Enter by the Narrow Gate

Prepared by: J.A.O. Vergara  |  June 2019

"Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

How {reads "Because" instead of "How"} narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. ~Matthew 7:13-14 (WEB)

"Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

How {reads "Because" instead of "How"} narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. ~Matthew 7:13-14 (WEB)

INTRODUCTION

In His concluding words at His sermon on the mount, Jesus gave His compelling or persuasive command to His disciples and the hearers who were there — and in the context of our times, this is a challenge to all professing Christians or prospected Christians.  The passage that we read today refers to the Lord’s charge to His disciples about making the choice of going through the narrow way of life.  And after which, He was giving further warnings (which we shall be learning in the next Sundays to come).

We might ask why did the Lord used the “Gate” as the figure of His speech?

Biblical accounts present the importance of “gates” to the Jews:

Structure:  Gate serves as the primary protection against invaders.  And the control of people’s passage in and out of a city. [Lamentations 2:9, Nehemiah 6:1, 1 Kings 16:34]

Setting:  City gate is a place where major activities are conducted:

a.  Making announcements to reach maximum number of people (Proverbs 1:20-22);

b.  Making judicial trials such as rebellious son (Deuteronomy 21:18-21);

c.  Settling marital issues such as Boaz marriage to Ruth (Ruth 4:1-11);

d.  Receiving news such as Eli was waiting for a news during the Israel-Philistine war (1 Samuel 4:18);

e.  Giving instructions such as when David gave instructions to Israel’s soldiers (2 Samuel 18:1-5);

f.  A place for assassination plot such as the report given to Esther about the killing of the King (Esther 2:5-8)

Further, we remember that the walls of Jerusalem have 11 gates; each has specific name (Gathering gate, Dung gate, Water gate, Valley gate, Essene gate, Fountain gate, Horse gate, Sheep gate, Fish gate, Old gate, East gate). However, since the city was overtaken by the Muslims, today there are only seven (7) gates which are still utilized.  Some scholars believed that Jesus was passing through the East gate when He entered Jerusalem because it is the gate which is directly visible from the Mount of Olives.  It is the gate which is still being watched by the Jews because of the prophesy that the Messiah will be coming in through this gate.

 PROCLAIMATION

In verse 14, Jesus was saying that the way to life is narrow and restricted. And it is buzzling to know that the Lord declares that ONLY FEW will find it.  This statement is most often neglected by many professing Christians.

 ASK THESE QUESTIONS

Q1:  The moment you know Jesus Christ, are you aware that He is warning that with Him, you are to walk through a narrow and restricted path of life?

Q2:  The moment you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior; do you understand that you are not promised to have everything you wished and asked for?

TEACHING LESSON

Almost all people who has certain knowledge about the Lord Jesus knew this passage.  However, this is one of the most neglected passage.

It may be disappointing to hear, but the reality is this:

The universal identity of the church is obviously tarnished by some leaders who DO NOT deeply understand the command of the Lord.  Some neglected two (2) specific instruction of God in relation to His  command of preaching the Gospel of Christ, which are:

1.   Seek ye first the kingdom of God and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS…

2.   Enter IN BY THE NARROW GATE…

This end times, we are surrounded by so many false gospels. Some leaders NO LONGER preach about the RIGHTEOUNESS of God, but most prioritize in increasing the number and NOT on finding the WAY that leads to Life.

Some well-known leaders offers the broader/wider way of life by giving false promises such as: Physical health, Financial wellness, Fame, and other forms of earthly positions and possessions.

The world is clearly teaching the opposite to what the Lord have taught His disciples.  He is certain that ONLY FEW will enter the narrow gate, that ONLY FEW will go through the RESTRICTED way of life.

EARLY WARNING!

Do not ever temp yourself to reason that it is okay not to preach the Gospel, anyway, God is not expecting the whole world to find the way.  DO NOT ever forget that preaching the Gospel of Christ is our primary task.  Let us just leave it to God to whom He shall choose.

Just last April 2019, the founding false pastor of KAPA on his telecast radio program, he was preaching the gospel of KAPA.  He was twisting the text in John 1:12 by repeatedly saying that to those who believes and trust in KAPA, God will give them the power and authority to become sons and daughters of God.

These kinds of schemes are blatant use of the name of God in vanity, and this is clear twisting of the biblical truth.  And more and more of my classmates, friends, co-workers who are willing victims of this kind of schemes which all offer the wide, wide, wide open gate of life.

Now, what is/are the difference of the wide and the narrow gate?

One straight forward answer is found in verse 14b; “, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.”

God offers no gray areas of righteousness.  When He says righteousness, there is no case to case basis in it.

Before going further, let us consider an illustration where you find it compelling to cross a road because you foresee that you could acquire your needs at that side of the road (food, merchandise, and other stuff).

Before getting there, your actions would be determined by the following parameters:

a.)   Knowledge of traffic rules;

b.)   Looking for the way where to cross;

c.)    Choice to cross either along the narrow pedestrian lane or the wide-open highway;

d.)   Commitment to walk through the right path;

e.)   Vigilance along the way until you reach the other side.

Now, having decided to follow Jesus, we understand that we have always carried our own cross. We already have the KNOWLEDGE.

In our journey as a Christian, are we finding the narrow way as we cross circumstance or situations in life we are facing every day?

Or just like anybody else, we enjoy the wide-open highway of all sort of “fake freedom”?

Praise be to God if we are certain that we are looking along the pedestrian lane.

And finally, I am praying that as we cross the pedestrian lane, we are vigilant not to step outside the lane.

So, now how’s life?

Do you feel restricted by neglecting drunkenness, disco, bikini pageants, drugs, cigarettes, pornography, same-sex relations, saying foul words, cheating on exams, telling lies, bribes or “alindahaw”, stand many more. Well, congratulations, you have found the narrow gate.  You truly understand that you have been set free, and that as you bear fruit of holiness, you know you would have the everlasting life at the end (Romans 6:22-23).

As it is written in Matthew 6:33, God puts premium on righteousness.  His promise of giving all things, is founded on the premise that a person has already found His Kingdom and lives according to God’s kind of righteousness, NOT on material erroneous investments or schemes.

But DO NOT get too confident and complaisant, the enemy is like a roaring lion who keeps roaming around looking for someone to devour. So be alert and sober-minded (1 Peter 5:8).

CONCLUSSION

Brothers and sisters in Christ, DO NOT get trapped with perishable things in this world. Again, the Lord commands: “Enter in by the narrow gate.”  If you really want to have life, appreciate the restrictions of being a disciple of Christ.

Yes, as the lyrics of the song goes;

“By your spirit I will rise from the ashes of defeat;

The resurrected King is resurrecting me.

In your name I come alive.”

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, there is no other name on earth and in heaven that gives as the way to life, His name is Jesus.

Accepting Him, having the Holy Spirit within us, gives us all authority and power to go along our journey victorious, despite many restrictions.  This restriction may be a hurdle to others who keeps their life on earth, but to us who love God, it is our assurance that we are walking along the right way to life.

CHALLENGE

Remember that in the times of Jesus, people were converging at the physical gate.  Today, information, people, commerce, judgements, relationships, destructive schemes are all converging in a different kind of gate.

The Internet.

It is the new place where professing Christians and prospected Christians are most likely lost their way.

a.   Children couldn’t hear their parents;

b.   Parents couldn’t reach their children;

c.        People couldn’t settle things personally;

d.   People look for inspiring quotes and not reading the bible;

e.   People neglecting coming together and wanted the comfort of life;

f.         The rich wire-transfer money and do not feel the importance of a pastor’s or minster’s hug;

g.   Worst, some (or maybe most) “Christians” think that sharing or re-posting a verse is being compliant with the Great Commission.