For The Gate is Small
And the Way is Narrow...
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.
MATTHEW 7:13-14 (NASB)
When I opened up my Bible this morning, I began in Matthew 5 - The famous - and beautiful - Sermon on the Mount.
When JESUS saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…’
MATTHEW 5:1-3 (NASB)
The Sermon on the Mount
I have been to where this sermon was claimed to have been preached by our JESUS. High up on a hillside, looking down over a valley where the grey waters of the Sea of Galilee sparkled silver in the sun the day I was there… Even though people have once again tried to prosper in exploiting the areas thought to be visited by JESUS Himself - huge parking lots filled with giant buses teeming with tourists from every place imaginable following signs on sticks held high above their tour guides’ heads as they clamor into quintessential stores - the essence of the definition “tourist trap” - to purchase tacky gifts bearing logos and place names to somehow mark the time and validate the experience; Past the ice cream and the necessary bathrooms, is an outdoor space where JESUS is said to have preached the beautiful and life altering - should we choose and allow them to be - words where He tells us what it truly means and looks like to be blessed, and indeed who - to HIM - actually is. Looking out and down over a such a stunning and magnificent landscape it is not hard to imagine His words or even perhaps, the feelings those hearing them might have had sitting in the tall grasses - feeling the breeze gently blowing as it moved through, their eyes catching the silver sparkle winking in the sun from the waves far down below…
Practicing Righteousness - The WHAT & the HOW
As I continued on through the chapter in Matthew, I moved on to chapter 6 where JESUS gives His description of what it truly means to “practice our righteousness” - Not only the WHAT of practicing our righteousness, but the all important HOW as explained by JESUS CHRIST Himself. He explains how to give to the poor, how to pray, where to go and what to say, and warns against how NOT to do these things, if we hope to receive our reward in heaven from the FATHER who sees and rewards those things that are done only for His eyes, and His alone. Even our giving should not be remembered and recorded except for by Him… JESUS goes on to talk about forgiving others, so our heavenly FATHER will forgive us. Otherwise, He will not forgive our transgressions (see Matthew 6:14-15). JESUS talks about fasting when, not if, and HOW once again. He speaks about our heart being wherever we place our treasure and urges us to choose wisely. JESUS goes on to speak about “the eye as the lamp,” reminding us that the eyes are the lamp of the entire body. We are told that we cannot “serve two masters,” as only one will receive our devotion and love - GOD or wealth. JESUS tells us that we are not to worry about things like food, drink and clothing, as it will not “add a single hour” to our lives; Instead He urges us to regard the birds -
That they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather, and yet your heavenly FATHER feeds them? Are you not worth much more than they?
MATTHEW 6:26 (NASB)
HIS Eye is On the Sparrow and the Lilies
We are called to OBSERVE the lilies of the field in their beauty and splendor and TRUST our FATHER to clothe us even more splendidly. Our FATHER knows ALL our needs, JESUS tells us, all we must do is to:
SEEK FIRST HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness, and ALL these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.*
MATTHEW 6:33-34 (NASB) (*emphasis mine)
Context, Context, Context!
You may have noticed that I have yet to address the opening passage of this post? I began wanting to speak directly from it, and then felt the need to back up a bit to show its necessary context. As tends to happen to me when beginning to read a verse or two of GOD’S Word, I generally find myself backing up to see where it all began. This is exactly where I found myself this morning.
It is impossible to talk about the “small gate” and the “narrow way” without giving the context - the essence, truly - of what that precisely, according to JESUS Himself, means. So I continued on through Matthew 7. Here I read about not judging others, so I “will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1). JESUS teaches about the hypocrisy of pointing out “specks” in the eyes of brothers around us, while ignoring the “logs” in our own eyes (vv.3-5).
And then, there is this verse:
Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
MATTHEW 7:6 (NASB)
Pigs Wearing Pearls
Wow. Okay. This one takes A LOT of unpacking in its own right - let alone its placement - in this passage. This stunning verse comes right after the admonishment of how we judge others (brothers) and to not being a hypocrite, as I mentioned above. Accurate and precise standard of measurement - with regard to judgment - seems of paramount importance, so that we are not hypocrites or judged as we judge. What if our “judgment” (by default our assessment and accountability holding) of those outside the family of GOD, is not only not unadvisable, unwise, or most importantly, unbiblical, but what if by doing so we are, in fact, “giving what is holy to dogs…throwing our pearls before swine…?” This is something I am currently discussing with the LORD, as it seems to be of vital importance to HIM.
JESUS continues teaching. He speaks about ASKING. SEEKING. KNOCKING. (vv.7,8) JESUS moves on to the comparison of giving of good gifts to our children (as evil people) on earth, with the good gifts of our PERFECT and GOOD and HOLY FATHER in heaven - how much more He will give what is good to those who ask Him (v.11)!
And then -
The last verse, before the one I opened this post with, reads:
In everything, therefore, treat people the same way that you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
MATTHEW 7:12 (NASB)
To do all of these things, to become, and to embody all of these attributes and behaviors - as only possible through the HOLY SPIRIT dwelling in our hearts and overflowing into our lives through our words, deeds, prayer and imaginings - leads directly to this:
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.
MATTHEW 7:13-14 (NASB)
There are FEW Who Find It.
It appears that I will need to talk about this another day. It is necessary to let Scripture interpret Scripture for now. GOD still speaks through HIS Word. Spend some time in it with HIM. Prepare to find - and to be found. HE is so very, very good!
You will seek ME and find ME when you search for ME with all your heart.
JEREMIAH 29:13 (NASB)
To GOD Alone be ALL the Glory,
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