Matthew 7:13-28 THE BROAD AND NARROW WAY 3-29-08
Today we’re going to talk for a little while on fruit bearing, all of us know that an apple tree bears apples, it is impossible for it to bear any other kind of fruit, therefore we can tell a tree by the fruit it bears. The same is true with Christians, as Christians we desire to produce the fruit that we read about in Gal.5: 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, [patient]gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness,[ gentleness, humility] temperance: [self-control] I wish I could say that since we’ve been saved that we can do no wrong, but we all know that’s not the case.
Listen as I read today’s text found in Matthew 7:13-28 JESUS SAID:
13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
We find in these verses the description of two ways, two types of people, two destinations, two gates, two kinds of trees, two kinds of fruit, two foundations with two kinds of builders. When it comes to making a choice as to where you will be for all eternity, there are only two options. It is heaven, or it is hell. A third option is not found in these verses.
When we think on how is the best way to get to heaven, there are only two options. There is the right way, and then there is the wrong way.
Frank Sinatra sang a song called, “ I did it my way”
The people building the tower to heaven back in Genesis 11:4 were going their way, or so they thought.
Genesis 11: 4And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; Gods way and man way are never the same. It’s best for man to trust Gods ways than mans every time.
We read the middle verse of the Bible which says Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
Jesus says in verse 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
1) There are two roads people are traveling, yet thinking their going to go to heaven: the BROAD way, and the NARROW way.
No one purposely gets on the road that leads Hell. Everyone thinks they are on the right road. If they really believed that they’re on the wrong road, they would do something about it.
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
It seems as though a lot of people have the idea that, “well since most people are going this way it must be the right way”. There are no road signs pointing to ‘hell.” The majority of people think they’re on the right road, but actually they’re heading toward the place of eternal destruction. It is called the Broad Way, because there are so many people on this road.
There are more people going to Hell, than there are going to Heaven. Again let me say, some people think the majority is always right, but in this case the majority is on the broad way to hell. That majority includes the hardened sinner, the drunkard, the fornicator, the idolater, the homosexual, and it includes the religious person who is depending on their own righteousness. Hell is populated today with what the world would consider “good” people.
The moral person, the generous person, the good neighbor, the friendly person, that good-nature person, that person who is basing their acceptance with God on their own good merits. Their works.
It is called the Broad Way, because it will allow anything, and anyone to travel it. You can carry all kinds of baggage with you. You can carry any sin. You don’t have to give up a thing. You can come just as you are, and not make any changes.
There is no repentance on the Broad Way! No Life Changes have to be made. Anything, and anyone is allowed, no exceptions! That’s the way of the world. We have room for everyone, except for one person.
It’s the same as it was in Bethlehem when Jesus was born; there was no room for Him in the inn. The people of the world have no room for Jesus.
Yet, on the broad way...everything else is allowed. The promoters of the Broad Way says..You can make a profession of faith in Christ and hang on to your sins. You don’t have to change anything!!!
But the apostle Paul said in Romans 6: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin Ephesians 4: 22-24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Colossians 3: 8-9 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
2) The Narrow Way is narrow because there is only ONE entrance to heaven.
There is Only one entrance into the portals of Glory.
John 14:6 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me John 10:9 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. There are not 2 doors, or 3 doors or 5 doors, there is only one.
One can count beads until he causes blisters on his fingers, you can chant hail Mary’s until you become hoarse, you can eat Jesus wafers until you weigh 400 lbs. All this is works and amounts to nothing.
This door is not a Baptist door, or a Church of Christ door, it is the JESUS DOOR!
There are not any exceptions? Will are no loopholes? No exceptions! No Loopholes!
John 10:1 1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber
It is Narrow because the unconverted life will not make it into heaven. In Matthew 19:16-24 we’re told about the rich man that went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Jesus said “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
He held tightly to his riches. He held tightly to his possessions. Millions of people turn from Christ because they will not turn lose of the worldly habits of their life. They will not surrender to the control of God in their lives. They don’t want to let any thing go, to give up anything.
The rich man didn’t even offer to give up a small portion of what he had. It wouldn’t have done any good any way. Jesus didn’t ask for a small portion. The rich young man knew what Jesus required. We can’t be a fence staddleler when it comes to following Jesus. Jesus wants us to follow Him whole heartily. Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus was using here this illustration of how hopeless and useless it is to even consider a camel going threw the little tiny hole of a needle.
Many people today think they are going to be saved by who they are or by what they have. You are truly saved when you find out that you are a sinner, a beggar in God’s sight, with nothing to offer Him for your salvation. As long as a person feels he can do something or pay God for salvation, he can no more be saved than a camel can be put through the eye of a needle. The salvation of a rich sinner is just as miraculous as the salvation of a poor sinner. Both are only possible with God!
We live in a country of wealth—One of the richest nations in the world. We value our possessions, God has allowed us to have many things, and there’s nothing wrong with having things, let’s just be sure that the things don’t have us.
I don’t believe the Lord is asking us to give away every thing that we may have and live in poverty so we can follow Him, that not what He’s asking at all. But He does want us to be rich in the things of God.
The Lord Jesus wants us to be happy and prosperous; we can live godly lives without wallowing in the pigpens of the world.
My wife and I are far from being wealthy as far as fiancées go, we live in a small little house, but its home to us as long as we’re still here, and we’re happy, we’re use to our simple way of living.
But we have a Heavenly Father that owns it all and He has promised us and all that are saved, a heavenly home, there to be with Him some day in the not to distant future.
I’m sure that you’ve seen these false prophets on the TV. That’s always trying to con people into, as they call it, ‘sow a seed” and you’ll receive all manner of wealth. JESUS said in our text Matt. 7: 15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits.
It seems that all they do is waste their airtime trying to get poor gullible people to send them money so they can live high on the hog so to speak. Why are they not preaching and teaching the Word of God?
Holding on to this world will send people to Hell! Jesus said Matthew 16:24 24-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
3) There are 2 kinds of teachings that promote the Broad and Narrow way:
One is bad fruit from a bad tree, and the other is good fruit from a good tree.
The false prophet is dressed up like a true shepherd. He wears the clothing of a shepherd. Shepherds wear the sheep’s clothing. The false prophet is not interested in helping the sheep like the shepherd, he is a ravenous wolf. He comes to devour, misuse and abuse the sheep. How do you know if he is a false prophet? By his fruit, or his teaching.
What is he teaching? Here is what he is teaching...that the broad way is the correct way.
The false prophet says you don’t have to give up anything because that’s too cruel. Have
it your way!
The fruit is what they are teaching. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
False teachers deny the Bible as the Inspired, inerrant Word of God. False teachers deny the existence of a literal burning Hell. False teachers deny Christ as the only Way to escape Hell and enter the kingdom of Heaven.
The good teaching is from Christ. Matthew 7:28-29 28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
His teaching is authoritative. His teaching is what we have in the Word of God! His teaching is what will judge us on judgment day. His teaching is what we should pay close attention to, and be diligent to obey. His teaching is the will of the Father in heaven. God’s will is not just to be heard, admired, and discussed. It is to be followed and pursued by an obedient heart.
