The Door (2)
Notes
Transcript
The Right Way
The Right Way
We see in verse 24 a way...God beckons us to enter in the straight gate...
Not just any old way but the “Straight Gate”
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
We see that many will not be able to enter in...
We sometimes wonder why this is:
simply, that many will not have a fully commited mind or life.
Many will not enter in the bible way
Many will choose to enjoy the pleasures of this life rather than to live holy before their God.
We are reminded of what Matthew said:
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
In the word of God we see:
The promise
The Pathway
And the people that make it.
The Promise:
We see a silver lining or a promise for those that seek God with “All their Heart”
God is preparing a place for us:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
It is not God’s desire to punish people but rather, that none should perish
The Pathway:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The ones that will be saved in that day, and the only ones, are the ones that have their names written in the Lambs book of life.
Those that are born again, sanctified and cleansed through the blood of the lamb
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Our names are written and not blotted out because we have overcome....
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
For we know that he dwells in us and we in him because his spirit dwells within us....
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
We also find that who ever is born of God or Born Again, is made an overcomer.
What this is saying is that the Victory that overcomes the world is through the Holy Spirit and faith or belief.
We know that faith is belief and obedience to his word.
We see the wrong Way
We see the wrong Way
In verses 25-26, we see this example
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
These would be know as those still in the valley of decision.
The people that have a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof.
those people that were religious but not righteous....they have not taken on the righteousness of Christ.
Religion is man’s way: righteousness is God’s way.
We see:
Formality without Faith:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
We see that it is possible for someone to have all the forms of Christianity, yet not be a child of God
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Ritual without Reality:
He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
To many give only lip service to the Lord
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
The apostle Paul knew Christ in a personal way
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
To be “in Christ” is to know him personally and intimately
To follow him in Truth and Obedience.
Religion without Results:
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Their works prove they are not God’s children.
When we are born again we, as it says in 2 Cor. 5.17, that we become a new person…old things pass away and all things become new.
We see the “Weeping”
We see the “Weeping”
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
We see in verse 27, the separation from God that is sure to happen to all that are not born again and that follow after the lust of their flesh rather than the Holiness of God
That have the outward appearance and not the true goods inside.
We see the separation of the wicked from the just
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
We see the separation of the sheep from the goats.
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
And the separation of the Christians from the sinners.
I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
The Sorrow
In verse 28 we see the sorrow that will come upon those that have not made themselves ready when the opportunity was there.
We see the reality of Hell.
The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
The Residents of Hell
We see the ones that are destined to this place called hell...
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
The Redemption from Hell
We also see the redemption from hell..
The promises made and the desire of God towards us.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We see that right now the door of heaven is wide open....
We are in the valley of decision right now
For tomorrow, the door may be closed…for the bible says that today is the day of salvation.
Those that hear the word of God and harden their hearts and chose not to act upon it will be destroyed and face eternal separation from God.
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
we can’t just depend on religious feeling…a “goose bumps experience”
We must make our calling and election sure.
Make sure that we are firmly planted on that solid rock.
Leaving nothing to doubt or chance.
When we are born again and fully living for God in Faith and truth there is good news...
His righteousness becomes our righteousness
His blood covers our every iniquity.
He throws our sins into the sea of forgetfulness and we become a “brand new creature” in Christ.
We see that being religious is not enough....We must be “Born Again”
We must chose to walk through that door that is still open for we know, “today is the day of Salvation”
We can chose to give our lives to God if we haven’t already or we can chose to strengthen our walk with him and to commit in a deeper way.....
1911You may knock at a thousand doors; you may cry and pray and groan and agonize and sweat, even to drops of blood, but there is only one door to heaven, and that door is faith in Jesus Christ. If you will not enter by that door, God himself will not open another.—20.695, 696
Charles Spurgeon