All Nations Evangelistic Ministries

TOPIC: THE NARROW GATE.
TEXT: MATT. 7:13-14
Jesus said, "narrow is the way that leads to heaven and few people travel along it while broad is the way that leads to hell and many travel along it." Matt. 7:13-14. It is a common thing to see that those who do the wrong thing are in the majority while those on the right path are the minority. A man who is heaven bound will be careful not to partake in the sins of the multitude. He will single out himself. The Bible says "Thou shall not follow a multitude to do evil" EXO. 23:2

Apostle Paul told Timothy "Do not participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. I Tim.5:22b. The Beloved Apostle John also wrote "Then I heard another voice calling from heaven "come away from her, my people. Do not partake in her sins, or you will be punished with her." Rev. 18:4 See the Rechabites in Jer. 35.

We should note that when Jesus was on earth in human form, He belonged to the minority class and not the majority when it comes to holiness, righteousness and doing God’s will. He always preached against un-Godly practices of the Pharisees, Saducees, Scribes and other religious groups of His days.

Jesus actually came to institute new standards of living that were contrary to the contemporary practices of the people. Nearly all His teachings in the Sermon on the Mount were a clear departure from the status quo.
See the sermons on: Righteousness - Matt. 5:20; Anger and abuse of one’s brother - Matt. 5:21-24; Adultery and fornication - vs 27-28, Divorce and adultery - vs 31-32; swearing - vs 33-37; vengeance - vs 38-42; loving one’s enemy - vs 44-47 vs 27-28; Almsgiving - 6:1-4; Praying - 6:5-6; Fasting - 6:16-18.

Definitely, the teachings and stand of Jesus would have attracted severe criticisms from many people but He did not bother. He knew He was preaching the truth, and the mind of God, hence He was undaunted. Jesus’ standard seems hard but that is the way to heaven. The easy road is the one that leads to hell.
Luke 13:24 adds that we should "strive to enter in through the narrow gate for many shall try to enter and they shall not be able". Many people indeed will come to the light of truth but they will not be able to receive or endure it. They find it difficult, alien to their cultures, customs and practices, and too demanding. Examples abound in the Bible. Two clear instances are:

a. The rich young man who wanted to follow Jesus.
Jesus told him to go and sell all his belongings and this made him become
sorrowful. He left Jesus and could not follow Him eventually. Luke 18:18-23
b. One time disciples of Jesus Christ who later turned back from following Jesus
because of His hard teachings. They said "This (teaching) is hard to understand. How can anyone accept it." John 6:60, 66-68.

We should know that the laws and commandments of God are not hard or difficult. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous." I John 5:3. Jesus also said "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; ………, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt.11:29-30. For the genuinely born again and Holy Spirit filled believer, God’s laws are easy to bear. However it is not so for the person who is not born again and spirit filled. Moreover, the believer who will find it easy to do God’s will is that person who has crucified the flesh with all its desires and deeds; not the carnal Christian. Gal.2:20, 5:24. This is the type of person who can travel along the narrow way.

It is true that in this narrow way, there is the need for holiness (Isa. 35:8), consecration and great self-denial (Luke 9:23), there is no room for sinful pleasure (Luke 21:34), lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life (I John 2:15-17), the ultimate end and reward is heaven. Getting to heaven is the most important thing for you as a Christian. Will you make heaven at last?