M A T T H E W 7 Verses 13 to 27


This passage was part of Christ's Sermon on the Mount. A huge crowd had gathered around Jesus as He preached to them. In order that they would live lives worthy of being his followers, he is telling them what is expected of them, which will lead to eternal salvation.

Christ has been describing up to this point. the character of Christians, and the rules by which they are to walk. Now He explains the way of salvation. Jesus always taught there were. two destinies in life, and dependent on how we respond, lies the future life when this present one is over.

Jesus was always eager to point out, that there were just two options to choose from, what is known as the narrow way or the broad way. Two roads to follow in life, one leading to Kingdom of God and heaven, and the other to hell. Jesus only allows one choice; people may prefer selection, but within the Church this means following the Way and Word of God, or that of man. No sitting on verbal fences.

Jesus speaks to us, regarding our journey to Heaven. We have to decide which road we take, it is like coming to a crossroads, each road going in the opposite direction.

The Rabbis, taught that salvation was an assured thing for Jews as God’s chosen people, but Jesus was not following a nationalistic course, and warned that non -Jews would be admitted onto his kingdom. This caused one man to ask Jesus if only a few would be saved, but Jesus did not give a direct answer, he just said make sure you are.

The broad road is overcrowded, many people crushed on to it. Noboundaries, all accepted, the immoral, hypocrites, selfish who only believe in themselves, those who bear malice, led permissive life, rejected Christ as Saviour. The door is very wide, the road is the highway to hell .

There are others who say, just follow your conscience, which is deluding yourself, for your conscience has become hardened and adjustable. Your conscience is no longer a safe guide.

One can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate, the road is difficult, and only a few find it. The boundaries on this road are clearly defined, and limited to true believers, who have tried to live moral lives worthy of the Lord’s support.

The road will not be overcrowded, for fewer people have chosen to enter. You enter one by one to Jesus who said, I am the door, no one enters except through me.

The Psalmist stated, those who accept the Word of God bear much fruit, and those same believers accept the death of Jesus on the Cross was what saved them, and made them righteous to God. The boundaries on this road are clearly defined, and limited to true believers, who have tried to live moral lives worthy of the Lord’s support.

We must not follow a fashion, and swim in the stream among others with whom we live. He tells us the way to everlasting life is narrow, and few travel on it. He tells us the way to eternal destruction is broad and many are on it.

The moment you reached the age of accountability, you must choose which road to follow.

Being narrow these days. means you are classed as bigoted or phobic. You are expected to be broad minded, be modern, 2+2=5. The road is narrow, because it is the way of truth and truth is always narrow. It is the way of holiness and righteousness.

Jesus said there is a life to come and it is a long life, it is eternal, and there are only two destinies, and as you come to the crossroads, you alone choose, God will not push you. He gave you the ability to choose and lets you do so. Where you end up in eternity, will be determined by which road you take, so what you do in the world is important.

One of these roads leads to destruction the other to life with Jesus. He took time to remind people of the seriousness of salvation. He wanted all to be sure of the future. People do prefer the easy road in life, but Jesus made it plain He wants us to journey down the difficult road and enter the narrow gate.

Neither can the narrow road be pursued, if we are motivated by a desire to please society. True disciples of Jesus Christ, will not play to the galleries nor form values according to the passing approval of people in general. God’s approval is all that matters.

Jesus warned of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really vicious wolves.

He went on to say, not everyone that says Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of heaven. Some people think everything a Minister of the Church states is to be believed, which could be a mistake. Some preachers interpret Bible teaching to suit their own beliefs and desires.

The day of Judgement will reveal many truths. Where people thought of others as being perfect Christians, they may be shocked to know thereal person.

Another lesson is that of two people those who hear and then act, as others will gear ad do nothing. The one who hears Christian preaching and practices what is heard, is like a man who builds a house on rock. He goes further to believe in Christ, repents, and lives a holy life. When the storm comes, the house is on a good foundation, and withstands.

Another man hears Christian teaching and never goes any further; he is like the man who built his house on sand, and when storm comes the house is severely damaged.

This brings the sermon the mount to an end. Such a sermon has never been made before or after, than this masterpiece.

The Church has perpetuated a misguided belief, and is guilty of what could reasonably be called deceit and false teaching. In the service, and at burial, people are assured that the deceased is destined for eternal life in heaven, irrespective of what kind of life had been led.

Whilst we all want to exercise compassion and consolation, this can be given without misinterpreting the Scriptures. It is time we showed personal integrity and reverence for God, in our teaching, and in these two verses, Jesus has laid down for us what options there are for us, and we have to decide now in his life.

This is what Jesus taught so many years ago, but it is still a moral and spiritual lesson for us to-day. We are living in very unsettled times. Many businesses, organisations, societies and groups have suffered greatly because of this deadly virus which has plagued the earth, and no one more so than the Church. People have been denied the right to attend worship. We were told we could meet, provided no more than 30 were present, although some of the Churches I visit would consider it great to have 30 at any time, but people have now got into the habit of listening to and watching services through the internet, and many in the older age range have lost the urge to return to Churches, which will mean the Churches will not survive.

The casual way in which the Church has treated the Word of God, willprove in a lot of cases to be their downfall. When people who have faithfully attended Church to find poorly put together services, have now seen inspiring services, especially if you have seen the televised United States Churches, it will not be an encouragement to return.

From its first days, the Church has had to face powerful forces giving much opposition to the gospel message, and now the attack is stronger than ever. The Bible states, for we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places .

Those of us who have been worshipping members of the Church of England, have found we have been put out of the world Anglian Communion, because of the decision of the bishops of the Church, to sanction prayers of blessing for same sex marriages.

The Church of England has until recently, been the primary member of the World Anglican Communion, with the Archbishop of Canterbury counted as leader; that ended this week. The remaining 75% of world Anglicans in other countries, has maintained commitment to the traditional orthodoxy and authority of the Word of God, and has considered the Church of England as more concerned to please the world.

This is deeply regrettable, but was an obvious course that would be taken. This is the first break of the Anglican Communion since the Reformation. Even more concerning, from within the Church itself. Incredulously, from the highest Offices there are calls to abandon Bible teaching on moral matters, and, but the bishops carried on.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has astonished and shocked many people by stating any two people, two men or two women, straight or gay, can enter into an intimate relationship if they are in a stable relationship, and be welcomed to the Church.

The Church in this, and other Western nations has reached crossroads, and must make a decision which road it is going to follow along. The present situation, in which the Bible has in so many places been either discarded or vandalised to accommodate popular opinion, cannot continue. If necessary, there can be a parting of ways, in which the liberal wing with its secular activists partners, can take the broad road, and let the evangelical biblical people make their way with Jesus on the narrow road. Jesus set guidelines which have been removed, so a decision has to be made whether we are following God made religion, or man-made, one or the other.

We need to look back to the Reformation and learn from it, that the Bibleguides the Church, and the voice of God is not being listened to. Biblical doctrine only must be used; Jesus said, ‘ the Scriptures cannot be broken’, which means that all the Bible contains cannot be annulled.

If the doctrines within are not accepted, it must be asked is it being suggested the Bible is untrustworthy; is the Church no longer to take its authority, for at present Church leaders are tearing up the doctrines and introducing man- made ones.

For centuries, the Church toiled to preserve the teaching of the Apostles, a message firmly believed to be God given, and God watched over his Church. We must trust in God to continue, and deal with those who seek to abandon him.



We praise God’s Holy Word and pray He may be glorified.