1. Matthew 7:13-14 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

2. Matthew 7:13-14 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

3. How well is your GPS working?

4. Matthew Ch. 5–7… ultimate lesson on how to navigate life as a follower of Jesus…our GPS for Christian living Beatitudes Salt and Light Fulfilling the Law Murder/Anger/Adultery/Divorce/ Oaths/Retaliation Love Enemies Giving to Needy Prayer and Fasting Treasures No Anxiety Judging Others Ask, Seek, Knock 2 routes, 2 trees, 2 claims, 2 builders

5. 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” ( NIV ) Matthew 7:13-14 Near the conclusion of the sermon Jesus says … So what do you suppose the audience envisioned when He said this?

6. Wide Gates and Roads Champs Elysees Beijing traffic

8. Luke 13:24-25 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ ( ESV ) Some other verses…

9. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ( NIV ) John 10:7-10

10. So…the road you are on is eternally critical!!! The wide road is easy, the world will cheer/encourage your direction, and this road leads to eternal destruction The narrow road is hard, you won’t be encouraged by the world, but the eternal reward is there for you Jesus says… So I have to ask…is your GPS keeping you on the right route…the one that leads to eternity with God?

11. The answer is clear!!! 3 “ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ( ESV ) John 14:3-6

12. Our perfect guide 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ( NIV ) Hebrews 12:1-3

13. So why is this so hard for us? Much of life seems beyond our control Events seldom turn out as we planned them We want tranquility and seldom get it…instead we are tempted to distract ourselves We have little or no control over conditions that cause great angst or pain Life can be just plain frustrating…leading us to look at the wide road for distraction/relief instead of looking in the right place

14. Our goals become misplaced The world invades our thinking and purpose, crowding out God’s purpose for us Thus we lose our purpose and worry about the urgent, ignore the eternal The world tells us to fiercely compete to maintain or improve our “position” in the workplace or social structure or neighborhood or hobby or … When’s the last time the “wide road people” told you the narrow road is better? They are much more likely to encourage you to join them in the “fun” The very sensory appealing world is actually very demanding, cold, expensive (in many ways), and unresponsive…the world’s appearance is pleasing but it is really a fraud

15. Solomon was the ultimate wide road, party-hardy experimenter…but he observed that the world and it’s appeal is a fraud Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. 12 For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them. ( ESV )

16. Solomon exposes the world’s big lie Swift ⇏ race (work harder, refine techniques) Strong ⇏ battle (tougher than others) Clever ⇏ bread (manipulative, conniving) Intelligent ⇏ wealth (study, reason out) Skillful ⇏ favor of men (refine, practice) I John 2:17 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. ( NASB )

17. So, what is the answer? Psalms 33:4-22 4 For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. 5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love. 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; He puts the deep into storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. 9 For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. 10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

18. Psalms 33:4-22 11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for his inheritance. 13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth— 15 He Who forms the hearts of all, Who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.

19. Psalms 33:4-22 18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. 21 In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You. ( NIV )

20. What does our Savior tell us about our Journey? In John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ( NIV ) Don’t expect tranquility on the narrow road…you will be disappointed if that is your expectation Jesus is the source of peace…a peace that overcomes the tribulations of the world Jesus taught us to not expect peace from the world, we are in the world but no longer of the world

21. How do we overcome these human tendencies and stay on the narrow road? We have to live for the eternal, not today, or the temporary, or the sensory appealing In ancient navigation, the key was the North Star…Jesus is our North Star…He must be in our sight daily We must humbly navigate every day by – Remembering our eternal destination – Being in the Bible every day – Being in prayer every day – Seeking God’s direction daily – Asking for the Spirit to work in you daily