The Choice
Matthew 7:13-14 You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
Luke 13:22-20 Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”
He replied, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’
“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.
Worst Possible Outcome – I Never Knew You
Luke 13:21-30 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
The Path of Life
Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
The Solution – Build Your House on the Rock
Matthew 7:24-27 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
Today let’s tackle a topic that is becoming increasingly unpopular in culture, and sadly even in our churches. We face a choice in life. One that is immensely important and has eternal consequences for our souls. Let’s see what Jesus taught about the wide and narrow gates. These are the gates the Jesus talked about when He was explaining who would go to heaven.
Jesus and his disciples were journeying through Jerusalem. Jesus was being questioned about some topics that all mankind has had to face. What happens to us when we die? How many people get to heaven?
Jesus chose to use parables to help us understand his teachings. Someone asked him if the number of people who were saved would be few. I can imagine that this person had been following Jesus for a time and realized that most chose not to follow Him, but to continue in their own ways. When we choose to follow Jesus, we can begin to feel lonely and even misunderstood. We are being set apart for God and most of those around us are not following Him. Jesus has a simple way of explaining this. He talks about the wide and narrow gates.
The wide gate must look like a wild party. I imagine it noisy and crowded with brazen people and loud music. Everyone is pursuing their own pleasures and ways. There is sexual immorality, drunkenness, gossiping, selfishness and all kinds of evil. But at a quick glance, we would probably think that it looks normal and natural. Maybe even fun. You can just do whatever you want! That is how the wide gate looks. Jesus said that path is wide and easy, and it leads to destruction. It may look like a party now, but Jesus says it leads to destruction. Those that enter this gate are many.
There is another gate. It is called the narrow gate. It leads to life. However, there are few that enter this gate. This path is different. It is almost lonely looking. Few travelers are to be seen. They are sometimes trudging along and sometimes carrying a cross. But their faces are a sight to behold! Their faces are full of peace, even joy. They have purpose and know where they are going. They walk with their eyes looking up and they have a sense of expectancy and hope. This gate is where God’s faithful walk. Sometimes God’s faithful are referred to as the remnant. A remnant means the part remaining. Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary has a definition for remainder that I found useful. Remainder: anything left after the separation and removal of a part. The people on the path with the narrow gate are a remainder of what was an incredibly large number of people. This is the choice we make, choosing the narrow gate brings us to heaven. It requires a dying to oneself and a willingness to keep our focus on God and His purposes.
Jesus then taught about the result of our choice. Again, in parables. First, Jesus tells us to strive to enter the narrow gate for there will be many who wish to enter but will be turned away. Everyone will have their excuses and will shout to the Lord about all of their good works. But Jesus says that is not enough. He says eating and drinking with him and being around Him is not what he’s going to reward. He’s going to reward those who enter the narrow gate, and they will be few. A remnant. Those who are turned away are not repentant and sorrowful. They are angry and emotional, but they will not choose to follow Jesus. Therefore, they will be turned away, even known as workers of evil. Then Jesus says that his remnant people will come from every direction and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. Some that thought they would be first into the kingdom will be last, some who thought they would be last into the kingdom will be first!
Jesus tells us about a choice regarding the wide and narrow gates. He talks about the result if we choose to only follow him superficially. What then is the solution? How do we get to the path with the narrow gate? We follow His teaching, we listen, and we obey. We resist the temptations to be like so many around us who are pursuing every selfish interest. We build our house on the solid rock, which takes more effort, but has the best outcome we could ever wish for; eternal life with our Lord – in heaven.
O, Most Loving and Wise God, we are sobered by the reality of the few who will make it to your kingdom. Lord, give us strength to resist the lure of the wide path. Help us hear your words and not just hear them but be like a wise man who lives out your words. Help us build our life on the rock of your Word and your Son, Jesus. There are only a remnant of people coming to you Lord to recline with you at the table in the kingdom of God. Oh, how we truly want to be one of the few. Help us Lord to daily choose to follow you through the narrow gate and down the narrow path. Help us build our house on the rock and not on the sand. There is struggle, strife, beauty and joy as we walk this path, but most of all there is life! We will abide in you and follow you – for you are our Savior. By and through your Holy Spirit may we persist and be with you in Heaven. In Jesus precious name, we pray.
Amen
