Choosing the Narrow Gate
Read More About Our Latest
Sermon
Pastor Gearl Spicer, October 20, 2024
Part of the Listen & Learn series, preached at a Sunday Online service
Matthew 7:7-14
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
The Golden Rule
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Sermon Notes
How would you describe your pursuit of Jesus?
*and from inside he answers and says, do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything. I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. Luke 11:7-8
*Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find, knock, and it will be opened to you. vs.7
*In everything, therefore, treat people in the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.vs.12
*Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are may who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. vs.13-14
*Choices have consequences and good choices have great results!
Arriving at the narrow gate:
Persistent pursuit of His true direction—vs.7-8
*The condition of our heart will determine the power of our pursuit!
II. Pray with confidence that God’s best is reserved for us—vs.9-11
*The position of our Father in our lives is an affirmation of His good intentions!
III. The Gospel opens the door to the Golden Rule—vs.12
*The opportunity to treat others as yourself is grounded in personal transformation!
IV. Decisively pursue the narrow way in order to experience life-vs.13-14
*The contrast of the narrow and wide is directly linked to our pursuit and commitment!
What are you in pursuit of today?