'Enter By The Narrow Gate' (Matthew 7:13-14)
Notes
Transcript
Matthew 7’13-14 Enter By The Narrow Gate
[13] “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. [14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
This section of Matthew falls in what is called the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew chapters 5-7. This portion of the sermon deals with discerning true disciples.
I. The Broad Way
I. The Broad Way
There is a real danger in thinking one is a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, when one is not.
It is possible to have seeming faith but not saving faith.
One may profess faith in the Lord Jesus in ways that may impress others and even where they themselves are deceived. But it isn’t saving faith — the faith one has if one is truly born again by God, a citizen of His kingdom.
Jesus brings us to the question,
Am I a true disciple of Christ? Am a citizen of the kingdom of heaven?
One may make claims of being in Christ, but we are warned by Jesus that God makes his own judgment and is less interested in our claims than in the evidence of our hearts and of our lives.[1]
The passage before us begs the question: Which way am I going?
Jesus lays before us that there are but two choices. Two gates. Two ways. Two results. And they are mutually exclusive. Only one leads to God and heaven. The other to hell and destruction.
Jesus said there are but two ways and only the way that relatively few people choose leads to God.[4]
Usually, few people think-through their life choices in any serious way. Perhaps one of the good things that will come out of our current crisis with COVID-19 is that some people whose lives will have been put on pause will do some serious reassessing.
I know that when we get to whatever passes as normalcy, that people will usually revert to their typical way of dealing with life: few people understand, or even care that is being set before us are life-and-death issues.
Few will trace-out and project the trajectory of these choices before making them. Few will look at the inevitable outcomes. What appears to us at first as the desirable choice according to the world’s standards, will turn out to lead to death. But few will consider, few will even care.
But while we are here in the times God has brought us to and brought to us, we must stop and consider what Jesus tells us:
“For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
There is the path of least resistance, one that requires little thought or effort. It appeals to our sensual needs as we perceive them, our own cravings, our own assessment of our condition. Let’s get through life with as little muss or fuss as we can, thank you.
And no wonder. Fallen, un-redeemed man is corrupted in every faculty – mind, will and emotions. He naturally rejects and tosses away the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. Falsehood runs twice around the world while the truth is still pulling on its britches. To quote the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, “This too is vanity.”
The way of sin and rebellion is more accessible in other ways. Sin often looks attractive. The man who forgets God can ignore His rules and need not practice self-denial or exercise self-discipline unless he so chooses. Sin often seems natural, but repentance often feels unnatural. We hate to admit our errors and change our ways. So sin seems easy, and the life of faith can seem hard.
The Bible describes Israel, at one particularly low ebb, this way:
"Every one did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg. 21:25 ESV),
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
or "Everyone did as he saw fit" (NIV). Subjective feelings and goals, unrestricted by any absolutes, ruled the day.[6]
So, the vast herd of humanity runs headlong the path leading to destruction. Twice we’re told in Proverbs, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (Prov 14:12 & 16:25).
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
II. The Narrow Way
II. The Narrow Way
But hear Jesus. There is a way which leads to life: For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
The gospel requires entry through a narrow gate: trusting (despite all appearances to the contrary) that God’s kingdom has drawn near; submitting to his rule (rather than to my own); and repenting of sin.
But the gospel itself is pure promise and pure grace: believing that promise, experiencing that grace, and loving the Messiah who announces and embodies them both, motivates persons to obey his commands.
Having chosen this narrow path of fidelity to the law, one discovers precisely here, within the law’s strictures, his true liberty and his surest protection from manifold evil. Moreover, the Lawgiver himself accompanies those who travel this road, offering them his own example of fidelity to his teaching, and enabling them to keep his commands.
Jesus is telling us that the only way to be saved, to have eternal life, is to pass through that narrow gate that is He. It is to believe, to trust Jesus, to trust in Jesus Christ by faith as He is offered to us in the Gospel. There is no other means of salvation. The only way to be saved is through repentance of sin and a turning to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
But what about the way, which He calls hard? Jesus is telling us that the evidence that you have indeed passed through the small gate is that you are now walking in that way.
The proof that you have truly believed in Jesus Christ is that your life has been changed and now you are walking according to the commandments of Jesus Christ and conformed to the will of God – that what he has been telling us in the broader context of these chapters of the Sermon on the Mount — about being the light of the world, of being salt, of being those who have built their house upon the Rock, is that you are evidencing the truth of it by walking, living, by the Word of the Kingdom.
The evidence that a person has genuinely passed through that narrow gate is that their lifestyle is a lifestyle of living in the narrow way, a way directed by Christ in His Word. A life only lived by the grace of God.
Suppose we have a man who claims to have confessed Christ, to have trusted in Christ as his Lord and Savior, and it seems that he rejoices in that. He seems to be joyful. He even seems to bear fruit at times. But then after a while, he steps off the path. He begins to return to the world, stays in the world, loves the world, goes back to the world.
Has he lost his salvation? No. Is he saved? No. One cannot lose what one never had in the first place. By returning to the world, according to the Scripture, he is demonstrating that he never knew Christ and Christ never knew him, that his faith was false from the very first. Jesus will go into this more in Chapter 13 in the parable of the sower.
A more dangerous type is the person who makes a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and they enter into the Church and don’t ever really go back to the world in the sense they don’t ever really leave the social context of Church, but they just sit there., as it were.
· They have got a little bit of religion.
· They would go to church on some or even most Sundays.
· They are not passionate about the Word of God.
· They are not passionate about knowing Christ.
· They are not convicted of their sins, much.
· They never weep over the sin in their life.
They are never concerned about genuine fellowship with other believers, but they are in church most every Sunday and they are moral, but they do not grow in the things of God nor in the passion for God.
That is the most dangerous condition to be in, and our churches are filled with people like that.
But the true Christian, if he has indeed been embraced by Christ and truly embraced Christ by faith, walks through that narrow gate, and he is sent on the narrow way and as he walks, sometimes, it is two steps forward and three steps, four steps ahead and one step back. There is a struggle; there is a fight; there is victory over sin. There is failure, but in his life, the full course of it, you can begin to see progress in godliness.
And if at times his heart grows cold and he steps off the path, the Father, according to Hebrews 12, disciplines that believer and brings him back on the way.
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
I want you to know if you are a Christian, maybe you are thinking to yourself, you know, I stumble. I step off the path. I do this. I do that. I know that isn’t what I am to be or to do. I want to be for Christ, to be in His way, and I struggle to be with him, but is he talking about me here in Matthew 7? Am I on the broad way that leads to destruction?
Listen. First of all, the question is: Is it true what you say? In your heart, is it evident that you desire to be like Christ, and you want to do his will and to know it? Well, then your struggle over sin may be significant evidence that you are born again, that God is doing a work of sanctification.
Remember, the proof that you are a Christian is not that you are sinless. It is that when you sin, you are broken over your sin. It is a brokenness because you love God and don’t want to do anything offensive to Him, and you long to be right with Him. It breaks you into a million pieces, but God’s comfort and grace come and pick you up, points you toward Christ again, and sets you back on the path and encourages you to go on. You loathe and despise your falling away,and with a new heart endeavor to follow Jesus more nearly, to do so day by day.
Sometimes you get up in the morning and you don’t want to read the Word, sometimes your heart is dull. But when we go through the day, we feel so convicted about what we have done or left undone, and we realize I have got to get into the Word. I need prayer. I need help. I need to grow. That is a sign of genuine Christianity.
But for many in our churches today, they can go throughout the entire week and never crack a Bible and it doesn't bother them a bit. They can never pray and it doesn’t bother them a bit. They have never mourned over their sin and it doesn't bother them a bit. They can look like the world, act like the world, dress like the world, talk like the world, love what the world loves, try to imitate the world in everything, but bless God they are saved because they say they love Jesus and trust Him and His grace and that’s enough. But Jesus will tell us later in this chapter, “by their fruits, you will know them.”
If you talk to people who bear no fruit in their life but claim to be Christians and if you press the point with them, they will say, “Well, I know I am saved.” And if you ask them on what basis? If you asked them if they were before the Lord right now and he asked them, ‘Why should I let you into heaven?’ what would you say?” You would be surprised how their answer begins to be mixed with works. Well, you know, I just believe Jesus. I am trying to do good. You see, I go to church. I want to read my Bible.
The argument this person is putting forward demonstrates they may well indeed be lost. If a true Christian were to stand before the Lord, a true Christian and the Lord made a mistake, which is not going to happen, but if he did make a mistake and said, “Depart from me. I never knew you,” the Christian, the true Christian would not stand there and go, “But, Lord, I preached. I did miracles. I cast out demons in your name. I mean, I was a good guy. I went to church. I was more moral than the guys I worked with down at the office. I was...”
No, a true Christian, if he was going not put forth any argument, would say this: “Lord, I know that I was born in sin and in sin did my mother conceive me. Lord, I know that I have broken every command and I have no virtue or merit of my own, but, Lord, I trusted. I trusted in the blood you shed on Calvary. That was my only hope.”
III. Which Way Will You Choose?
III. Which Way Will You Choose?
So, I ask you: which way will you choose?
Which way will you choose?
I’ll say it simply, so no one misunderstands. The choice is this: you or Jesus. If you choose Jesus, it must be the Jesus of the Bible. The whole Word of God. Not just the comfortable bits or the ones you can agree to. It is a package deal. It is the whole Jesus from the entire Word of God:
Jesus is God; Jesus Christ is God; the only Son of God, the single human being who in the history of the world was and is and shall be God. Jesus is not merely a good man; he was not only a prophet; he was not merely a religious genius like Gandhi or Buddha; Jesus of Nazareth is the very personification of God; the incarnation of God; and of all the religions of the world, the only one who is truly God is Jesus Christ. Look into the face of Jesus and you will see the face of God. ... Don’t give me any of that cheap impersonal stuff about a creator God of the universe, the divine god who created all the world, which lies behind all the faces of the world religions and offends no one.
Jesus is God. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one; no one knows God except through me, Jesus.” This Jesus who was perfect, holy, harmless, undefiled, who gave himself to be in place of sinners like you and me who were and are none of those things. And who suffered the just penalty due to those sinners like you and me because of all those things. And God the Father raised Him from the dead to signal that His once-for-all sacrifice for sin had been accepted for all who believe on Him. It is by this means alone that one knows God, through Jesus, only by Jesus.
God comes to you this morning and says: give me your whole heart. Give me your heart and mind and soul. Give me your entire life. 100% of it. For a person who finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Give me your whole life. Give me your family. Give me your children. Give me your job. Give me your wealth. Give me your health. Give me your intelligence. Give me all of you. Surrender it all. Jesus said: Love your neighbor as yourself. Take this good news to the uttermost parts of the earth. Enter through the narrow gate. That is what Jesus is asking of you this morning.
Have you settled your heart on eternal life? Have you found it in Christ?
Do not be deceived as to the nature of the Christian life. It has a small entrance since the kingdom of God belongs to those who are poor in spirit. The pathway is narrow, with dangers and temptations along the pilgrim’s path. At times there may seem to be very few companions. Sometimes the Christian life can even seem unappealing.
Jesus tells us: Do not be deceived. Things are not always what they seem they are. These things may be accurate, but they are not the whole truth – for the Christian life is filled with blessings. This kingdom of heaven is ours, we receive the comfort of God, we inherit the earth, we are filled with righteousness, we receive mercy, we see God, we belong to God’s family! Mark 10:29-30.
29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,
30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
Everything depends on whether you experience it from the outside or the inside. On the inside, we see that the road that at first appeared so narrow is the only one that leads to life. – Matthew 7:14.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Is this choice settled in your heart? "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15)
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Enter by the Narrow Gate
I. The Broad Way
II. The Narrow Way
III. Which Way Will You Choose?
Questions for Discussion
1. How would you describe the narrow gate and wide gate?
2. Each gate leads to different paths, what is the final destination of each?
3. What is the contrast that Jesus is making between the narrow gate and the wide gate?
4. What kind of people are on the narrow path? On the broad path?
5. Does doing “good” things prove that someone is righteous?
6. How does a person enter the narrow gate?
7. What is repentance?
8. How do you know you are not self-deceived?
9. Are you on the right way, the only way, that leads to life?
a. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - Jn 14:6
b. The way that He provides is a narrow one, for He requires that people keep His commandments - Mt 28:19-20
WORKS CITED OR CONSULTED
Calvin, John, and William Pringle. Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Vol. 1. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.
Chamblin, J. Knox. Matthew: A Mentor Commentary. Mentor Commentaries. Ross-shire, Great Britain: Mentor, 2010.
Evans, Craig A. The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew–Luke. Edited by Craig A. Evans and Craig A. Bubeck. First Edition. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2003.
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994.
Jamieson, Robert, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Vol. 2. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997.
Lange, John Peter, and Philip Schaff. A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Matthew. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2008.
Morris, Leon. The Gospel according to Matthew. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992.
Poole, Matthew. Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853.
Rayburn, Robert. Counting Noses. http://www.faithtacoma.org/content/2004-03-07-am.aspx. Accessed April 23, 2015.
Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.
Stein, Robert H. “Differences in the Gospels.” In CSB Study Bible: Notes, edited by Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax, 1512. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.
Stott, John R. W., and John R. W. Stott. The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture. The Bible Speaks Today. Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985.