Life on the Narrow Road
Several year ago former Gaither Vocal Band lead vocalist Steve Green recorded a Christian song entitled, "Find us Faithful." The first few words of the song remind those of us who have chosen to devote our lives to following Jesus Christ that we are pilgrims on the journey of the narrow road. Some of you might wonder what that means.
In what the Bible refers to us as "The Sermon of the Mount", Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14 NIV
Up to this point in "The Sermon on the Mount" Jesus had been talking about the kingdom of heaven and the traits of Kingdom citizens. At this point in his sermon Jesus changes from talking about the traits of kingdom citizens to kingdom citizenship.
Although kingdom citizenship is inclusive and diverse and has no membership limitations, kingdom citizenship comes at a very high price. First all of you must be rightly related to the king, we have to become a child of God. Although none of us are born into the family of God, the Bible teaches that we can be born again.
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn,not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. John 1:12 NLT
Unlike United States citizenship, kingdom citizenship is not automatically guaranteed. Citizenship in heaven is not inherited. Just because your parents are/were kingdom citizens doesn't mean you are automatically born into God's family. Everyone has to enter the narrow gate by themselves and shed many things from their old way of life to enter through the narrow gate. Some people have deceived themselves into thinking they are kingdom citizens and on the narrow road while never giving up anything from their old way of life to enter through the narrow gate. While thinking they are on the narrow road they still travel with those who are on the broad road that leads to destruction.
The narrow road that Jesus refers to that leads to life is the life that Jesus called "the abundant life." My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10 NLT
This abundant life or the rich and satisfying life is the path of sanctification. This is the path that kingdom citizens take having entered through the narrow gate.
It is a choice of setting one's life apart for God's use and God's glory or what we often refer to at Flack Memorial as being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Over the course of the next few weeks, maybe months, the focus of our teaching in our weekly worship times will be about life on the narrow road.
When traveling, the route we choose is paramount in reaching your destination. Although there are differences of opinions of how a person gets to heaven, since God determines who enters into heaven it's important that we know the path He prescribes.
Life on the narrow road need not be a mystery to you or cause you to feel as though you are wandering aimlessly through life with no sense of direction. Our map for this journey is the Bible.
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105 NLT
I sense that God is calling our entire church family to a deeper and richer relationship with Him living life on the narrow road. Some of have taken detours that have led them down paths of disappointment and despair. Others were enticed to exit the narrow road only to go down paths that were dead ends.
If you've never traveled the narrow road, the onramp is just ahead. We'll move over so you can merge into the flow of traffic where we are headed into the rich and satisfying life Jesus promised, living life on the narrow road.
