Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the
WEEK 31
BEING IN AWE OVER OUR NARROW
ESCAPE
MATTHEW 7:13-27
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.
Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness."
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his
house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.
EVERLASTING GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we think of the narrow and broad ways Jesus spoke about. We realize that vast numbers of humanity
are blithely headed for eternal judgment, and we confess that we ourselves
are in every way worthy of such judgment.
By nature we are corrupt and defiled. Our wills are in bondage to our own fleshly desires. Our very souls are ruined, lifeless, and utterly profane
because of our sin. By ourselves we are without strength,
without merit, without hope, and unable to lift ourselves up from that fallen condition.
But we have found our hope in Christ,
who opened the narrow way
and ushered us through the small gate. We are grateful recipients of Your abundant mercy
and the exceeding riches of Your grace, all made available freely to us from the hand of Christ. In Him we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished on us unsparingly.1
Thank You, Lord, for loving us enough
to rescue us from sin, death, and hell. Although by rights we should have been destroyed,2
You freely granted us forgiveness, life, and the bliss of heaven. You sent us the perfect Mediator,
our blessed Redeemer, the man Christ Jesus.3
For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame,4
discounting the horror of bearing the great weight of all our sins,
and bearing our judgment in His own body— so that we might die to sin and live unto holiness.5
How horrible that must have been for the eternally Holy One
who prayed, "Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was"!6
Nevertheless, our Lord Jesus was neither dissuaded nor dispirited,
but accomplished the work You gave Him to do, declaring triumphantly with His dying breath,
"It is finished!"7
Christ thus suffered for our iniquities;
He bore our sorrows; He paid our penalty; He removed our guilt; He bought our redemption; He fulfilled all righteousness; He justified multitudes; He brought glory to Your Name; and He fulfilled all Your good pleasure.8
By His work justice was fully satisfied,
Christ Himself was vindicated, Your law was upheld, the truth of the gospel was established, and Your eternal love was powerfully put on display. Enlarge our poor hearts to apprehend these truths better,
and fill our mouths with humble thanks.
Lord, we need ongoing cleansing so we may come before You
with clean hands and a pure heart.9
We enter into Your presence on our knees with joy,
anticipating Your peace and blessing. Filled with hope, we look forward
to that glorious eternity awaiting us in heaven, where we will worship You perfectly. Until then we bow before You with imperfect adoration,
but with our feeble powers strengthened by Your Spirit, we offer You praise in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
1. Ephesians 1:7-8 2. Malachi 3:6 3. 1 Timothy 2:5 4. Hebrews 12:2 5. 1 Peter 2:24 6. John 17:5; Hebrews 12:2 7. John 19:30; John 17:4 8. Isaiah 53:4-11 9. Psalm 24:3-4
PRAYERS ON PERSONAL
HOLINESS