The Sermon on the MountSample

The narrow and wide gates

Remember that Jesus' teaching is meant for His disciples. Disciples are those who choose to follow the Lord (the narrow gate) and remain committed throughout their lives (the narrow road).

It is essential for us to continue on this path (John 8:31,32). The broad road seems to offer a variety of choices, while the narrow road is a fixed course. The destination is what truly makes a difference and repays all the difficulties of the journey.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews exhorts us to run with endurance the race God has set before us. Jesus is the One who initiates faith – which is used to enter through the narrow gate – and perfects faith – helping us to walk the narrow road to the finish line (Hebrews 12:1,2 NLT). In the first part of the letter, he wrote about the people of Israel who came out of Egypt and did not reach the Promised Land due to lack of faith.

Our choice has eternal consequences: the difference between life and death. The broad road seems simple, but it's actually dangerous because it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12). Choosing the path set before us by the Lord means going against the current in this world. Paul and Silas were accused of turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6 AMP). In fact, the narrow road allows us to obtain the true life that the Creator desired for His creatures, now in part, with the down payment of the Spirit, and, at Christ's return, with the fullness of our inheritance.

• Have you entered through the narrow gate?
• What road are you following in your life?