“The Narrow-Gated Way”
Luke 13:22-30 & Matthew 7:13-14
INTRODUCTION: Read Luke 13:22-30.
13:22 – What had Jesus been teaching? 13:3,5
They thought this was pretty harsh preaching. This wasn’t an “easy believe-ism”. Jesus wasn’t preaching a very popular message. If He kept this up, there wouldn’t be many who would follow Him.
Jesus didn’t make it EASY for people to follow Him. Look at what He told the crowds in 14:25-27, 14:33.
So, naturally, they asked Jesus this question in 13:23. “If just being a Jew doesn’t save you … and being good doesn’t save you … and just believing in God doesn’t save you … WILL THERE BE VERY MANY SAVED?”
Jesus answers them – 13:24
“strive” – Gk. – ‘agonizomai’ – this is where we get our word “agonize” from. It was the word used for those who competed in the athletic games. It means to put all your energy towards the prize. This is where we ought to concentrate our lives … put all our energy … eternity depends on it.
WHY? BECAUSE … one day we will be standing at Heaven’s gate and be knocking to get in – 13:25. One day, at death or after the Rapture, it will be too late. If we haven’t already come in through the narrow gate, we won’t get in. There’s coming a time when it will be TOO LATE.
WHERE is the “narrow gate”? Jesus tells them - John 10:9 – “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,” Unless you enter through the “gate” called “Jesus”, you can’t get into Heaven. There is no other way.
13:26 – They will be outside of Heaven, banging on the door, arguing with Jesus, saying that they had professed to be a friend of Jesus. They had been in church and heard Him preached. They had counted themselves as being one of the “Christians” … they had fellowshipped with them.
13:27 – Jesus will tell them that He never knew them. It’s NOT that He knew them, and they lost their salvation. BUT … He never knew them, because they were never saved in the first place. He will utter the most devastating words anyone could ever hear … “Depart from Me … I don’t know you.”
13:28 – Inside Heaven’s gates will be those who have entered through the narrow gate. BUT … they will be locked out. They don’t have the KEY. They never trusted Jesus as their Savior.
13:29-30 – There will be those in Heaven from all over the world. Those who considered themselves to be “first”, will find themselves to be “last”. The Jews thought that they were guaranteed a place in God’s Kingdom, simply by the fact that they were Jews, “God’s chosen people”. They looked upon the Gentiles as being “last” … out of favor with God.
Jesus is telling us that many who EXPECT to get to Heaven, WON’T be there. Others, whom we DON’T EXPECT to be there, WILL be there.
Some people expect to get to Heaven by being good & moral … attending church & being baptized … raised in a Christian home … It’s like the parable that Jesus told in Luke 18:9-14 of the Pharisee and the Publican – all turn.
Apparently, there aren’t going to be as many people in Heaven, as expect to be there. QUOTE from an article on Tim LaHaye … (The Gainesville Sun, Feb, 29, 2004) … “based on surveys of American religious attitudes, more than half of the country will be sucked into heaven during the rapture – which could happen at any time.”
While I agree with the rapture happening at any time, I have trouble with the idea that the masses will pour in through the wide gate. Jesus said “narrow is the gate that leads to life, and few there be that find it.”
Let’s examine the “narrow gate” a little closer – Matthew 7:13-14 – all turn.
“strait” = ‘narrow’.
Let’s look at the 2 roads … the “narrow” road, and the “wide” road. The picture that Jesus paints is that of a HIGHWAY … one roadway leading to Heaven, one leading to Hell. SEE DIAGRAM.
1.- THE BROAD WAY
• The Wide Gate – Why is it so wide? Because at one time, EVERYONE goes through it. Whenever anyone is born, they go through that gate … it HAS to be wide.
Psalm 51:5 – “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
Romans 5:12 – “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”
Ephes. 2:1 – “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
• It Leads To Destruction - At one time, as soon as we were born, we were all traveling down that broad way that leads to destruction. It leads to Hell. Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death”. As long as anyone stays on that broad road, they will go where it takes them.
• Many – Why travel that road if you know where it’s going? If I’m on a trip and I know the bridge is out up ahead … I’m going to make a U-turn! WHY do they continue down that road?
They don’t read the warning signs. OR .. if they read them, they don’t pay any attention to them. WHY? Because they’re too busy enjoying the scenery. The way of the world has a grasp on them, and they don’t pay any attention to the warning signs. They’re all over the place. A church on every corner … Bibles in supermarkets & drugstores … preachers on the radio and television … Christians in their workplace and in their neighborhood. They LIKE the broad road … no rules … no regulations … no speed limits … no detours … the fast lane.
2.- THE NARROW WAY
• Few – There aren’t as many people on this road. There are some on the BROAD WAY that THINK they’re on this Narrow Road. It’s not very crowded. REMEMBER … Jesus made it “hard” to follow Him … deny yourself … crucify your flesh … take up your cross … not an “easy believe-ism”, to be sure.
• The Narrow Gate – NOTICE that there’s no big exit ramp on the BROAD WAY. There’s only a small, narrow exit in the median. If you want to get on the NARROW WAY, you have to “strive” to get there … slow down on purpose … fear getting rear-ended.
What do you have to do to go from the BROAD WAY to the NARROW WAY? You’ve got to TURN AROUND. There’s a theological word for that … REPENTANCE! REPENTANCE means to ‘turn around’ … to turn from sin to God.
It means to do a 180 degree turn on how you look at sin. Those on the BROAD ROAD see sin as a way of life … the “pleasure of sin” … “if it feels good, do it.”. REPENTANCE means seeing sin the same way God sees your sin … as the nails that held Jesus to the cross … as the whip and the crown of thorns. That’s the picture God sees when He sees your sins. When you see your sins as to what they did to Jesus, then you can REPENT, and turn to Him for forgiveness.
• It leads to life – NOTICE where this road is headed … to Heaven. There are no exits, to get off and go back to the BROAD WAY. Why would you want to do that? Once you are on this way, you will never want to get off.
How can you tell which road you’re on? Jesus gives us a hint – 7:16-20. There are many who “dress” the part of a Christian … BUT … are really a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I don’t care how nice you dress up a wolf …inside they are still a wolf. AND … they will ACT like a wolf. It’s what’s INSIDE that counts … not what people see on the outside.
CONCLUSION: 7:21-23
(Heads Bowed … Eyes Closed)
Do you know which road you’re traveling on this morning? There will be many who won’t make it to Heaven, because they’re not on the right road. They haven’t gone through the narrow gate. They have read all the warning signs … AND … they believe they are true … BUT … they have never repented of their sins and given their heart and life to Jesus.
Jesus said it was “hard” … that’s why we have to “strive”. Salvation is more than just believing what the Bible says is true. It’s OBEYING it … and living for Jesus. Have you ever given your heart and life to Jesus? If you haven’t, why not do it now?
STAND – PRAYER
HYMN - #361 – “Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go”
OUTLINE FOR HANDOUT:
“The Narrow-Gated Way”
Luke 13:22-30 & Matthew 7:13-14
INTRODUCTION: Jesus’ message wasn’t very easy to follow – Luke 13:3,5, 14:25-27, 14:33
- “strive” = ‘agonizomai’ = ‘to agonize, agony’
13:25 – Some day, it will be too late to enter Heaven.
- Jesus is the “narrow gate” – John 10:9
13:26 – Even though they fellowshipped as Christians, Jesus never knew them – 13:27
13:29-30 – The parable of Jesus – Luke 18:9-14.
Matthew 7:13-14 - “strait” = ‘narrow’
1.- THE BROAD WAY
• The Wide Gate – Everyone who is born in sin, passes through this gate – Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12,
Ephesians 2:1
• It Leads To Destruction – Romans 6:23
• Many – They don’t read the warning signs.
- The broad way is the fast lane … no rules … no regulations.
2.- THE NARROW WAY
• Few – It’s not very crowded.
- It’s hard to follow Jesus … deny yourself, crucify your flesh, take up your cross …
• The Narrow Gate – You have to “strive” to get through it.
- You have to TURN AROUND … REPENT … see your sin the same way God sees it, as to what it did to His Son, Jesus.
• It Leads To Life – You’ll never want to get off.
How can you tell which road you’re on?
- Matthew 7:16-20 – A wolf in sheep’s clothing is still a wolf on the inside … and will act like a wolf.
- It’s what’s INSIDE that counts.
CONCLUSION: Matthew 7:21-23
- Are you on the right road?
PRISCILLA BAPTIST CHURCH – Ray Scott, Pastor
