1. The words of this morning’s text, Br. & Sr., are well-known. I think we all are quite familiar with the figure speech used here by the Lord Jesus: the straight and narrow road on which it is not always easy to travel over against the broad highway. Yet although we are all quite familiar with this image, at the same time I wonder whether it is clear to all of us why the Lord Jesus calls the gate leading to the kingdom of heaven narrow and the road difficult to travel on.

In former days many a Christian family had a print on the wall with a picture on it of the two ways mentioned in our text. On this picture the broad highway passed the pub, the nightclub, the cinema, and a lot of other worldly entertainment; in short: a picture of a real offensive way of life. On the other hand the narrow road was pictured really narrow passing along steep cliffs; indeed hard to travel on! The purpose of this print was to warn against a worldly way of life and as such it was surely in line with the warning we read in our text.

At the same time I wonder wether the contrasting colours of this picture were of much help. For if travelling on the broad highway was only a matter of indulging oneself in all kind of worldly entertainment, perhaps the vast majority of the church members were not so much in danger of walking on this road. At least I hope so. But does this do justice to the warning Christ voices in our text? Surely not!

For a start in this sermon Christ is not addressing unbelievers asking them to enter through the narrow gate and therefore to leave the broad highway that leads to destruction. But – as I mentioned it in an earlier sermon – He is addressing the NT church, those whom at the beginning of this sermon He had called ‘blessed’, ‘the salt of the earth’, and ‘the light of the world’. For a proper understanding of our text we do well to keep this in mind.

For as regards these two ways, beloved, it’s surely not true that once you have chosen to travel on that narrow road, you are no longer in danger of coming into contact with all the things the broad highway has to offer. Like the cycle path that runs along North Road – cycling on this path you don’t have to worry about all the cars that pass by. You are quite safe.

One would indeed love that it was like this with these two ways mentioned in our text. Yet the story is totally different, since the narrow road and the broad highway of our text continually meet each other. Within the analogy I could say: there are many crossroads, where one has to be very careful not to make the wrong turn off and in doing so endanger his life. That’s why we do well to take the warning of our text quite serious. It’s not so that this is a warning only for some of us; a warning only for those members of the congregation who perhaps have a desire to indulge themselves in all kind of worldly entertainment. No, with this word Christ addresses all of us, since we all are in danger here. This may become clear when next we will address the question why Christ speaks about a narrow gate. Yes, what is it that makes the gate to life narrow and the road to life difficult to travel on?

When reading the words of our text in their context this question is not so difficult to answer. In the Sermon on the Mount Christ speaks about the righteousness, which God requires of us. I could also say, in this sermon Christ points us to the house rules of the kingdom of heaven. What are these rules? Well, let me just list some as Christ mentions them in this sermon:

In short, Br. & Sr., entering through the narrow gate and travelling on the road that leads to life has everything to do with the obedience God requires of us. It means that you want to serve the LORD from the heart, without turning to the right or the left.

From this explanation it can be clear that one can easily loose his footing and slip on this narrow road. As I said it before: we all are in danger here. Well, beloved, that’s exactly the reason why the Lord Jesus concludes this sermon on such a serious note saying, "You should not just listen to My words, but you now also have to live accordingly. For that’s the only way in which your life will really be blessed. Realise that all other ways – no matter how attractive they may seem to be > all other ways lead to destruction, to death, death eternally!

I think the message is clear, beloved. Enter by the narrow gate, i.e. walk in the ways of the LORD! After all, that makes life beautiful. For then our Father in heaven receives the glory due to Him. He, who in Christ has blessed us so richly! Yes, in Christ, we are indeed tremendously rich.

Yet the paradox now is that it is exactly these riches in Christ, which make the gate to life narrow. Why?

The answer is: because the vast majority of the people look for riches and joy rather somewhere else. Saying this, beloved, I’m not only speaking about unbelievers, but there are also church members – young people as well as adults – who regard the pleasures to be enjoyed along the broad highway more interesting and more precious than the riches they have received in Christ. They don’t want to give them up. If you would ask them they would still say that they love the LORD and walk in accordance with God’s commandments. But in the meantime they interpret God’s commandments less strictly than Christ does it in the Sermon on the Mount.

Br. & Sr., taking the warning of this morning’s text to heart we better examine ourselves whether with us there is indeed a true genuine desire to serve the LORD according to His Word; whether we are indeed willing to walk on that narrow road without turning to the right or the left. Yes, do the riches in Christ indeed mean everything to us? And – if necessary – are we also willing to bring sacrifices for it; sacrifices by giving up a sinful lifestyle of which deep down we know quite well that it is not pleasing the LORD. This might be difficult. But that’s exactly what it says in our text. The way that leads to life is difficult. Walking on the broad highway one doesn’t have to worry about this, and of course that makes life much easier. But note well, that highway which is much easier to travel on is actually a no through road. And also when you have come to the end of that no through road it’s too late to turn around, too late to find back that narrow road. Then you are lost. And so we do well to pay careful attention to the road signs put up by the Lord Jesus in the concluding part of His Sermon on the Mount.

Prof. J. VanBruggen in his commentary on this sermon, which has as subheading "a travel guide for Christians", writes the following,

"Although criss-crossed by recognizable and well-travelled roads, the Palestine hill-country also contained small paths to villages and fields, sometimes only marked by a couple of stones. Then it’s necessary to be careful and pay attention to the marks in the sand or grass. While the wider road often travels around the village, that hardly traceable path leads to it. Whoever finds it, arrives home."

In the passage following the words of our text the Lord Jesus warns against false prophets, i.e. prophets who try to widen that narrow road by interpreting God’s commandments less strictly. And of course such teaching does go down very well with the people. It’s much more easy to listen to. And again, then we should not give thought straight away to false teaching in other churches. It starts much closer to home, often in little things. We just go slightly off the track.

For example in a discussion with someone who addresses us about certain things we do, we say, "What is wrong with this or with that? Don’t be so narrow-minded." Yet we say this because we just want to do what we like, no longer having in mind first and foremost what God wants us to do, but own pleasures instead. We find God’s commandments to strict. We want more space for ourselves, the space that is provided at the highway. We find the road we have to travel to narrow. And we wonder: does it have to be so narrow?

I think, beloved, the Sermon on the Mount is clear in this respect. As regards God’s commandments the Lord Jesus explains these commandments indeed in a very strict way. Let me just mention a couple of examples. Then I think first of all of Mt. 5, 21 & 22, "…" This surely is a serious word. When as communion of saints we have to live up to these words there is quite some work to be done among us. Often we shrug this off by taking these words less serious with the result that nothing changes. But, beloved, that’s not what Christ wants. He says, this is how God’s children should live together in the kingdom of My Father. Yes, then the gate is indeed narrow and the road difficult.

I would like to mention one other example, Mt. 5, 27 & 28, "…" With these words the Lord Jesus points to the root also of the 7^th Commandment, condemning even all impure desires, which so easily are aroused in today’s sexually orientated society. Yes, then it is hard to keep your heart and lives pure, to live holy before the LORD. Also in this area there are many dangers that threaten us and our children. Again then the gate is narrow and the road difficult to travel on. Difficult, when our heart goes out to the pleasures to be enjoyed in this world. Yet, Br. & Sr., all what this world has to offer us is passing away, not lasting, whilst the riches in Christ never pass away, they last forever. Looking at it from that angle it should not be difficult what to choose.

Moreover, the riches in Christ we receive for nothing. In fact they are already ours. They have been granted to us at the day we were baptised. It’s like a cheque given to you. You only have to cash it. Yet whoever considers this cheque as worthless will miss out on the riches it represents.

I hope the message is clear, beloved. The gate through which we may enter the kingdom of heaven is narrow indeed. The road to life can be hard to travel on. Yet those who travel on this road are blessed in Christ. And that makes all the difference.

As parents we should tell this also to our children, not in such a way that they a get a dislike of travelling on this road, but instead may rejoice in obeying God’s commandments. Then indeed the way in which we speak with our children is very important. For example, when they come home and ask you, "Dad, why am I not allowed to do this or to do that? Why can’t I go that party?" Then we should not just say, "Because I say it and you have to listen! Full stop!" No then we should do what Moses the Israelite’s fathers told to do. Let us just have a look at that. > Explain Deut. 6, 20ff, "…" See there, how we should speak with our children with warmth and love about serving the LORD, as something to be enjoyed, and also that obeying God’s commandments is for our good always! May the Lord through His Spirit bless such teaching, so that also our young people have only one desire: to walk on that narrow road, even though at times it might be difficult. Young people, you too should remember on that narrow road Christ is on our side. And He will make sure that despite the difficulties we may face on that road, our foot will not slip or falter. Yes, when we cling to Him we will receive the strength we need to walk firmly on the narrow road without turning to the right or to the left. Yes, then we will even rejoice in that we are allowed to walk on this road, this toll free road, which leads to the New Jerusalem.

2. We saw, Br. & Sr., that entering the kingdom of have requires sacrifices. Since the gate is narrow, we cannot take everything along to enter through that gate. Our own proud ego, our old sinful nature, worldly baggage, that illicit joint you smoke together with your friend, etc., – these are all things we must do away with first before we can enter through this gate. For this gate is too narrow to take these things along. They will only hinder us travelling on the road to the New Jerusalem. It’s no wonder, therefore, that many people rather travel on that other road, the broad highway, where one does not have to make these sacrifices.

Travelling on the narrow road thus can become a very lonely exercise. It brings with it isolation. The Lord Jesus points this out as well, when He says, "There are few who find it."

Again we have to keep in mind, whom the Lord Jesus is addressing in the Sermon on the Mount. Speaking in our text about many over against few Christ is not referring to many unbelievers over against few believers. But addressing His disciples He says that even in the church there are members who prefer travelling on the highway above travelling on that difficult road. These are members who consider Christ’s interpretation of God’s commandments to be too strict. They find it too difficult to live this way. They want more freedom, the freedom that is offered on the highway. No, they don’t mind to come to church on Sunday. They may even have appreciation for the sermons they hear. But that’s all. They don’t want to make any real sacrifice for the service of the LORD.

This shows, Br. & Sr., that being a member of the church, being baptised, or even having made profession of faith, one does not just automatically walk on the narrow road. Serving the LORD requires of us making a choice every day again, a choice to serve the LORD from the heart and to do away with all sinful baggage, which hinders us to enter through the narrow gate. Doing so it can happen that even fellow members in the church start laughing at you, calling you a ‘goodie, goodie’. "Come on, don’t be so narrow-minded. You don’t have to take life so serious!" Remarks like these hurt, especially when they come from fellow members in the church. At times it can make life indeed pretty lonely, we feel the isolation, not only in the world, but at times even in the church.

No, then we don’t have to seek this isolation just for the sake of it. Speaking about the church as the salt of the earth I have pointed out that in the midst of this world the church has a salting function. In Rev. 11 we read about the two witnesses raising their voices in the street of the great city, which refers to the prophetical calling the church has in the midst of this world. That’s how we are to live our Christian life in the world. Yes, then we have to show also the community in which live that the gate to life is narrow. Well, you don’t show that when at the same time you still join in with all kind of worldly parties. Then we have to make a stand, even when this causes us to become isolated. Realise, beloved, that it is exactly in this isolation that you will find your strength.

Then people may laugh at you, even fellow church members, saying that you are much too serious, much too narrow-minded. But then you carry this cross joyfully for Christ’s sake. No, then this might not always be easy. But remember then what Christ Himself says in this same Sermon on the Mount, Mt. 5, 11 & 12a, "…"

See there why we don’t have to loose heart, even when the road we have to travel is difficult and the number of travellers on that road might be few. For – as I said before – on this road Christ is with us and that makes all the difference. Yes, with the Saviour on our side we can travel on despite the hardships we might have to endure.

Enter by the narrow gate. Perhaps, Br. & Sr., we do not always like the narrowness of this gate. Yet when this happens it might well be that we have our eyes no longer fixed on Christ and the riches we have received in Him. For if we would do so then it becomes a joy to walk on this road. Then we feel privileged, even though the journey might not always be easy.

Beloved, may this joy always determine your life. Then your walk on this narrow road will be a blessed walk. Blessed, since on this road Christ walks with us and keeps us safe in His care.

Amen.