That small gate.....

“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)

The road less traveled is the road to the Kingdom of God. It’s not that it is impossible to walk through that little gate or walk that narrow road, but because it is so small and so narrow, most folks choose the bigger gate and broader road. After all (or so the rationale goes), everyone else is going this way, so it must be okay.  Humanity, like fish in a stream or a herd of animals, follows each other on the easiest path.  Those that follow Jesus are called to be different.

That is the manner of thinking that Jesus came to challenge. If He were present today, in our world of democracies and parliaments, He would probably point out the obvious, which is, “The majority may rule, but the majority is often wrong.” Be careful of assuming that doing, thinking, acting, or living a particular way is acceptable to God because “everyone else is doing it”—such was the thinking of the Germans during WWII, and the citizens of Jericho and Sodom and Gomorrah.… Sadly, just because folks call themselves Christians does not mean that they’re always doing the right thing, or walking the narrow path.

Jesus was clear: Choose the path that most folks choose not to take. Walk through the gate that might require you to bend a little. Don’t follow men and the common way of thinking, living, and being…but rather be prepared to learn to think, live, and “be” a new way—God’s way.  And His way does not rely upon the approval or acclaim of men. In fact, following God can at times be incredibly lonely.  But if I examine the heroic men and women of God in the Bible, I am astounded at how lonely and bereft of companionship they often were. Following God and seeking His Kingdom will not make me popular or a celebrity—but it will draw me closer to the heart of God Himself.

Jesus said that, “Unless you become as a little child, you will never enter into the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 18:3, NIV). Again, this is not common thinking. One would think that mature, fully developed adults would be the kind of folks God would be appealing to. Men and women of experience and learned—educated.  But no, Jesus says heaven is for the simple, the child-like, the humble, the ones who think more of others and less of themselves.  Heaven is not earned by good deeds, or merited by our race, gender or mental or physical attributes. Jesus said that these three things are clear:

• Eternal life is a gift—we’re not entitled to it.

• Jesus said we have to “become as a child” (Matthew 18:3, KJV)—whatever that means—to receive it.

• We’re told again and again that some folks will be surprised that they are not a part of the Kingdom while others are surprised that they are.

So it’s free. We have to become as a child. And some folks have mistaken ideas about what it takes to get it—there’s going to be some people disappointed that they are not a part of heaven.  Again, Jesus said that God wants all men (i.e., mankind) to be saved. But it’s only given to those who are willing to become like a child.

I will tell you what I think that means.

I enjoyed a wonderful childhood of playing games, building tree houses, boating in the lake, riding my bike, etc. All that I did or experienced was possible because of my parents who taught me, provided for me, and protected me.

Never in my entire childhood did I have trouble sleeping at night; I don’t ever recall being anxious over any future events; I laughed a lot more than I do now and thought I was very gifted and special—because my parents kept telling me how wonderful and bright I was.

I can still recall as a toddler hearing my dad come home and running down the hallway to have him pick me up and usually stumbling, hitting my head on the terrazzo floor!  I could not wait for him to come home and pick me up.

But as I grew up I began to doubt that I was smart, or special or gifted. I learned to worry about grades, being accepted at a new school, being cool enough to be a part of the most admired groups in my classes, etc.  And I began to get stressed!

Becoming as a child in order to enter into His Kingdom does not mean that I never worry or have doubts. It means that I have come to a place, at some point in my life, where I realize and admit that I am in need of a father once again—someone that can look after me, give me rest and be the delight of my soul. And I have to acknowledge to this Eternal Father that I not only need to be taught a lot, but that I also need to unlearn quite a bit. Becoming a small child means that I humbly admit to God that I do not have the answers and I am not able to make it on my own! I need a dad to help me!

But I also think that coming to God as a child means that I am, in my heart, looking forward to all that He has prepared for me. I am ready to chase rainbows, collect stones from creeks, and run to His arms.  This is becoming a child.

If we are too mature or independent or proud, the Kingdom will not be ours, according to Jesus. We have to humble ourselves and allow Him to be our Father…

…and what a wonderful Father He is.

The last point Jesus made should call us all to take note: We’re told again and again that some folks will be surprised that they are not a part of the Kingdom while others are surprised that they are.

How is that possible?  How can folks preach about Jesus, do miracles in His name, even bring lost souls to salvation, and end up in hell?   The answer is clear: They don’t know Jesus—and He is not intimate and close to them. They’ve been putting up a charade—and an act—their entire lives.

On March 26, a few years ago,  at the American Atheists' convention in Bethesda, Theresa MacBain seemed almost giddy. The day before, she decided she would go before the conference's 1,500 or so nonbelievers and announce that she is officially an atheist. She said,  ”I am nervous," she says, "but at the same time I am so excited. I slept like a baby last night because I knew I wasn't going to have to live a lie anymore.  She contineued, ”I'm a pastor currently serving a Methodist church — at least up to this point" — the audience laughs — "and I am an atheist.”  Hundreds of people jump to their feet. They hoot and clap for more than a minute. MacBain then apologizes to them for being, as she put it, "a hater.” "I was the one on the right track, and you were the ones that were going to burn in hell," she says. "And I'm happy to say as I stand before you right now, I'm going to burn with you."

Believing in the existence of Jesus is just not enough. Even admitting your sins, bad as they are, is not enough. Even admitting that Jesus was raised from the dead is not sufficient.  Many folks who lived when Jesus rose knew and admitted all of this, but Jesus will surely say, “Depart, I don’t know you.”  You must be born again.

How to be born again? “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”  That’s the short formula!

The matter is the heart.  It’s not just lip service or reading some magical spell!  It’s a change of heart.  And there are some whose hearts have never been reborn. They think and act the same way they did before they met Jesus!

In John’s first epistle, he said this: “This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit….We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.  And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.  😊