difficult way
Broad Way
. Easy, attractive, indulgent, permissive, and self-oriented way of the world.
. There are few rules, few restrictions, and few requirements.
. Just profess Jesus - or at least be religious and you will be accepted in the large and diverse group.
. Sin is tolerated. Truth is moderated. Humility (godly living) is ignored.
. God’s Word is praised – but not studied.
. God’s standards are acknowledged – but not followed.
. Requires no spiritual maturity, no moral character, no commitment, no sacrifice, and no resistance as one floats downstream toward destruction w/o little hindrance [John MacArthur, 455 (adapted)].
Narrow Way
. Hard – demands sacrifice to enter - leave behind: sin, selfish ambition, covetousness, worldly ways.
. Unattractive - difficult to find, too demanding, loss of family and friends.
. Inclusive - the width of the gate is for only one person at a time – must forsake all to go through.
Psalm 1:1-6
1 Blessed is the man | Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly | Nor stands in the path of sinners | Nor sits in the seat of the scornful
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree | Planted by the rivers of water | That brings forth its fruit in its season | Whose leaf also shall not wither | And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so | But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment | Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous | But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
3. Few find it | Many travel it
Two Groups
Going into the two gates, traveling down the two ways, and heading for the two destinations we find two groups of people.
1. Many
.. Those who go in through the wide gate and travel the way that is broad will find their destination will be one of destruction.
. The many will include pagans and nominal Christians | atheists and religionists | theists and humanists | Jews and Gentiles – every person from whatever age, background, persuasion, and circumstance who has not come to saving obedience to Jesus Christ.
2. Few
.. The group that goes through the narrow gate and travels the obedient narrow way is destined for life is few in number.
. Believers are not few in number because the gate is narrow or too small to accommodate more. There is no limit to the number who could go through that gate, if they go through in God’s way, in repentance for their sins and in trust in Jesus Christ to save them.
. Nor is the number few because heavenly space is limited. God’s grace is boundless, and heaven’s dwellings are limitless.
. Nor is the number few because God desires that most people perish. He extremely desires for all to come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9) [John MacArthur, 457-458 (adapted)].
NOTE: Many will not choose this path simply because it is not easy – it requires discipline and desire.
CONCLUSION
2 Gates – wide or narrow
2 Ways – broad or difficult
2 Ends – destruction or life
Many are on the wide broad way to destruction | few are on the narrow difficult way to life.
Which road are you walking on?
INVITIATION
Lost –
Wide Gate of Destruction
. This is the only way that a person who has not trusted Jesus is traveling. If one continues down this path they will ultimately face destruction.
. This destruction for the lost man, woman, or knowledgeable child will be complete separation from God for eternally in what we refer to as Hell.
. I urge you today to get off of the path and to seek out the narrow gate that leads to life.
Believer/Church –
Wide Gate of Destruction
. Many Christians have literally sold out to the world in their service to Christ. If this happens to be you – consider: 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 | … each one’s work will become manifest … if anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
. May this not be your testimony!
Narrow Gate of Life
. Few (many to us) Christians seemed to want to serve God for the purpose of bringing glory to His name. These believers will be praised for their faithful service for their Lord and Master – their saviou, Jesus Christ.
. May you be found in this group and may you hear Christ say to you one day: Matthew 25:23 | Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.
COME WORSHIP THE LORD
. Our Invitation is open to all:
. Come to Christ
. Come if you need to pray
. Come be a part of us
. Come share with us what the Lord would have you to do
Bruce Allen | Underwood Baptist Church | January 20, 2008
bea0210@hotmail.com | http://ebenezer.reformedblogs.com
