Choose the Narrow Way ~ Matthew 7:13–14

Good evening and welcome to the Panhandle. Wow! We are just a week and one day away from our Thanksgiving celebration. I thought this was a uniquely an American celebration, but it seems other countries have their version of this holiday. So what ever you call it and when ever you celebrate it, Happy Thanksgiving.

What would you say if I told you there is a place you can go that is easy to find. To top it off the road that leads there is an easy road although it might be a bit crowded. But wait there's more when you finally get to this place, there is no charge to go in, no dress code, as a matter of fact this place grants unrestricted entrance. And if numbers mean anything then this is a happening place. Well maybe?

There is this other place, it's a little harder to get to and the road is hard to follow. It actually takes a little bit of sacrifice and diligence to get there. But the road is less crowded so that should count for something, yes? And the benefits that await you make the trip worth it. So come on in sit down and let's open our Bibles and surf a bit.

“Enter through the narrow gate. The gate is wide and the road is wide that leads to hell, and many people enter through that gate. But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to true life. Only a few people find that road.” (Matthew 7:13-14).

Life is made up of decisions, and decisions reveal the inner nature of a person. We generally make decisions out of the inner conditioning and that can determine how we set goals and priorities. Setting goals and establishing priorities are our responsibility because we have what is called free will. We, as free moral agents, are responsible for our own decisions; we are accountable to God for this responsibility. For the followers, the most crucial decision was made when we became disciples of Christ Jesus. But that is not the final decision; we keep making decisions that are consistent with this commitment to discipleship. Becoming a follower of Christ Jesus is a change of direction from our way to His way, but following this change of direction, we still need to decide at which level we will live our lives. We will live either fully for Christ Jesus, giving Him our all or live at a level of mediocrity.

Now back to the narrow way and the broad way, they are a contrast between the abundant life, which Christ Jesus offers, and the way of selfishness, which has no restraints. Christ Jesus said, “I am come that [you] might have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). But the abundant life is not without discipline. We only achieves abundance by living a life according to God's laws.¹ In living by these precepts we find true freedom. We do not have freedom to do a thing just because no one is telling us that we can't do it. True freedom comes only through Christ Jesus. Why this calls to selectivity? Because when we says yes to Christ Jesus we must also say no to the things on the broad road so that we can be true to our yes.

The gate is narrow in that it is demanding, it requires faith, discipline, and integrity. The resulting character is that of recognizing one Master, of having our eyes firmly on Christ Jesus as we follow Him.

The broad road, in contrast, has no demands of loyalty, integrity, discipline or character. Howard Skinner (music evangelistic) made an interesting comment on the narrow road in this text. He remarked, “It is not over at the edge, separated by distance from the broad way, but is right smack in the middle of the broad way, just headed in the other direction.” The narrow way is right in the middle of the broad stream of humanity, but headed in the opposite direction.

Although it is a blessed thing to be a Christian, it is not easy to stay on the narrow road, but at the end of it is Life. The much easier is the broad way of self-indulgence, greed, pride and ambition, but at the end of it is death. Oh, how many will choose death, rather than life? Christ Jesus gives us a straightforward contrast between the saved and the lost; the two gates and the two ways lead to destruction and one to life. The decision is ours, yours, but choose carefully because it is a matter of life and death.²

Well thanks for dropping by. I pray that Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour would richly bless you and yours. And may He bless your time in His Word.

Your brother in Christ,

Biblesurfer

1 Augsburger, M. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Matthew (Vol. 24, p. 18). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

2 France, R. T. (1994). Matthew. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 914). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.