2006-03-19 Communion Dedication – Baldwin Christian Church
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
In both verses, the word “strait” is an adjective describing the narrowness of the gate that leads to life. The narrow gate is not the entrance into heaven, rather where the journey to heaven begins. In the Revelation, Jesus said…
Revelation 3:20-21 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
We do not become “overcomers” by walking across the room and opening the door to Jesus. That is only the beginning. Jesus was not granted a seat at the Father’s throne based on faith alone; Jesus had to do something with His faith. So what exactly is Jesus saying we must overcome? In His last instructions before going to the cross, Jesus told His disciples…
John 16:33 … In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
The way to salvation is not a bypass around the trials and temptations of this world. Jesus said, “Narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it”. When I think of a “narrow” way, in my mind, I see a footpath rather than a highway, but I think Jesus is saying something different here. In verse fourteen, the word “narrow” is not an adjective describing the path to life. “Narrow” is actually a verb describing what happens to travelers on that path.
In the New Testament Greek, the word “thlibo” (thlee-bo) appears ten times, and this is the only time we find it rendered as “narrow”. The other nine times “thlibo” appears, they translated it as trouble, distress, affliction, tribulation, or a hard pressing in, so now you have a better picture of the “narrow-ing” that takes place as you travel the path leading to life. When you realize this truth, and apply it to your own experiences, your perspective of life’s troubles should change, and it should be easier for you to gauge whether or not you are on the right path. From the day you allow Jesus to be the captain of your salvation (Heb 2:10), until the day you meet Him, tribulation, troubles, distresses, and afflictions will tempt you, but be of good cheer; Jesus overcame the world, and Paul asked…
Romans 8:35 Who (or what) shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Our entire reason for existence is to please our Father in heaven (Revelation 4:11), but we exist in a fallen world that lives for pleasing itself. The things that please Him and the things that please the world are in opposite directions (James 4:4), so you learn to expect resistance whenever you are doing the things that please God. Personally, I find the most powerful resistance against my will to please the Father comes not from the world outside, but from within me.
Many times, I am tempted to say, “God made me this way, so… (Blah, blah, blah)”, but He told us right here that the way to Him is narrow-ing and difficult. We all have predispositions to disobedience of some kind or another, but to balance that out, God gave each one of us a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Because we have partaken of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, somehow, deep down inside us, even if we fight it, we all know what is true and right.
In John chapter 9, we read about a man who was born blind, and this presented a problem to Jesus’ disciples. In their minds, in their belief system, someone's sin must have caused this man's birth defect. They asked Jesus, “Why was this man born blind? Was it caused by his own sins or the sins of his parents?” Jesus explained that sin was not the cause of the handicap, but this man suffered those many years of affliction for only one reason; that the works of God would change not just his life, but other lives as well, beginning from the day he met Jesus, until the day he died (John 9:3). That blind man was just a lump of clay on the wheel, until that day the Potter came into his life. Jesus spat on the ground, then He reached down and He rolled up a little ball of clay between His fingers. He took that little dab of clay and spread it on those eyes that had never seen before, and putting the final touch on that big lump of clay, you know what happened next. The transformation in that blind man became a witness to his family, his neighbors, and even the unbelieving religious rulers; that man revealed the power of God. Isaiah asked, and Paul asked, “Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?” (Isaiah 29:16, Romans 9:20)
We are all different. There are things that I am tempted by, but when the same things confront you, it is easy for you to walk away from them. Likewise, there are things that are tempting to you, but not to me. The point is that we all have some sort of affliction tempting us away from the path leading to life.
How can we question the Potter? The answer is that we cannot. Jesus says there are only two ways you can go; one is difficult, but leads to life, and the other is easier, but it leads to death. God has never changed; it was the same even in the beginning at the Garden of Eden. We can choose the Tree of Life, or the tree of “here and now”. The whole world sees that wide gate, and how easy it is to go through, so count your blessings today if you have found the strait, the narrow gate, Jesus. He said there are few that find it. He laid down His life not only to offer us life at the end of this journey, but also to give us a Comforter and companions along the way. The way is difficult, but you don’t have to travel it all alone. The wind and the waves are always worse after you enter a strait, but you have fellow-laborers at the oars, and the Captain of your salvation at the helm.
Additional Studies:
Aren’t there many paths to God?
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (both Jews and Gentiles)
Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
How difficult is the path?
Matthew 16:24-25 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Who are we living for, anyway?
Proverbs 21:17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
John 8:28-29 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
2 Timothy 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Where is our help on the path?
Psalm 108:12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
Psalm 119:143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.