The strait and narrow way (Quality: Good)

[0:00] Will you turn to Matthew chapter 7, the Gospel according to Matthew the 7th chapter to verses 13 and 14.

[0:12] Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 and 14. Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat, because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

[0:42] With the Lord's help we look to these verses, and let me say at the very outset that these words are for the encouragement of believers, because this is part, as you know, of what we call the Sermon on the Mount.

[1:03] And the Sermon on the Mount that begins with the Beatitudes and continues with that very precious teaching for the Lord's people, it is addressed to those that have been brought into these characters, who have been made poor in spirit, made to mourn, made meek, made to hunger and thirst after righteousness, made merciful, made pure in heart, made peacemakers.

[1:33] It most certainly belongs to the Lord's people. And so these words here are not words in the principal reference that are directed to the unbeliever, and yet, of course, as they are preached from, and if there be such amongst those that hear the preaching, then there is most certainly a word of warning to the unbeliever, because there are those things set before us in these verses that show the way of false religion, and the end of false religion.

[2:13] Broad is the way, and the end is destruction. So we are thinking of what the Saviour utters with a view to the encouragement of the true people of God.

[2:33] And the encouragement is set before us in the portrayal that is made in these verses. We have a picture of two ways in these verses.

[2:46] A narrow way that is entered by a straight gate, and a broad way that is entered by a wide gate.

[3:00] And all of humanity is in one or other of these ways. The narrow way is that which leadeth unto life, says verse 14.

[3:14] Narrow is the way which leadeth unto life. This is the way of true, this is the way that is Christ's way. This is the new and the living way.

[3:27] This is by union with the one who is himself the way, as he is the truth and the life. But in this way, in union to Christ, in the experience of Christ's salvation, at any time of observation, there are few to be found in this way, and certainly few by comparison with the numbers that you will find in the other way.

[3:59] Narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. But in that other way, there are many which are brought into that way, through the gate which is white.

[4:15] We find that in the 13th chapter of Luke, there is a very similar statement to this, which I think it is important to take note of, and I may refer to it more than once this evening in preaching.

[4:30] In the 13th chapter of Luke, and in the 23rd and 24th verses, then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?

[4:42] And he said unto them, strive to enter in at the straight gate. For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

[4:55] And in another place, in Matthew 22, 14, we are told that many are called, but few are chosen. So the first way that we are to observe is this narrow way which leadeth unto life, Christ's way, the way of true salvation, relationship to the Savior.

[5:16] And we are to notice that there are few that find it. Few there be that find it.

[5:27] But then the second way, in the 13th verse, which is entered upon by the wide gate, it is the broad way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in their art.

[5:42] In opposition to the few that are in the narrow way, there are the many that go through into the broad way.

[5:53] This is the way of those who remain in ignorance of the true God and his salvation. In ignorance of their own sinful need of salvation.

[6:08] This is the multitude of those also that being told the way of salvation of no interest. To learn of these things who ignore the word of the truth of the gospel that is preached to them, they are in their own eyes in the right way.

[6:30] They are in that way that they judge will suit them and bring them ultimately to heaven. They want to enter into a large place and they are sure that the way that they are following will bring them there.

[6:44] Their own thinking, their own morality. They judge to be quite sufficient for the present and quite sufficient for the future. And they go in there through the wide gate into the broad way.

[7:03] Now the Bible says much concerning the two ways. It's a favorite term of description of those that are in grace and those who are not.

[7:15] And it is a good exercise with a concordance to trace the use of the word way through the Old Testament and in the New Testament also as here.

[7:27] And I just mention one or two things that the Old Testament scripture has to say about the way that is the broad way that leads to destruction.

[7:38] In Psalm 1 and the 6th verse, the way of the ungodly, the way of the ungodly shall perish.

[7:50] In the Proverbs, the 12th chapter of the Proverbs and the 15th verse, the way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

[8:07] The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. And there are a great many people that they are right in their own eyes. They are quite sure that what they are doing and how they are living and the goals that they are following will do to see them through.

[8:25] And if there's a future state, they say, well, they will take their chance. They'll be as good as the next person and they have as much hope as anybody else. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes.

[8:39] Proverbs 14 and the 12th verse also. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

[8:53] I don't think for a moment that the majority of people that are in the various religions that you find upon the earth and they're ever so numerous. I doubt if we could ever count them up and feel that at the end we had covered all the possibilities.

[9:08] There are so many religions of one sort or another. I'm sure that all the devotees of these religions are sure that they're in the right way. And that scripture then is a very telling scripture.

[9:22] Romans 4 in Proverbs 14 and verse 12. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

[9:34] You see, that's completely contrary to popular thinking because you're not expected to say that there is a way, but it's a wrong way.

[9:45] It's a false way. And the end of that way is destruction and death. You're meant to say that, well, whatever way a person follows, as long as he's sincere in following it, as long as he's doing what he thinks is right, that's good enough.

[10:00] He'll be all right. But it's not what the Bible says. The Bible does not speak as men might want it to speak, but the Bible declares the truth of the matter.

[10:11] There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the way of death. It's the way that leads to hell.

[10:21] And that's exactly what the Savior is saying here. Wide is the gate. Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction. That leadeth to destruction.

[10:33] There is that way that seemeth right to a man, but the end is the way of death. And that is the second death.

[10:43] That's the death of Romans chapter 6, 21 and 23. For the end of those things is death, says the apostle. The ways of sin, the fruit that sin brings forth when sin is entertained and sin is indulged.

[10:58] It's the way of death. And then the end of that sixth chapter, Romans 6, 23. For the wages of sin is death. Destruction.

[11:09] Separation from God forever in hell. Now there are only these two ways. There are only these two. The narrow way that leadeth unto life and the broad way that leadeth to destruction.

[11:25] There isn't some third way. All men and women are certain that there is a third way. And you know what sort of third way they're looking for?

[11:36] They want a third way that will give the experience of the broad way to them. And yet the end of the narrow way when this life is over.

[11:47] That's what they're looking for. They're wanting a third way that combines the ease of the broad way now and the certainty of the end of the narrow way at death and thereafter.

[12:01] That's the sort of religion that many people are seeking. That's what they're looking for. And any false religion that purports to give them gratification of the self and the flesh now and yet heaven at the end is the religion that they will follow.

[12:19] It's much better than these two ways that are set before us in the word of God. There must be a third way they say. But there is no third way. Christ makes these unique claims.

[12:32] John 14, 6 I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. Peter says neither is the salvation in any other name. None other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved.

[12:48] You're either spiritually alive in Jesus Christ or you are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. You are either saved or you're lost.

[13:00] You're either going to heaven or you're going to hell. You're either in that narrow way that leadeth unto life or you're in that broad way that leadeth to destruction.

[13:11] God's division is division by two. It's either or. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

[13:28] And that's true in our meeting. It's true in our world. It was true in the day when Christ uttered the words that we're looking at. It was true when John spoke that text I've just quoted.

[13:41] It will be true when the Lord Jesus Christ comes again. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Have we got life or are we dead in trespasses and in sins?

[13:58] Are we born of God? Or are we those that remain as those in the state of nature? That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

[14:16] Well then these statements we make concerning these two ways. there are these two ways and only these ways and we want to look at them a little more closely but let us first of all look at the gates.

[14:31] Let us take a moment to consider the gates in verses 13 and 14 of Matthew chapter 7. Now the word that is translated a gate doesn't mean a tiny gate in the sense that it is into some garret or into some cellar.

[14:51] it means it is a gate which leads into a very large place indeed. That's the word that's used. We are going to be looking in a moment at the condition of the gate that leads into the narrow way that it is a straight gate but the word for gate itself means that which ushers into a very large place indeed.

[15:18] Now both of the gates then that are before us in verses 13 and 14 that which is the gate into the narrow way that which is the gate into the broad way are gates into very large places.

[15:33] Places of prospect. and there will be many in heaven for in the heavenly state there will be a multitude that no man can number who are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.

[15:48] And there will be those multitudes in that other place. The gates usher into places which are very large places in themselves. One reached by a narrow way one reached by a broad path.

[16:02] But the two gates then are further described. First of all we look at the straight gate that is the narrow gate that is a gate to be squeezed through.

[16:15] Here is a gate that must be squeezed through and that teaches us certain lessons. Though it's opening into a large place it's got to be squeezed through. And it teaches us this lesson that we do not begin life in the narrow way.

[16:33] We've got to be brought through the straight gate into the narrow way. Natural birth doesn't put anyone into the narrow way whether they be the son or the daughter of Christian parents whether they live in a Christian country so called whether they have all the benefits and blessings of a Christian church where the gospel is faithfully preached and these are great benefits and blessings.

[16:58] None of these things cause it to be that a person is automatically in the narrow way. You're not born naturally into the narrow way.

[17:10] You enter the narrow way through the straight gate. You've got to be brought through this constricting gate into that narrow way that will bring you in the end to that great and glorious city whose builder and maker is God.

[17:28] We do not begin life in the narrow way. To become a Christian there must be an entering in at the straight gate. And then the second thing that we learn by this teaching of the straight gate is that the narrow gate is too narrow for any of us to get through unaided.

[17:49] You can't squeeze yourself through this narrow gate gate that brings us into the spiritual way, the narrow way that leadeth unto life.

[18:01] Naturally speaking, we are too proud to get through a gate that is constructed for the humble. Only the humble can go through this gate. The proud have to be abased. And when you are of a mind that you know your way and that you're sure that you're in the right path and that you'll get to heaven as you judge that that way is open, then you're in a proud, self-reliant defiance of God and you will never get through the straight gate into the narrow way.

[18:34] And not unaided will any get through it because by nature we are all too proud to get through such a narrow gate as this. And then also it is too hard to get through it.

[18:51] We cannot squeeze ourselves through it. We are those that unaided will never get through because of the hardness of our hearts.

[19:05] We are those that have these hard hearts by nature. And unless our hearts be softened we can never get through this narrow entrance, this straight gate into the narrow way that leadeth unto life.

[19:20] So you see God has to remove our pride and God has to take away our hard hearts so we will never get through. That's why we are reading in the earlier chapter blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[19:36] They've been brought into that gracious awareness of their need and their sinfulness and that they have nothing to commend them by nature to God. They've been humbled.

[19:46] They've been brought to an end of themselves. And so their proud hearts have been removed. They are those that are now small enough to go through that straight gate.

[19:59] And when there has been this work of grace that has taken the stony heart out of the midst and given them a heart of flesh, they are now those that can be brought through by the power of irresistible grace.

[20:13] when the Holy Spirit then has reduced us to the right size, we can go through that gate, not a moment before it. And if he doesn't do it, we shall never go through it. And that word of Luke, the 13th chapter and the 24th verse, strive to enter in the straight gate.

[20:30] For many, I say, unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able to enter in. Because they're wanting what's on the other side.

[20:41] They're wanting heaven. They've got some view of heaven. And so they're coming, because they're hearing the word preached, they're coming to the straight gate, but they're not prepared.

[20:52] They're not prepared to come on God's terms. They're not seeking salvation. They're not the recipients of salvation. They shall not be able then to enter in. They're seeking heaven, but they're not brought by the grace of God to that humility of spirit and to that contrition of heart.

[21:11] That the spirit of God has made them small enough to go through that place. And I don't think that there are very many in all the religions on the earth that have been brought to that place where the spirit of God has made them small enough to go through that straight gate and into the narrow way.

[21:34] And if he's brought us to it, then it's a wonderful thing. It's a very great thing. And perhaps even when he brought us first because of the circles we moved in and the sort of things that we heard, we were never really brought to see it in these terms.

[21:49] We may even have thought that it was all up to us to give our heart to Jesus and to enter in by our own effort. And it's only as he has shown us these things. And it's because we're in the covenant that we've been shown them at all.

[22:02] But we've been shown that no, it was not through anything that was in us. It was no virtue in us that brought us into the narrow way. Through that straight gate it was sovereign grace or sin abounding that cut us down to size so that we were able to go through to the other side and enter into that way.

[22:26] And this is the effectual call. This is the power of the gospel applied by the Holy Spirit to his people. He brings his people to that place where they are the right size to enter through the straight gate into the narrow way.

[22:45] Now then let us look at the wide gate. Let us consider this other gate. And this is a gate which is ample and spacious. It is a wide gate.

[22:57] Wide is the gate. And it leads into a broad way. And again will you notice that this is not speaking so much of men in the state of nature here.

[23:13] Of course we would say that men in the state of nature as they are born and as they are those upon whom Adam's sin is come, they are those by original sin that are crooked from the very womb.

[23:29] They are those that are sinners from the womb. and in a sense they are in the broad way that leadeth to destruction. But this is not so much speaking of that.

[23:41] This is saying that men are not in this broad way because they are born into. This is what they choose to enter into.

[23:54] Many there be which go in there out. This is the religion that they have chosen for themselves. every man has got to have some form of religion. Even the atheist has his own religion.

[24:06] His very atheism is his religion in a sense. If he's a rabid atheist he's made a god of his atheism. And men are made that they must worship something.

[24:18] If they're not going to worship the true god and very few do then they will worship something. They will worship gods of their own making. They will bow down to idols. And we have our modern idols in our modern society.

[24:31] Just as surely as in remote places they bow down to sticks and stones. Men will worship something. And this is speaking of the worshipping of men that they put themselves into a religious way.

[24:45] But the religious way that they put themselves into does not cost them anything to enter into it because the gate is wide. It can take the whole number of those that are following in the way that leadeth to destruction.

[24:58] It can take them all through it almost at once. It's wide enough for that. And the broad way brings nothing that is unpleasant to them. They don't have to bend to go through the gate.

[25:11] They don't have to squeeze through it at all. It's broad enough for them just to walk through it without any inconvenience. This is the religion that many people choose. It has many forms.

[25:21] There will be many different varieties of it. All man made but it's the religion that people want with little inconvenience to enter into it and nothing on the way that will be in any way adverse to them.

[25:36] And they're in this way and the only trouble is that this is the way that leads to hell and not to heaven. But this is the difference. The gates lead eventually to very great consequences and conditions.

[25:53] The narrow way entered by the straight gate leads to heaven. And the broad way that is entered by the wide gate leads to hell itself.

[26:04] Few in the one, many in the other. All that God will give us to know in which way we are this night and which gate we have come through.

[26:16] Enter ye in at the straight gate. gate. Luke 13 24 strive to enter in at the straight gate. You see this is a word to Christians in Matthew chapter 7 verse 13 enter ye in at the straight gate because the sense of the Greek word that's translated there enter in is ye have entered.

[26:38] It is a nearest, second nearest in Greek which if my Greek still remains is always descriptive of something which has taken place.

[26:50] They are those that have been brought to enter. The Lord has by his spirit already brought them to this side. They're poor in spirit, they're mourning over sin, they are those that are meek, they are those now that are pure in heart by sovereign grace.

[27:04] They enter in because they have been made to enter in. They're in this condition, they're in this experience. And the strive to enter in at the straight gate in Luke 13 24 which is not the same situation.

[27:18] The Lord is giving much the same word but it's in an entirely different setting in Luke 13 as you will see. And there it is keep on striving.

[27:30] It is a present imperative, it's keep on striving to enter in at the straight gate. But this is enter ye in at the straight gate because you've entered in, you've come in this way.

[27:44] Enter ye in at the straight gate because it's far better, this is the word of encouragement to Christians, it's far better to have entered in that way than to be as so many others that have gone through the wide gate but they're in the broad way and the end is hell.

[28:00] How much better it is to have been brought in at the straight gate. So easy to take the alternative. Judaism in the day of Christ had largely taken the alternative.

[28:13] It was in the broad way. It was in that way of works and law keeping and doing and ceremonies and it was external and often times it wasn't even trying to keep the letter of the word of God's commandment but the traditions of the fathers.

[28:31] And there were many that were following guides that brought them into the broad way through that wide gate. There was no acknowledging their sinfulness.

[28:42] There was no crying to God for mercy for the great majority of the Pharisees. Their religion was a straightforward enough religion. They knew exactly what they had to do.

[28:54] They were absolutely sure that if they did these things that they would inherit eternal life. What shall I do, said the rich young ruler, to inherit eternal life?

[29:04] I want to get it on my works, on my efforts basis. I want to inherit it by the things that I have done but you can't inherit anything that way. An inheritance comes, does it not, through the death of another person.

[29:17] An inheritance has nothing to do with you whatsoever. And they had this confusion but so many confused. They were in that way of works, thinking that by the works they would earn salvation.

[29:32] They weren't led by demons. They were led by the Pharisees, the scribes and the teachers. They were not led to truth. They were led to the distortion of truth.

[29:42] They were led to that way which seemeth right to a man but the end thereof is the way of death. They were led to the way of formalism and externalism, not to the inwardness of true religion.

[29:55] They were led to hypocrisy rather than to heart experience. They were not, you see, led to Christ. That's what it amounted to. Why, the very Christ of God, they had no time for him.

[30:06] They took him by wicked hands and crucified and slew him. And where there is no place for Christ, there can be no salvation. You can have salvation where Christ is debased, where he is demoted, where he has a place but no prominence, where he is not the preeminence which he seeks from those who are his people.

[30:28] they were in a broad way. How easy to go into the broad way. And there are all these religions that I've said, there are many forms of religion, many species of so-called Christianity this day that purport to be right.

[30:43] And yet they lead people through a wide gate, through an easy path. They lead them to destruction. And there are all these other systems too, humanism and communism and world religions so numerous.

[31:00] And all of them that lead not to Christ but lead to destruction and to hell. It's easy to follow the crowd that's in the way. There are multitudes in the way which is the false way, only a few in the narrow way.

[31:15] So easy for the majority to go in that way. They don't need to stoop to enter, they don't have to squeeze through, they don't need any dependence upon the Spirit of God.

[31:27] They can do it all in their own strength. And it will bring them into the easy way, religiously speaking, but it will bring them to the place which is a very large place indeed and there are many places they are prepared.

[31:42] They're prepared for the devil and for his angels and for all that will be brought to that future unhappy state in the broad way that leadeth to destruction.

[31:55] Now let us look at it a little further, the straight and the narrow. Enter ye in at the straight gate because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it.

[32:10] We've looked at the word that it is the entrance into a very great place indeed. Well it's the entrance here to heaven. When the years of our pilgrimage are concluded we go to be with Christ which is far better.

[32:25] It is the straight gate the narrow gate the constricted gate. Now the Greek word that is translated straight or as we might render it narrow constricted is the word stenos and it is also the word for groaning the same root that gives us narrow or straight put to the gate is the word that we would find in the Greek for groaning.

[32:59] And there is a sense in which being brought through this constricted aperture there is a groaning one groans as we would if we just squeezed through a tiny space and we could just get through it would be that which would make us groan.

[33:14] We would have many grunts and groans as we got pulled through it. Well isn't it most amazing that this word that is translated the straight gate is the word for groaning.

[33:28] Same word as in Exodus 2.24 in the Greek of the Old Testament God heard the groaning of his people under the Egyptian taskmasters.

[33:40] Well how eloquent this is. Those that go through the straight gate know a great deal about groaning. They know what it is to groan. They're brought under conviction of sin and they groan.

[33:53] When they heard these things they were pricked in their heart we're told on the day of Pentecost. They were pricked in their heart. Men and brethren what shall we do they said. They were groaning under the weight of their sin and their guilt their accountability to God.

[34:10] When you're seriously ill you oftentimes groan. The sickness makes you groan. And when you realize by the grace of God that you are seriously ill in spiritual terms.

[34:23] That there is a malady there which is fatal that will bring you not just to the grave but bring you to the pit of hell. You groan. You groan under it. And the groaning Christian is the Christian that goes through the straight gate.

[34:37] It's the place of groaning. It's the groaning gate into the narrow way. If you've never had a sick night for sin you know I quote it so often Rutherford's words.

[34:49] If you've never had a sick night for sin you've never lighted upon Christ. There's little groaning in today's gospel preaching. There's little of the groaning in the description of the Christian.

[35:04] The place for groaning would just not be there at all in many circles where the very reverse is taken to be the mark of God's favor. That we never groan. That we celebrate. That we rejoice.

[35:15] That it's all joy and praising and celebration. But the true believer knows a great deal of the groaning. When you look at the sermons of George Whitefield you find that he traces out much of the groaning and we're told that often times he preached with groaning and tears pouring from his eyes as he preached the message of the gospel.

[35:38] If you know what it is to groan my friends if you have been through that straight gate you'll have been brought to know something of what it is to groan. The very straightness of that gate will have made you groan.

[35:50] Christ groaned in the spirit. We also ourselves Romans 8 23 which have the first fruits of the spirit groan within ourselves waiting for the redemption to wait the redemption of our bodies.

[36:05] And if you're a child of God you will come sooner or later to that. I'm not saying that we all come at the same time but we will come to it that we're groaning to be with Christ. We're groaning to leave this time state.

[36:18] We've got nothing here really that we relate to. We are here and we will remain as long as God has willed for he's appointed the time of our death just as he appointed the time of our birth.

[36:31] But we groan more and more we want to get rid of this sinful body that we're in. Don't you feel that as a child of God tonight that oh if you could only be rid of your sinfulness.

[36:42] You feel your sinfulness is a clog that you take about with you. It's as though you were dragging your sin about with chains wherever you go. Oh the joy it will be when we cease to have sin anymore to molest us and to vex us and to torment us.

[36:59] Sin's our worst enemy. And we groan within ourselves. We are desiring that change to take place. We want that redemption of our bodies. The groaning of the child of God is a very real thing.

[37:12] When there's a real exercise, when we've been brought through that narrow place we'll never quite stop groaning. We will keep on striving to enter in that way so we will keep on groaning to our dying day.

[37:25] The true believer is the groaning Christian. And the narrow way then is also a most significant expression. Not only is it the groaning gate, the straight gate, but it is the narrow way, that is the way literally of pressure.

[37:44] pressure. The way of pressure, the word flips us. It's the word for downward pressure, crushing pressure, compression, oppression, affliction.

[37:58] And the narrow way is the way of pressure. It's the way of affliction. It's the way in which we feel there are those things that are bearing down upon us.

[38:08] what a strange and wonderful thing is the providence of God. We read in the 18th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. We read of Paul in Corinth.

[38:21] Did you read these words? He was reasoning, persuading the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

[38:35] and when they opposed themselves and blasphemed. And there are some that say well this was a pressure of the spirit that he should preach but can you imagine him preaching? And he had been preaching. He had been preaching to the Jews in all the period until these men caught up with him in Corinth.

[38:54] Can you imagine him preaching to the Jews and not preaching Christ? He was pressed in spirit because of the reaction of these men and when they came and encouraged them even more to preach these things.

[39:05] They opposed themselves and they blasphemed so much so that he shook his raiment and said unto them your blood be upon your own heads. He was under pressure. He was under this very pressure of the narrow way.

[39:20] In the faithfulness of his testimony he knew what it was to be under pressure. We are under pressure as the Lord's people from within. Galatians 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary.

[39:38] The one against the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Do you feel that pressure continually? Are you living with that pressure that the good you would you do not and the evil that you would not that you do and is that a pressure to you?

[39:51] Does that vex you? Does that cause you to groan? Because you feel the pressure from within and then there's the pressure from without. 2 Corinthians 8.5 Our flesh Paul said had no rest but we were troubled on every side without we're fighting.

[40:06] Within we're fierce. Many enemies from without. Enemies that are against us because we've been brought through the straight gate into the narrow way and there those that have gone through the wide gate into the broad way and there's bound to be a conflict and there'll be an opposition and the devil will stir them up against us.

[40:26] And a man's fool shall be there of his own household. And there will be no needing to look for those that will be our opposers if we're in that narrow way and come through that straight gate.

[40:38] The pressures will be upon us within and without the way of affliction. Christ says in this world ye shall have tribulation. Thlipsis. It's the same worked for the narrow way.

[40:50] It's the way of affliction. And when in Acts 14 and 22 you read of the apostles going back to confirm the souls of the disciples they're exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation flips us enter into the kingdom of God.

[41:13] This is the way you see. Why isn't this taught? Why isn't this preached? Why isn't it shown that the child of God will have the conflict? That the child of God will know tribulation, will know the pressure.

[41:25] pressure as sometimes as though he were between the upper and the nether stones of the mill and they're grinding and they're squeezing what seems to be the very life out of him.

[41:37] Pressed under these things. This is the way, the narrow way. It's the way of tribulation. It's the way of affliction. It's the way where we are tested.

[41:49] Do you feel these pressures? Do you feel the very hardness of being a Christian more now? I feel it's a greater pressure upon me to be a Christian now than it's ever been in the past.

[42:05] I have to confess that before you this night. It is a struggle. It is a fight. And the only encouragement is that this is the fight, this is that which we are called to in the very fact that we have been brought by the Spirit of God through a straight gate into a narrow way.

[42:23] It's the way of affliction. It's the way of tribulation. In this world, ye shall have this affliction, this tribulation. But be of good cheer, Christ says, I have overcome the world.

[42:35] This is the way that leadeth unto life. It's the same word used at the end of 2 Corinthians 4. Our light affliction. Which is but for a moment.

[42:47] Though it seems to be so extensive and lasting and lingering. But it is but for a moment compared with eternity. What's time to eternity? What's our light affliction which is but for a moment when we compare it with the exceeding and eternal weight of glory that is there to be ours.

[43:07] When we enter in, when we come to where Christ is, when we receive our inheritance, we are those that are blessed. It's a momentary lightness but there's an exceeding great and glorious weight of blessing attending us.

[43:26] This narrow way is not forever. It leadeth unto life, eternal life, life in all that fullness that ear hath not heard, I hath not seen, neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for them that love him.

[43:44] Don't give up. Don't feel that your lot is hard. This is what you were called to. This is why you were brought through that straight gate. That's why you're in this narrow way. It's the way of trial.

[43:54] It's the way of testing. And it was just this afternoon that I thought of these words in the hymn that we were singing, wasn't it? 453 in grace. Borna was so right in what he says in this hymn.

[44:09] He speaks of the experience of the Lord's people. No wider is the gate. No broader is the way. No smoother is the ancient path that leads to light and day. No sweeter is the cup.

[44:21] Nor less our lot of ill. T'was tribulation agey since. Tis tribulation still. No slacker grows the fight. No feebler is the foe. Nor less the need of armor tried of shield and spear and bow.

[44:36] We're fighting all the time. It's going to be a fight to our dying day. Some of us will have a fight upon our very deathbed. That's part of the narrow way.

[44:48] But it leadeth unto life, my friends, and when we've been put through that gate and brought into that narrow way and known something of the conflict, no one will pluck us out of the hand of Christ.

[44:59] No one will cause us to be diverted into that broad path. We meander towards it. We're prone to wander, prone to leave the God we love, but he always draws us back.

[45:10] Our shepherd will ever bring us again for his name's sake, because his oath and covenant and blood guarantee it. His very nature demands it.

[45:25] We will be brought back into the green pastures and beside the still waters. And you see the wonder of it is, and it's a light infliction indeed, because we have, even in this narrow way, watereth waters, and he restoreth my soul, because of me to walk in these places of his provision, and to feed upon the rich provision of a gracious saviour and a covenant God.

[45:54] God, well, then, the final thing that I bring to you in brevity is the end of the way, the end of the way. The broad way entered by the wide gate leadeth to destruction.

[46:10] What is the end of the broad way? It is destruction, eternal loss, the pit of hell. It's a smooth way. There was no groaning on that way.

[46:22] There's no groaning in the religion of men. Not this spiritual groaning of the exercised child of God. There's nothing of that. They never know anything on that way of the afflictions of the soul, the tribulations of the soul, as the flesh lusted against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary to one to the other.

[46:43] But they come at the end, and it's hell, it's their portion, eternal loss. Now, there's a very significant place in Romans chapter 2, and I would have you turn to it.

[46:56] Romans chapter 2, and the sixth verse, and certain other verses following, where Paul is speaking of the judgment day. The judgment day when Christ comes, and when there is a rendering to every man according to his deeds.

[47:12] Romans 2, verse 6, who will render to every man according to his deeds. In verse 8, but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribulation, and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.

[47:37] Here are those that are contentious. They are not humbled. They are not those that have been brought into the low place, not for a moment. They are not those that are obedient to the truth of the gospel, but they are contentious, and they are those that are disobedient.

[47:57] That's what it says in the eighth verse, unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribulation, and anguish.

[48:09] Now what is the portion? What is the portion of those that do not obey the truth and are contentious unto them? Tribulation and anguish, slipsus, and stenochoria.

[48:24] The very words of the believer's portion in this life. He knows what it is to groan, and he knows what it is to be under tribulation, to know the narrowness of the way.

[48:39] But when he comes to glory, there will be no more of that groaning, and there will be no more of that affliction, no more of the tribulation. But those that have had a religion that they've chosen for themselves and put themselves through the wide gate and into the broad path, they will know an endless condition of tribulation, narrowness.

[49:01] They will know an endless condition of groaning, groaning under the awful wrath of God through a lost eternity. Now isn't that a remarkable use of words?

[49:11] They will have the narrowness and the straightness after judgment. The child of God has the narrowness and the straightness before judgment, and because he has the narrowness and straightness in his experience of Christ, he never comes to condemnation.

[49:29] But he has passed from death unto life, and he enters into that life which is eternal. The others go on the broad way. They've never had a sick night for sin.

[49:40] They've never had to groan over their soul's condition. They've never known the conflict of the believer with the world, the flesh, and the devil, but they will have an endless experience of it in hell.

[49:53] In that state forever there will be narrowness and straightness, tribulation and anguish, pressure and groaning. No remission of it, no light affliction, but an eternal affliction.

[50:07] No time when at last they will move from that condition back to a better condition, but it is fixed forever. And there will be no change or alteration in the lot.

[50:22] And on the other hand, the narrow way entered by that straight gate where there is affliction in the way and where there is that groaning, it leadeth unto life.

[50:34] Romans 2, 7, to them who seek by patient continuance in well-doing for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.

[50:46] We are those that are going on giving diligence to make our calling and election sure, seeking that we might pursue wholeness, seeking that we might be those that know we're in the right way, who feel the very costliness of these things, who feel our souls to know the pressure of it.

[51:04] Are we Christ or are we not? We are the very ones then that experience these things that will enter into eternal life. And we only wonder when we view these things that ever we've been made to pass through that straight gate and ever that we've been brought into that broad way.

[51:25] Certainly it took irresistible grace to bring it about, but we would never have even desired it. We would never even have seen the gate beckoning to us, I believe, if it had not been that our eyes were opened.

[51:37] And we would never have been brought through it had we not been made by the Spirit of God small enough to enter thereby. And we would have long since faltered on that narrow way, the way of tribulation, but he held us up and he's kept us thus far.

[51:52] And my friends, he'll keep you to glory. May we look to him and know that his word is true. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for as a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

[52:08] While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are unseen are eternal. All then that you might be in that narrow way, having been brought by sovereign grace through that straight gate, and the end is life, life eternal.

[52:28] None can rob us of that. Not even our own hearts can take us away from Christ. He holds us up and he keeps us and he will bless us with all the blessings of our God.

[52:41] All then that we might be those that rejoice for the way that he has led us and that we complain not at the dispensations of his providence. They are afflicting things, they are those things that vex us.

[52:56] But even crosses from his sovereign hands are blessings in disguise. He knows what he's doing with us. And soon he will bring us into that future state of glory, into that large place.

[53:08] That's our inheritance. An incorruptible and undefiled inheritance awaits you and me who are in that narrow way. It's reserved in heaven and not only the inheritance reserved in heaven, but you and me preserved, kept by the power of God through faith unto that salvation.

[53:27] God, a mercy then to be comforted by words such as these that speak of the difference between the true religion of the few and the false religion of the many.

[53:39] And there may many in the false way, but thank God that we are not in that way. And please God that we are in the way that is described as the narrow way, that God himself has brought us there.

[53:51] And if we had not had this experience and we had suddenly become aware of it, thank God that you have been shown these things. Strive to enter in at the straight gate. And God will bless because the kingdom is taken by force.

[54:07] The violent take it by force is a remarkable scripture. There is that for the desiring, earnest, seeking soul there will surely be a heaven prepared.

[54:18] The Lord does not mock us. In a world of endless ruin it shall never once be said there is a soul that perished suing for the Saviour's promised aid. Seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.

[54:33] God bring us all through that straight gate into a narrow way and unto life and in the glory to come we shall declare the goodness of God. All our days in that place where there is no more night, where there is but one great eternal day and Christ in the midst and our eyes taken up with him and our tongues filled with his praises.

[54:58] Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive glory and honour, dominion and power. God then bring us there and keep us in the present in that narrow way, sure of this that it leadeth unto life, eternal life at the end, by the grace of God.

[55:19] May these few thoughts be sealed to us. For Jesus Christ's sake, Amen.