Freedom through the Narrow Gate [Part 2]

Pastor, author, and Bible teacher, Alan Wright.

You never will be able to save yourself. He's saying this is not a restrictive, narrow-minded God. This is a God of love and life who has brought the only way that you can be saved and come and lived in your midst and given His all. That's Pastor Alan Wright. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. I'm Daniel Britt, excited for you to hear the teaching today in the series called Unleashed, as presented at Reynolda Church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program today, I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. You can find out more about it and even receive a copy of your very own for your donation this month to Alan Wright Ministries. So as you listen to today's message, go deeper as we send you today's special offer at pastoralan.org. Find out more about it and make your request or call 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. Again, our website, pastoralan.org. More on this later in the program. But now, let's get started with today's teaching.

Here is Alan Wright. Well, it's a paradox like this. God's an expansive God who invites people into freedom.

It is for freedom you've been set free. And yet he talks about something that's very narrow. Well, let me just see if we can approach this by thinking just in natural terms for just a moment.

Aren't there many things in life that are expansive freedoms that in order to be in it, it looks very constricting as terms of the gate? Well, let's take two students and imagine that Billy and Bob are friends. They go to college the same time, a room together. Both have gotten into a good college and both of them say they want to go to medical school. And Billy and Bob get there and they realize some things are pretty astounding about being in a big university. Number one, your mom's not there to get you up in the morning.

She's not there to tell you to do anything. And the other thing is the big university and most of the professors don't take attendance. So, you don't get in trouble if you don't go to class.

And then they found out we don't even have an exam for three or four weeks. And Billy like, freedom. Billy says, free. And he decides that he's going to like to play PlayStation three to five hours a day and not go to class and not study because he's like, this is freedom. And Bob, on the other hand, he realizes what it takes to get into medical school and good grades you have to have. And every time Billy says, well, just blow off class, man.

They don't even take attendance. He says, no, I want to go. I need to learn this stuff, man. I need to study.

I need to get a good grade in this class. And every time that Billy says, well, listen, just sleep in, man. Let's play some video.

No, I'm good. And so it is that Bob stays diligent in his studies. And it looks like from the outside, right, that Billy's the one who's got freedom, broad, right, is his way. And here's Bob, who it would look like he doesn't have as much freedom because he's got to go to all these classes and do all this studying.

And it looks very narrow. But you know what happens, Billy flunks out and all of a sudden he was very broad, but now he's flunked out. And he's not only not going to go to med school, but most of the other jobs that he wanted to have, he's realized that he's not going to be able to pursue those paths. So it was very broad, but then it led down to this thing until where it was like, oh, now it's very narrow.

And then you got Bob, on the other hand, who it looked like he was taking a very narrow path, but then he goes to medical school and takes a fellowship in orthopedic surgery and has a handsome salary and loves to bless people and go on mission trips and gives a full 20 percent of his income to the local church. And he just is free. I'm just kidding.

I'm sort of. And let me give you another natural example of where that which is narrow actually is the freedom. Right. And that is to say, truth is narrow. Truth sets you free. Freedom. But what's truth? Narrow.

Right. If you bump into somebody and they say, listen, I'm thinking about visiting Rinaldo's village campus. How do you get there?

Well, somebody came and asked me, you know, what are you going to say if you if you care about them and you want to give them the freedom to find the church? Would you say, well, far be it from me to tell you how you should drive. Drive however you feel led. There are many paths. And I would never be the one to tell you which path to take.

That's stupid. I mean, we say, well, you want to exit off the highway, go north on Silas Creek Parkway, go all the way down to Rinaldo Road. Turn right. Look on the right.

Pretty church, white, green roof. Give them specific because the more narrow the truth, the more freeing it is. Because if you've ever been lost and just riding around with no direction, that's not freedom. What looks like really broad is actually narrow.

And what looks narrow is freedom. Or another natural example would say you had a cancer that could be treated with radiation. And you don't want to go to the doctor and the radiation oncologist says, okay, here's the plan. We just want you to go get in that room over there, and we're just going to radiate everything. Now, your eyes and your knees and your elbows and your tongue, and we're just going to radiate everything to make sure you want them to have this unbelievable precision that focuses the radiation exactly in the spot.

I was interacting with somebody who's getting radiation treatment recently, realized they factor in your breathing pattern so that it hits the target. The more narrow, the better the chance of freeing you from cancer. Well, I could give you many examples of this in the natural, but what I'm saying is if you can imagine in the natural that there are times that that which is narrow is the actual path to that which is free, then you're coming closer to understanding what Jesus means here for I speak of a profound spiritual mystery. Most interpretations of Matthew 7, 13, and 14 go something like this. The way it's hard to come through the narrow gate because it's hard to get into heaven and it's hard to live the Christian life, and are you willing to go through the rigor that it takes to be saved? Are you willing to give up your selfishness, your sin, willing to do the hard things that it takes to be holy, willing to be persecuted, and so forth?

That's the narrow gate. So the interpretations go, and sometimes it's more subtle than that. Sometimes it'll be more like, well, you're saved only by Jesus, but following Jesus is hard, and are you willing to do the hard things to follow Jesus, and so forth, which is kind of just another way of saying the same thing. In other words, that interpretation of these verses is essentially saying you have to be good enough to get through the gate, and it's hard to be good enough, and that's essentially what every religious system says, and it can't be what Jesus is saying because Jesus came to be to be the righteous one, and Jesus is saying of himself that he is the gate. You understand that in America most people still say they believe in God and call themselves Christians, and most of those people, still some 75 percent, and most of those people, which comprises about 75 percent of them, when asked, well, why do you think you would be allowed into heaven, essentially say because I'm a good person. Never stopping to think about this. If it's like going through a narrow gate and only the good people get through, where does God draw the line?

Have you ever thought about that? Like let's say there's a four-point grade scale, and A is a 4.0, and B is a 3.0, and C is a 2.0, and so forth. Where's the line in terms of how good of a person you are? A minus? A 3.3? Do you really believe that there's going to be this line at heaven, and then all of a sudden all the three nines and three eights, they all get in, and then three threes, they eke in, and then God says that's it. But I'm a 3.2999. Well, you're out.

It can't make sense. In fact, what the gospel says is, okay, if you want it to be that way, you need to be perfect. A 4.0 in every arena of your life, and what the gospel says is nobody has been, and so God sent His only begotten Son to be such in our behalf. Someone has come. In ancient times, cities would often be rebuilt on top of the ruins of the former city.

The new city would stand higher with safer walls and a greater perspective. In Pastor Alan Wright's eight-message CD album, Out of the Ruins, you'll discover how God can rebuild your life gloriously out of yesterday's disappointments. When you make your gift to Alan Wright Ministries today, we'll send you Pastor Alan's messages in an attractive CD album or through digital download as our way of saying thanks for your partnership. Call us at 877-544-4860. That's 877-544-4860, or come to our website, PastorAlan.org. Today's teaching now continues.

Here once again is Alan Wright. What pastor and author Tim Keller says about this text is so enlightening. He says that you read the Sermon on the Mount, and you're reading all these things that starts with the Beatitudes and who's blessed and all this, and you come to this thing about there are two kinds of people and two kinds of gates and two kinds of trees. He said a lot of people act as though Jesus is somehow changing the subject here, but he's not because actually Jesus has been talking all throughout the Sermon on the Mount about two kinds of people, and he's not been talking about good people and bad people. What he's been talking about is two different kinds of good, but very different reasons for trying to be good. Let me see if I can't convince you this by showing you some of the key verses throughout the Sermon on the Mount, starting in Matthew 5 verse 20. He said, I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you'll never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Well, what is he saying there? He said, I'm drawing a contrast now about two different kinds of righteousness, about two different kinds of being good. He said it's got to be better than the Pharisees. Well, the Pharisees were the ones who were seemingly the most morally good people around, keeping all the rules.

And we go into Matthew 6, 1. Jesus said, beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you'll have no reward from your fathers in heaven. He said, there are two kinds of people. There are people that are practicing their righteousness in front of other people.

I'm the end club. I'm the better one. I'm the more religious one. And those that aren't pursuing righteousness by that means.

Two kinds of people. Matthew 6 verse 5. He said, when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.

They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and street corners that they may be seen by others. Truly I say you, they've received their reward. It's not that there's a kind of person that even the things that are good, like prayer, they're just trying to utilize this to leverage standing in the eyes of others or some some sort of reward from God.

They're missing it, He's saying. He says in Matthew 6 verse 14. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses. One of the strongest things Jesus ever said. He said there are two kinds of people. Those that feel righteous and they hold offenses against others and those who live with forgiveness towards others because they know they've been forgiven.

He's talking about two kinds of people. And then Matthew 6 16. And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they've received their reward.

When you fast, anoint your head wash your face. Don't even know it. When you're doing your most sacrificial thing spiritually. Don't anybody even see it. Don't even think about it because there are two kinds of people.

Let me just give you one more. And this is the most pointed. Matthew 7 verse 1. Judge not that you be not judged, but with the judgment you pronounce you'll be judged.

And with the measure you use it'll be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that's in your brother's eye but do not notice the log that's in your own eye? So all throughout the Sermon on the Mount he's been leading up to chapter 7 and now he's saying there are two kinds of people. There's a person that feels superior to others and they put themselves on the end crowd and they look at other people and point out little specks of problems with them because if I can just make them feel worse about themselves and I feel better about myself.

He said they don't realize there's a log in their own eye. I'm talking about two kinds of people. I'm talking about people who think that they are getting in because they're so good and yet they're not honest about their own problems and who they really are. And then there are other people who know I can't be that good and so I need to have a wide mercy for others. I forgive others.

I don't hold judgments against others and I need to draw upon God's grace. He's talking about two kinds of people. So who are the ones that are in the broad gate? Well the ones that are going to destruction. What Jesus is saying the ones that are going towards destruction in the Sermon on the Mount are the Pharisees and the hypocrites and the the smugly superior judgmental people who think that they get in by their own righteousness.

In other words what is he saying? He's saying the most destructive thing is to try to get in by your own righteousness and that he says is the broad way because that's what most people do. I go back to look at what all the religious systems say right?

Do these things and you get in. Even people who call themselves Christians in America say I'm a good person so I get in. He's saying that's the broad way but that way leads to destruction. This is Jesus who loves you infinitely, who wants you to know the truth, who wants you to know how you can be set free, who wants you to know abundant life. And he's saying oh I want you to know this that what looks like it's really narrow it's actually the way that life and what looks really broad is actually the thing that leads to a narrow life that leads to destruction. He's talking about these two different kinds of people and so what he's saying in the end is not hey look the good people that can do the hard things they're the ones that come in. He's saying no that's the broad way and the narrow way the one that far less people take is the way of drawing uniquely upon the grace of God and Jesus Christ. If you want to know what's hard I'll tell you what's hard. Not following a list of do's and don'ts or an eightfold path or not drinking hot drinks or building up good karma or trying to be spiritual looking in the eyes of others. I'll tell you you want to know what's really hard and narrow is to ever come to a place in your life that you say God I've got shame and I've got problems and I cannot fix it myself. There is not one thing within me that can save myself and I have tried many different ways and I realize I've got to bring it all to you and just submit it all to you because there's no other way except this one person Jesus and so it is Lord I release my life into your hands. That kind of honesty, that kind of place of humility, that kind of place of you shrinking down all of your options until you finally admit there is no other option for salvation unless there be someone who is righteous and forgiving holy and merciful who shed blood has made atonement for your sin until you come so narrow that it is all the way down to a little baby born in Bethlehem under a Bethlehem sky with peasant Nazarene parents looking down upon him and that little child who grows in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man until he one day is a traveling rabbi and they hand him a scroll of Isaiah and he takes the liturgical reading for that day and unfurls the scroll and reads the scripture which includes the words I have come to set the captives free and hands back the scroll to the religious authority and announces in front of everyone today the scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing who spoke of himself saying one who is greater than Moses is here and then said pointedly in John 10 I'm the gate and said in fact in John 14 I'm the way the truth and the life that's narrow what he's saying is when you come in through this and there is no other way you never will be able to save yourself he's saying this is not a restrictive narrow minded God this is a God of love and life who has brought the only way that you can be saved and come and lived in your midst and given his all so that it all comes down to one man bleeding on a Roman cross saying it is finished and a simple childlike trust in his saving work becomes the narrow way that leads to abundant life so is it hard to be saved no if what you mean is you got to spell Czechoslovakia but if what you mean is you got to become honest enough that you're like a little humble child that says I need Jesus if that's what's hard and narrow then yes come to Jesus what looks like it's very narrow is your gate to abundant freedom that's the gospel Alan Wright now and I hope you hold that close to your heart today it's our teaching from unleashed freedom through the narrow gate please stay with us Alan is back with us in the studio as he shares his parting good news thought for the day this is what the Lord says I will restore the fortunes of Jacob's tents and have compassion on his dwellings the city will be rebuilt on her ruins and the palace will stand in its proper place those timeless words from Jeremiah 30 reveal the heart of God he loves to restore in ancient times cities would often be rebuilt on top of the ruins of the former city the new city would stand higher with safer walls and a greater perspective in Pastor Alan Wright's eight message CD album out of the ruins you'll discover how God can rebuild your life gloriously out of yesterday's disappointments when you make your gift to Alan Wright Ministries today we'll send you Pastor Alan's messages in an attractive CD album or through digital download as our way of saying thanks for your partnership call us at 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860 or come to our website pastor alan.org unlock the power of blessing your life discover God's grace-filled vision for your life by signing up for Alan Wright's free daily blessing if you want to fill your heart with grace and encouragement get Alan Wright's daily blessing it's free and just a click away at pastor alan.org Alan freedom through the narrow gate now that we've heard this message I think it really can leave us with maybe fresh vision for what freedom in Christ really means in the end the narrow gate Jesus is the way of grace in fact it's a weird thing to say but it's easier to avoid grace people are drawn towards trying to be in control but when Jesus says he's the gate he's the door he means that his righteousness and his grace becomes the avenue through which all of life gets opened up to you and if you've never done so and you're listening today it's an easy thing to say I'm willing to trust Christ now and you can do that today and as you do that it might feel like I am forsaking all these other choices and what about all these other ideologies but Jesus is the way and the truth and the life and once you accept him then your eyes begin to be open to a whole new world of abundant life today's good news message is a listener supported production of Alan Wright Ministries