Which Road Should I Take – Pt 2 The Narrow Path (Matthew 7:13-14)
Introduction
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
(Matthew 7: 13-14)
Last time we consider the broad road, the road to destruction, and today we shall look at the narrow gate and the narrow path that leads to life. The narrow way is a path of faith, faith alone in Christ alone. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the father but by me”. That’s wide road is when you trust in yourself, and the narrow is when you’re trusting in Christ. But to get on the narrow path you have first got to go through the narrow gate, and you go through the narrow gate by trusting in Jesus Christ. But that’s just the beginning, that’s the gate after the gate there’s a way to follow but that way is a narrow path. Some have suggested that only one person can go in at a time by this route, I’m not sure I about that, because although I think the road is gate narrow and we certainly pass though that gate on the back of anyone else, but I think in many ways the road although narrow, we can still walk it together and spiritually encourage one another along the way. But what most Bible experts agree on is that the narrow way is a metaphor for the path of discipleship. It’s about journeying with Christ; it’s walking down that road with listening too and serving the Lord. So, within the context of the Sermon on the Mount, what does that mean.
Let’s turn back for a moment to Matthew chapter 6 because I want to look at verse 30.
Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
(Matthew 6: 30)
What is Jesus trying to get us to do in his sermon is first and foremost tell us to trust God for our daily needs. So, the narrow way is the way of faith and trusting in God. Very clearly from what Jesus is saying here is about you walking a life journey that is about trusting the Lord. I’d say in the context of this sermon Jesus is signposting the narrow way as the way we lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven. I would say in the context of the sermon on the mount the narrow way is also, seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. I would also say in the context of the sermon on the mount the narrow way is the way of love. Loving God and loving other as God loves others. As a matter of fact, in the immediate context it also about doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, and that was just a couple of verses back.
The narrow way is the way of faith and the way of love. As a disciples of Jesus Christ, if you’re going to walk that road what you have to do is choose to trust God and to love him and love others above all else. So those are your choices, you can live for yourself and trust yourself, or you can live for the Lord and trust him. You can love yourself and love other people. Now there are lots of people on the broad road, but the narrow gate is the gate that is difficult to get through and the way is arduous, almost impossible, in fact, without the grace of God. Getting through the narrow gate is impossible without the grace of God.
The Difficulties of Choosing the Narrow Path
Let’s talk about how difficult this is for a second, the Greek word translated difficult means to be under pressure, that means stress, as a matter of fact the noun form of this verb is translated tribulation, or affliction and distress. So why is this so difficult, well if you just heard what I said, to go this way you have got to do to walk the narrow path trust God and love people. That’s difficult because it’s easy to love lovely people, but Jesus in the Sermon of the Mount says you got to love people, you have to love your enemy. But the good news is he tells us here how to do it. Let me tell you how difficult this can be, you have got to love people like me, If you knew me, you would know how difficult it is to love someone like me. Remember verse 14 told us this road is difficult and few are on it, but those that are on it we are commanded to love. Somebody once said true discipleship is a minority religion, but here’s the point, this road this way we are to take has a destination, and what is important in life is your final destination.
A lot of believers think there is only an eternity awaiting those of us who trust the Lord and that eternity will be spent in heaven. But that’s not the point, everyone faces an eternal destination, and Jesus is telling us here we all face an eternal life the minute we pass through the either gate. As we go down the road and you find eternal life at the end of the road. So, we all will face a life eternal it just about choosing the destination where you want to spend that eternity. This isn’t just talking about the type of eternal life that you gain when passing through the gate is also talking about life, this life the life that you live as a result the following what the Lord teaches. There’s a sense in which you can enter through the narrow gate, you could have trusted Jesus Christ, and you could be sitting not walking, not making progress on the narrow road and be just existing, confused, frustrated, and discouraged, or you could work your way down the road, and be an overcomer, instead of being overcome.
According to James chapter one, we are called to live a life of peace, but it a life of self-control and a life of contentment. It’s a life of making the right decisions, a life of praise and gratitude. That’s life and you get it by walking by faith and choosing to believe what God says and loving him and loving others. Again, the issue is the destination, the issue is are you going to walk this narrow road of faith and love people as Christ loves them. Having gone through the narrow gate and traveling the narrow road doesn’t mean that you are narrow minded. Those on the narrow road are often more broadminded those on the broad road. People on the broad road try and suggest otherwise but they are often the narrow-minded ones. Just try and introduce them to Christ or the idea that there are things in our lives we need to set right before God, and you will soon see how narrow minded they are. But those on the narrow path should be broad in our sympathies, we should take the initiative to do things others do not want to do, we should do good in situations where no one else will They even pray for those who persecute them, they’re concerned not only about their family and friends but also about their foes. That is the narrow way, that leads to real life.
Of all the people who play football/soccer, there only a few that make it to the professional game, and out of that select few only a few ever get to play in the premier league, and of that only a few make it to play for their country and out of that only a few make it to the world cup. And all who make it to the world final, out of all who play in the final only half get to win the world cup. In baseball in the USA, I assume only a few make it to the Major League of all the people that play in the major leagues only a few make it to the World Series and of all the people who play in the World Series final only half win.
I’m here to tell you as somebody that has talked with people for decades you find most people are on the broad road and you find that most are camped somewhere on the broad, stuck and waiting for something better to come along. The narrow way is the way of Christ, the life where by you decision making you are guided by the Spirit of God and in that you might then be able to navigate that difficult path and reach spiritual maturity. Then you really can be an overcomer instead of being overcome by everything. The conclusion of this is what’s it says in verse 13, enter in by the narrow gate you then travel the narrow road and that’s the point. I also think he’s saying that many take the broad road, and many go through the wide gate, but that road leads to destruction and the narrow gate and the narrow path leads to life.
I’m going conclude this section by boiling it all this down to two points. What I’m about to say you please remember for the rest of your life. I think it is one of the most useful things I’ve ever had the privilege to teach people in a church or Bible study context. Ready, listen, this is the way you should make decisions every day of your life, from this point forward. If any of you follow one with these two little principles it will help you deal with many of the great struggles that you may have to go through in life.
First, this passage teaches you that you have a choice, you always have a choice. Write that down, tattoo it on you forward, no matter what people say, you always have a choice. I’ve been saying this for years, and I’ve taught it from other passages in the Bible, but I’ve never noticed it in this passage before until last night when I studied the passage again.
I looked at it again last night and it hit me, Jesus is saying you’ve got a choice of which path to take from the beginning, and at every point of the journey, a choice every time you have to make a moral decision. I’ve been saying that for years and teaching it because of other passages like Deuteronomy chapter 30. At the end of several sermons Moses preached before he died he says.
“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you, call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, 2 and return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul.
(Deuteronomy 30: 1-2)
See I have set before you today, a choice, read to this in light of the sermon on the mount. Life and death, good and evil. In that I command you today to love the Lord your God to walk in his way to keep his commandments his statutes and his judgments that you may live and multiply. Does that not make this passage come alive, Moses said it, he goes continues, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away then you will be drawn away to worship other gods. Then you shall surely perish and you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go into possess.
Moses goes on to say God has set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live and you may love the Lord your God and you may obey his voice and that you may cling to him for he is your life and the length of your days that you may dwell in the land which the Lord God gave to your fathers, Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
Deuteronomy chapter 30 makes it as clear as it can that you have a choice. Furthermore, if you go to the end of the book of Joshua, he also delivered a farewell address at the end of his life and both he and Moses said we always have a choice. Joshua gets to the end of his life, and he also says the exact same thing. Choose what seems evil or serve the Lord.
Choose for yourself this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the river or the gods of the ammonites and whom the land you dwell. “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
(Joshua 23: 15)
You have a choice, you come to the conclusion of the sermon on the mount Jesus says, “enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many that go in by it but narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life. We always have a choice. Let me tell you some of the things people say to me, “but you just don’t understand, if you knew what I’ve gone through”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sympathetic, but you still have a choice. “You just don’t understand, you don’t understand my circumstances”. The tough truth is God says it is not the events of your past, it is not the environment, of your present circumstances, it is not the emotions that should control your heart and mind. You have a choice, make the right decision and take the right path. Did I say that clear enough, don’t make excuses, don’t gripe or complain, just take the right path, the narrow path, the higher path.
Did you ever heard the expression, take the High Road, but understand whatever road you’re currently on, you’re choosing to be on it. I’m not denying that past events have an impact on us, I’m not denying that your circumstances are difficult, I’m not denying that you have wicked diabolical urges rolling around in the bottom of your soul, you’re a human being and so am I. But what I am telling you is you have a choice, and the grace of God is available to help you make the right choice. Earlier in the passage he said, ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be open to you, after which you can “come boldly to the throne of grace that you might find mercy and grace to help in time of need”. You have a choice, and you can trust God to help you overcome no matter what has happened to you.
I have a second piece of advice for you, ready for this.
You have a choice, but choices have consequences. Please write that down, choices have consequences. If this passage teaches us anything it teaches us that if you travel down that broad road you’re going to end up in destruction and if you go through this narrow gate travel down that narrow road you’re going end up in the right place, today and in the future. If you decide I’m going to live for myself, I’m going to trust myself, I don’t anyone, I don’t even need God, I can do it on my own. Then God will leave you to your own choices and their consequences.nOr you can say, I am a Sinner, I don’t have the strength, I don’t have the wisdom, I don’t have the righteousness but hello God, your word tells me you promised to help me and I’m going to seek, I’m going to knock until I get your grace and your wisdom to help me get through this, and then the reap consequences of an abundant life.
If you want a real simple way to make a decision every day of your life start with where it’s going to take you, start with the consequences and then you’ll know which road to take. If you look at the end result and work backwards, then you really can know what to do. Think about where this decision will take you what is the end result, what it the destination. OK let me close.
Illustration from the Life and Death of John Calvin.
One of the most well-known Christians in all the churches history was a man named John Calvin. As a young man John Calvin was thoughtful reverend and studious. He wrote one of the most famous books in all of church history, and it is called, “The Institutes of the Christian Religion”, and he wrote it when he was 27 years old. Before he died, he had written a commentary on virtually every book of the Bible, and they still form the foundation for what is called reformed theology. In that first book many say he not only laid done the basis of Christianity, but he also laid down some of the standards for a democratic representative government. He always lived in modest circumstance and when he died, he had little but left this life owing no debts to anyone.
John Calvin had a brother his brother was named Charles Calvin he was an alcoholic who led a desolate life, and he died a miserable wretch deep in dept to everyone. A biography that I read many years ago about his life by a man called Robinson said something about John Calvin though and believed and how it applied directly to his own family circumstances. These two brothers had the same genetics, they came from the same parents, they grew up in the same environment, grew up in the same home, had the same education, they went to the same schools. In their early years they had nearly the same influences, but one man reached for the heights and the other didn't make it out of the pit. What distinguishes us from one another were the choices they made. We make decisions everyday as we travel down life road and be aware friends those decisions will always turn around and make us.