Why Few Find the Why Few Find the Narrow WayNarrow Way

Matthew 7:13-14Matthew 7:13-14““Enter by the narrow Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the gate and broad is the way that leads to way that leads to destruction, and there destruction, and there are many who go in by are many who go in by it. {14} Because it. {14} Because narrow is the gate and narrow is the gate and difficult is the way difficult is the way which leads to life, and which leads to life, and there are few who find there are few who find it.”it.”

Why Few Find the Why Few Find the Narrow WayNarrow Way

• It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.– Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23

Matthew 22:37Matthew 22:37““Jesus said to him, ‘You shall Jesus said to him, ‘You shall

love the LORD your God with all love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’”with all your mind.’”

(Takes Total Commitment)(Takes Total Commitment)

Luke 9:23Luke 9:23““Then He said to them all, "If Then He said to them all, "If

anyone desires to come after Me, anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”his cross daily, and follow Me.”

(Takes Self-Denial)(Takes Self-Denial)

Why Few Find the Why Few Find the Narrow WayNarrow Way• It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.

– Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23• Many Are Prejudiced.Many Are Prejudiced.

– Isaiah 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 13:5Isaiah 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 13:5

Isaiah 6:9-10Isaiah 6:9-10““And He said, ‘Go, and tell this And He said, ‘Go, and tell this

people: “Keep on hearing, but do people: “Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.” {10} ‘Make but do not perceive.” {10} ‘Make the heart of this people dull, And the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.’”return and be healed.’”

(Refuse to see the truth)(Refuse to see the truth)

2 Corinthians 13:52 Corinthians 13:5““Examine yourselves as to Examine yourselves as to

whether you are in the faith. Test whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?; unless indeed you are you?; unless indeed you are disqualified.”disqualified.”

(We each need to examine (We each need to examine ourselves with honesty)ourselves with honesty)

Why Few Find the Why Few Find the Narrow WayNarrow Way• It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.

– Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23• Many Are Prejudiced.Many Are Prejudiced.

– Isaiah 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 13:5Isaiah 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 13:5• They Have Been Deceived.They Have Been Deceived.

– 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Peter 2:1-22 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Peter 2:1-2

2 Corinthians 11:13-152 Corinthians 11:13-15““For such are false apostles, For such are false apostles,

deceitful workers, transforming deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”according to their works.”

2 Peter 2:1-22 Peter 2:1-2““But there were also false But there were also false

prophets among the people, even as prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift bring on themselves swift destruction. {2} And many will destruction. {2} And many will follow their destructive ways, follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.”will be blasphemed.”

Why Few Find the Why Few Find the Narrow WayNarrow Way• It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.

– Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23• Many Are Prejudiced.Many Are Prejudiced.

– Isaiah 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 13:5Isaiah 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 13:5• They Have Been Deceived.They Have Been Deceived.

– 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Peter 2:1-22 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Peter 2:1-2• They Succumb To Peer Pressure.They Succumb To Peer Pressure.

– John 12:42-43; John 5:44John 12:42-43; John 5:44

John 12:42-43John 12:42-43““Nevertheless even among the Nevertheless even among the

rulers many believed in Him, but rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; {43} be put out of the synagogue; {43} for they loved the praise of men for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”more than the praise of God.”

John 5:44John 5:44““How can you believe, who How can you believe, who

receive honor from one another, receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?”comes from the only God?”

(It doesn’t matter what men (It doesn’t matter what men think… only what God requires think… only what God requires

from us!)from us!)

Why Few Find the Why Few Find the Narrow WayNarrow Way• It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.It Is Strict, Rigorous and Difficult.

– Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23Matthew 22:37; Luke 9:23• Many Are Prejudiced.Many Are Prejudiced.

– Isaiah 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 13:5Isaiah 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 13:5• They Have Been Deceived.They Have Been Deceived.

– 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Peter 2:1-22 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Peter 2:1-2• They Succumb To Peer Pressure.They Succumb To Peer Pressure.

– John 12:42-43; John 5:44John 12:42-43; John 5:44• Because We Fail To Teach Them Because We Fail To Teach Them

About It.About It.– Romans 1:14-15; Acts 8:4Romans 1:14-15; Acts 8:4

Romans 1:14-15Romans 1:14-15““I am a debtor both to Greeks I am a debtor both to Greeks

and to barbarians, both to wise and and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. {15} So, as much as is in to unwise. {15} So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.”to you who are in Rome also.”

(If we don’t have a desire to (If we don’t have a desire to preach the word, it will not preach the word, it will not

happen!)happen!)

Acts 8:4Acts 8:4““Therefore those who were Therefore those who were

scattered went everywhere scattered went everywhere preaching the word.”preaching the word.”

(Even persecution should not (Even persecution should not preclude our sharing His word preclude our sharing His word

with the lost!)with the lost!)

ConclusionConclusionAre you among the Are you among the “few” who will find “few” who will find

life eternal?life eternal?

““Because narrow is the Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, way which leads to life, and and there are few who there are few who find itfind it.”.”