Two Gates

Matthew 7:13-14

13 “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.

14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

In this life we always have a choice to make.

There are two gates to enter and two paths to walk.

One is wide and easy to enter and walk on.

You can bring all your old baggage, everything in this life you want to hold onto.

It's where everyone else is.

You will fit right in.

Just follow the crowd.

There are even plenty of people yelling, "This way! This way! Come along!"

If you notice that little gate to the right, the one which very few people are using, then those people will call louder to you.

"Not that way! You can't take all your things there! Come this way and you can have whatever you want to bring! You don't want to go there! Why would you do that and leave your stuff behind?"

Then you see that those people, and the crowd, they are all heading to destruction.

It's plain to see in the distance.

They're just all walking nonchalantly into the flames and death.

You grow concerned for them.

"Wait!" You call out, "Don't go there! You're going to die!"

They laugh, they mock, they make signs of disgust and ignore you.

However, you continue to call to them as you make your way to the narrow gate.

You drop your baggage, all those weights you were carrying.

Those things you thought you needed or wanted.

You leave them outside the gate off to the side.

You pass through the narrow gate.

The path is narrow, compressed, but you see what looks like a great peaceful destination.

The people on the wide path to destruction, you can still see them.

You still call to them, but they seem to ignore you.

Occasionally someone seems to listen but you're not sure.

And this narrow path has some obstacles.

You find you need to learn how to get over these difficulties.

You start meeting other people also struggling on the path.

A small group forms and begins helping each other.

As a group you still call to the people heading for destruction.

Rarely it seems, someone crosses over to this narrow path and joins the group.

The group slowly grows, but the difficulties on the path cause some to give up and go back to the wide path.

Still, the group presses on, seeing the beautiful destination ahead.

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That is probably a poor representation of our Christian life.

It's very simplified and probably lacking a lot.

However, I think the basic principle is true to the Lord's message.

Jesus tells us few people find the narrow path.

Not because God has hidden it, He has not, that door is plainly there.

Jesus tells us He is the Way and the Door and the Truth and the Life.

The problem is that narrow gate has restrictions, the wide gate does not.

We must choose the Lord, to follow Him and to change ourselves.

Most people are not interested in that narrow gate.

It's not a popular choice, and many friends and family members will not choose it.

We need to leave the things of our old life behind to pass through that small gate.

Then the path beyond is hard, sometimes painful and demanding.

It's a path of changing our heart and mind.

It's a path that requires us to lose ourselves in Jesus, and to learn His ways.

It is a narrow, challenging road.

We're challenged to be more and give more and expect less and ask less.

It's the path of the cross.

We sacrifice ourselves to help others.

It's not easy and it's not supposed to be.

But it is the path our Lord and Savior took, and we must follow Him.