The document discusses Jesus' teaching about the narrow gate. It explains that the narrow gate refers to Jesus as the only way to eternal life. While many will try alternative routes, only a few will find the true narrow way through Jesus. Entering the narrow gate requires struggle against human pride, love of sin, and Satan's attempts to deter the Christian goal. As Christians, we must repent of sin, believe in Jesus as savior, and constantly fight evil in order to find the narrow gate to heaven and eternity with God.

1. The NarrowWay! – 19th
May 2016
He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will tryto
enter and will not be able to”. (Luke 13:24)
When one comes across this teachingthe reader will alwayswantto know ‘how narrowis the narrowgate…?The
narrowgate, also called the narrowdoor is referred to by the Lord Jesus in 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.
14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it”. Jesus took the parableof
the narrowgate to explain that“many” will be on the broad or easy road which leads to destruction - that refers to
hell.What exactly is meant by this? Just how many are the “many” and how few are the “few”?
First,we needtounderstandthat Jesusis the Door and the only way throughwhichall must enter
eternal life.Thereisnootherwaybecause He alone is“the way,the truth andthe life”aswe learnfrom
John14:6, “Jesusanswered, “Iam the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father
except through me”.The wayto eternal life is not“easy”butrestrictedtojustone avenue andthat is
JesusChrist.Inthissense,the wayisnarrow because itis the onlyway,and relativelyfew people will
finditand go throughthe narrow gate. Unfortunatelyintoday’scontextmanywillattempttofindan
alternative route toGod.Theywill tryto getthere throughmanmade rules,teachings andregulations,
by evenattimesfalsifying religion,orthroughself-effort.These whoare “many”will follow the broad
‘easy’ roadthat leadsto eternal destruction.Butasstatedby JesusChrist,afew “sheep”who
consciously seekhimwill hearthe voice of the GoodShepherdandfollow Himalongthe narrow wayto
eternal life asstatedin John10:7-11.
While there will be relativelyfewwhogothroughthe narrow gate as comparedtothe manyon the
broad road, those will be fromthe multitude of languagesandfromdifferentwalksof life,will followthe
Good Shepherd andreadsalvationthroughHim.The apostle Johnsaw this asa multitude inhisvisionin
the bookof Revelation: “AfterthisI looked,and behold,a great multitudethat no one couldnumber,
from every nation,from all tribes andpeoples andlanguages,standingbeforethe throne and before
the Lamb, clothedin white robes, withpalm branchesin their hands,andcrying out witha loud voice,
‘Salvationbelongstoour Godwho sits onthe throne,and to the Lamb!” (Revelation7:9-10).
Why isit that enteringthe narrowgate is difficultand noteasy…Jesusmade thisclearwhenHe
instructedHisfollowersto“strive”todo so.The Greekwordtranslated“strive”is agonizomai,from
whichwe getthe English word, agonize.The implicationhere isthatthose whoseektoenterthe narrow
gate must do soby struggle andstrain,inthat effortto passthroughthat narrow gate. But we mustbe
clearhere.Noamountof our own effortsavesus; because salvationis onlypossiblethrough the grace
of JesusChristthroughthe giftof faith as foundin Ephesians2:8-9, “Forit is by grace you havebeen
saved,through faith—andthisisnotfrom yourselves,it is the gift ofGod— 9
not by works,so that no
one can boast”.AsChristianswe mustknow that one cannot enterheaven byourselves…butthis
provisionisagiftof God throughJesusChristwhodiedforour salvationandtobe savedfrom eternal
damnation.
AlthoughthisGodgivenpossibilityisavailedtousas Christians, enteringthe narrow gate isdifficult
because of our humanpride,ournatural love of sin,and Satan’sconstantattemptsat deferringour
Christiangoal of reachingGodspresence.AsChristianswe mustknow thatthisisa constant battle that
we need toface againstthis evil adversary,inourpursuitof eternity. We are requiredtoconstantlybe

2. alertof evil thatattemptstodevourus. We can learnfrom1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert andof sober mind.
Your enemy the devil prowls aroundlike a roaringlionlookingforsomeone to devour”.
In the above passage whenwe readof the exhortationto ‘strive toenter’ isreallyacommandto repent.
As Christianswe mustknowthatto seekaneternitywith God,assinful peoplewe needtoreceive
salvationthroughHim whocame to save us. We needto consciouslylivearighteouslife thatismade
possible throughHim. We canlearnfrom Romans3:22- 23, “Thisrighteousness isgiven throughfaithin
Jesus Christto all who believe. There isno difference between Jew andGentile, 23
forall have sinned
and fall shortof the glory of God”.Toreach salvation we needtorepentforoursinand sinfulness,
believeinJesusChristasone’ssaviourand seekoursalvationthroughHim.We needto change our
wrongful waysandmannerismstobeginasa new entityinChrist.Itiswhenwe can consciouslylive this
waythat one may findthe “narrow gate” to enterheavenandan eternitywithGod.
Therefore asChristianswe mustunderstandthatJesusChristtaughtthisparable of the narrow gate, not
for usto “read and forget”but to clearlyunderstandthe embodiedmessage intendedforall of
humanity. Thereforethinkaboutit, don’tcomplainthat“thisgate”is too small ortoo difficultor
unjustlynarrow.We are not to ask whyothersare not entering;we are notto make excusesordelay.
We are not to be concernedwiththe numberwhowill orwill notenter.We are to strive forwardand
enter!Itdoesnot endthere because we are to requiredtoshare with otherswhomwe come incontact
with…andshare thisimportant teachingimploringthem onthe needto toenterbefore it’stoolate.
Jesussadas we read from Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter throughthe narrow gate. For wideis the gate and
broadis the roadthat leads to destruction,andmany enter throughit. 14
But small isthe gate and
narrow the road that leadsto life, andonlya few findit”.

3. “Enter throughthe narrow gate.For wide isthe gate and broadis the road that leadstodestruction,and
many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only
a few find it”. Matthew 7:13-14,