THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (part 20)
Matthew 7:13-14
Today Jesus introduces a reality that, when you understand what he's saying, goes against what is commonly thought in the world today. Jesus talks about the narrow and wide gates.
1) The road less travelled.
Matt. 7:13-14, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Wait a minute, 2nd Pet. 3:9 says that God wishes that no one would spiritually perish? So why are most going to? Jesus isn't stating his desire or intentions but the reality of what will be. The road to destruction is wide because there are many ways to find yourself on it. I get on this broad road through pride, selfishness, resentment, anger toward God, apathy, disbelief, denial, etc.
My pride tells me I don't need Jesus. My selfishness tells me I don't want Jesus, my resentment tells me Jesus is no good, my anger rejects Jesus, my apathy doesn't care about Jesus, my disbelief tells me there is no God, my denial tells me I already have eternal life when I don't.
2nd Cor. 4:4 says satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they can't see the light of the gospel. Satan blinds people's eyes to their need of Jesus. Satan blinds people to the severity of their actions. Satan blinds people to their current spiritual state. A lot of people think they're good and are going to heaven because of it. Satan blinds people so they think they're okay with God when they're not. Satan blinds people to think they're on the right road when they're not.
Luke 13:22-27, "Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’”
These people expected to be let in; they thought they were good to go. And when they were told, "I don't know you" they were surprised. Their response is revealing. Sure, they were around Jesus but they weren't connected to Jesus. They thought because Jesus hung out with them it meant they were in. And they may have heard the teachings of Jesus but they didn't truly accept the teachings of Jesus and put them into practice. They used the wrong criteria to determine they were going to heaven.
People do the same thing today. They think that just because they believe in Jesus they're in. But the problem is they don't follow Jesus; Jesus isn't their Lord. They might go to church, do some volunteer work, sing the praises, watch the movies and things like that. But meanwhile, they are merely feel-good followers, fans, if you will.
"I don't know you". The reason Jesus said that was because he didn't know them on a relational level. He knew who they were, but they didn't take the opportunity to know him on an intimate level. I know who the president is but I don't know him personally. And I could be around a person without having a friendship with him.
People are like that today. They know who Jesus is but it's just on a surface level. When we think knowing about Jesus or simply believing in Jesus is enough, then we might be some of the ones on the other side of the door wondering why we're not allowed in and Jesus will say, "I don't know you".
Then you have the people who believe it doesn't matter what teaching, religion or belief you have because all roads lead to heaven. But that's not true. Prov. 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." There is only one way to be found in God's favor. The road is narrow because there is only one way to get on it-through Jesus. In John 14:6 Jesus said that he is the only way; no one will have God's approval apart from him.
In chapter 10, Jesus explains that he is the gate. John 10:7-10, "Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
The reason the road to eternal life is less travelled is because there are not many people who are willing to make Jesus the Lord of their lives. When Jesus is your Lord you listen to him and do what he says. We recognize the voice of Jesus and the voice of the enemy and choose to follow Jesus.
We understand that Satan has the agenda to steal my joy and peace, to kill my spirit and destroy my soul. If our eyes are blind we think that what he offers us is good or profitable; so we fall for his trap. Satan blinds our minds to the benefit of what Jesus offers. In our blindness we think the fullness of life is found in the treasures of earth, not the treasures of heaven.
But, when we enter the gate of Jesus we acknowledge that the fullness of life is found in surrendering our life to his control. And we are convinced that we are better off for doing so. We believe that what's truly beneficial is what only he can give us. We take the road less travelled.
2) The road that leads to life.
Jesus said broad is the road that leads to destruction and narrow is the road that leads to eternal life. The broad road is not destruction itself but it will lead to it; same with the narrow road. This road we're on is not eternal life itself, but it does lead there.
Think about it: at one time we were all on the road to destruction. Were we destroyed while we were on this road? No. We were condemned because of our sin, as John 3:18 says, whoever does not believe stands condemned already. We were condemned but we weren't destroyed. Destruction will happen at the end of the road unless we come to Christ.
When we put our faith in Christ, we got off the road to destruction and got on the road to eternal life. We are now on the narrow road but we haven't reached the end of it yet. Therefore, we need to persevere in faith to reach the end. Some would say that once we're on the narrow road we automatically stay on it until the end.
But consider what Jesus said in Matt. 24:12-13, "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." I see this as a warning we need to take seriously. We have to be careful that we don't allow our love for all things Christ to diminish.
The increase of wickedness in the world can make its way into our hearts to where we begin to compromise and be more accepting of sin. The more we do that the easier it will be to drift from Christian principles and grow cold in our love and devotion to Jesus. So, it's not a foregone conclusion that we will stand firm until the end.
The writer of Hebrews talked about the need to persevere too. Heb. 10:35-39, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved."
If we're told not to throw away our confidence then that means there's a possibility that we would. If we're told we need to persevere then that indicates there's a possibility that we wouldn't. If we don't shrink back we won't be destroyed. How do we persevere? We're told in vs. 38-live by faith. We need to persevere in the faith.
Paul talked about this in Colossians 1:21-23a, "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel."
Paul says that I have been reconciled and I will be presented holy, without sin and free from all accusation, IF I continue in my faith; which means it's not a foregone conclusion that I will. If it was then you wouldn't find any of these warning passages. You don't warn someone of something that can't possibly happen.
This makes perfect sense-by faith we come in to Christ and by faith we remain in Christ. Jesus said in John 15:4, 'remain in me and I will remain in you'. Stay connected to Christ in faith and we're good to go.
All this could cause us to be worried and afraid; thinking that at any moment I could lose my faith and be doomed. But it doesn't work like that. Losing our faith does not happen easily; it's typically a long, drawn out process.
And losing my faith is much different than struggling in my faith. Most Christians have doubts along the way; that's not losing my faith. Losing my faith would have to be a definitive, turn your back on all things Christ and abandon the Christian belief and way of life altogether. And even then, it doesn't mean all hope is lost. At some point I could come to my senses and return; like the prodigal son did.
Knowing I need to persevere in my faith doesn't cause me to live in fear of whether or not I'm saved. It's actually a benefit to know this so I always take my walk seriously. I've seen people with the mindset of thinking that no matter how far away from God they got, they felt he would always find a way to bring them back. That's dangerous thinking.
God will definitely go above and beyond to bring back the stray sheep but it's presumptuous to assume that I will always make it back. I'd rather live with the idea that it's possible that I could get so far gone that I would not want to come back.
Although it seems preposterous to consider how someone who is genuinely in Christ could get so far gone and hard of heart they would decide to abandon their faith but that doesn't make it impossible. Let me always be mindful of the possibility, lest I get lazy in my faith and end up not persevering.
That's one reason why the path to eternal life is narrow, there are few who get on the path in the first place and fewer still who stay on the path 'til the end.
But again, this reality doesn't have to scare us. We are not on this path by ourselves. We have Jesus walking with us. He watches over us and helps us. He gives us the wisdom and the power we need to continue to the end. The duty of perseverance is not entirely on our shoulders; but neither is it entirely on God's. He will give us everything we need to make it all the way and he will be ever so patient and persistent if we stray from the narrow road but there is a part we play in all this.
And the road to eternal life might be narrow but that doesn't mean it's hard to find. Everyone has the opportunity to see it; if they are willing to look for it. Satan may blind our minds but we are able to see if we want to. The proverbial scales can fall from our eyes like they did Paul's. God reveals his love and salvation to us but we have to decide if we will respond in faith. Everyone has the ability to have faith. Unfortunately, only some will act on it; while most will find a reason not to.
Terry Laughlin gives this illustration, "God has set before you two gates, one wide and one narrow. He has set before you two roads, one broad and one narrow. He has set before you two destinations, one of eternal blessing and one of eternal damnation. Your greatest problem is this: the signs pointing down both roads are marked, “The Way to Heaven.” Both gates read, “Enter Here,” and both destinations are labeled “Heaven.”
You notice that many of your friends and family are heading through the wide gate and down the broad way. The road looks smooth; the walking appears easy and comfortable. You can take all your “stuff” with you. A few carry burdens of sexual sin, partying, drunkenness, or lies. But most are "good people" who are talking about Jesus along the way. But these are still carrying pride, unbelief, bitterness, self-sufficiency or false religious ideas. Not many on that road will criticize you as you walk along. They are very tolerant and open-minded. After all, their baggage looks much the same as yours.
Now you look the other way. The beginning of the narrow road seems difficult. In fact, it looks downright cramped. The narrow gate only has room for one to go through at a time. You certainly can’t carry all of your baggage with you. You have to somehow unload your burdens of sins and leave them behind to travel that way.
In fact, all you can really see is that a cross stands right in the middle of the road just ahead with piles of baggage lying at its foot. It’s obvious to you that you can’t even start down that road until you go to the cross. The road beyond the cross looks a little rough and has an uphill grade to it. You can pick out only a few lone travelers up ahead, no great crowds of people to mingle with on that path.
So, which way do you go? Since God has given us the choice; and since He also wrote the Guidebook, His perfect Word, we would suggest strongly that you go to Him to find out the best way to go. The choice is clear. Step through the small gate. Go to the cross. Receive the free gift of eternal life that God has offered you through Jesus Christ. The way is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance. You have an Unseen Friend that walks with you all the way!"
Get off the road that leads to destruction and get on the road that leads to eternal life. Then, as you travel along, do your best to draw others onto the narrow road with you. There's always room for one more; will you be the next one?
