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WEEKLY
Volume 3 Number 17
21 September 2008
Strait Gate and Narrow Way
Leading to Life
(Message
delivered by Rev Hien Nguyen at the Worship Service, 2:00 pm, Sep 21,
08)
Text:
Matt 7:13-14
Very few of us like a narrow
gate or a narrow way because it is neither spacious nor comfortable.
Spiritually speaking, many are very broad-minded and simple-minded,
thinking that all religions are good and all religious ways may lead
human beings to a better place as long as they are sincere and not doing
the evil things (but they fail to see that forsaking God is committing
evils already – Jer 2:13). Even in Christianity, many think that God
loved all mankind and the Lord Jesus died for the sins of all mankind in
order to give salvation and liberty to those who believe in Him, so they
only need to believe in the Lord to be saved, without being bound by
anything, even by God’s Word! Some even dare to question God’s Word (the
Scripture) and interpret the Scripture according to their own will to
suit their lifestyles and worship! The way they live and worship is
worldly and compromising, regardless of the Lord and His Word! No
wonder, “many there be which go in thereat” (Matt 7:13). They
fail to understand that true faith must show the fruit of trust in the
Lord and obedience to His Word, “By faith Abraham, when he was
called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went”
(Heb 11:8).
Our Lord does not want His
followers to be bound by men and by human words, rituals, or traditions,
but He does require them to submit themselves to Him, to live and to
worship Him according to His will and His Word, “Not every one that
saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but
he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt 7:21).
Because of love, our Lord commands us, “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” (Matt 7:13-14).
Wide Gate and Broad Way
Leading to Destruction
It is not easy to follow the
Lord in His narrow way while the majority are walking in the broad and
easy way with all their worldly comforts, success, wealth and big
membership. Then, why are there so many entering in at the wide gate and
walking in the broad way that leads to destruction? Through the
Scripture, we understand that it is because they are spiritually blinded
or walking in darkness or being deceived.
Those who are blind or walking
in darkness cannot see the dangers in the way before them, so they just
keep on walking in it. Our Lord Jesus says, “And if the blind lead
the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matt 15:14), and
God’s Word says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that
are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds
of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor
4:3-4). Our Lord rebukes the Jewish leaders, “Ye blind guides,
which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel” because they find fault
with others for unimportant matters while they “have omitted the
weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith” (Matt
23:23-24), and “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which
is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean
also” because they appear good and righteous outwardly but within
they are full of hypocrisy and sins (Matt 23:26-28). Our Lord also
rebukes those complacent believers in Laodicea who say, “I am rich,
and increased with goods, and have need of nothing” because they do
not know that they are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and
blind, and naked” (Rev 3:17). It is so dangerous to be
spiritually blinded or in darkness as we cannot see our spiritual need
or the dangers and destruction before us!
It is also dangerous for those
who are deceiving themselves or being deceived by others, thinking that
they are saved and serving the Lord, walking in God’s Way and doing
God’s will, but they are rejected when our Lord Jesus Christ comes,
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt
7:21-23) and “We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast
taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you
not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity” (Luke
13:26-27). Truly, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but
the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov 14:12; 16:25). Then you
and I should not be deceived by thinking that believing in the Lord will
give us licence to do whatever we like regardless of His will and His
Word. Let us enter in at the strait gate and walk in the narrow way,
within the boundaries of God’s will and God’s Word, leading us to
eternal life and to heaven.
May God open our spiritual
eyes and keep us from being deceived by anyone or anything against the
Lord and His Word.
Strait Gate and Narrow Way
Leading to Life
Only entering in at the strait
gate and walking in the narrow way will lead us to life. Then are you
and I willing to pay the cost to walk in the narrow way?
Personally Knowing and
Following the Lord:
God does desire “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4), but every single person must personally
repent of his sins, come to the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him as his
Lord and Saviour. Many just “believe” in Jesus because of others or the
majority. Entering a church door every Sunday without personally knowing
and following the Lord Jesus cannot save you and me. Our Lord says, “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 10:9). Jesus Christ Himself,
the Living Divine Person, is the only Door of salvation and each one of
us must enter into God’s salvation through Him – coming to Him, meeting
Him, and receiving Him as our Lord and Saviour personally. Many do not
want to take a stand for what they believe, even for God’s Word! It is
good to challenge ourselves, “If others do not believe in the Lord and
His every preserved Word, shall I do?” and “If others do not walk in
God’s narrow way, shall I do?”
Not Expecting the Approval
from the Majority:
Many others may criticise you and me as “narrow-minded” or “too
conservative” and say, “You are too strict. Not many can understand the
King James Bible or support your Biblical Separation. If you are serving
the Lord like that, your church will never grow because no one wants to
join you.” Let us not be surprised or discouraged but just hear our Lord
Jesus’ words, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt
7:14).
Following Jesus in the Way of
the Cross: The
narrow way is not an easy way. It is the way of the cross, of shame, of
self denial, of full submission. No wonder, very few are willing to walk
in it. Our Lord Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John
14:6). This means that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Living Divine Person,
is the only living and true Way leading us to the Father, to Truth, to
Life and to Heaven. Walking in Him means following Him with our full
dependence, submission and obedience, “He that saith he abideth in
him (Jesus) ought himself also so to walk, even as he (Jesus)
walked” (1 John 2:6). Our Lord Jesus challenges His followers,
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Shall you and I be willing
to deny ourselves and our own will to follow the Lord and to do His
will? Let us remember that only doing God’s will remains for ever,
“he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17) and
will lead us to Heaven, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt 7:21). Doing God’s will is
following our Lord Jesus Christ, loving Him, obeying Him, serving Him,
keeping His words, glorifying Him, and living a godly life according to
His Word (Luke 9:23; 10:27; John 6:40; 12:26; 14:23; 1 Cor 10:31; 1
Thess 4:3). When you and I are willing to take up our cross, to humbly
follow the Lord Jesus Christ and to do God’s Word, He will give us
sufficient grace to do His will. All praise and glory be unto Him alone,
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his
good pleasure” (Phil 2:13) and “My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9).
Conclusion
Dear friends, because of love,
our Lord Jesus Christ commands you and me to enter in at the strait gate
and walk in the narrow way that leads to life. May God help us know Him
and follow Him personally. The more we know Him, the more we shall
appreciate Him, love Him, trust in Him, submit to Him and serve Him. May
the Lord help us willingly take up our cross, deny ourselves daily and
follow Him faithfully until the end despite the minority. Let us not be
discouraged but just look at our Lord Jesus and follow Him step by step
no matter what the cost may be as He will be with us, strengthen us and
lead us to our loving heavenly Father, to eternal Life and to His
glorious Heaven, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God” (Heb 12:2). Amen.
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