Your Bibles, if you would look with me to Matthew chapter number seven, Matthew seven, and we're going to read verse Thirteen and 14. If you would stand as we honor God's Word today. Two short, well-known verses with so much to them. As we will see this morning. If you'd read along with me those two verses, it says in verse 13, Enter ye in at the straight gate.
For wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life. And few there be that find it. And Father, truly our heart's desire is that Souls that don't know Christ today would find This true salvation The true gospel of Jesus Christ. May your word accomplish all your desire.
Your will is perfect and your ways are always right. We pray that We would leave today having seen the hand of God moving upon the hearts of your people. As Christians, Lord, give us heaven's burden for earth. Let us see our fellow man as a soul that is eternal. that need salvation.
Let us be Christians who care more for the lost than we do for our own self. Lord, I pray that you would allow us to get out of our comfort zones to share the good news of Jesus Christ. And I pray for anyone today that may not know the Lord Jesus Christ that you would reveal their need, their desperate need to them. Open their eyes. Bring salvation, Lord.
We cannot save anyone, but you can. And so we lift up your message, and may your word bring forth fruit. to salvation. For your glory, we ask this in Jesus' name and God's people said, Man, you may be seated this morning. In the nineteen sixties and seventies.
There was in the evangelical world A common phrase that was really a united phrase. Then it was one way. There were signs and Shirts and people would hold up The finger uh representing one way. that there is no other way to heaven. But through Jesus Christ But that has changed.
In America, the great doctrine that is heralded today is the doctrine of tolerance. Today, people put a higher value on tolerance than they do the truth. In fact, people will reject the clear Lucid truth. for the sake of accepting others Viewpoints. And when tolerance becomes the standard, truth will not only be compromised, but it will be abandoned.
Today, some in the educational world want to remove standards of testing so that they don't offend anybody's sensibilities. They don't want to give a kid a wrong answer. because it might affect their self-esteem. And nobody would want to hurt that. I would concede today: if there was no such thing as truth, then there would be no such thing as error.
But every law in science, medicine, and in our world are governed by laws. governed by axioms. governed by objective truths, and without them chaos ensues. Truth, therefore, is not something that hinders people. Truth is actually something that.
sets people free. As our Lord rightly said in John 8, 32, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. But our culture has elevated tolerance over the truth, and people think that you are unloving. If you tell them the truth that may oppose their personal point of view. And they feel like it's a noble sacrifice to sacrifice truth for acceptance, but I believe the very opposite.
God says in 1 Corinthians 13, 6 that love does not rejoice in iniquity, but love rejoices in the truth. Love Love's the truth. And you cannot have true love if you don't know how to have truth. And the most loving thing to do if someone believes something that is wrong is to point them the right way. If you knew somebody was driving or traveling and going in the wrong direction, You would want to point them in the right way.
It is the loving thing to redirect them. to tell them they are going the wrong way and point them in the right direction. And I would ask what greater error or what more damaging Miscalculation could someone make than believing that they're going to heaven. Mm-hmm. while they are headed directly into eternal hell.
Yet that is what many Christians are doing.
Well-known Christian apologist and author Alex McFarland wrote that the biggest complaint unbelievers have against Christianity. has to do with Christianity's exclusive claims. That that Christians believe that Jesus is the only way. He says it's a question that is at the core of the value system of postmodern relativistic worldview: that the issue of Christianity's exclusivity, that Jesus is the only way. And if there's something that our American culture hates, it's absolutes.
Surprisingly, though, according to a recent Barna survey, it is professed believers that oppose this truth. Just as much as non-believers. At least 80% of Americans believe that there is more than one way to get to heaven. 91% of Catholics agree with that. 68% of evangelical Protestants in the poll say they believe good people, regardless of religious faith, will still go to heaven.
58% of these professed believers teach believe that all faiths teach equally valid truths.
So it doesn't matter if you're a Hindu or a Buddhist or a Muslim. 65% of professed Christians and teenagers in America say a person can't be sure which religion is right. And 63% don't believe Jesus is the Son of the one true God. These inclusive claims may make people feel good. But you can only accept them if you are basing truth on the world instead of on the word.
So, I would ask you today, friend, what is your foundation of truth? What determines what is true? At the end of this Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preached from Matthew chapter 5, and it goes all the way to the end of Matthew 7. Jesus concludes by saying that if you build your life upon his word, you're building it upon a rock. But if you reject his word and you build it on man's wisdom, on man's truth, it's the only thing left, you're building it upon the sand.
And you can build a pretty impressive sand castle. The problem is when the storm comes. And it levels the sand castle of man's relativistic truth, but the Rock of God's word will sustain all that come to it.
Now, in Matthew 7, verse 13 through 27 is the last part of this sermon. And I can say. One of the great joys of my life as a pastor has been to preach through the Sermon on the Mount. We started this last March. And we're coming to the last portion of this sermon in Matthew 7 this month.
We'll probably finish it, I would assume, by. Mid-February, if not later. But what a joy for us as a church to journey through the Sermon on the Mount. I think this has been such a rich, growing year. Our church has just taken off.
We've seen so many good things happening over the last year, one of the fastest-growing years of our church's history. in every area. We praise God for that. He's the one who builds the church. We can't add anybody to the church.
The Lord adds the people, right? Yeah. Say, we're responsible for manufacturing, God's responsible for distribution. We're faithful, but He brings the increase, right? Plant the seed, water it, and God brings the increase.
But here in Matthew 7, Jesus is bringing this sermon to a conclusion. He's calling the crowds to make a decision. He's laid two paths down: one that is true, one that is right, and one that is false. And what our Lord declares in this final section is: there's only two paths that you can be on: the right path or the wrong path. He tells us here that there are two gates, two entries that you can enter in.
He tells us there are two pathways, the broad and the narrow. There are two crowds, the many and the few. There are two outcomes, eternal life or eternal destruction. There are two prophets you can listen to, the true or the false. There are two kinds of fruits, the good and the bad.
There are two kind of professions, true and false professions. There are two foundations, the sand or the rock. There are two kind of people, the wise and the foolish, and there are two outcomes, eternal life or eternal death. This is decision time on the mountain. He's calling people to come to a decision.
And you need to understand today, you are making, while you are sitting in this sanctuary, the most important decision of your life, either to receive the Lord Jesus Christ or to reject him. An indecision is a decision. Putting God off is saying no. Either you accept Christ or you reject Him. Jesus did not give you a third alternative.
In Matthew 7, 28, it says that when he ended these things, the people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. And I pray today that our hearts would be in awe of Christ, that we would see the glory of the King who is declaring these truths to us. If Jesus is the truth. And you believe anything in opposition to him. You are by definition deceived.
If Jesus is absolute Reality. Ultimate reality, ultimate truth, and you disagree with him at any level. you are ultimately going to go into further darkness. Today is clear as I can say it. Either you are on the right path or the wrong path.
You are either going to heaven or you are going to hell, according to Christ. You're in one of these two crowds, one of these two pathways. Jesus defines for us the right way and how it looks, and then he defines for us the wrong way and how it looks. And you need to understand that both of these pathways. Read Way to Heaven.
Like, if you walked up to both, it would say entrance to heaven, entrance to heaven. Satan comes looking like Jesus. He doesn't come looking like the devil. People don't go into a Uh a gate that says Pathway to hell, unless they are. bitterly angry against God and try to deceive their own hearts into that.
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 11:13, for such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. They're false apostles, and they are false apostles. and deceitful teachers. If you were to look across the world, how would you be able to identify them? And then it says, and no marvel, Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Today I want to look at what Christ has to say here, and he's going to show us four markers that identify the broad path and four markers that identify the narrow path. And then he gives us a concluding invitation. And so let's first look at the broad way in verse number 13. Our Lord says, Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate. And that's the first thing that we learn about this wrong path.
The gate is wide. The word gate there means the door or the entrance. And it is wide. The word wide there, the Greek word platus, it means large from side to side. This is larger than normal.
It it's it's an extremely wide gate. It speaks of something being very open, and this represents that this. Broad pathway. Has a large wide gate and it represents an inclusive pathway. Anyone can enter here.
There are no restrictions. There are no narrow-minded viewpoints. On the door would be words like tolerance, acceptance, equality, love, inclusiveness. All the while those that are entering don't realize they're headed to destruction. It is the song of the Pied Piper.
That has led this world into the wide gate. And sadly, many preachers are also preaching to the tune of the Pied Piper. Oprah Winfrey and her great theologies. It's sarcastic if you don't know. Said one of the biggest mistakes we make is to believe that there is only one way.
She says there are many diverse paths. Paths leading to God. And because it's a wide entrance, you can enter this gate with all of your sin, all of your godless activities. You can enter into it with fornication. You can be an adulterer.
You can be a homosexual. You can be a transgender. You can commit any type of sexual sin you want. There are no absolutes here. You will not hear anyone calling you to repent, to mourn over your sin, to surrender your life to God.
This is the tolerant road. This is the accepting path. When you ask what are the requirements to enter, they say, just come as you are. As long as you're sincere, God knows your heart. When you ask, do I need to go through Jesus?
They say, well, Jesus is just one of many ways. There's God has different names. God can be called Buddha, Allah. Yahweh is many names that you can come through whichever path You would like. This path has its own preachers and teachers.
Jesus mentions them in verse 15. He says, Beware of false prophets. They come in sheep's clothing. They look the part. And when you look across the landscape of our nation, like, who would they be?
Who would they be? That if they look Right. But they're actually Preaching for the enemy, who would these people be? Verse 11, Jesus says in Matthew 24, many false prophets shall rise and deceive many. That's what he says in the last days will happen.
Verse 24 of Matthew 24, For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it's possible, they'll deceive the very elect.
So did Jesus believe as long as you're sincere that's all that matters? Or that people can come teaching false ways. that people can promote another way that's a false Christ and a false prophet. They're not true. The Bible says the things that they sacrifice unto their pagan gods, they sacrifice to devils and not to God.
The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:1, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be of God, because many false prophets are gone into the world.
So first the gate is wide. It it it's very it's a very large opening. The second thing we learn about this is this way has a broad path. It says, for wide is the gate and broad is the way. The word broad there.
Euro choras, from the word uras, it's a compound word which means broad, and koras, which means, or kora, means space. It's like very spacious, very roomy. You won't be bumping into anybody. It's used in the Steptuagent to speak about large fields or large pastures. This pathway is very accommodating.
It's very comfortable. This is not a difficult journey. You will enjoy your stay. This is what many Christians and churches are declaring these days. This is the pathway that provides all the comforts of the world, and then it gives you heaven at the end.
There is enough room for whatever lifestyle you would like to live. Those on this road say they are Christians, yet they live no different than the world. They say they know God, but in works they deny Him. They love preaching on the love of God. They want to hear messages on the grace of God, that God accepts all.
This path accommodates all of that. You've been a good person all your life. You may not be perfect, but you know what? You are good enough to get to heaven. Good for you.
God's not going to send you to hell. You haven't done anything that bad. You've not killed anybody. There is enough room for you to be covetous, greedy, and materialistic, and you can rewrite that by saying, you know what, God just wants us to enjoy all things, and so just have as much as you can. There's enough room for your lust, for your fornication, pornography, and adultery.
By the way, God made you that way. He's not going to hold you accountable for the desires he put into you, right? There is by no means the road of sacrifice, dying to self. There's no taking up your cross on this road. This is also the road of the prosperity preachers.
You will hear them tell you that God wants you to be rich, wealthy. You're a kingdom citizen, live like it. Name it and claim it. God doesn't want sick children, He wants them healthy. And so claim your health, claim your wealth, be rich.
God needs you rich. Those are the exact words of some of the guys that you will hear on TBN. This is also the path of the self-righteous religionists. You can come with your pride, your arrogancy, and your good deeds. You can come with your church membership and your baptisms.
You can You can be like the man who I was sharing the gospel with, and I said, Sir, if you were to stand before God and he said, Why should I let you into heaven? What would you say? To which this man replied to me, I've been going to church for 30 years. If that's not good enough, I don't know what is. This pathway is totally accepting of that worldview.
So the entrance is broad, the pathway is broad. Really, the only restriction on the broad path is your You you're not allowed Absolutes. You're you're not allowed. to have objective standards. You can't be narrow-minded.
The third thing we learn about this path is Jesus tells us the destination. And he says it leads to destruction. Wide is the gate, broad is a way that leadeth to destruction. The word destruction. speaks of total and complete loss and ruin.
It is complete loss not of being but of well-being. It comes from a root word apollumite. From which We have our Lord using that word to define The torments of hell. In Matthew 10, 28, Jesus says, And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him which is able to destroy Apollo, both soul and body in hell.
You know who Jesus says you should fear? He says you should fear God because God could destroy your flesh and cast your soul into hell. Have people say stuff like this these days. God doesn't send anybody to hell. Really?
Where did you get that from? You know why that's been popular in the last couple d decades? is because we don't want unbelievers to think God is a condemning God. We don't want them to think that God will judge people. I can tell you, Jesus says, don't be afraid of people who can kill your body.
Be afraid of the one that can cast your soul into hell. That's who you need to fear. You know, in Revelation 20, it doesn't say that they went to hell willingly. Four times it says he cast them into hell. You need to know this.
God will send. You, if you reject Christ, if you are not saved, if you continue in sin, He will cast your soul into hell, and you need to be terrified of that. You need to be terrified of that. Are you trying to scare me? If you could even understand for a moment, all of us could.
The holiness of God. The Father crushed his son on the cross because of sin. Sin is so vile and so wretched and so wicked. The only thing that could. reflect the the the the the the offense is the consequence.
And when you look at the consequence, it reflects the magnitude of the offense. How offensive is our sin? It requires eternal separation from God in hell. And Jesus says, you should fear God. John 3.16, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him would not Apollo my, would not perish and be destroyed.
But have everlasting life. Apollo, my is in contrast to eternal life. Those on the broad path will lose everything. They will come to total ruin, separated from God in a real eternal torment forever. Listen to me.
Hell is as real as I'm standing before you. It is as real as heaven. The misery of hell is as real as the joy of heaven. The eternity of hell is as real as the eternity of heaven. The Bible calls it eternal judgment in Hebrews 6:2, everlasting punishment in Matthew 25, 46, everlasting fire, Jesus called it in Matthew 18:8.
Revelation 14, 11 says, And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night. Suffering forever according to the Bible. In Revelation 20, verse 10, it says, And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. They're cast into the lake of fire. Five verses later it says in verse 15, And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast where?
So they they go to the same place. And they'll be tormented forever and ever. That's why Jesus said in Matthew 25, 41, Then shall he say to them on his left, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. It was designed for the devil and his angels. When man fell, then the lost would go there.
You need to understand, Jesus never shied away from speaking and preaching on hell. In fact, when you study the Bible, if you take all the teaching in the Old Testament about eternal punishment, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, all the New Testament preachers, if you combined all of their teaching on hell, no one and none of them combined spoke about hell and the severity of hell more than Jesus Christ. The loving Lord Jesus preached on hell more than everyone combined. If somebody says, oh, I don't like that Hellfire Brimstone stuff, I can tell you, then they would never have said in the Sermon by the Lord. I mean, just hold your place here.
Flip back a couple pages. Look at verse 20, look at Matthew chapter number 5. Look at verse 27. This is just a few verses into his first major sermon. 10,000 plus people there.
First major sermon, verse 27. You heard it's been said by them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you that whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Oh, so I can't even look with lust? No.
And if thy right eye offend thee, if it continues to cause you to go down that road of sin, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it's profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off. And cast it from thee, for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not thy whole body should be cast into hell. You imagine Joel Olstein trying to preach those two verses?
Do you think that was a little bit offensive?
Well, what if people didn't Yeah. Hell is so severe, it would be worth losing a hand or an eye over if it kept you from salvation. That's how severe it is. And the only reason we don't take it as severe as that is people just don't truly believe it. But I can tell you, Jesus believed it.
And today you have to ask yourself Do does Jesus know more about eternity than I do? Hell is real, friends. Listen to the cry of one who came. Out of hell, who was on the broad path, according to Jesus. Listen to what Jesus said.
In Luke 16, 24, about a man who is in hell. This is what the man in hell says. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented. in this flame. He declares he is being tormented in a fire.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivest thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. You received good things on the broad path. You had every luxury you could ever want, and now you are in eternal Torment. That's what Jesus said.
And he gives a fourth truth about this path. Not only is it a wide gate, a large Pathway that is very comfortable and accommodating. It leads to eternal hell. But fourthly, And this is the tragic statement that we hear In verse 13, he says, And many there be which go in thereat. Many there be that go in there.
The word go in is in the present tense. Which means people are continually going in there. Like the line never stops. The line going to hell is just constantly filled. It's an endless line of men and women going to hell, according to Jesus.
It is where the crowds are going. And in in crowds so Crowds are deceptive. There is a deceptive power in the crowds. We've all been affected by this before. You've gone to Walmart and You notice Everybody has a large eighteen pack of toilet paper on their cart.
And you're thinking, you know, I... I know we got enough at home, but Maybe I better go back there and get me a roll. You're like, well, should I get the eighteen pack or should I? I better go with the j 24 pack. Actually, honey, can you go down to Costco?
We're going to need a big old pack of. Can you bring the trailer over here? I don't know what's going on, but I see a lot of people getting toilet papered. I'm not quite sure what's going on. We need to get a bunch of rolls.
You know as well as I do, if you went to Walmart and you saw everybody with a pack of toilet paper, you'd be heading right back there. Yes, you would. There is a deceptive power of the crowds. Population creates a popularity. And when you see the Broad Road so heavily populated, it pulls people into it.
You hear it all the time. Pastor Josh, you cannot tell me that Jesus is the only way to heaven. You tell me all the Buddhists and the Muslims and the Hindus and all the atheists and all the people that don't even know or have ever heard of Jesus, you think they're all going to hell? No way that could be possible. Could you have imagined how hard of a sell Noah had trying to convince people of a worldwide flood?
It had never rained before. He's out in the middle of nowhere building A large boat. It's over 90 plus thousand square feet in size. We like three of this building stacked on top of each other. And he's telling everybody, hey, you need to get in, you need to trust in God, get right, and get in the boat.
It was only Noah, his wife, three sons, and their three wives. How impossible that cell would have been. But Matthew 24, 38, listen to what Jesus said. For as in the days that were before the flood, before the judgment fell on the world. They were eating and drinking.
Marrying and giving in marriage, you know, life was just going on. And then it says this three le Through three s Word statement until the day. You know, everything was fun. Everything was great. Marriage, getting married, just living it up, partying, drinking, going out, doing our thing.
Until the day. Do you understand that's that's coming? There is an until the day is coming to this nation. Until the day that the rapture happened or Noah entered into the ark. and knew not until the flood came and took them All away.
So shall the coming of the Son of Man be. It is coming. He is coming, and it will be an until the day. Everything's funny, everything's tolerant, everything's joyful, everything's easy, no standards, no objective truth, no narrow-minded ways. It is all fun, all games, all sin, all lust, all covetousness.
Enjoy life, eat it up. Supple. The nectar of this nation. Enjoy it all. But then there's a day coming, isn't there?
It's coming, friend. Listen to me. It is coming soon. I think we are literally in the last days of the last days. I don't see me living my life out.
There are so many things that are pointing to Christ's return.
So, according to Jesus, the wrong road has a huge entrance. It is a very comfortable path that leads to eternal destruction. And that's where most people are at. Secondly, he talks about the narrow way in verse 14. The first thing we see is the right path, this narrow way, has a narrow entrance.
In verse 13, he says, Enter ye in at the straight gate, verse 14, because straight is the gate. The word straight is the word stanos in the Greek, it just means narrow. In opposition to the wide, comfortable entrance. You have this turnstile entrance. where you're you're going in one at a time.
Nothing is comfortable about this entrance. You know those turnstiles? You go in and you're like, walk through and it it turns You know, and then you're like, man, I hope this thing doesn't catch. You know, give me a big deep thigh bruise. And you go in, but you can't go in two at a time.
You can only go in one at a time. There isn't anything easy about this. You have to go in by yourself, all alone, one at a time. And what does this represent?
Well the Bible is clear that this This door, that this gate Is the Lord Jesus Christ? How do we know that? Because he says it. In John 10, verse 7, it says, Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, The word verily comes from the Word amen in the Greek, it means amen. It's deep, isn't it?
But it but it's like, let it be, so let it be, come to pass. We amen things after somebody says something that we agree with. Jesus amened his message before he preached it. He's like amen and amen. Yeah.
Very, very, it could be translated that way as well. I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers. Oh, you mean those other people weren't ways to heaven? No.
But the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. By me, if any man enter, he shall be saved. There is one door, and his name is the Lord Jesus Christ. He says in verse 9, I am the door.
John 14, 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. In Acts 4.12, when Peter stood before the Jewish Sanhedrin. The seventy leaders, the judicial setting of the Jews.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter says, Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. There's no one else. Is that exclusive? Is that narrow?
You know why the gates narrow? Because it's only through Jesus. And to go through that gate, you must go against the flow. And that's not easy to do. You have to push against traffic.
People will notice you going in that direction. You mean to tell me you believe Jesus? What are you going in that direction? What are you going to that door for? You think Jesus is the only way?
You think that's the right way to go? There's no way. Look, there's hardly anybody on the path. That's the little narrow-minded group. Those are the far-right.
Wing legalists. They're totally off. They're the narrow-minded, the intolerant people. You must be willing to come humbly, poor in spirit, confessing Jesus alone as your Savior. You must believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
You must believe there is salvation in no other name but through Christ. You must believe that he that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son hath not life. You must be born again. Secondly, you must come through that door, and you can only come through that door if you are willing to repent of your sins.
Jesus said in Luke 13:3, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Jesus said in Mark 1:15, the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent ye and believe the gospel. You cannot enter into the gate, the door with excess baggage. You must come naked and destitute of all self-righteousness.
You strip yourself down from any trust in your own works, and you must let go of your sin. You cannot come to Christ without repentance. You cannot come to Jesus without turning away from your sin. You realize that God commands all men everywhere to repent, as Acts 17:30 says. That Acts 20, 26 tells us that you must repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance.
You say, oh, you're telling me that you believe that somebody must repent to be saved. You guys believe that works are part of salvation then. No, we No, we don't. You think works save you? The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:8:9, For by grace we're saved through faith, not of ourselves.
It's a gift of God, not of works, lest any man would boast. But don't forget verse 10, for we are his workmanship. And when you turn to faith in Christ, it is not a work to give up sin. It is stop working in sin. And you cannot turn in faith to Christ, and that's what repentance means.
Is a change of mind, a change of heart. You change direction as a result of that. You cannot turn to God without turning away from your sin. And you will produce fruit that evidences The root was genuine. The root produces good fruits.
Fruit doesn't produce salvation. Salvation produces good fruit. That's why Jesus said, you'll know them by their fruits. I'm amazed, I'm shocked. that Christians today Have tried to strip away repentance.
And you know why they've done it in the easy believism world? Just pray these fifteen words and you'll go to heaven, really? Show me that verse in the Bible.
Well, whosoever shall call on the Lord shall be saved. Yeah, and Jesus said, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, is entering heaven. Listen to me very close. Not everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved. That's a fact.
How do I know that? Because of the B-I-B-L E. Look at verse 21. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Wouldn't that be good to quote to somebody after you quoted Romans 10, 13?
What do you think, church? That's important, isn't it?
So you can pray and call out to God and still not be saved. For sure. It's amazing to me how people want to strip away, they want to make the gate a little bit, it's too narrow. You can't repent. You gotta broaden that a little bit, take away repentance.
And then, thirdly, To go into that narrow gate, you must confess Christ as Lord. Romans 10:13 says, Whosoever shall call upon the name of not Jesus, but the name of the Lord shall be saved. It's not just saying I believe in Jesus, saying I believe Jesus is Lord. It's bowing your life to his lordship. You believe in that lordship salvation stuff, Pastor Josh?
There is no salvation outside of it. Either he's Lord or He's not. You're going to tell me you think you're going to go to heaven without Jesus as Lord of your life? Then what does the Bible mean when it says Be not deceived. Liars and gluttons and whoremongers and sexual perverts, none of them will enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Tell me what that means, if it doesn't mean that you need to genuinely repent and have Christ as Lord. And the confession of Christ as Lord is that you recognize you're no longer in charge. God is sitting in the driver's seat. You submit to His will. But if you continue to live in sexual sin, fornication, pornography, covetousness, drunkenness, lust, do you really believe Jesus is your Lord?
And the answer is no. Matthew 7, 23, look what Jesus says here. He says, Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. He didn't say I knew you and I lost you. He said, I never knew you.
Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Your life was defined by sin. Doesn't matter what you have said. Confessing Christ as Lord is also public. Matthew 10, 32, it says this: Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him.
Will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven? But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Sometimes people say, you know, my faith is just really personal to me. I don't want to talk to people about it. You know, it's just I I just keep it to myself.
Well, there is if you're saved, you can't keep it to yourself any more than a pregnant woman can keep her pregnancy hid from the world. If a baby comes in, it will be revealed. And don't tell me the God of the universe can take up residence and it cannot be known. Are you kidding me? The Bible says, If you confess me, he'll confess you, but if you deny him, he'll deny you.
Why do you think we have people get up here and show their testimony? What do you think we have people come up here and say This was my life before I got saved. This is how I came to Jesus Christ. And this is my life after I've been saved. That's wh why do you think when people get baptized we have them share their testimony?
Let me give you a couple reasons why. Number one, we want to make sure that they're saved. You know how many people have a Profession of faith, but not a possession of faith. It's probably 30% of the people that go to our table, our foundations class, that find out they're not actually saved. A huge percentage.
Wow, I'm not even saved. I was trusting in this or that. They don't even know what the gospel is. And unfortunately, what's a tragedy here today is there's probably a good majority of people in this room that you don't even realize that you're not saved today. You're telling me I should question my salvation?
Well, Paul says: examine yourself to see whether you're in the faith or not. You know one of the most loving things to do. is to make sure somebody's safe. Wouldn't that be the most loving thing to do? to make sure that they're right with God.
I mean, who in your life has loved you enough to question you about your salvation? You think it's loving to validate you when you haven't done anything to validate it? Not only is the gate narrow, But the path is not an easy path. The path is narrow. Doesn't get any easier.
Warren Weirsby said, The way of life is narrow, lonely and costly. We can walk on the broad way and keep our baggage of sin and worldliness. But if we enter the narrow way, we must give up those things. Here then is the first test. Did your profession of faith in Christ cost you anything?
And he says, if not, then it was not a true profession. Can I give you a verse? Luke 9, 23. Right. When Jesus says after he rebukes Peter, If any man will come after me, Let him deny himself.
take up his cross daily and follow me? You know what the easy believism crowd of Christianity has done over these years? They say that that's talking about second-level Christianity. That's talking about discipleship. Really?
So, Jesus, I thought he came to seek and save the lost, not to give teaching on second-level Christianity. And people say, no, no, no. It's one thing to be a Christian, and then it's another thing to step into becoming a disciple. Oh, really? Are you aware that the word disciple, mathetes, is used 269 times in the New Testament and the word Christian is only used three times?
Do you know what God calls true believers? He calls them mathetes. disciples, Jesus followers. There is no difference between evangelism and discipleship. Evangelism is step one in the growing of a Christian in their faith.
to be conformed to the image of Christ. When you get saved, that is discipleship, and it continues until the day of glorification when you die and meet the Lord, and you are conformed fully into the image of Christ. I've had people say, you know, I'm not going to get saved if my family's not saved, then I'm not going to get saved.
Well then you won't be saved. I want to enter into heaven, but I'm going to bring my family with me. You can't. You can't enter that narrow way with anyone.
Well, if if if my my wife can't come then I don't want to go then you won't And you'll both end up in hell.
Well, if my kids can't come, I don't want to go to heaven with you, then that's your answer. You understand how narrow this is? Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 10, 37, if I haven't been offensive enough. Let me just quote my master. He says, He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.
He that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And oh, yeah, he that taketh not its cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me. You know what he just said before this is verse 32 and 3. If you confess me before men, I'll confess you before my Father. If you deny me before men, I'll deny you before my Father.
And if you love anyone else more than me, you're not worthy to be a believer. You cannot be. You have to love Christ. You can't be saved as an idolater. Right.
If I love my children more than God, I am an idolater.
So, God, will you save me as an idolater? Because I'm not willing to repent of that and turn to that.
So, I'm going to stay an idolater, but you better save me. God says you You got too much baggage. You'll never make it in. You never make it in until you release that. And by the way, you think you love your children more than God does?
Really? Tell you what, he wouldn't have messed up with them like you and I have. Y'all with me? You think you can parent better than God? I can't save my children, but I can tell them.
And I can tell you, you know, the most loving thing I can ever do to my kids, the way I can love them the most, and you know, the greatest way I can love my wife is to love God more than them. Idolatry doesn't make me love them more. It shows them I actually hate them because I'm committing a gravious sin against God. When I love God most, then I can love them rightly. Idolatry doesn't bless your kids and wife.
You're messing them up. It destroys marriages. It destroys children and families. You want to have a healthy family? Put God first every time.
You think that's not going to bless you? You think your ways are better than his? You're living in the sand, you're living in a delusion. To love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength is the greatest command. And you cannot be saved without coming to that realization.
To confess Christ as Lord is, God, I love you supremely. And I will gladly give up this world for you. I love you more than every person you've ever placed in my life, and when I go through that narrow door, I will be a beckoning call to those I love to enter in. But they must make that choice of their own. I can plant the seed, I can water the seed, but only God can you bring the increase.
You understand that? That's the reality. And I can tell you, this pathway is not easy. The journey of the Christian life is a battle, it's not a cruise ship. And Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:12, all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2 Timothy 2:3, endure hardness as a good soldier. Philippians 1:29, he told the church at Philippi, he says, For it is given unto you in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Acts 14:22, Luke writes, We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom. Jesus said in John 15, 19, If you were of the world, the world would love its own, but because you're not of the world, But I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. It hateth you.
How can we get the world to love Lighthouse? Do you think I should spend my week thinking, you know what? How could I come up with a message? How could we as a church become more. Acceptable to Zinya and Greene County.
What could we do to make our area love us?
Well, I think we could bring them the gospel. I think we could do the m you know, is there anything more loving than that? Have we ever done anything more loving, Leslie, than bring you the gospel? There's nothing more loving, is there, John? I mean, we just go around the room.
There's nothing more loving. Did we ever give Tim anything better than the gospel? There's nothing. The greatest way I can love you is to tell you about him. Amen.
Do nice things, it's okay. And we do a lot of nice things for our community, and there's nothing wrong with that. That's nice. But I can tell you: what's the motive of Lighthouse? We love you so much that That we're going to bring you the gospel, and we're going to let you know that without Christ, you would be separated from God forever in hell, and that breaks our hearts, and we so.
Care for your soul that we can't imagine the thought of you being separated from God. And so we're going to bring you the good news of Jesus Christ that though you have stage four sin cancer, Jesus Christ could remedy that if you would just turn to Him in humble repentance, turn away from your sin, turn to Christ, confess Him as Lord, and surrender all your life to Him. They'll set you free forever. You want eternal life or eternal death? I preach this at every funeral, every wedding, every chance I get do I speak about this.
We must. What else is there to give them? You mean you you go through this at a funeral? Yes! Every time 140 funerals, I every time.
I had a I I had a one time I did one for a bunch of these this like biker gang. I mean, these were some rough dudes. I honestly didn't know if I was going to get out of there alive. I mean, this was like. I am nothing against bikers.
I mean, we got some guys biking in here, but I It was just a it was one of those settings you're like, yeah. These guys, if they wanted, they could kill me, throw me somewhere, and I would never be found. I mean, these are some tough-looking dudes. And I can tell you, I preach the gospel as clear and loving and gracious, but it's stern and. I mean, I it put it out there.
You see these big the room at the end? You hear you were hearing guys calling out loud to Jesus to save them from their sins. Out loud. I mean just rough looking to coming up, hugging me, their beards all over me. Beard and not beard.
Could have been a mixture, but... That was the ground. That was the greatest way I could love them. Can't do anything greater.
Sometimes people don't realize that yet, but they will. They will. In eternity, they will know that I loved you most. To the point where I would be willing to sacrifice my reputation to you. You may think I'm a narrow-minded, unkind, you may think less of me, but I care so much for you, I must tell you.
If you treat me like Jeremiah the prophet was treated, or you treat me like how Jesus was abused, or Paul, or John, or all these other guys, then let that be. But you must know from my heart to you the gospel. Thirdly, it leads to eternal life. It is a narrow gate, it is a narrow way, and it leads to eternal life. Because straight is a gate, narrow is a way which leadeth unto life, life.
Zoe. Life, this is life eternal. Genesis 3 tells us by one Man, sin came into the world. Romans 5:12. And that sin passed on all men, for that all have sinned.
It is our physical suffering that reflects our spiritual condition. Death never means a cessation of existence, but a separation. You have physical death. Separation of the body from the spirit, and then their spiritual death is separation of the spirit from God. When you get saved, you are born again.
Spiritually, you are brought to life, united with God. Jesus Christ has given us eternal life. Romans 6:23 says, The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And listen to John 5:24. Jesus says, Verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation.
You won't come into eternal judgment, but you're passed from death unto life. Anyone want to pass from death to life? I mean this is it. If you hear his word and believe on him.
So this right way has a very narrow gate, very narrow path that leads to eternal life. And fourthly, this is a staggering truth. Jesus says this at the end of verse 14. And few there be that find it. Man, that's heartbreaking.
Few there be that find it. Jesus alludes to this in Luke 12, 32, and he says this. Fear not. Little flock. For it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
The word little there in Luke 12.32 is micros in the Greek. It's where we get the word micro, like micro scope. You little you micro flock, you small little flock. My precious flock. God says you Are my little flock, just a few of you.
But it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Anybody want to go into God's kingdom? How many were saved on the ark? If Noah, his wife, his three sons, three daughters-in-laws. There was eight people.
How many were saved out of Sodom and Gomorrah?
Well, there was Lot, his wife turned to Salt, then he had two daughters. There were three. He said, Is God not want a bunch of people saved? No, he does. The Lord is not willing that any would perish, but all will come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9. Also, 1 Timothy 2:4 says, Who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth? And then in Matthew 12:37, or Matthew 23, 37, he says, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered you, but you would not. God was willing, they rejected.
You know, as Billy Graham years ago estimated, the percentage of true believers in evangelical churches was only 15%. Billy Graham believed that only 15% of people sitting in evangelical churches were actually truly saved. Listen to what Jesus said in Luke 12, or 13, verse 22, Luke 13:22. This is an incredible portion of scripture. Totally un expected.
And he went through the cities and villages teaching, journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? This is the this is toward the end. He's preaching, been teaching. And they ask him, Lord, are there just a few people going to be saved?
What would provoke someone to ask Jesus that after they heard him preach? And minister? It's so obvious, isn't it? Lord, your preaching and the response Um Uh Are there just a few of us going to be saved? I thought like all national Israel, I thought all it's just a few.
How does Jesus respond to this? It says, And he said unto them, No, no, no, you misunderstood me. Wide is the way that leads to heaven and broader is the path and most are is that what he says? I mean it's so narrow he turns it around on the guy. He looks at the man and says, Strive to enter at the straight gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able.
The things that I read in the Bible just shock me. That that just blows me away. There is not a Christian that has ever lived that thought Jesus would have said that. No one. That's impossible.
No one would have rix No one would have expected that. No one's ever taught me on that growing up. No one preaches that. Strive to enter. Could you say that again, Jesus?
And many will seek to enter and not go. I've always heard it was easy to be saved, so you're telling me it's hard to be saved? Yeah. Yeah, according to Jesus, it is hard to be saved. You hear that?
If you're telling people it's easy to be saved, you're leading them down the broad path. Did you hear me? Amen. It's easy. All you do is have to pray this prayer where you are deceiving them.
I had a guy one time who Somebody Was leading him through this little prayer, and he got up and he came to me and said, It's got to be more than that. Just praying that little statement. I said, oh, you think it's just... What did they do? I said it's not you no no no no no.
Y you've been you've been misled. I said, it is a stripping down of everything in your life, casting all of your sins behind your back. It is saying, God, I want nothing to do with the sin of this world. I want nothing to do with being in charge. You are Lord.
It is bowing your life before the Lord Jesus Christ, taking up his cross. It is following him. Total and full surrender to Christ. And then he will make you a new creature. Old things will be passed away.
All things will become new. It is a total renovation of your life that only God can do inside of you. It's not repeating 15 words.
Now, you can pray a prayer and be saved, and you can pray a prayer and not be saved, right? Thief on the cross, Lord, remember me in your kingdom. Today you'll be with me in paradise. But you need to understand today That Jesus Christ said it's not easy. And let me break this down for you.
Two words I want to highlight here in Luke 13. We've got to wrap this up quick. He says, strive to enter. The word strive there. Greek word agonidzemai, guess what word we get from that?
agonizing. Agony. It's it's the word they used of people in a fight or contending or struggling to win. The idea is that you need to have a wholehearted dedication and effort. The idea is it is not easy to get in there, it's going to be a battle.
You're telling me works have something to do with our salvation? No, the difficulty is laying all your works down. Jesus says to strive because it's so narrow and tight, it's contracted. Struggle and agonize to enter in at the narrow gate. That's literally what he's saying.
And then he says For many will seek to enter and shall not be able. The word seek is a weaker word, zeta'o. It is um. It's a lot weaker than the word strive. Many will seek.
It's like, I want to learn about this, I'm going to inquire, I'm going to look into this. You know, Jesus is the only way.
Well, you know, I'm going to look into that. I'm going to check that out. I'm curious about that. I'm going to seek after that, find out what that answer is. And it's seeking into it, it's looking into it.
Jesus says, you seek to enter, you're not going to be able to. Many will seek and they're not going to enter. It is a striving. It is a hot pursuit. Do you understand?
God is telling us that casual Christianity. It's false Christianity.
Now, when you're saved, it doesn't mean you're perfect, it doesn't mean you're going to live for Jesus every day of your life, but it means that you are on a different road. You're not like the world. And when I call the 10 closest people to your life and I say, are they a Christian? They would say, yeah. How do you know?
Well, they don't They've changed. They don't say, you know, they they may not be perfect 24-7. Yeah. It's not the perfection of their life, but their direction's different. They're living on a different road.
They're not who they used to be. But if I asked them and they said, Oh, you know, I I don't know. I think I've seen him pray before, I think.
Well If they don't even know you're saved, you think God knows?
Okay. After he's already told us? Is your life defined by the broad path or the narrow path? Just ask yourself. Would my family, my wife, my children, my coworkers, my classmates and my peers say that I would be defined by the world or am I more defined by Jesus Christ?
Who defines me more? Who am I more Aligned with. And so In conclusion. We have the call to enter in verse 13. Look how Jesus says this.
He says, enter ye in. At the straight gate. You need to understand something about that word. Enter in means come in, enter in. It's in the Greek erist imperative.
What that means, it's like it's an urgency. It would be like this: you need to enter now. You you need, you cannot put this off. This is urgent. This is.
There is no delay. Do not procrastinate. Don't wait. You need to enter that narrow way. You need to agonize and enter into that way because you need to understand that wide is the gate.
That entryway is very large. You'll slip over there. It is broad. It's where most people are going and they're going to hell. You need to enter now.
Don't put it you know what happens when you wait? You know what happens when you wait? It's Matthew 13, 19, right? It's Matthew 13, 90. Which the Bible says this, when anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, And understandeth it not, they don't get it.
They don't seek it. They don't strive for it. You know, I have some questions about it. Maybe I'll get around to think, getting to it later. Maybe I'll set a time up to talk to the pastor.
Maybe I'll get with, you know, maybe I'll go to foundation sometime. Hmm. You are on a fast track away from God. That's your s if that's your attitude? Because it says this, when anyone doesn't understand it, they're just casual about it.
Then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which is sown in his heart. Satan is coming for you today. It's always like, enter in now, don't procrast don't you uh you don't Don't you understand the magnitude of what's on the line here? I mean, this is eternal life or eternal destruction. Hell is real, heaven is real, and you're going to go to one forever.
There is no third option. There is either falling down, Jesus is Lord, or total rejection and live as the world. There is no third option. There is no appeasement. Jesus didn't give you that option.
So today it's decision time on the mountain. Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is calling people. He says, y'all been hearing what I said? Enter the straight gate now. It's calling out to them.
You know what the sad thing is? The majority of them would not enter. They said, we will not have this man to reign over us. Then about two years they hung him on a cross and spit in his face. Is your life defined by God?
and his word or by the world, would your peers Say that you're a believer. The following words are from an old engraving on a cathedral in Lebec, Germany. Really is a reflection of Christ speaking to us. He says, You call me master and obey me not. You call me light and see me not.
You call me the way and walk me not. You call me life and live me not. You call me wise and follow me not You call me fair and love me not. You call me eternal and seek me not. If I condemn thee, blame me not.
I can tell you, Christian, if you're truly saved today. Who Who do you need to share the gospel with? Who in your life In your life. Are you unsure of their salvation. I mean I mean, there are people very potentially in a crowd of, say, 600 people plus here today.
Between these services, there's people that sit in this service and they don't even know if their spouse is saved. I think they are. You think going to church is making you saved? It's a great place to be. Hear the Word of God.
You could be as lost as anything. You you think your kids are safe 'cause you brought them to church? If you're dragging your kids to church, stop trying to teach them about um School, or why they need to obey this or that, and bring them the gospel. They need the gospel. When I got saved, obedience followed.
It changed my life. I didn't have to be told to obey my parents because God became my father. Telling you, you'd ask my parents, it revolutionized my life. My brother was worse than me. He was.
He was terrible. He was out of control. I was bad. But on the same plate of just sinfulness, we were just terrible. Had to move school districts, we were out of control.
When we truly gave our life to Christ, I'm telling you, it revolutionized us. And I had prayed probably 100 prayers to Jesus in my life. God saved me, God saved me, God saved me. But I tell you what, when God truly saved me, it was a revolutionizing of my life, totally transformed me. I wept over my sin.
I was so devastated. I was headed straight to hell until I fully gave my life to Christ. And a hundred pastors would have said, Oh, he's saved, he prayed to receive Christ, really. Really? If you're not saved today, you need to make sure of it.
We're going to have men and women standing down front. I'll be down front. All you do is walk up and say, you know what, I'm not sure if I'm saved. That'd be the wisest thing you could do today. Wisdom does not exceed that.
You know why? Because you've just asked for the most important thing that you could ever get. You think a million dollars would be more important than that? You come in here with a hip. It's out of place, and I had a hip doctor up here and said, Hey, anybody got hip trouble?
This guy can tell you how to fix it. Anybody with hip pr I mean, they'd be lining up down here, wouldn't they? Hey, we got a back surgeon over here. If you got any back problems, this doctor over here, he's going to tell you. People will be coming up.
There'll be 500 people there today, right? We we we would we would run to people like that. And we got a man and a woman over here. They know how clearly to share from the Word of God how you could have eternal life in the paradise of God, have all your sins taken away through the blood of Jesus Christ. They could show you from the Word of God.
Well, I'll maybe get around to that. You've just told me you place more value on this sod of flesh and bone that's going to decay to nothing than you do your eternal soul. You think that's wise? I'll tell you the wise thing to do, the thing that everybody would be like, man, that's like the smartest person in the room who just walked up. That's like the most intelligent, wisest decision that person ever made.
That's what all of us would think. If you're not saved today, let that be that day. Grab me after service. Grab one of the leaders after service. Hey, I need to talk.
We need to get this thing settled. If you're not sure of your salvation, get that settled today. And if you, Christian, you should have somebody in your life that you're praying for, that you're burdened for, that needs to be saved. I would come to an altar or at your seat. If you're watching online, get on your knees at home.
But be in prayer for the people in your life that need the gospel. Take a track and go to somebody this week and say, hey, has anybody ever invited you to church? I want to invite you to church. Has anybody ever asked you the question? If you die, would you stand before God?
Would you be ready for heaven? Talk to them about their soul. Share with them what Jesus has done for you. Don't put that off, friends. Let's all stand this morning.
Father, we just give you this invitation time. Only you can bring forth fruit of salvation. Our hearts are so burdened. For the reality of what we've heard today, and I pray that you would just Press it upon us. As Christians, God, we need a move of the Spirit of God upon our hearts.
We get so complacent. We're more concerned about setting goals to lose five pounds. Then we are Five people that could potentially be in our home or in our friend circle that don't even know Jesus. What have we become? Lord, help us to have eyes.
Mm. For people. Hard for people. You look upon the crowds, you would weep over them, and the disciples would not even know what. What's going on?
Lord, give us a burden like that. I pray, Father, for those that are lost today in this room. I know I remember being lost. Questions, fears, doubts, worries if I could live the life. Let them know that it's not about what they can do, it's about what you can do.
And if they would just come and fully surrender their life, what you could do in their life. Bring them to salvation. Be sovereign today. I pray for the Christians. Lord, give us a burden for the lost.
If any parents, if any kids, if any mom and dads are lost, Lord God may today be the day of their salvation. Lord, be glorified in not only what we do now, but in the days and weeks ahead. In Jesus' name. Amen.
