This Month's Featured Sermon:

“The Narrow Way”

9/21/08

by Lee Cannon

The idea of preferring a narrow way is an interesting teaching of Jesus. It was such a fundamental teaching that Jesus’ followers were known as belonging to simply “The Way.” I doubt that many of the leaders in Jesus’ time thought in terms of following a wide road.

The Pharisees thought of themselves as being elitists, for instance. They knew more about the Bible than most men. Through intensive study of the scriptures they could argue the nuances of the meaning of the Torah as few could.

But some of the ordinary people of the world might have thought of themselves as following the same path as everyone else, fitting in. There were theaters to attend, games in the local coliseums, things to buy in the marketplace. Plenty of distractions, just as there are in our world.

We have Broadway, after all. Colorful, flashing lights, entrancing music, amazing shows. It’s easy to be enthralled with the performances of life.

You don’t have to live in New York to be distracted by discoveries of science, fashion magazines, or the Internet. There are clubs and hobbies, not to mention more sinister forms of entertainment.

Jesus teaches us about a narrow way. A way that is hard to find, but the consequences for failure to find it are quite severe.

Where is the way today? Is it a place incompatible with theaters and coliseums, hobbies and clubs?

Let’s look at what Jesus has to say about the way.

Matthew 7:13-14

Not everyone in the first century became a disciple of Jesus. Not even all of the people who followed Him around were Jesus’ disciples. Jesus challenged many who followed Him, and some walked away after failing the test of commitment.

“True discipleship is a minority religion.” – R. T. France

Discipleship in the path of the Christ leaves many people second-guessing whether they really want to be disciples. Discipleship with the Christ calls for complete devotion.

Jesus presents a very black and white choice of how the Kingdom of God works. There are two ways, no more, no less.

There are no shades of grey in what Jesus gives us.

Going down the wide way requires no decision.

Prov 16:25 says, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."

Why do we get these warnings in the Bible?

There is a real threat to faith in God. There are misleading road signs and unhelpful guides along the path who point people in the wrong directions. And many people won’t even see the threats. The world around them will seem perfectly normal.

The people on the broad way will present arguments like, “If what you say is true, what would happen to all the people who don’t believe or practice your way?” I’ve heard that argument about faith, baptism—(“What will happen to all of the people who aren’t baptized?”)—as if it were a convincing argument that since so many people haven’t followed the Bible’s teaching, it can’t possibly be right.

Is the narrow way a particular teaching? Or, is it a commitment to discover and live in the way of the Christ?

The way could be both at a particular time, but by describing it as a WAY, Our Lord is calling for a commitment to every teaching of God.

Is the narrow way a place? Or, is it a way of living no matter where you are?

Jesus’ teachings apply to life wherever a person lives.

Matthew 7:15-23

The question would be addressed to us to determine where is the narrow way today and who is on it?

Who are the false prophets, and how do we recognize them?

Good fruit, Bad fruit.

Yes, yet, everyone makes mistakes. Even David committed severe indiscretions.

Being a person on the way, having good fruit, doesn’t mean that a person is perfect. It means that a person is committed to the Lord’s teaching completely.

A person cannot call Jesus “Lord” and then fail to live the way.

Vance Havner said:

Christianity is not a happiness cult; it is not a success cult. At heart it is the process by which God makes saints out of sinners. We are predestinated to be conformed to the image of God’s Son.

There are only two choices for us: be conformed, or be unknown to God.

“I Never Knew You..”

Of all the scripture that comes to mind, perhaps the saddest one of all is found in Matthew 7 and verse 23. Here, Jesus tells us that at the second coming, there will be some people who will fully
expect to ascend to heaven with Him in the clouds of glory, but He will have to tell them; “....depart from Me, I never knew you.” Can you imagine those words falling from our Savior’s lips? “depart from Me, for I never knew you!”

Well, it’s a good thing that none of us “church going Christians” will ever have to hear those words. I mean after all we are here at church worshipping God aren’t we? We do try to be “good people” don’t we?

If we want to be known by God on the last day, we need to take the time to pray and read the Bible and get to know Him. To live His way. To be His people.