Sermon Outlines

"Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

How {reads "Because" instead of "How"} narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. ~Matthew 7:13-14 (WEB)

INTRODUCTION

In His concluding words at His sermon on the mount, Jesus gave His compelling or persuasive command to His disciples and the hearers who were there — and in the context of our times, this is a challenge to all professing Christians or prospected Christians.  The passage that we read today refers to the Lord’s charge to His disciples about making the choice of going through the narrow way of life.  And after which, He was giving further warnings (which we shall be learning in the next Sundays to come).

We might ask why did the Lord used the “Gate” as the figure of His speech?

Biblical accounts present the importance of “gates” to the Jews:

Structure:  Gate serves as the primary protection against invaders.  And the control of people’s passage in and out of a city. [Lamentations 2:9, Nehemiah 6:1, 1 Kings 16:34]

Setting:  City gate is a place where major activities are conducted:

a.  Making announcements to reach maximum number of people (Proverbs 1:20-22);

b.  Making judicial trials such as rebellious son (Deuteronomy 21:18-21);

c.  Settling marital issues such as Boaz marriage to Ruth (Ruth 4:1-11);

d.  Receiving news such as Eli was waiting for a news during the Israel-Philistine war (1 Samuel 4:18);

e.  Giving instructions such as when David gave instructions to Israel’s soldiers (2 Samuel 18:1-5);

f.  A place for assassination plot such as the report given to Esther about the killing of the King (Esther 2:5-8)

Further, we remember that the walls of Jerusalem have 11 gates; each has specific name (Gathering gate, Dung gate, Water gate, Valley gate, Essene gate, Fountain gate, Horse gate, Sheep gate, Fish gate, Old gate, East gate). However, since the city was overtaken by the Muslims, today there are only seven (7) gates which are still utilized.  Some scholars believed that Jesus was passing through the East gate when He entered Jerusalem because it is the gate which is directly visible from the Mount of Olives.  It is the gate which is still being watched by the Jews because of the prophesy that the Messiah will be coming in through this gate.

 PROCLAIMATION

In verse 14, Jesus was saying that the way to life is narrow and restricted. And it is buzzling to know that the Lord declares that ONLY FEW will find it.  This statement is most often neglected by many professing Christians.

 ASK THESE QUESTIONS

Q1:  The moment you know Jesus Christ, are you aware that He is warning that with Him, you are to walk through a narrow and restricted path of life?

Q2:  The moment you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior; do you understand that you are not promised to have everything you wished and asked for?

TEACHING LESSON

Almost all people who has certain knowledge about the Lord Jesus knew this passage.  However, this is one of the most neglected passage.

It may be disappointing to hear, but the reality is this:

The universal identity of the church is obviously tarnished by some leaders who DO NOT deeply understand the command of the Lord.  Some neglected two (2) specific instruction of God in relation to His  command of preaching the Gospel of Christ, which are:

1.   Seek ye first the kingdom of God and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS…

2.   Enter IN BY THE NARROW GATE…

This end times, we are surrounded by so many false gospels. Some leaders NO LONGER preach about the RIGHTEOUNESS of God, but most prioritize in increasing the number and NOT on finding the WAY that leads to Life.

Some well-known leaders offers the broader/wider way of life by giving false promises such as: Physical health, Financial wellness, Fame, and other forms of earthly positions and possessions.

The world is clearly teaching the opposite to what the Lord have taught His disciples.  He is certain that ONLY FEW will enter the narrow gate, that ONLY FEW will go through the RESTRICTED way of life.

EARLY WARNING!

Do not ever temp yourself to reason that it is okay not to preach the Gospel, anyway, God is not expecting the whole world to find the way.  DO NOT ever forget that preaching the Gospel of Christ is our primary task.  Let us just leave it to God to whom He shall choose.

Just last April 2019, the founding false pastor of KAPA on his telecast radio program, he was preaching the gospel of KAPA.  He was twisting the text in John 1:12 by repeatedly saying that to those who believes and trust in KAPA, God will give them the power and authority to become sons and daughters of God.

These kinds of schemes are blatant use of the name of God in vanity, and this is clear twisting of the biblical truth.  And more and more of my classmates, friends, co-workers who are willing victims of this kind of schemes which all offer the wide, wide, wide open gate of life.

Now, what is/are the difference of the wide and the narrow gate?

One straight forward answer is found in verse 14b; “, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.”

God offers no gray areas of righteousness.  When He says righteousness, there is no case to case basis in it.

Before going further, let us consider an illustration where you find it compelling to cross a road because you foresee that you could acquire your needs at that side of the road (food, merchandise, and other stuff).

Before getting there, your actions would be determined by the following parameters:

a.)   Knowledge of traffic rules;

b.)   Looking for the way where to cross;

c.)    Choice to cross either along the narrow pedestrian lane or the wide-open highway;

d.)   Commitment to walk through the right path;

e.)   Vigilance along the way until you reach the other side.

Now, having decided to follow Jesus, we understand that we have always carried our own cross. We already have the KNOWLEDGE.

In our journey as a Christian, are we finding the narrow way as we cross circumstance or situations in life we are facing every day?

Or just like anybody else, we enjoy the wide-open highway of all sort of “fake freedom”?

Praise be to God if we are certain that we are looking along the pedestrian lane.

And finally, I am praying that as we cross the pedestrian lane, we are vigilant not to step outside the lane.

So, now how’s life?

Do you feel restricted by neglecting drunkenness, disco, bikini pageants, drugs, cigarettes, pornography, same-sex relations, saying foul words, cheating on exams, telling lies, bribes or “alindahaw”, stand many more. Well, congratulations, you have found the narrow gate.  You truly understand that you have been set free, and that as you bear fruit of holiness, you know you would have the everlasting life at the end (Romans 6:22-23).

As it is written in Matthew 6:33, God puts premium on righteousness.  His promise of giving all things, is founded on the premise that a person has already found His Kingdom and lives according to God’s kind of righteousness, NOT on material erroneous investments or schemes.

But DO NOT get too confident and complaisant, the enemy is like a roaring lion who keeps roaming around looking for someone to devour. So be alert and sober-minded (1 Peter 5:8).

CONCLUSSION

Brothers and sisters in Christ, DO NOT get trapped with perishable things in this world. Again, the Lord commands: “Enter in by the narrow gate.”  If you really want to have life, appreciate the restrictions of being a disciple of Christ.

Yes, as the lyrics of the song goes;

“By your spirit I will rise from the ashes of defeat;

The resurrected King is resurrecting me.

In your name I come alive.”

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, there is no other name on earth and in heaven that gives as the way to life, His name is Jesus.

Accepting Him, having the Holy Spirit within us, gives us all authority and power to go along our journey victorious, despite many restrictions.  This restriction may be a hurdle to others who keeps their life on earth, but to us who love God, it is our assurance that we are walking along the right way to life.

CHALLENGE

Remember that in the times of Jesus, people were converging at the physical gate.  Today, information, people, commerce, judgements, relationships, destructive schemes are all converging in a different kind of gate.

The Internet.

It is the new place where professing Christians and prospected Christians are most likely lost their way.

a.   Children couldn’t hear their parents;

b.   Parents couldn’t reach their children;

c.        People couldn’t settle things personally;

d.   People look for inspiring quotes and not reading the bible;

e.   People neglecting coming together and wanted the comfort of life;

f.         The rich wire-transfer money and do not feel the importance of a pastor’s or minster’s hug;

g.   Worst, some (or maybe most) “Christians” think that sharing or re-posting a verse is being compliant with the Great Commission.

INTRODUCTION

We knew already that Paul is that this letter was written by Paul while he was in prison at Rome.  We also knew that at this time, Ephesus was the most important city in western Asia Minor (now Turkey).  We also knew that the city has their patron goddess Diana, their provider for hunting and fertility. 

Because of the busy city life and because of the many pleasure and leisure activities, Paul warned the Ephesians Christian.  Though the letter was not meant for correction, and that it was written to encourage the church at Ephesus, we must also remember that John called out the church at Ephesus that they have forsaken their first love, they have stopped doing the things they were doing for God and in Christ (Revelation 2:1-7).     

 PROCLAIMATION

In verses 9-10, Paul proclaimed that God has revealed to the church His mysterious will regarding Christ.  And in verse 11, by being united into Christ, the church has received the promised inheritance from God. That in God’s appointed time, He will bring everything in heaven and in Earth to be under the authority of Christ. Yes, by accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you been given the right to called a child of God (John 1:12)

ASKED QUESTIONS

Q1:  To whom are the revelation given?

Q2:  When was it revealed?

Q3:  Why did God revealed it?

Q4:  How should we respond to the revelation?

It is my prayer that as we learn, relearn, or unlearn few things today, we would have a deeper understanding on these things. I also pray that God will grant us all with His wisdom and grant us understanding as we continue in seeking about His truth.

TEACHING LESSON

Q1: To whom are the revelation given?

TL 1: In Lesson 2, we learned that Paul was telling the Ephesian Christians how worthy God is to be praised for He has blessed the disciples with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because of being united with Christ.

In verse 1, Paul has intended this letter not to every Ephesian, but to faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Since this is a written document, there is always the greater possibility that non-Christians could read the contents of this letter.  However, these words do not come as a divine revelation to all because the worth of the heavenly promises of God comes only to those who hoped for the promises of God and have put their faith on the One True God.

Q2:  When was it revealed?

TL 2:  God has revealed this mystery to all mankind by the time He has purchased the freedom of humanity through the blood of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ (v.7).

Q3:  Why did God revealed it?

TL 2:  Because He is just being God, the very Loving God.  Because God has decided in advance to adopt humanity into His own family (v.5).

He did this because of His own purpose of bringing first the Jews, then the Gentiles, unto bringing Him praises and glory (v.12).

He did this because it gave Him pleasure by so doing it (v.5).

Q4:  How should we respond to the revelation?

TL4:  Actually, the real question here is “have you truly responded to this revelation?”

If you would say Yes or Amen with all confidence in Christ, then we have not much to talk about.

However, if for a moment, you could not answer this with sincere confidence, then brother/sister, we might have a little problem here.

You must understand that being genuinely united with Christ has the assurance of having the gifts of the Holy Spirit (v. 3). Furthermore, being united with Christ has enabled us to receive the inheritance from God (v.11).

CONCLUSSION

Now, it has been clear to us the kind of relationship between God and His Church.  It has always been the will of God to save humanity, especially His Church, and that He has granted to His chosen people the Holy Spirit in order to seal His promised inheritance and enabling the Church to praise and glorify Him (v.14).

The climax of all this is the ultimate plan of God at His appointed time, that He will subject all things under the authority of Christ (v.10), which later on, God will subject Christ unto His own to make God to be all in all ( 1 Corinthians 15:26-28)

CHALLENGE

Now, as Apostle Paul has reiterated:

And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago [v.13, NLT].

If you have responded to the proclamation, do not go weary in praising and glorifying God.  And for you, yes you who are not still certain about the quality of your response to the proclamation of God’s ultimate plan, then I challenge you now to truly commit yourself to God through Jesus Christ, and ask God to grant you various gifts of the Holy Spirit. And let us pray together that God would grant you wisdom and understanding.

Entry Points

King Solomon is the major author of the book of proverbs. However, he did not write most of it. There are other contributors such as Agur, Lemuel, and the wise men of King Hezekiah.

We know that the book presents three kinds of people: the wise, the fool, and the ordinarily simple men.

Which one are you? 

[of course, as Christian we have the confidence that we have been made wise through our knowledge and acceptance of Jesus Christ]

Proclaim to yourself

v.16] For a righteous person falls seven times and rises again,

Do you or would you proclaim this to yourself?

Ask these questions

Q1.) How many times have I fallen?

Q2.) What should I do when others fall?

Q3.) What is the point of getting up?

Are you familiar with this?:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men

Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

This is a riddle written in 1803 with the answer to be an egg.

Teaching Lesson

A1.) How many times have I fallen?

In the Old Testament times, seven means complete or continually.

As to this question, our answer may vary. Some may answer:

“I had a great fall, twice, thrice, or a dozen.”

“I could hardly remember if I had fallen big time.”

“I could not remember a week when I did not fall.”

or

“I am totally broken right now. And I’m afraid I can no longer rise again”. 

Hey, you, yes you who may have concluded not to rise again, listen! No matter how high we have fallen, or how many times we have fallen! 

Jesus has already risen for you and me.

So right, now, I encourage you to take up that cross and walk with the Lord again!

[If you are watching some of our online videos, know that you have brothers and sisters in Christ who are willing to walk with you.]

[And for you who is reading/hearing right now, look around you and think of the people who loves you.]

[And if you cannot turn your head, just feel, and think of it, you are eating spiritual food right now, you are hearing an inspired word from God. It is never an accident that you are reading/hearing this message now.]

A2.) What should I do when others fall?

In v.17-18, the proverb says NOT to rejoice when an enemy fall, when other people falls. Otherwise, with Him being displeased, He will turn away His anger from them.

There are times some “self-proclaimed” righteous people would ask, “Why does God allowed the wicked people to get rich and seemed to enjoy more blessings in life? [the drug lords, the rebels, the thief, the unchurched, those who persecutes, and non-believers.]

Looking into the history of God’s people, Israel, both the kings and the people have fallen countless times. God has shut His ears from them many times. Before Jesus was born, God has ignored the Jews for more than 400 years. That is why the Christian Bible do not consider other Jewish and Roman Catholic books which was written within this period and are considered non-canonical or of no divine authority. Those are great references and were compiled by faithful men, however they are not considered to be of direct inspiration from God.

Along the history of the Jewish people, we knew that Gentile nations; Egypt, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Tyre has won battles against Israel. These people knew God but did not believe God, yet most of these nations were prosperous.

We also knew that at the times of Empires; Babylonian, Assyrian, and others, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were mocked and persecuted. However, God has rescued and preserved their faithful descendants. 

Most of us simply think that it is expected because God is being faithful to His promise to Abraham and His covenant at the time of Moses.

But it is not only it. 

Those enemy nations have mocked on Israel and Judah on their inability to stand their identity being the special people of God because the Israelites became idolatrous, immoral, and have turned their back on God.

Those mockery and rejoicing over the fall of God’s people has made way for God to turn away His anger from them. 

The restoration of God’s people is due to God’s faithfulness and grace. God is faithful to restore a believer, and His abounding grace is elaborated not when a believer falls, but when the fallen is mocked.

A3.) What is the point of getting up?

Falling away is not God’s design but Satan’s deception.

Sometimes, Christian fall into the devil’s trap in thinking, “uh, its is okay to fall, to commit sin sometimes, anyway, God’s grace is abounding”. No, it’s not it.

v.20 clearly tells that there is no future for a wicked person, his/her light shall be put off.

[Now, if you are now in a state of your faith where you deeply know that you have fallen, I highly charge you to reconnect to God, respond quickly when a brother or a sister in faith would reach out for you. Do not stay in the devil’s trap which pulls you into committing wicked deeds.]

[Get up brother/sister, get up.]

And if you are going to read until verse 22, you must be warned:

When you do keep yourself in the trap of Satan’s deceit, the Lord and king will bring sudden destruction and you would never know what calamities in life they would bring you in.

God is faithful and true to His promise in preserving the descendants of Abraham. However, we must understand that God preserved the good seeds and allowed destruction to the bad ones.

If you are in trying times right now, of which all of us constantly face trials, those are part of the testing of your faith. But if you would choose pride over surrendering to God, know that you have been warned.

Concluding words

(James 3:13-18, Matthew 5:13). True Christians possess heavenly wisdom and lives a life doing everything in humility. A true Christian shine the light of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and reaps righteousness in life. A true Christian stay salty and with purpose for God’s glory.

(James 3:3-6, 14-16). Wickedness is revealed in gossiping and with the un-tamed tongue, in envy and selfish ambitions, in disorder lifestyle, in and unGodly activities.

Remember what Paul has told the Church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 6:9-11); “the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.” 

When you partially believe in God, you partially taste His Kingdom, but the word says, you will never inherit it.

Your worldly success and comfort will remain in this world. What you will inherit in the eternal life depends on your faithfulness while trying to live here on earth.

Hear this Challenge!

Believe and keep your faith in the Lord, walk the narrow path of life, and hold on to the hope of eternal life with God. (Matthew 7:13-14)

As hearers of the word, I challenge you to act on the word of God. 

Now that you found the Kingdom of God, now that you are on the narrow road that leads to eternal life, commit yourself not to take detours as much you could. And whenever you might fall, keep this in mind:

“Quitting is not an option for a True Christian”

Now, I say this:

Clumsy Poor Me sat on a wall,

Clumsy Poor Me had a great fall.

All the King’s graces and all the King’s men

Could keep Clumsy Poor Me together again.

[If you are a part of the King's men, you help a brother or a sister, you do not condemn.]

This is no longer a riddle, but an expression of God’s love delivered more than 2,000 years ago.

Now, you have been REPATCHed, God Bless You! 

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Jesus said that no one tears a portion from a new garment to make a PATCH onto the old garment, otherwise he will damage both the new and the old garment. [Luke 5:36]

Therefore, let us not take just few parts of the good news to justify our old ways of life. Let us hold on to the true faith and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Entry Point

Mostly in rural areas of tropical countries, kids find great joy in climbing coconut trees or any tree in general. These kids do not bother much on the pain, skin scratches or rashes as they climb because they enjoy the experience. Most notably, on a coconut tree, a kid find it joyful if he reaches the coconut fruit, despite the struggle on climbing.