The Good News of the Narrow Gate (Matthew 7:13-14)

Our Father, we ask that you would now come to us.

Through your spirit. And through the sun, we pray

come Lord, Jesus. We know that it is often that we

find ourselves. Even on the Lord's Day.

Distracted. Sometimes weighed down by sin.

Other times full of doubts and questions.

And so we pray that you would meet us here.

And as we hear your word, And as Lord Christ, we hear your sermon

once again. Did you would set our feet

firmly? On the way of the cross.

And that you, by the power of the Holy Spirit would lead us

through the narrow gate. And help us to see the life and

joy that's on the other side. Meet us here.

Now we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Would you please stand for a reading of God's word?

We're continuing our series Through The Sermon on the Mount.

This morning, I'll be reading from Matthew, Matthew chapter 7,

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

beginning with verse 13. These are Jesus's words for us.

This morning. Jesus said, 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. This is the word of the Lord.

You may be seated. Now, today one of the most

common critiques against Christianity.

And our pluralist society is the exclusivity of Jesus.

People will often ask isn't it? Narrow to believe that

Christianity is the only true religion.

Perhaps, you've asked that same question yourself.

Others will ask how can Christians say that Jesus

Christ? Is the only way to Salvation.

Isn't that hateful isn't that bigoted?

Author of Paulo Coelho wrote The Alchemist.

Among many other works wrote that all religions lead to the

same God. And they all deserve the same

respect. And similar fashion Gandhi, once

said that the different religions are beautiful flowers

from the same Garden. Or they are branches of the same

Majestic tree. Therefore, they are equally

true. I think these two sentiments

help capture what people often believe in our pluralistic age,

that all of these different ways of believing, all of these

different ways of religion. All of these different truths

have to be grasping at the same thing, right?

The question, I want to ask this morning is, can that really be

possible? Are religions really all the

same. Can they be equally true?

This morning The Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus shows us that Christianity is unlike any other religion in

the world. It is completely unique and what

it teaches and what it offers and he shows us the uniqueness

of the Gospel when he invites us to enter by the narrow gate.

And in fact, he shows us this gate is so narrow.

That it is the only way to life And this morning, I want to show

you why that is actually good news.

So this morning, I just have two points.

The first is this Jesus tells us there are two ways.

I want you to look with me. Matthew 7 verse 13.

Matthew 7:13

Jesus said, enter by the narrow gate for the gate is wide, the

way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter

by it are many and then he also said for the gate is narrow and

the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are

few. So first, what I want you to

consider is that Jesus says there are two ways to Ways to

Live. There's the hard way and the

easy way we still use this language today Which way do you

want? You want the hard way or the

easy way? Exactly, everybody wants the

easy way. It's meant to be a very simple

question with an answer that seems obvious to us.

And yet Jesus is using it as a warning.

To say. Not so fast.

Because the way that seems easy. Leads to death.

Wait, it's hard as the one that leads to life.

This way of thinking actually goes all the way back to the Old

Testament throughout the Bible. This idea of two Paths of Life

summing up all of human existence really 22, different,

and opposite paths is nothing new.

Jesus is building on this tradition, Jeremiah 21:8.

Jeremiah 21:8

The prophet says, thus says, the Lord behold I set before you the

way of life, and the way of death to Current ways to live

one leads to life, the other leads to death.

Psalm 1 the psalter, the Psalms itself, they begin with this

idea of two paths. The psalmist says, blessed is

the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked nor stands

in the way of Sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers verse 6.

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous but the Way of the

Wicked Will perish, there are two ways to pass one of the way

of Sinners that leads to death. The other is the way of

righteousness, leads to life and here Jesus in the sermon amount

of building on that idea, and he was saying, don't move.

So. Fast into the easy way.

The easy way is going to seem like the way you should go, but

it's actually the way that leads to destruction.

It's the hard way. The hard path that leads to

life. So, what are these ways actually

look like? What is the easy way?

And what's the hard way? Well, I think Jesus has been

teaching us about the hard way throughout the Sermon on the

Mount. If you go back to the very

beginning, I think he's talking about the hard way when he's

teaching us to be attitudes. This is the hard way.

The more difficult way the way that seems so counterintuitive

to us. It's this way that Jesus flips

on its head and says this is the way to life.

I want you to listen to the hard way.

Matthew 5 verse 3. Jesus is the hard way.

Matthew 5:3

Looks like this blessed are the poor in spirit.

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn for they will be?

Comforted. Blessed, are the meek for they

will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and

thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive Mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see.

God blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of

God. Blessed are those who are

persecuted for righteousness sake?

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Ian. I Think Jesus is describing the

hard way that leads to life. It's hard because it's the way

of humility. The way of self-sacrifice the

way of suffering. It's hard.

Because Jesus is inviting us into the way of the cross.

This Is The cruciform Life and this is what makes The Sermon on

the Mount. So radical and so challenging

for us because we hear that and we say well who wants to go down

that way? If we're honest.

Who wants to take that path? The path of suffering, the path

of sacrifice, the path of dependents.

To answer that question. We have to consider the easy

way. What does Jesus mean by the easy

way? I think, one of the best ways

that I explained the easy way to you.

Is to read, not the Beatitudes to you.

But I want you to listen for just a second.

As I give you the anti Beatitudes.

This is the easy way. Blessed are the proud and the

Arrogant for they will build their own little kingdoms.

Blessed are the avoidant and the apathetic for they will strive

to make themselves. Comfortable blessed are the

powerful for they won. Hear it everything that they can

control. Blessed are the self-righteous

for they will learn to look better than everyone else around

them. Blessed are the vengeful and the

vindictive for they shall win at all costs.

Blessed are the lustful and the self-indulgent for they shall

see their Idols as more and more captivating.

Blessed are the divisive and the quarrelsome for they shall be

called sons of their own tribes. Blessed, are those who are

celebrated for being self-righteous.

For theirs is the kingdom of men and blessed.

Are you and others compliment you, and celebrate, you and

utter all kinds of praise for you on your account.

Don't worry, be happy for your reward is great on Earth.

And for so they praised every passing culture, every Fallen

Nation, every collapsed, government every disbanded

political party, every empty philosophy, every false religion

and every disproven scientific and social theory that has gone

before you my friends, that is the easy way.

And it is enticing to us. Each and every day, we are lured

to go down the easy path. And Jesus is saying stop.

Not so fast. The easy way seems like the way

to go but it leads to death. That leads to destruction.

It leads to Eternity separated from God.

It's the hard way the way of suffering and self-sacrifice the

way of the cross that leads to life.

How can we go down that path? The answer is, we can't.

And this is why Jesus said in the Gospel of John, I am the

way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father,

except through me. It's as much a statement about

the exclusivity of Jesus as it is about our inability.

When Jesus says that no one comes to the father, except

through him, he's saying that no one can come to the father.

We don't have the ability no one.

None of us can do it on our own, but thanks be to God.

That Jesus is the way. The only way, the only one who's

walked down the hard way in front of us.

And he has forged a path all the way to the cross.

Author of Hebrews calls him, the Arca Goss, the Trailblazer the

author and Perfecter of our faith, the one who was gone

before us, And now he is calling us to follow him on the hard way

to life. So this morning as you hear that

you should say well why would I want to do that?

And how could I even do that? How can I even follow Jesus on

the hard way? Maybe you're feeling that this

morning. If you've been walking with

Jesus, for a long time or you're considering Christianity was a

well, who can follow Jesus to the cross, That's why Jesus

before he calls us to walk down the hard way he says, enter by

the narrow gate. So second thing I want you to

know Jesus, not only says, there are two ways, he says there are

two gates, one is the wide gate, the other is the narrow gate.

I want you to listen again, what Jesus says Jesus says, enter by

the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that

leads to destruction and the gate is narrow.

And the way is hard that leads to life.

And the same way that Jesus is challenging Us by saying the

hard way leads to life and the easy way leads to destruction.

His words here, talking about narrow and wide are meant to be

provocative. They're meant to challenge us

when he says, enter by the narrow gate, not the wide gate.

Wait, it's meant to cause us some pause.

You see? Because in the ancient world,

the idea of narrowing this wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Just like it's really not a good thing today.

As you think of the word narrow, you think of constrictive?

You think of difficulty, in fact, it's so narrow.

That later in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus compares, the

narrow gate to the eye of a needle.

It's that small. That's that narrow.

Jesus is challenging us with the absolute narrowness of the

Gospel. But I want you to see this

morning, he's also showing us why the narrowness of the Gospel

is good news. Why would Jesus call us to enter

by the narrow gate? To answer that question.

We have to first understand what he means by the wide gate.

Look what he says about the wide gate, the end of verse 13.

He says the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to

destruction and notice what he says next.

And those who enter by it are many.

The gate is wide and many come to it.

There is not a better description of our pluralistic

society. Pluralism is a wide gate.

What do I mean by that Leslie? New begin was a British

Theologian Missy ologist. One of my favorite books ever

wrote. It's called The Gospel and a

pluralist society, I want you to listen to what he says about

pluralism. He says it's become commonplace

to say that we live in a pluralistic society, not merely

a society, which is in fact, plural and the variety of

cultures religions and Lifestyles which and Embraces

but pluralistic, in the sense that this plurality is

celebrated As a thing to be approved and cherished.

The most simple definition pluralism, is simply the

existence of lots of different ways of thinking and forms of

religion. It acknowledges that there are

lots of different religions out there, which there are almost

5,000, some estimates say, and that Beyond, even religion,

there's lots of different World Views in ways that you could

think about the world. Lots of different explanations

and philosophies. And pluralism says that these

all exist. Today's pluralism goes, goes

another step further. and it says not only do these differing

views exist, But they all coexist and they must be

celebrated as all pointing to the same thing.

Today, pluralism is not simply about diversity.

It's about celebrating. The diversity of religions as

being multiple paths to the same God and the same salvation.

So again a question we have to ask this morning is, is that

true? Is it even possible?

Because add its core. I think what Jesus would say to

us today is that pluralism is a wide gate.

And many try to infer through it.

But what I want you to see this morning, a reason why the narrow

gate is such good news. Is because the wide gate of

pluralism. Invites you to enter with these

impossible instructions enter by the wide gate and save yourself.

Enter by the wide gate and save yourself.

And you see this is what pluralism actually gets half,

right? Because every other religion

other than genuine Christianity. In the world today, every other

philosophy and way of thinking actually does have a very common

message. Save yourself.

Luke fairy French philosopher, put it this way in a brief

history of thought. He said the Quest for us

salvation without God as at the heart of every great

philosophical system. In other words, even apart from

religion today, if you say, I'm not a religious person, That's

actually a deeply theological statement.

And deep down you are on your own quest to self salvation,

just like everyone else. every other religion outside of

genuine, Christianity has the same message Buddhism, save

yourself through Enlightenment Hinduism, save yourself through

action, that knowledge devotion Islam, save yourself through

obedience and then there is of course the most popular man made

religion in the south cultural Christianity.

Which says save yourself. By knowing more and being better

than the people around you. Every one of these says, save

yourself. And it's an impossible task.

This is why the narrow gate is good news.

Because Jesus has made a way for us.

He has given us a narrow gate. Yes it is narrow.

Yes it is unique. In fact, it is the only one that

says not save yourself. But you've been given a savior.

not enter the wide gate and save yourself but Jesus is inviting

us to enter through the narrow gate because Jesus saves

Christianity is the only religion and the world that

doesn't ask us to claw our way to God through obedience or

knowledge or Enlightenment. But it's the only one that says

God came down to us for our Salvation.

The only one that says that it our savior God humbled himself

by going on the hard way. And he took the hard way, all

the way to the end to the cross. It's the only one that says that

our savior died a shameful and humiliating death.

He was punished for you and me and on the third day he rose

again. So that we would have life at

the end of the hard way of suffering.

Jesus is inviting us to enter the narrow gate.

Because the narrow gate is good news.

It's the only news that says salvation has been given to you.

Jesus, put it this way in the Gospel of John.

Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep all who

came before me are thieves and robbers, but the Sheep did not

listen to them. I am the door.

If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out

and find pasture. But I want you to hear this

morning is that Jesus is the narrow gate?

The gate that we are invited to enter into is so narrow.

It is fixed on a person, the person and work of Jesus.

And you say, well why did he do that for us?

Why is he open this narrow gate. So all who believe as he says

could enter by him, Because he loves us.

The wide gate. The wide gate promises salvation

that you could never achieve. And for that reason, it's

actually the most difficult. The hardest the most hateful.

And most exclusive. Way of Salvation that exists.

Because no one can do it. There is no one who can know

enough. No one who can obey enough and

no one who can be good enough. To be called worthy of

salvation. And more than that, the thing

that we never think about is that, even if you could try

there's always someone who's going to do better than you

ever. Think about that.

So how do you know you've made the cut?

Jesus is the narrow gate. Who is open the door wide for

all who it enter by him and him alone, and that makes the

exclusivity of Jesus. The most radically inclusive

message that has ever existed. Because no batter, what's in

struggle that you are bringing into the sanctuary this morning?

No matter. Whatever.

That is entangling you. No matter your background and

where you come from, Jesus is inviting you and me to enter by

the narrow gate. To come to the door and knock.

And he tells us that anyone who had enter by him would be saved.

Jesus is the narrow gate. Because he is the only one who

laid his life down and walked the hard path to the cross and

this morning, he is calling. He is inviting you and me to

enter by the narrow gate. And to once again follow him

down the hard path. The way of suffering, the way of

sacrifice, and the way of the cross.

That in his death and Resurrection, we would find

life. Let's pray.

Father we thank you for the grace and love that you have

given us an inviting us to enter by the narrow gate.

And now as we come to your table set before us, help us to see

why this narrow gate is such good news.

Because you have called anyone who had inter by you, to

Salvation. May we see in this Sacrament.

A tangible picture of that salvation this morning that is

all of us come forward and partake of this communion

together and we look around we would see that every kind of

background and every kind of story you have folded into the

hard path and the way of the cross.

But also help us to see if we partake of these elements and we

Feast on your body in your blood, help us to see that

you've walked this hard path before us, he died and he rose

again. So that we could have life and

we pray that you would eat and drink the joy of that life.

Abundantly now we ask this in Jesus name, amen.