Have you found the gate?

This verse has always spoken to me in a very simple and plain way:

Matthew 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Of course the gate to life, eternal life is Jesus. Why is this GATE so hard to find? JC Ryle says “Few will be saved because few will take the trouble to seek salvation. Men will not deny themselves the pleasures of sin, and their own way, of a little season.”

I believe JC Ryle is right. He hit on three of the main reasons folks will not find the gate!

1. “Few will take trouble”- Just plain laziness. Following Jesus and being obedient to the Word of God is hard work. Trusting Christ is the easy part but being obedient is not so many will just not do it!

2. “Will not deny themselves”-We are selfish people. We think we know all the answers to life so we have adopted the attitude “if it feels good do it” no matter the cost! The devil makes sin look great and we chose to follow him and not deny ourselves.

3. “Pleasures of sin”-Sin is awesome in the eye of the man who has not truly found the Gate! But for the one who has found the Gate, the conviction of the Holy Spirit will burden us so that sin is not fun! Don’t let a moments so called pleasure ruin the pleasure of an eternity in heaven with Jesus!

So this morning, evaluate yourself. Have you found the Gate? It is narrow and hard to find and most will choose the wide gate to destruction. Choose wisely, the narrow Gate is open just for you!

Tom