The Road Not Taken
Notes
Transcript
Matthew 7:13-14
Having reached the epic climax of his sermon, Jesus now puts the choices before his disciples: two ways, two fruits, two declarations, two builders. Jesus does not explain here everything about salvation and sanctification. He is clear: it is exclusive and it is hard. The easiest, most popular, default way leads to destruction. The righteous life, the Way of God, is found in Christ alone: both in entering the gate and walking that road. This is discipleship: to walk that road with Jesus unto life. Be the few.
Hypoglycemic Hiking
Hypoglycemic Hiking
We had all these great trails up in the San Gabriel mountains around LA, I grew up right on the edge of the mountains and, for whatever reason, my parents let me go off hiking on the regular. “Back in the last millennium” ;).
In middle school, my friend Jennifer came over and I wanted to show her this super cool trail. Looked like this off the street. TRAIL CLOSED. Big sign. (But less gorgeous because that’s a picture of Rocky Mountain National Park.”
Now, I had been hiking this trail for years. Seen a ton of other people hiking this trail. In fact, it was a whole network of trails, there was a water dam up there, power lines. And my contention is that this sign was for cars using the access road, it wasn’t exactly blocking people walking.
But… Jennifer was a bit of a “rule follower” and didn’t want to slip around the gate.
Then… she started breathing fast and sat down and proceeded to tell me she was hypoglycemic, and we’d walked a mile from home to get to this point, and she hadn’t eaten in hours.
Okay, so through the magic of Google Maps Street View, I actually found it and it looks like this. Slightly more sketchy than I remembered.
But if you thought really skinny thoughts, you could slip through just fine. Sometimes they just left the gate open, but not that day. Alternatively, a quick hop over and you’re good. You have options...
Now there’s a “real” trail head just off to the right. But this was the access point then. Jennifer wasn’t interested.
So… worst hike ever.
Most times when we go “off the beaten path” we end up in trouble. Because there is safety in numbers, and maybe most of the other people know where they’re going? And who knows what’s going to wrong, that trail looks SUPER sketchy.
Book
Book
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
How does this follow on the Golden Rule?
How does this follow on the Golden Rule?
Having reached the epic climax of his sermon, Jesus now puts the choices before his disciples: two ways, two fruits, two declarations, two builders.
This joins a long Biblical and ancient tradition of “two ways.”
We heard it in Psalm 1 in our call to worship.
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
So… having painted this picture of righteousness, most clearly in demonstrated in the way that we treat others, the the Law of Love… now those two paths are clearly before his disciples.
Here is the choice.
But Jesus adds something very interesting. A twist. It isn’t just a fork in the road… there’s a gate.
What’s the gate?
What’s the gate?
We should say, Jesus doesn’t start off here by saying what the “gate” is. This passage does not reveal all that is required for salvation, or who the gate is, but all these two-fold choices are going to reveal a bit more.
In fact, by verse 21, it is clear that Jesus… and a certain way of relating to Jesus is the gate… and discipleship, apprenticeship, obedience to His words… that’s the way
It’s “narrow.” Why?
It’s exclusive… it’s Jesus and nothing and no one else. In fact, we have to be on guard against fakes (false prophets) in the next verses.
Some call that close-minded or close-hearted or intolerant. It may well be. But if there were another way for us to be saved… wouldn’t the Father had said something when Jesus prayed for that very thing? “If there is any way, take this cup from me! But not my will but yours be done.” Jesus died to make this way, laid down his life for the sheep.
But it’s also narrow because you can’t bring a U-Haul along. The rich man can’t bring along his stuff.
The family man can’t bring along his family. That’s hard.
There is no “Jesus and...” there is sell everything out for the Kingdom of God, for Jesus alone.
Enter by the narrow gate.” The connotation of “narrow” here is constricted. It’s a very, very tight squeeze. We can’t carry anything through it; we come through with nothing.
John F. MacArthur
That doesn’t mean we say good bye to life, real life, or good life. In fact, what’s the road? It’s the road to life!
What’s the road?
What’s the road?
We said, the “road” is the righteous with-Jesus life, the life of discipleship.
“On the straight and narrow” (doesn’t say straight).
The gate is “narrow” “tight” “constricting”.
The way that follows, I picture it as narrow and winding… and that word can also be translated as “narrow” or “constricted.” As the NASB has it:
14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
It has the sense of “oppression” and “affliction” as well. Hence the “hard” translation. It’s both.
Jesus never hides the ball here. Later he will use a much more brutal, gruesome and shameful metaphor. “Take up your cross and follow me...” Wooohooo!
So… narrow gates we barely slip through after searching and finding… and a hard road to follow. Why do we want this road?
This is the Way
This is the Way
Because it’s the way to life. The only way. Exclusive.
We count the cost of discipleship. But this is no reluctant bargain, this is the doorbuster at Walmart that starts the stampede.
The merchant who “counted the cost” of the Kingdom was just wondering if he possibly had enough to afford the insanely valuable pearl. The farmer just scraped together to buy the field knowing how insanely he was about to profit from the treasure buried there.
The one who finds the gate and enters sets out with joy on the road knowing where it leads.
This, the with-God, with-Jesus life… this is the road to life.
In fact Jesus calls himself “The Way.”
And the earliest followers of Jesus didn’t call themselves “Christians.” They called themselves followers of “The Way.”
This is The Way.
What’s the other option?
The Way to Destruction
The Way to Destruction
This is the part I hate.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
The road that leads to destruction.
The word here is ἀπώλεια, destruction or even total annihilation. In the debate between hell as conscious eternal torment and annihilationism (souls that don’t choose God are destroyed), this is one of the verses… but I don’t think we should read in here to Jesus making any kind of statement about the state of the unrighteous dead.
Missing the point.
His point is… MANY are on the road to destruction… and destruction is BAD! It is contrasted to “life.” But it is the easiest road, the default road, the only one you don’t have to seek and search out, it is the obvious road, it is the road that almost everyone is taking.
And that is absolutely heartbreaking… and indeed Jesus weeps and laments over it. God the Father rages over it. You can’t be angrier and more hurt than He is… He actually loves all those people! Created, Crafted each one of them.
But the majority, what seems to be the multitude, are headed that way.
I LOVE the idea of universalism. The idea that everyone eventually receives Jesus, that Jesus died for all so all are saved. Or even salvation after death, maybe, like hell is a reeducation program.
But I don’t get to choose. Praise God.
I actually don’t anything about life, death, and the afterlife except what Jesus tells me. I’m trusting him with how all of that works. And He invented life, created, sustains, the universe moves on another step because He ordains it.
And he gives me warnings like this. Most are headed for destruction.
The focus is not on the tragedy of it… though it could be. The focus is not, here, to drive us towards evangelism… though that will come as well.
The focus is the very first word, the Word of Command here.
Enter.
The focus is on your decision.
Which gate do you choose?
Which road are you going to walk on?
Choose Discipleship
Choose Discipleship
Enter the narrow road.
Jesus makes this clearer to his disciples and the early church. Jesus is the gate, because he laid down his life for you and I. That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life. Sounds like a detour, off the broad road to destruction, onto the road to life.
And God has you hear to here this: Jesus, the Son of God, died on a cross so that you would not be destroyed, but instead saved to eternal life.
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that he was raised from the dead: you will be saved.
Let’s do that now.
Lord, Jesus, I believe that you died for my sins and were raised from the dead that I might live with you. I believe and will follow you all the days of my life. Amen.
Amen.
Jesus is the gate.
But there’s a road, too. That’s good news, not a catch. Jesus walks with us on that road, His Holy Spirit guides us on the road as the helper, the companion, the comforter.
The road is hard, but you are supernaturally empowered to walk it.
But hear this, because this is where Jesus is going. There is no category for someone who believes or says “Jesus stuff” and doesn’t walk the road.
It isn’t a thing. Jesus is SUPER clear. Calling him “Lord” isn’t just noise, it is a commitment to be with Him, to hear Him, and to obey Him.
This is discipleship.
I heard this phrase first from Matt Chandler… and I love it… so I’m stealing it.
All of life for all of life.
That’s discipleship.
All of your life, surrendered to all of His life, for all of your life, into all that life has, into eternal life.
All of life, for all of life.
That is walking the road. One step at a time. Next step.
This discipleship thing… I’m learning what this is. So stupid simple on one hand, so complicated with all the history and baggage and questions we have for it.
But this road analogy, I like it. We should name our church after it. One next step after another. With Jesus.
I’m with Jesus. Jesus takes a step. I take a next step like Jesus took a step. That is discipleship, that is apprenticeship, that is the road.
He is going to unpack this a bit. We are going to get more practical than that as to how we do this in our actual lives as they really are. And in fact Jesus is going to spend years with his disciples teaching them how to do this. We aren’t done.
But this is the choice before you.
Choose Jesus. And walk the road. The road doesn’t save you. The gate came first. You walk through the gate and Jesus puts him arm around you, he bears the yoke with you, you both pick up crosses and walk together… pick your analogy Jesus uses them all.
What’s it going to look like? All the things Jesus has been saying. He has been pointing out things along the road this whole time. It looks like letting go of anger, lust, manipulation, judgment, condemnation, retaliation… it looks like spiritual disciplines leading into joy of God’s presence, prayer, lavish giving, humble service, incredible freedom. Ultimately: loving God and loving others.
Through the gate, then with Jesus, you walk the road to life. It’s his road, it’s his righteousness, it’s his power, his spirit, his fruit,
Is that something we could do together? Like for real.
This is what we are about, Next Step. We are all in on discipleship. If we’re not, let’s go home. We are all in the road with Jesus.
Closing
Closing
If you have made decision to day, either for the first time, or just the first time today, to be a disciple of Jesus… would you come forward as we leave? I want to talk with you about how you can take next steps after Jesus. That is what we are all about.
