Matt 7. The Two Ways
Jesus Paints a Portrait of Two People by Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey
Jesus, as a master artist, portrays two people as they journey through time into eternity. He employs the medium of word pictures to convey these concepts on the canvas of your mind. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:13-14). Note several things in these verses.
First, there is a portal of entry. Jesus begins, "Enter by the narrow gate" and later He refers to those who "go in by [the wide gate]." These days we hear about college athletes entering the transfer portal. Someone explains, "The portal was designed to simplify the complicated process of players unhappy at their current schools finding a new program and a new coach." Charles H. Spurgeon said, "Hell has many gates, though heaven has but one." Is the gate you entered narrow or wide?
Second, there is a portent to everyone. Jesus gives this portent to all. A "portent" is "a sign or warning of something momentous or calamitous." It involves something of a future significance. For example, "red sky in the morning" can be a portent of a coming storm, as well as "red sky at night" can be a portent of a clearing sky the following day. Jesus states, "broad is the way" as opposed to "difficult is the way." Thus, there are only two ways. These poetic words from John Oxenham come to mind:
"To every man there openeth a way, and ways, and a way,
And the high soul climbs the high way,
And the low soul gropes the low.
And in between, on the misty flats,
the rest drift to and fro.
But to every man there openeth a high way and a low;
And every man decideth the way his soul shall go."
Third, there is a portion for eternity. Jesus further explains, "wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" and "narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Will your portion for eternity be in heaven or in hell?
Someone said, "When people gossip about you and say, 'He takes Jesus and the Bible way too seriously.' You're on the right path and it's a narrow one." J. C. Ryle said, "If friends will not walk in the narrow way with us, we must not walk in the broad way to please them. Health is not infectious, but disease is." Warren W. Wiersbe warns, "False teachers make the way easy and popular; if you truly follow Jesus, you pay a price and the way sometimes becomes lonely."
In this portrait of two people, which one are you?
Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, Author of Don't Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah and
Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice [Both available on Logos and Amazon] January 31, 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Jesus, as a master artist, portrays two people as they journey through time into eternity. He employs the medium of word pictures to convey these concepts on the canvas of your mind. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:13-14). Note several things in these verses.
First, there is a portal of entry. Jesus begins, "Enter by the narrow gate" and later He refers to those who "go in by [the wide gate]." These days we hear about college athletes entering the transfer portal. Someone explains, "The portal was designed to simplify the complicated process of players unhappy at their current schools finding a new program and a new coach." Charles H. Spurgeon said, "Hell has many gates, though heaven has but one." Is the gate you entered narrow or wide?
Second, there is a portent to everyone. Jesus gives this portent to all. A "portent" is "a sign or warning of something momentous or calamitous." It involves something of a future significance. For example, "red sky in the morning" can be a portent of a coming storm, as well as "red sky at night" can be a portent of a clearing sky the following day. Jesus states, "broad is the way" as opposed to "difficult is the way." Thus, there are only two ways. These poetic words from John Oxenham come to mind:
"To every man there openeth a way, and ways, and a way,
And the high soul climbs the high way,
And the low soul gropes the low.
And in between, on the misty flats,
the rest drift to and fro.
But to every man there openeth a high way and a low;
And every man decideth the way his soul shall go."
Third, there is a portion for eternity. Jesus further explains, "wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" and "narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Will your portion for eternity be in heaven or in hell?
Someone said, "When people gossip about you and say, 'He takes Jesus and the Bible way too seriously.' You're on the right path and it's a narrow one." J. C. Ryle said, "If friends will not walk in the narrow way with us, we must not walk in the broad way to please them. Health is not infectious, but disease is." Warren W. Wiersbe warns, "False teachers make the way easy and popular; if you truly follow Jesus, you pay a price and the way sometimes becomes lonely."
In this portrait of two people, which one are you?
Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, Author of Don't Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah and
Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice [Both available on Logos and Amazon] January 31, 2023 © All Rights Reserved
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