We'll stay right there in verse
22 through to 30 and we'll focus mainly on verse 24 that reads,
make every effort to enter through the narrow door because many,
I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. I've always enjoyed, and Joe
talked about this a lot too, how Christ would often answer
our silly questions with a much better answer than the question
we actually asked. And you'll see that through so
much of the Gospels, that the questions we ask, whether it's
from the disciples or just random people, are generally pretty
clueless questions. They really don't matter what
we're asking about. But his answer always points
us to what actually does matter. Just in his beauty and wisdom,
he had a great way in dealing with people. In particular, his
answers to many of our questions put to him did not seem to have
anything to do with the actual question asked to him. Because
he knew it mattered. And we don't. In the passage
before us, the Lord had been teaching on the kingdom of God
using parables to illustrate it, and someone asked him if
only a few people were going to be saved. We may naturally
wonder the same thing. It's a curious thought. I wonder
how many people God has chosen. It might even be natural for
us to think, or for man to think. We may think if there are a lot,
it might increase the chances that we ourselves will be among
that number. Others may find it the exact
opposite. They might find it in a self-righteous way. They
might find self-righteous satisfaction in the possibility that there
only will be a few saved. They consider themselves to be
among the ones saved, and if that saved group is small, it
makes it exclusive, makes it kind of elite. Makes them almost
glory in the fact that they're part of that small group. But
the Lord is wise, so much wiser than us. And he did not waste
his time, or his hearer's time for that matter, or our time
as we read this, discussing irrelevant matters such as that number.
The issue of the gospel, is not how many will be saved. Rather,
our concern should be, am I among that number? Are we among those who are saved?
Whether that group turns out to be large or small is insignificant. So our Lord ignored the useless
question of how many shall be saved and turned instead to the
question is how can a man be saved? Or woman. Man in the general biblical term.
The Lord said make every effort. Think about this in context. The guy said, is it gonna be
a large group, small group? And his first words were, make
every effort to enter the narrow door. It has nothing to do with
the question asked. He says, because many, I tell
you, will try to enter and they will not be able to. So don't
worry about the number. Let's talk about you. Make every effort to enter the
narrow door. We can expand. on what the Lord
says here to include the obvious meaning of don't waste your time
on irrelevant issues. Let's discuss what matters. And I pray that we do that every
week. The truth is not given to you
so you can discover what others should do or what should possibly
happen to others. That's not why we're given the
truth. You're given the truth so that you may know what you
should do and learn what shall become of you personally. Think about it. It is of zero
eternal consequence to you how many people are saved. What is
of the utmost eternal consequence is are you saved? How blessed the churches of modern
day would be if every message given took this same attitude
and confronted each individual with his need of salvation and
the way of salvation. So many churches, so many messages
are wasting their hearer's time. Like the question that was brought
up by this person. by answering unimportant questions
that are irrelevant, mean nothing to the salvation of God's people
or the worship of God for that matter. I mean, you'll start
seeing a lot of social aspects of churches nowadays, even political
aspects, if it depends what cycle we're in as far as politics is
concerned, but you'll see this become part of a church's regular
service. Social aspects, societal aspects,
political aspects. These things mean nothing in
the eternal picture of your soul. Nothing. It will all come to
an end. We ask, man asks the dumb questions. And Christ says, make every effort
to enter the narrow door. That is what matters. Some churches have gone so far
where they actually set up registration tables for voting in their buildings.
They therefore rob the Lord of his rightful space and time to
gather with his people. Does the Lord need the cooperation
of the leaders of this world to establish his kingdom? Is
the Lord worried about who's going to be elected? The Lord decides who will be
elected, whether it's who we want or not. The Lord makes his plan perfect
and quite often it doesn't fit what we assume should be the
correct path, which is good because we are clueless. The Lord knows all. He created
everything. Whatever is happening is according
to his plan and I can tell you his plan is better than yours. Do we think that the gates of
hell cannot prevail over the plan of God, over the will of
God and carried out through Jesus Christ. The gates of hell can't
stop him, but someone elected to a worldly office could make
a difference. Is the Lord's throne so precarious
that it might topple if we do not get the right president?
Or how demeaning is it to the Lord Jesus when we tremble before
the powers of the world as though they can have any effect on the
work of God, as if they can have any effect on making every effort
to enter the narrow door. Rather, we should set forth to
the world Christ in such a powerful way that the world trembles at
His feet. Other churches may turn their
attention to moral issues, endeavoring to moralize the congregation,
or even moralize the world. Sounds good. It's hard to disagree
with that. It's hard to argue with someone
that says, we're trying to make this world more morally upright,
right? It's hard to say that's wrong.
But neither the Lord nor his apostles ever attempted to moralize
the world. There can be no doubt that the
world could use moralizing, it's becoming more obvious every day,
but that is not what the church was sent to do. If the church
could close every abortion clinic, could turn every gay person straight,
could sober every alcoholic, turn every thief into a philanthropist,
and every murderer into a healer, the world would be a better place
to live. but it would still be a world
full of sinners in full and complete need of
salvation through Christ. We would have done them no good,
zero. We would have made things a little
bit easier while we're here as far as dealing with each other,
but we would have done them no good whatsoever for their souls. The true message of the church
is as needed by the abortion protester as the abortionist. As necessary for the gay person
or the homosexual, or the straight person, excuse me. We all need
Christ. The gospel given to the church
has as much to say to the people of the Bible Belt as it does
to Hollywood. The message of Christ speaks
with as much force to the moral majority as it does to the most
corrupt among us. One of the most neglected mission
fields today is the American church because it's filled with moral
sinners. which is a very dangerous place
to be. If you feel moral, you don't
feel like a sinner. And if that's what you're focused
on, you are not focused on the narrow door. Moral sinners, devoid of any
knowledge of the truth about themselves, or the truth of God
and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, It is true that believers should
try to live a moral life, of course we should. But such a
life does not arise from a continual message of morality. We don't
live a moral life because we're constantly told to live a moral
life. The message of Christ accomplishes
a growth in grace for those who believe it. It is the beholding
of Christ, the true unblinding of man to see the truth, to see
Christ for who he is, that transforms a man, not a pursuit of morality,
not a good lesson on morality. Whenever we look at ourselves,
it is only ourselves that we see. Morality preaching, which
is just like saying, hey, look at yourself, Because when you're
talking about morality, you're talking about your actions, your
feelings. So when all we do is look at
ourselves, morality preaching, it always turns the eye to the
self. And that can only lead in two
directions. One, the path of despair as we see how wicked
we are and we think there's absolutely no hope for us. Or we go to a
path of self-righteousness where we think, hmm, I'm not too bad.
Both are direct paths to destruction. Looking at yourself can only
bring you to destruction. Because you're broken. You're
a sinner. Furthermore, morality preaching
makes us concerned with our appearance before others. Preachers set
forth standards and we walk in those standards so that others
will not think badly of us. That is a direct contradiction
to the Lord's rebuke when he says everything they do is done
for people to see. How many are going to church
today, not because they love Christ and they want to hear
his gospel, but they're more concerned that if they don't
go to church, what will their friends and family think? or
I wanna go to church because they have really good coffee,
or my kids really have fun there. As important as social, political,
and moral issues are in our lives, they are not and never will be
nearly as important as the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever
good we may do in this world and whatever heights we may achieve,
they only last as long as the world lasts, or as long as we
last. And both will come to an end.
The best we can achieve will fall apart. The Lord Jesus Christ did not
give any time to answering this man's question. The man's question
concerned what would become of others at the end of time when
he needed to be thinking about what he could do or what would
become of him. So let us look at what the Lord
says and see what good we can get from it ourselves. It says,
make every effort to enter the narrow door because many, I tell
you, will try to enter and will not be able to. The first point
to notice does not even appear in our English way of speaking.
The word you is actually in the original version. So it doesn't
just say make every, it says you make every effort. It's a very personal, pointed
statement. It's not everybody, you. Make every effort to enter the
narrow door. You make every effort to enter
the narrow door because many, I tell you, will try, and many
who try to enter will not be able to. The Lord's words were
pointed and direct. The word of God is personal and
should always be taken personally. God did not speak so that we
could find out what he has to say about others or what he has
to say to others. What does he say about you? What is he saying to you? How often do people listen to
preaching taking note of how it applies to this or that person
but seemingly ignore how it applies to themselves? They hear of the
world's sin and it doesn't occur to them that they're actually
a part of that. All of us. They hear the Lord's exhortation
to repent and believe, but don't seem to realize that the word
is for them to repent and believe. They only see that others need
to repent. Whenever we hear a message, even
as you listen to this one today, do not say, that was a good message
for so and so. Rather pray in your heart, Lord,
say something to me. When the Lord says in the scripture,
make every effort, it's somewhat confusing. Because so much of
the Bible tells us that there is no effort on our part when
it comes to salvation. There are no works. So it says
make every effort. Salvation is had without works,
but it is not had without effort. Let me explain the difference.
It may sound contradictory, because how can there be effort without
work? We are not saved by righteous works simply because we cannot
perform them. We cannot do one singular righteous
work. We are not saved by religious
works such as ceremonies or vows or baptisms or sacraments. None of those things save anyone. They do not answer the demands
of a holy God. But the way of salvation runs
so contrary to our natural way of thinking that it actually
requires great effort to deny ourselves. To deny ourselves and follow
Christ and rest in his work. Because that is so contradictory
to our nature. To let go and rest in what Christ
has done. Look around. Churches are built
and grow to giant numbers on a message of get involved. Get your hands dirty. Whereas
Christ tells us over and over, rest in what I have done. That
is the actual effort. The effort is to rest because
it's so abnormal for us. It's quite the opposite of what
we would normally think of effort. Natural thinking would drive
us to righteous and religious works, but the gospel calls on
us to turn away from those and look to Christ alone. That requires
us to go against ourselves, to deny ourselves, and that is not
easy. It says in Hebrews 4.11, labor
to enter my rest. That doesn't make any sense in
the English language. Labor to rest. But that shows how it is
so hard and against our nature to not want to be a tiny part
of our own salvation. That's what he's talking about.
Effort to enter my rest. Make every effort to enter the
narrow door. Let us therefore make every effort
to enter that rest so that no one will perish by following
their example of disobedience. That's what it says in Hebrews
four. If God ever grants you the power
to believe, you will find that faith is not easy. It is a constant battle because
we are part flesh. Believing is basically warfare
between our spirit and our flesh. To enter upon the way of Christ
through faith is to enter upon spiritual labor and soul striving. We rest from our labors to earn
God's blessing, right? But it is labor against our flesh,
like we have to labor against our flesh to enter that rest. We must enter at the narrow door.
This is not the only time the Lord has used narrowness to describe
the way to eternal life. In Matthew 7, verse 13 and 14,
it says, enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and
broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter
through it. But small is the gate and narrow
the road that leads to life and only a few find it. We've all
heard the saying, you must walk the straight and narrow. Most
people think it means that we must live a very restrictive
lifestyle in order to get to heaven. But the straight gate
and the narrow way have no more to do with the manner of our
lifestyle than the wide road. The narrow gate, the narrow path,
and the wide road to destruction and to life neither have anything
to do with our lifestyle. Whether we are talking about
the narrow way or the broad way, we are talking about a way that
people take in the hope of attaining eternal life. The two ways do
not represent a choice between living morally and immorally. Sins bring destruction, that's
true, but no one pursues sin in the hope of gaining eternal
life. The Lord is not warning against
an obvious path of destruction, Like, here's the way of sin,
here's the way of no sin. We all know that's not right.
The way, the wide way is not the way of sin. Both are. The Lord is not warning against
that obvious path of destruction. Rather, he's warning against
following a path that many, many men think leads to life. But in the end, only brings destruction
and death. You don't have to warn someone
against a path that's obvious. This one is not. It appears to
be a path to life. Not every way that people take
in the hope of obtaining eternal life actually leads to life.
Many people choose a way of salvation that actually ends in destruction. Proverbs 14, 12 says, there is
a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death. It's like they talk about, you
know, how the devil works. He's not promoting Satanism,
because no one will do that. You're not going to see these
massive megachurches that are satanic. It's tricky. He's evil. And he uses the words that we
use. He uses Christ's name, but alters
the gospel in the slightest amount, adds to it, takes away from it,
and immediately it is no longer the truth. That is the wide way
to destruction. So what is the broad way that
leads to destruction? It is the way of all religions
that say that the way to eternal life is through morality, keeping
the law, ceremonial works, or free will decisions and commitments.
Sadly, the majority, it seems like, are on that way. Most people
pursue salvation by these means, thinking that in the end, they
shall have eternal life because of the things they're doing. How tragic and terrifying. Come to the end of your life
and discover that their life way was wrong. Their life way was actually a
death way. They will say, Lord, Lord, did
we not, just like it says in the scriptures, followed by their
list of efforts to obtain eternal life, did I not go to church
every week? Did I not sing songs? Did I not get baptized? Did I
not do all of these things? Did I not go on mission trips? And that will be the problem.
because it will be their list. They all begin with I. Did I
not, did I not, did I not? Their efforts. Our efforts, no
matter what kind they are, only lead to destruction. That's a plain truth. It's a
scary truth. But it's real. That is a true
statement. So what is the straight gate?
What is the narrow gate? What is the narrow way? The plainness of this truth again,
it is simply Christ. Christ alone. As our Lord said himself in John
14, six, I am the way. I am the truth, I am the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me. I am everything when it comes
to salvation. The point our Lord is making
is that there is only one way to eternal life and it is a very
restrictive way. Christ alone, and that second
word is important, Christ alone. No man comes to the Father but
by me. What do we mean by Christ and
Christ alone? We mean that everything that is necessary to make a sinner
acceptable in the sight of God, everything necessary is found
in Jesus Christ and is obtained through simple faith in him and
what he has done. Everything. Nothing could be
added and nothing should be added. To the most righteous person
in all the world, we say, you desperately need Christ. And to the most vile person in
the entire world, we say, Christ is all you need. The gate and the way to eternal
life are so narrow that they allow for only the sinner to
pass through. Christ came to save sinners.
Only sinners. We say everybody's a sinner.
Not everyone is aware of that. Christ's people have been made
aware. Only sinners can pass through
that gate. It is not wide enough to admit
the sinner and anything else. Not his family. not their parents'
faith cannot save you or keep you safe until you reach sufficient
years. Were they to sprinkle water on
your head throughout your youth or engage every effort to raise
you as a Christian, what your parents do, it would not get
you an inch closer to God. If you try to carry your baptism
through the gate with you as you enter the way of life, you
will not fit. even the things that seem good,
like a baptism. You cannot carry that on your
shoulder as a reason to walk through that gate. You will not
fit. If you try to go through this
gate wrapped in any type of morality, you will not fit, for it is not
wide enough for human morality. In fact, this gate is so narrow
that a sinner cannot enter still wearing the filthy rags of his
own righteousness. You cannot be boasting on anything
to fit through this gate. There is exactly enough room
for the sinner. And nothing more. If he tries
to pass through this gate with good works, ceremonial observances,
religious pedigree, or free will, he will not fit. He will be too
wide for the narrow gate. The Lord warned that many would
try to enter, but would be unable to do so. Why? It's not that they're turned
away. They simply will not fit. If you are trying to get through
the narrow gate, but simply can't seem to enter through faith,
then the reason is simple, you see. You are trying to get through
with something more than your sinful self. You are trying to get your baptized
self through, or your sorrowful self through, but Lord, I feel
so bad about what I've done. You have people boast in that.
Or your promising self, promise Lord that I will turn my life
around. Or your believing self, even
if you have, if you hold on to your own faith as something to
boast in, you will not fit. You can only enter through as
your sinful self. Just sinful you. And exactly as the hymn is written,
just as I am. Just as I am without one plea. But that thy blood was shed for
me. And that's thou bidst come to
me, O Lord, Lamb of God, I come, just as I am, poor, wretched,
blind. That's how we come to Christ.
We have nothing to offer. And really, this is how all eventually
come to Christ. Stripped down of everything they
think they're offering. But it's whether you're coming
to Christ for salvation, or you think you're coming to Christ
to bring Him something. To show Him something. We have
nothing to show. We have nothing to bring. When
we are broken down to what we really are, we are simply our
sinful selves. that is our Savior, our Lord
Jesus Christ, is designed perfectly to exactly meet the need of a
sinner. When you are nothing but a sinner
in need of Jesus Christ, Christ will be all you need. And you'll fit right through
the gate. I think about, I think about
things. But I think about the day when
I, when I finally leave this world and I wake up there. I still terrify myself sometimes,
because I know what I've done, I know what I'm capable of. I
just always picture myself just screaming the word Christ, because
that's all I have. I have no, I have nothing else
to bring. If it comes down to me needing
to bring something, I'm in big trouble. But I don't have to. Because I have Christ. I have
the perfect savior that is made for the most vile sinner. Again, when you are nothing but
a sinner in need of Christ, Christ will be all you need. and he
will never turn you away. He will say no to no one. If you come to him as a sinner
in need of him, he will always say yes, and you will always
be welcomed through the narrow gate. Because his work is sufficient. No matter what you've done in
your life, No matter how low you feel about what you've been,
what you've done, it's gone. His work is so much greater than
your sin. Today, by the grace of God, I pray that I can, and we all can,
can lay aside the things that make us too wide to fit through
that gate. Because we're all still flesh,
still hold on to things. But to walk through that narrow
gate and onto the narrow road, by what gate are you entering?
The wide gate, the broad way of popular religious works, ceremonies,
decisions, commitments, Lord, you entered the very narrow and
sparsely populated way of Christ and nothing more. God grant us all the grace to
enter by the narrow gate. Dear Lord Jesus, we ask, Lord, that you can just
impress this on our hearts every day, all day, We forget so quickly. We move
on so quickly. But Lord, this truth is all that
matters. This is the only real truth.
We are sinners. We are nothing else. We have
nothing else. And we need you. And you are a perfect Savior.
You are everything we need and we are so thankful, Lord, that
you've shown us this truth. That you've turned our stony,
vile, angry hearts into something that actually wants to love you.
And that's all done by you. We thank you for all of it, Lord.
We thank you that every aspect of our salvation is dependent
on you and you alone, because you are good, you are perfect,
and we are so grateful for your love. And we pray this in your name,
amen. You can take out your correspondence