Sermon on the Mount The Narrow Gate

Matthew 7:13-14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to
destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to
life, and only a few find it. (7:13-14)
Jesus makes a striking statement in these verses which mark the beginning of the conclusion of
the Sermon on the Mount
He is rounding it off and applying it, and urging upon His listeners the importance and
necessity of practicing it . . . His object in this Sermon is to bring Christian people to realize
first of all their nature, their character as a people and to show them how to manifest that
nature and character in daily life . . . He has come from heaven to earth in order to found and
establish a new kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven (Martin Lloyd Jones, Studies in the
Sermon, page 476)
This is the first part of the conclusion in which Jesus compares two gates and two roads (1314), followed by the comparison of two trees (15-20), then two professions of faith (21-23),
and finally the builders of two houses with two distinctly different foundations (24-29)
This comparison of the two gates and two roads teach us that the path of following Jesus is
neither easy nor popular the gate is small and the road is narrow, and few find it
We must understand that the relationship that Jesus offers with Himself is not a reward for
doing good, but an experience of forgiveness and based upon Gods grace when we trust Him
(Matthew 11:28-30, John 1:12, John 3:16, Romans 3:9-22, 8:1-2, 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-9)
But responding to the Gospel is not to be glamorized or sugar coated Jesus said He had not
come to bring peace but a sword of division (Mat 10:34), that we would have tribulation in this
world (John 16:33), and that we would experience persecution (Mat 10:22, 24:9, John 15:21)
Contrary to some of the superficial approaches to modern evangelism, both the gate and the
road are narrow it is a narrow life, it is a narrow way . . . it is not a life which at first is
broad and which as you go on becomes narrow . . . no, the gate itself is a narrow one (Jones,
page 479)
The gate that is wide and the road that is broad is the popular path many enter through it
But this is not the road that leads to life but the road that leads to destruction
These two paths are consistent themes in the Old Testament I have set before you life and
death, blessings and curses . . . therefore choose life so that you and your children may live
(Deut 30:19); I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death (Jer 21:8); There
is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12)
It is true that Jesus offers us both abundant life (John 10:10) and eternal life (John 3:16)
But because He is not of this world (John 18:36), neither are we of this world (John 17:16)
Our identity is not of our world or our culture, but our citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20)
The Apostle Paul tells us, examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith (II Cor
13:5)

 Healthy introspection should lead us to ask: Have I repented of my sin of self-assertion and
trusted Christ to forgive me and make me a new creature? (I John 1:9, II Cor 5:17) Is Jesus
now the Lord of my life? (Rom 10:9-13) Is pleasing Him more important than pleasing
anyone else? (Gal 1:10) Am I a citizen of His kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven? (Eph
2:19) Am I certain I will spend eternity with Him? (John 14:1-4)