Matthew 7 - The Hard Way
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 7:13-14 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. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
OBSERVATION: Jesus knows this concept better than any of us. What could be greater testimony to this statement: "the way is hard that leads to life" - than the cross on which Jesus would later die? The way to life is so hard that it could very well kill you. Jesus died while walking in that way, and so did most of his disciples, all of whom were martyred except for Judas and John.
Yet it was not JUST Jesus' death that illustrates this way, it was his ENTIRE life. It was a life of setting aside his crown of glory, and picking up the basin and towel to do the work of a servant. He CHOSE poverty, he had no place to lay his head, he traveled constantly, he invited people to give their burdens to him - their illnesses, their sin, their sorrow, whatever it might be.
He took the hard way, so that we might have life through him.
APPLICATION: There is encouragement here for all who are struggling through life. The struggle does not necessarily mean that you are doing things wrong. In fact, the struggle COULD be an indicator that you are doing things right. For the path that leads to life is not easy, it is hard, and few find it.
What makes the path to life hard? It's because I am fighting sin all the way. I fight a desire to be lazy every morning when my alarm goes off. I also fight a desire to work without resting after I get up. I fight a desire to judge other people and withhold mercy, to make other people pay for what they do to me rather than forgiving and entrusting them to God. I fight a desire to hold on tightly to my money and resources rather than give them away and trust that God will replace them. I fight a desire to control other people rather than love other people.
Thanks be to God that Christ walked down the path to life in my place! Through him I have the grace to remain faithful even when the way is hard, and to get back on the path when I am lead astray by what is easy rather than by what is right. Through the living example of Jesus, I know that when my life gets hard it doesn't mean he has left me, it means he is right in front of me, leading me in the path of life.
PRAYER: Father this is a hard teaching, and a hard way on which you ask me to walk, but it leads to life. Thank you for encouragement in the midst of difficulty, and most of all for your Son, who leads me in the path to life. In his name - Amen.
OBSERVATION: Jesus knows this concept better than any of us. What could be greater testimony to this statement: "the way is hard that leads to life" - than the cross on which Jesus would later die? The way to life is so hard that it could very well kill you. Jesus died while walking in that way, and so did most of his disciples, all of whom were martyred except for Judas and John.
Yet it was not JUST Jesus' death that illustrates this way, it was his ENTIRE life. It was a life of setting aside his crown of glory, and picking up the basin and towel to do the work of a servant. He CHOSE poverty, he had no place to lay his head, he traveled constantly, he invited people to give their burdens to him - their illnesses, their sin, their sorrow, whatever it might be.
He took the hard way, so that we might have life through him.
APPLICATION: There is encouragement here for all who are struggling through life. The struggle does not necessarily mean that you are doing things wrong. In fact, the struggle COULD be an indicator that you are doing things right. For the path that leads to life is not easy, it is hard, and few find it.
What makes the path to life hard? It's because I am fighting sin all the way. I fight a desire to be lazy every morning when my alarm goes off. I also fight a desire to work without resting after I get up. I fight a desire to judge other people and withhold mercy, to make other people pay for what they do to me rather than forgiving and entrusting them to God. I fight a desire to hold on tightly to my money and resources rather than give them away and trust that God will replace them. I fight a desire to control other people rather than love other people.
Thanks be to God that Christ walked down the path to life in my place! Through him I have the grace to remain faithful even when the way is hard, and to get back on the path when I am lead astray by what is easy rather than by what is right. Through the living example of Jesus, I know that when my life gets hard it doesn't mean he has left me, it means he is right in front of me, leading me in the path of life.
PRAYER: Father this is a hard teaching, and a hard way on which you ask me to walk, but it leads to life. Thank you for encouragement in the midst of difficulty, and most of all for your Son, who leads me in the path to life. In his name - Amen.
