Outline “Enter by the narrow gate” Matthew 7:13-14

 “Enter by the narrow gate” Matthew 7:13-14 - April 19th 2015
                       
I.  Jesus was full of grace and truth             John 1:14
John 1:14 (ESV)
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:17 (ESV)
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

But what does grace and truth look like through Jesus Christ?
II. Two examples of this from Jesus
A The woman caught in _adultery
John 8:3-11 (ESV)
9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

B. The wealthy chief _Tax collector

Luke 19:8-10 (ESV)
8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”


We are called to   “Enter by the narrow gate”

III. Jesus describes two gates concerning eternal destiny

A. The Broad Way that leads to destruction
Matthew 7:13 (ESV)
13 For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
Examples of those on the broad path
A. The Self-Professed Righteous
Luke 11:42-46 (ESV)

B. The  Religious     
Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)

C. The Profane       
Psalm 53:1 (ESV)
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.
D. The Practical Atheist    
Proverbs 16:25 (ESV)
25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

B.  The Narrow Way that leads to Eternal Life
Matthew 7:14
14} But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

IV. What it looks like to be on the narrow path.
A. The relationship between Faith and Works    

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

B. The issue is possessing Christ.  
Eternal life is complete in knowing Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:9-13 (ESV)

If we are going in the wrong direction, we need to turnaround.

IV.  The Great Turnaround
A. The Call to Repent and Believe 
Mark 1:14-15 (ESV)
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

B. The Call to be concerned       
Romans 10:1-4 (ESV)
Conclusion

Proverbs 9:10)  "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.