It goes against the culture

Matthew 7:12-14

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

It is so important for the Church to do as our Lord is instructing us in verse 12, it seems so easy; just treat others as you would want to be treated.  But it is not easy because many of us are so enamored with self, our wants, and our programs that we forget to do unto others, as we would have them do unto us.

Now with that backdrop shall we explore verses 13-14, “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.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”  Jesus is using the metaphor gate; wide and narrow to explain who will end-up in heaven, and He goes on to explain that few will find it.  Billy Graham has said, for the record, that many who attend church each Sunday, who are on Church roles and do a lot of good things will not find it, because they try to enter the gate by their value system, and not by grace, not by brokenness, and humbling themselves and coming to the Lord to exchange the self life for a life of forgiveness and by grace and truth, by faith.

Billy Graham made a bold statement that over half of Church members are trying to get to God on their terms, and that puts them in the wide gate church that leads to destruction.  But from a truth standpoint whose words hold more value, Billy Graham’s or Jesus; who is Truth.  Now I am not saying Graham is wrong, but I hope that he is, then I read what Jesus said in John 10:1-10, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  To him the gatekeeper opens.  The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”  The Pharisees and others who were listening did not understand what Jesus was saying to them, so Jesus said again: “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.  I am the door.  If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

My friend Bill often gave this example of the Christian life, as a small one lane road going down the middle of an 18 lane super highway in the opposite direction. And as I follow Christ, it seems a good analogy.  The thief is a master at deception, he has many who are willing to carry the water for him, and it is easy to find the Christ life hard, and that is because it goes against the culture, and it requires that we follow Jesus and act out what the handbook on life tells us to do.  And remember to ask the Helper to help you on that narrow road, he understands your weaknesses, He knows you by name, and He loves you beyond all understanding.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice