Directions to Eternity

Matthew 7:13-14 ““Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Intro: Story of missing the exit and goin the wrong way

Need:

Those headed to destruction would be warned

Those headed to heaven would be encouraged

Those confused would get clarity

Prop: Take the narrow way to the narrow gate.

1. How to go to Hell

“Gate is wide” - it’s wide enough to accept all. There are no limitations. You can believe whatever you want, you can live however you like, ALL are welcome here.

Whether you live a moral life or an immoral life

Rebellious or submissive

4.0 or summer school

Read the bible or the Quran

republican or democrat

Church or sleep in

All are welcome through this gate.

“way is broad” - YOU CAN’T MISS IT. It’s the well beaten path, never need to question where it is.

“many who enter through it” - It’s popular.

ILLUS: If your friends were jumping off a bridge would you do it too?

App:

Is your life normal? Is it common? It is typical? Are you an average teenager? Rebellious, Conceited, Selfish, Moody, Difficult? Lustful? Trying to be cool? Are you doing what everyone else is doing? Whether in public or private?

If your life looks the same as a buddists, mormons, catholics, athiests - it may be because your christianity is nothing but a RELIGION not a relationship with Christ.

2. How to go to Heaven

“Small gate” - this is a turnpike gate, one at a time and the requirements are strict. You must leave much behind, you leave your sin behind, you may leave friends and family behind

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

John 10:7 “So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”

“Narrow Way” -John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Jesus is the way and he is the door - you enter through him and you continue to follow Him.

The narrow way is narrow indeed - it includes and only includes those who have believed in the pure gospel of Jesus Christ - those who have turned away and continually flee from sin,

“Leads to life” - The outcome is life - this is the reward and it is definetly worth the cost. Sometime we do uncomfrtabe things because we know it will pay off

Illus: Work out hard because it makes us stronger

eat kale because it makes us healthier

work a lot of hours to make money

skip out on a hang out to study and get an A

The Christian life isn’t an easy life but its reward is well worth it, its reward is eternal life.

I think some people hear about hear about Hell and they get scared and say “God I will DO whatever you want to not go to heaven. I’ll believe in you, obey you, go to church, read the bible because I am afraid of Hell”

But theres a fundamental issue with that sort of “Christianity” - It is that

You cannot DO anything to please God, to get to Heaven, you’re not saved from Hell because you did something the only way you can be saved is by recieving God’s unmerited favor, His GRACE. You say “How do i get his grace?” Stop “doing” things that are worthless and simply cling to Christ

Jesus is not just a means to an end (heaven) - He is the ultimate goal - the only reason Christians should want to go to heaven is to ultimatley BE WITH JESUS

Let me ask you:

If Jesus wasn’t in Heaven would you still want to go?

“There are few” - Christians aren’t common, true Christianity is obvious, you’re on a totally different path, you are travelling upstream, you’re a foreigner. You act different, you talk different, you think different, you LIVE different and there is no hiding it.

I mean you are as obvious as a car driving through oncoming traffic

Because you are no longer children of the devil but children of God, you no longer are enslaved to sin but SUBMIT to the KING - what Jesus says YOU DO.

You are a lively tree growing strong and tall bearing fruit in the middle of a dead forest.

and in the context of the world population there are few, it is sparse.

App:

Forsake your sins, place your faith in Christ, follow HIS WAYS, endure to the end

Conclusion:

Listen you are going to Die, Solomon told us in Ecc that this life is just a breathe

J.C. Ryle - Tomorrow is the devil's day, but today is God's. Satan does not care how spiritual your intentions are, or how holy your resolutions, if only they are determined to be done tomorrow

Determine today which way you will take - the easy way to Hell with lots of companions or the hard way to Heaven where few are going

Jesus is not just a lifeboat he is LIFE itself, he isn’t the lesser of two evils He is your most trusted ally, he is your closest confidant, your greatest counselor, and for those who come to Him in faith let me remind you of His words right before his acension

Matt 28 “I am with you ALWAYS, even to the end of the age”

Come to Christ tonight and he will never leave you but will see you through until you see him FACE to FACE in glory