June 9, 2015
Not A Whole Lot Of People are Looking For It
Matthew 7:13-14
You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
What makes the Gateway to Life difficult and hard to find? Especially when, deep down, people do know exactly what is right and what is wrong in their lives according to Romans 2.
For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. (13-15)
It isn’t that mankind isn’t informed, but it isn’t the information that saves us. It’s not even obeying the information that saves a person if they haven’t changed they way they think. Paul says in Romans 3,
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are...Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. (v.3:21-22, 27-28)
And there it is -- the difficult road. People are willing to do the “right” thing, but not so much willing to change the way they think, to not be in charge, to not submit. People do this all the time; they’ll do an exemplary job at work for a boss they hate and talk bad about behind his back, serve him with a fake smile, and grind their teeth at the sight of him. Even toddlers who haven’t even been living very long like to say, “I can do it” when they really can’t because they already want to love independence.
We do love our independence, don’t we? But God knows we can’t save ourselves. We must admit we’ve been saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8) rather than boast that we are not hardened criminals. And that is why the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it because not a whole lot of people are looking for it.
Dear God,
I do not mind changing the way I think, submitting to you, and accepting your grace. It has been a fabulous way to live because you are so good, so freeing, and so kind. You love me so much and take really good care of me because of who you are not because of what I’ve done. So, I pray today, again, for our dear friends and family who think they are “good people” and do not care about faith in you, submitting to you, or accepting your grace. They are smug and proud of themselves and don’t ever think about finding the Gateway to Life. I pray they would change their hearts towards you right now even as I pray for them. Let them think about their final destination soberly and correctly tonight before they go to sleep. I love you and thank you for the miracles you’ve done in people’s hearts and that Heaven will be full of surprises! And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Not A Whole Lot Of People are Looking For It
Matthew 7:13-14
You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
What makes the Gateway to Life difficult and hard to find? Especially when, deep down, people do know exactly what is right and what is wrong in their lives according to Romans 2.
For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. (13-15)
It isn’t that mankind isn’t informed, but it isn’t the information that saves us. It’s not even obeying the information that saves a person if they haven’t changed they way they think. Paul says in Romans 3,
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are...Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. (v.3:21-22, 27-28)
And there it is -- the difficult road. People are willing to do the “right” thing, but not so much willing to change the way they think, to not be in charge, to not submit. People do this all the time; they’ll do an exemplary job at work for a boss they hate and talk bad about behind his back, serve him with a fake smile, and grind their teeth at the sight of him. Even toddlers who haven’t even been living very long like to say, “I can do it” when they really can’t because they already want to love independence.
We do love our independence, don’t we? But God knows we can’t save ourselves. We must admit we’ve been saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8) rather than boast that we are not hardened criminals. And that is why the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it because not a whole lot of people are looking for it.
Dear God,
I do not mind changing the way I think, submitting to you, and accepting your grace. It has been a fabulous way to live because you are so good, so freeing, and so kind. You love me so much and take really good care of me because of who you are not because of what I’ve done. So, I pray today, again, for our dear friends and family who think they are “good people” and do not care about faith in you, submitting to you, or accepting your grace. They are smug and proud of themselves and don’t ever think about finding the Gateway to Life. I pray they would change their hearts towards you right now even as I pray for them. Let them think about their final destination soberly and correctly tonight before they go to sleep. I love you and thank you for the miracles you’ve done in people’s hearts and that Heaven will be full of surprises! And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
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