Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction

                                   
Many of you have told me on occasion that you like the editorial lessons that I present for you to consider and I appreciate those words of encouragement. But, I have to confess to you something that I believe is shared by all Bible teachers and especially those who also produce written lessons. And that is that we enjoy and learn more from producing them than do the readers of them. 

I love the research and scripture study that has to be done in order to produce the lesson. Which is why I and my fellow writers can safely say that we learn more than our readers. Today’s effort is of a particular pleasure for me to present to you as it combines three things in it that I have a particular fondness for and like to use them in creating a lesson from God’s Word.
The three things I like to use are lessons based on "parables," lessons using historical events and lessons based on some of our Gospel hymns. Rarely do I get to combine all three into one lesson, but today is one of those rare occasions. I hope that you find it interesting, informative and most of all, helpful to your spiritual walk.

Jesus, in His parabolic teachings, used common, everyday things of life with which He then laid a spiritual application alongside of them. I happen to be of the opinion that this is probably one of the best ways of making the objective of a lesson understandable. That is what I intend to do with my efforts today.
In our parable today my common thing of life is "roads." We’re all familiar with roads, aren’t we? You don’t have to do much traveling to realize that there are nice, wide roads such as freeways and turnpikes available to us but, on the other hand, there are some roads that truly aren’t a pleasure on which to drive. Some of those roads are the ones you take instead of paying the toll for the turnpike and opt for the alternate road. Been there, done that, which is why I just "bite the bullet" and pay the toll charge. 

In a few days I will be engaged in an elk hunt in the mountainous areas of Utah and trust me when I tell you that there are some roads there that barely fit the description of being called a road. Narrow, rutty, rock-filled and overgrown with brush, but if you want to get where the elk are, to reach your objective, you have to take them. 

That is what I picture when I read what Christ said in His sermon on the mount. In Matt. 7:13-14 is found that oft-used passage: "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." (ESV)

He speaks there of the two available roads that can be taken but what I’d like you to notice is that both of them have a "gate." So, instead of the usual way that passage is used, IE: talking about the two roads, I’d like to use the "gates" for consideration here today.

We know and understand that Christ’s point there in using "roads" is talking about the way we "travel" through our earthly lives. The "way" we "walk," if you will. And, the "way" which we choose will determine the destination we arrive at when we get to the end of our respective "road." Either eternal "destruction" ("wide and easy") or eternal "life" in heaven ("narrow and hard").

And, at the end of both "roads" is a "gate." That "gate" has a name and the name inscribed over each "gate" is the same. It’s name is "DEATH." Here’s the interesting part about those two "gates." They only swing inward. Once you’ve passed through either one of them, there’s no going back out.
That’s my "scriptural" thing for our lesson, now let me bring you the "historical event" and it’s one that occurred back in the first portion of the 20^th century and is now known as World War 1. It was known as The Great War until World War 2 came along. In getting to the war, our soldiers traveled to Europe via ocean liners and troop ships. One of those soldiers, embarking on one of those ships, provides us with the story behind one of our old, familiar hymns, my third favorite thing to use.

The soldier was at the dock where the ship was preparing to sail and the troops were being loaded and his father was there to say goodbye and see his son off to war. In order to board the ship, the soldier had to pass through a gate and walk up the ramp onto the ship. He knew that when he passed through that gate, he might never see his father again. As they stood there, just outside the gate, the soldier/son said these words to his father. "Dad, if I never see you again here, I’ll meet you where the gates never swing outward."
The son boarded the ship and his father took the train back home. As he rode home he pondered the parting words of his son and by the time he arrived at his destination, he had written the words to that song that we so often sing: "Where The Gates Swing Outward Never." If it’s in your hymn book, you’ll see that the father/writer is Charles H. Gabriel.

Now, let me see if I can wrap this all up in a closing thought and arrive at the spiritual aspect of our lesson. I want to tell you about one more "gate" and it too has a name. We know from many scriptures (Romans the 6^th chapter and 1John 5:17-18 to name a few) that sin separates us from God.
Here’s another little "parable" of mine. Think of "sin" as being a wall between you and God. On God’s side of the wall is paradise. Outside of the wall is "destruction." There is a "gate" in the wall through which we can pass from "destruction" into "paradise." The name inscribed on that "gate" is JESUS CHRIST. Contrary to some "religious" beliefs, there is only ONE "gate." (Hebrews the 1^st chapter). And, if you think that there might be another one open up, you’d better read what God says in Heb. 10:26.
There’s just one major difference between the "gates" we mentioned at the outset of the lesson and the "gate" in the "wall of sin." One can exit that "gate" and find themselves right back in the world of sin. There’s no one posted at the "gate" to keep you from going back out.
The "gate" is available to all but, it’s a voluntary entry. We choose our "road" to travel and we choose to enter Christ’s Gate. And my last thought about "gates" is the one’s at the end of our "road." When I pass through that "gate" I want to hear these words: "Well done, good and faithful servant.....enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." (Matt. 25:23)

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Covey