Jesus says there are only two doors (or gates) and only two paths that people choose in this life. But according to Jesus, only ONE of them leads to LIFE. In this Eternal Promises Radio Show broadcast, Jeff Tobler walks us through the meaning behind Jesus’ difficult saying of “NARROW is the gate and DIFFICULT is the path that leads to Life!”
Listen to part 2 of this series!
Radio Show Transcript
Welcome to Eternal Promises Radio Show. I’m your host, Jeff Tobler. I want to personally thank you for joining the broadcast today and remind you by way of encouragement that “this is the promise God has promised us, even Eternal Life!” (1 John 2:25)
Because, “all of the promises of God in Christ are “YES” and in Him, “AMEN”. (2 Cor 1:20)
Those two verses, 1 John 2:25 and 2 Cor 1:20 are our two foundational verses.
But today we’re going to discuss the eternal promise found in Matthew 7:14 where Jesus promises “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it”
The promise of Jesus involves the two doors (or gates) that Jesus warns about, and the two paths (or ways) associated with each door. He’s telling us to be very careful about our choice, because the destination of each path is markedly different and our choice in this life on this earth determines where we will spend eternity, in the blessed paradise-like presence of God which we often call Heaven, or in the tormentingly painful lake of fire, which we often call Hell. Now we can go through these two destinations in detail, but which one would you choose, if you had the choice?
Yes, most reasonable people will choose Heaven. And most people believe they are going to Heaven when they die. But this an area that you want to review to make SURE you have met the conditions God requires.
In Jesus’ teaching, He was very specific about the requirements for entering into the Kingdom of God and enduring to the end. It starts with choosing the correct Door by which we enter. He said their are two doors and two paths, contrary to many “spiritual leaders” leading many astray by telling them that there are many paths to God and that they ALL lead to God and Eternal Life. No, quite the contrary. There are two paths and only One of them leads to Eternal Life. Choosing which door is crucial, because the door you choose and the path you take determines your ultimate outcome.
As I’ve said before, God’s promises are two-fold. For every blessed promise there is an equally real promise of consequences or curses that we choose to receive because we have disobeyed the voice of the Lord. Here Jesus contrasts the two promises:
Let’s hear directly from Jesus:
Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
The Voice says it this way:
“There are two paths before you; you may take only one path. One doorway is narrow. And one door is wide. Go through the narrow door. For the wide door leads to a wide path, and the wide path is broad; the wide, broad path is easy, and the wide, broad, easy path has many, many people on it; but the wide, broad, easy, crowded path leads to death. Now then that narrow door leads to a narrow road that in turn leads to life. It is hard to find that road. Not many people manage it.”
So Jesus makes it very clear for us. Please don’t miss this point. Jesus is urging people to choose wisely, based upon God’s will for them, that they wouldn’t perish. It’s awesome to think how caring our Father is to send Jesus to help us to see very clearly the Way or Path we must travel… the path that leads to life!
The word picture Jesus is painting for is two gates each leading to a path. The one gate that is very narrow leads to a difficult or constricting path filled with denying ourselves for the Lord’s will to be done in our life and the life of others.
Most won’t choose this path, and yet this is the one Jesus, the Son of God, says we should choose. Did you hear that? Most reasonable, some very intelligent at that, won’t choose the wise path that leads to eternal life.
Notice I said some of these are very intelligent. And they are. But make no mistake, we could be a Harvard graduate with honors and still fail to choose wisely. And sadly that makes one a fool according to the Lord. Raw intelligence is not the same as wisdom.
There are some incredibly wise folks who have no high school diploma. And in case you’re wondering, there are some highly educated intelligent people who also have great wisdom in choosing the Lord and His narrow path.
Let’s read what Jesus said:
“There are two paths before you; you may take only one path. One doorway is narrow. And one door is wide. Go through the narrow door. For the wide door leads to a wide path, and the wide path is broad; the wide, broad path is easy, and the wide, broad, easy path has many, many people on it; but the wide, broad, easy, crowded path leads to death. Now then that narrow door leads to a narrow road that in turn leads to life. It is hard to find that road. Not many people manage it.”
So, the Promise involves two doors (or gates) that Jesus warns about, and two paths (or ways) associated with each door. He’s telling us to be very careful about our choice, because the destination of each path is markedly different and our choice in this life on this earth determines where we will spend eternity, whether it will be in the blessed paradise-like presence of God referred to as Heaven, or in the tormentingly painful lake of fire, referred to as Hell.
Let’s discuss in further detail that gate that leads to destruction which is very large and wide and very well worn. It’s a crowded path filled with ease and self-fulfillment.
This easy, broad, self-centered path of ease is the one Jesus warns us NOT to travel, yet the Lord says most DO choose this path. We understand this to some degree, don’t we?
We joke about lemmings blindly following the other lemmings to their demise. In fact, we tell our children, just because others are doing the wrong thing doesn’t mean you have to.
But that’s the way it is, the blind lead the blind. And the larger the crowd headed over the cliff, the more the majority is convinced they are going in the right direction.
But according to Jesus, Christianity is not a democracy where the majority decides. No, the right way is according the Jesus teachings alone, and He says FEW will be walking this path of life.
In fact, let me share a scene from the sixth chapter of John to show you how few even listened to Jesus:
In this chapter, crowds come to see and hear Jesus teach. Jesus draws a wonderful illustration about Him being the Bread of Life (or the food of life) … in other words, is it TRUE spiritual nourishment and if we digest Him, His teachings, His very pattern of life with our whole heart, we will have eternal life!
Let’s read portions of it.
Jesus:… “I am the bread that gives life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died as you know. But there is another bread that comes from heaven; if you eat this bread, you will not die. I am the living bread that has come down from heaven to rescue those who eat it. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever. The bread that I will give breathes life into the cosmos. This bread is My flesh.”
The low whispers of some of Jesus’ detractors turned into an out- and- out debate.
Crowd: What is He talking about? How is He able to give us His flesh to eat?
Jesus: “I tell you the truth; unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not know life. If you eat My flesh and drink My blood, then you will have eternal life and I will raise you up at the end of time. My flesh and blood provide true nourishment. If you eat My flesh and drink My blood, you will abide in Me and I will abide in you. The Father of life who sent Me has given life to Me; and as you eat My flesh, I will give life to you. This is bread that came down from heaven; I am not like the manna that your fathers ate and then died! If you eat this bread, your life will never end.”
He spoke these words in the synagogue as part of His teaching mission in Capernaum. Many disciples heard what He said, and they had questions of their own.
Disciples: How are we supposed to understand all of this? It is a hard teaching.
Jesus was aware that even His disciples were murmuring about this.
Jesus: “Has My teaching offended you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascend to return to where He came from? The Spirit brings life. The flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have been teaching you are spirit and life, but some of you do not believe.”
From the first day Jesus began to call disciples, He knew those who did not have genuine faith. He knew, too, who would betray Him.
Jesus: “This is why I have been telling you that no one comes to Me without the Father’s blessing and guidance.
After hearing these teachings, many of His disciples walked away and no longer followed Jesus”
You see, this wasn’t difficult – or it didn’t have to be. Jesus had made it VERY clear a few verses prior, but they hardened their hearts against Him. Listen to what Jesus taught and see how simple it is to understand:
Jesus: “I am the bread that gives life. If you come to My table and eat, you will never go hungry. Believe in Me, and you will never go thirsty. Here I am standing in front of you, and still you don’t believe. All that My Father gives to Me comes to Me. I will receive everyone; I will not send away anyone who comes to Me. And here’s the reason:I have come down from heaven not to pursue My own agenda but to do what He desires. I am here on behalf of the Father who sent Me. He sent Me to care for all He has given Me so that nothing and no one will perish. In the end, on the last day, He wants everything to be resurrected into new life. 40 So if you want to know the will of the Father, know this:everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will live eternally; and on the last day, I am the One who will resurrect him”
We been learning about the narrow door and the difficult path Jesus promised leads to Eternal Life. Pretty eye-opening, isn’t it?
In Luke’s Gospel Account Jesus says:
“Strive to enter through the narrow door now, because many people—hear Me on this—will try to enter later on and will not be able to.” (Luke 13:24 VOICE)
Strive is a strong word and I know the Lord means what He says.
Well, what if you find yourself on the broad path? The answer is very simple. Simply do a U-turn, go back to and through the small gate and start traveling on the narrow path.
Today, if you are hearing this broadcast, this message is for you. I urge you to take Him seriously today and to please God by listening to and obeying His beloved Son, Jesus. Don’t delay.
I want you to enter into the narrow door who’s name is Jesus. He said: “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”
And guess what, He is not only the Door but also the Way or the Path. Do you remember what He spoke to His disciples in John 14:6? He promised saying “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me”
Did you hear that? If you enter through Jesus you will be saved, and if you follow Him all your days, you will enter into eternal life when you die and be in the presence of your Heavenly Father forever.
Jesus is the door and the path. Once again, He’s made it so simple that a child can believe. He’s an awesome God!
Receive Jesus and receive the free gift of salvation, the Promise of the Holy Spirit, and rejoice in the love of the Father that He would so lavishly spend His Son on us to save us from eternal damnation and the Lake of fire and to place our names in the Book of Life that we would now be able to spend eternity in His blessed presence.
If you haven’t yet received the Lord and experienced the gift of being freely forgiven, but would like to receive Jesus and start following Him, learning from Him about the fullness of God and of His will, than let’s pray together and if you mean it from your heart, God will honor the prayer and do what He has promised to do. You have his word on it, and God cannot lie.
Let’s pray together
“Father in Heaven: I confess that I’m a sinner. I have sinned aginst you and I need a savior. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins. I believe with all my heart that He was raised from the grave on the third day, defeating death.
I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I repent of living for myself, and give my whole life to you, Heavenly Father.
Thank you for your amazing love, for adopting me into your family, and for the gift of salvation! For this day forward, I will serve Jesus Christ as my King and I give my full allegiance to Your Kingdom and your laws.
I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen!”
If you prayed that prayer you have just been granted privileged access into the Kingdom of God and become a child of the living God. Because this is the promise He has promised us, even Eternal Life!
When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our old nature is buried with Christ – and become a new creation. You’ve been spiritually reborn with a new heart, and new nature by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of Christ is in you and will help you finish the journey the He has just begun in you. Your job is too simply love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And do His will!
Now, to help you get started, we have an online resource. Go to EternalPromises.org/newlife and you will find help, direction, and encouragement.
Some of the first steps are to find a solid fellowship of believers. Second, immediately get water baptized in obedience to Jesus’ command.
And I want you to let us know that you’ve received Eternal Life today. Go to eternalpromises.org/newlife and fill out the NEW LIFE form so we can walk along side you, encourage you, and send you FREE resources to equip you on your new journey.
And that’s a Word of Promise today to you from Eternal Promises. I’m Jeff Tobler, and I want to encourage you to seek the Lord while He may be found, because if you seek Him with all of your heart, the promise of God is that you will find Him.
The Lord richly bless you!
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