Date of Sermon Delivery: 30. 1. 2022

Place of sermon Delivery:  Delhi, India

Sunday Worship Service

Speaker: Jatin Bisht

Title - Enter through the narrow gate 

Bible 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. 

14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

 

Jai Mashi ki people of God. 

Thank the lord that he showed his mercy to all of us through a new day. 

Even I am thankful to God for last week, my eyes and heart were able to see the trustworthiness of the lord, which he had done in the past meetings, and services that’s why I say to the Lord also, as lord you are trustworthy in my life, in the same way you also taught me that I should be trustworthy towards you.

 

Let’s open and read the Holy Word of God 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 enterthrough it. 

14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

 

Let’s close our eyes. 

Lord we all come to you, so that we can hear you in this morning, Lord help us and clean our eyes, ears, and our hearts so that we can take your living word and find ourself in it that why i am in it, we ask all this in the name of Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 

 

Whoever read or hear Jesus’ sermon on the mount given here in Matthew 5-7 agree that it is an excellent sermon, excellent teaching, they agree that Jesus is a good teacher. 

But Jesus doesn’t want to hear that, Jesus does not want praise. 

Therefore, in the end of his sermon on the mount he wants people to OBEY Him. He wants them to pay attention on His teaching.

 

Before going into today's sermon, I want to ask you do you like tests(exams? 

When I was in school, I used to crush by the word “who made this exam?”

Because I do not like exams, but when I grew up a little more, I learned that we grow by testing and challenges because it shows us where we stand, and where I need to work. 

If there were no tests/ challenges, we would not have growth under us. 

So, I want to ask you again Do you like tests? I hope you would say Yes.

 

In today's text, Jesus is speaking about two gates/ways. 

Here is no three-way or forth way

One is the narrow gate and the other wider gates, in other words, there are only two ways one is Jesus’ way and the other world's way. 

And both gates end up with some destination. 

 

There is a myth in the world, even before coming to Jesus, I used to believe also that all ways will reach in the same destination that is heaven. 

But when I came into Christ, I learned that not all ways/roads led to heaven but only one way to Heaven which is Jesus.

 

Jesus says in John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. Amen 

 

But dear brothers and sisters I want to tell you one thing that is easy as it is to read, it is more difficult to do. 

That is why Jesus is saying in today’s verse that there are only a few people on that road, on that way, truth and the life

 

I want to divide today verse into four parts 

The Gate, the road, the company, and the destiny.

First, let’s see the gate 

The wide gate – which gates are easy to find for us, a wide gate. Am I right? You do not need to find from far, because its wide gate, it is easy to find, and you can simply enter into because it is the wide gate. It is a wide gate therefore there is no luggage limit, you do not leave anything behind to enter this gate. You can enter into this gate who you want to be, you can bring what you want to bring that means you bring inside of it your sins, you can bring all your pride, you can bring all you want to bring on this path 

 

Narrow gate – it is opposite to wider gate, because the narrow gate is not easy to find, you have to look it, you have to search it, you have to give your time for it. And when you will find it, it will be not easy to go inside of it, because it is the narrow way, and you have to leave the world, you must leave the worldly desires, even you must leave yourself, you have to deny yourself which mean you have to die in yourself. 

In Matthew 16:24 says Jesus says if anyone wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

 

Second, let’s see the road 

Easy Road- Easy way does not require effort to get in, even no effort to maintain it, it is an easy way so we do not want to change ourselves, we do not want to deny ourselves, we just want as we are. It is like the room where is water, food, T.V, A/c, all are things available and we do not want to move anywhere because everything is available at there, but Jesus is not at there.  

Hard Road- Those who have sacrificed, and it is not just sacrificed, but we are to live this life as a sacrificed life for God. It takes more effort, it is not a golden road, but it is full of obstacles, pitfall, and sufferings. And in this path, we cannot walk as we want to be, but as God wants us to be. And if you want to walk in this hard road by your own efforts, strength, you will not able to walk in it long, therefore we all need God strength in it. 

 

The third point is the company 

Many – on the wide path has many but the narrow path has few because the wide path leads to the easy way, therefore who are pass from the wide gate they are many. Because on the wider path there are few rules, few restrictions, and few requirements.  Many people follow the crowd, o many girls are doing this thing I will also do this, or o many boys are doing this thing, I will do too. Even we knew that is wrong still we are doing why we are doing? because many are doing. Last Sunday one brother came late into the Sunday service because he was busy on the games. Do not influence by the crowd or worldly things but influenced by Jesus Christ.

 

Few – but the narrow path has few, it is occupied by only a few.  Those who are on the narrow are very few, they look around, they feel that they are in the isolation, they feel and see that path is unpopular, there is loneliness on that path. Last month when I asked who read their whole bible there are very few people because reading the bible, is also like a narrow path. When we did our morning prayer time there were very few people. I can give you the challenge that you cannot walk on that narrow way without sacrifice, without commitment, because without sacrifice and commitment you cannot find it.  

Dear brothers and sisters those who choose to enter into the life that Christ offers they will find sometimes isolated, they will find sometimes unpopular, they will find themselves through conflict, difficulties and they will see many are going from the wide path in droves and in multitudes and think where is my hope, where is a community, where is my relationship, but this is work of Christ. If you have left all to follow Christ, then you have given more anything this world, Jesus says in Matthew 19:29 and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

 

 

Last point is a destination – Every entrance takes us to some destination.

Destruction – a wide path the one that is full of many actually leads to destruction. But opposite of it the path of narrow leads to life. In today verse when Jesus' wide path will lead to the destruction that’s mean Hell. Matthew 13:50 says that place with blazing furnace and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. A place where God's grace will be absent but God's judgment will present, do you think that God wants his creation may go there? Never therefore in the beginning of verse 13 he says enter through the narrow gate

 

Life – narrow gate leads to life. Life is totally opposite then the destruction, where the full presence of God is present and the absence of sin. And it is not the end but there will be fullness of life forever, eternal. And destruction is not just a stop, it is not just the end, it will be also forever. 

Narrow way face earthly hardships but in reality, it is full of heavenly blessing, because you are not looking to the things of this world to give you peace, to give you comfort but you are looking for something greater. Jesus began his sermon of the mount with beatitudes Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, blessed are those who mourn for they will comfort, blessed are those who are persecuted, blessed are those who hunger and thirsty. 

And if the world will see this thing they will not believe, but in Jesus they have value.

Solomon says in proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. 

There is a way that seems right but ends in death.

Destiny of this road one leads to fullness of death and other roads leads fullness of life in Christ.

 

 

Today morning I want we may carefully think that which path are you (am I) in a wide path or the narrow path? 

And it is not my opinion, but it is Jesus' opinion that enters by the narrow gate. 

Do not just enter in-gate when you have some emergency, or I will enter in it after some day. 

But enter now, and do not just enter with some part of it, or some step in it but enter fully through the narrow gate. 

And you cannot walk on both roads at the same time, there is no half and half.

Those who are really in Christ, I will tell you the path you are walking is long, it is difficult and it is filled with suffering, and sacrifice but you are not there alone, but one who died for you and give your life that Jesus is with you on the path of narrow.

And those who are on the wider path, I want to tell you please enter the narrow way, come to the Jesus who has the fullness of life. 

May God bless you by his living word

Amen.

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Date of Sermon Delivery: 16. 1. 2022

Place of sermon Delivery:  Delhi, India

Sunday Worship Service

Speaker: Jatin Bisht

Title – The way of the righteous and the wicked 

Bible: Psalm 1:1-6

Key verse - 3

1. Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction

Good morning, people of God.

Once again, I welcome you to the fellowship of God.

I hope you are all well and doing well in your places.

I hope you are doing great in your studies, in your homes, in your workplace, in your life, and in your spiritual life. If you are not doing well, have hope in Jesus because he is alive and calmly watching his work.

Last week was not good for my health, and I felt sick after a long time. For a time, I was suffering from fever from Monday to Thursday, and in the midst of that, I got another internal disease, which for that time was very frightening to me.

Even though I was found so weak in physical, the Lord did not let me become weak in mind, and I remained in the midst of God’s word and his activities

What can we do for each other? We can pray for each other, and for the rest of the things, God will do in our lives.

Thank you for praying for me. Keep praying for me and I will continue praying for you.

Let’s open our bible to Psalm 1:1-6.

Before reading today’s word, I request to you that if any of you do not have a personal bible, then first you buy a personal bible. This is the first step to reading the bible.

Avoid phone bible reading. If we are doing this, then we are opening the door for the enemy to come and take the word away from us.

Let’s read together Psalm 1:1-6

1Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and 
whose leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction

Let us bow our heads and pray to the Lord.

Lord, thank you for the new day, and thank you for your living word. And Lord, open our hearts and our minds to hear you. We pray in Jesus’ name Amen.

When we read the Bible, we came across two images: one blessed and one wicked.

But, before we go any further, I'd like to draw your attention to the word "blessed."

The blessed word means "happy, but this joy is not perishable but permanent.

And this joy is received by grace. We cannot purchase it in the market, but it is only received by God.

1. The way of a blessed man is based on the word of God (1-3)

So, in today's Bible, there is one man who is so happy or blessed because he is living his life according to the word of God. When God says to him something, he keeps it in his heart and applies it. As we apply the cream to our faces to become more handsome. In the same way, if a man applies God’s word in his life, he is a blessed man.

In verse 1, it explains the things the blessed man does not do.

He does not walk in step with the wicked, stand in the way that sinners do, and sit in the company of mockers.

So this blessed man does not do what the world is doing.

He is not part of corruption, fraud, or dishonesty. He is not giving abuse to someone; he is not going into a bar pup to drink wine or smoke.

He is running away from sin. He is fearing God. Many times, after drinking wine, people do not want to go and meet God because of fear of God, but that is not fear. Fear of God means when your desire is pulling you into a beer bar, or when your friend is pulling you into it, but your spirit is saying no. That is the fear of God.

And he is not sitting in the mocker,

For example, if you went to a government office for some work and when you arrived, you discovered that the officer was not there, and his assistant told you to sit outside until the officer arrived, and you had never seen him before, but when he arrived and sat over his chair, you would recognize him because his chair is his identity.

The identity of this blessed man is not among those who mock and those who raise their heads with pride.

Who mocks? 

The one who looks down on others, the one who has pride, the one who wants to be better than others, the one who does not help someone in difficulty but makes jokes, this is the way the world works.

But my dear brothers and sisters,

This blessed man is not doing this work because his identity does not correspond to that of the world.

So, what is he doing if he does not fit in with the world and is fleeing sins? 

Let’s see verse 2

But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

He delights in the law of the lord, God’s word is not a burden for him. He is not doing God's will not because of some pressure, but he is delighted.

The Bible says do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, do not give false witness, do not be greedy, etc. 

But those who are in the world and living according to the word, want to do all these things because they get joy from doing them.

But this man does not do all these things, because he knows this is all good for him.

In traffic, people are in tension. o oh we have to wear a helmet now, or we have to follow this light rule, but once I think, if everyone does not take traffic rules as a burden, but delights in traffic rules, then our Delhi traffic and road accidents will reduce so much.

Rules are good for us. It is not a burden when God gave us His law, bible, and word because he loves us.  

And this blessed man knows about it. Therefore, he delights in the word of God.

He not only delights in the word of God but meditates on the law day and night.

It does not imply that he read the Bible for three hours and then goes outside and beats someone nicely, or that he goes to a wine shop and drinks in his home right after the Sunday service, or that in the fourth hour he just closes his eyes and thinks, wow kitna achchha likha huva hai.

But it is all a wrong exercise. The real meaning of mediation is to be applied in our lives. That means this blessed man applies God's word day and night in his life.

So when he goes to his child's marriage, he will not see what others are saying but he will see what the word of the Lord is saying.

When he needs to take a decision for his life, or he will stand in front of the stage where he can lie and reach another place, at that time, he will not listen to what the world is saying.

Maybe he will lose something, according to the world. He did not lie, therefore he did not get that position, but the verse says he is a blessed man.

Let’s see verse 3

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers.

This tree itself has not been planted but has been planted, and this tree was planted by streams of water. Someone planted this tree for some reason and purpose.

In the old testament, God freed his people from Egypt and called them his people.

The Lord liberated the people of Israel, and called them his people; he gave them his law, and in that law, they had to walk themselves, but they failed,

God took them out of one place and planted them in another land, and he gave them living water, God gave them mercy.

And the Lord makes this man fruitful in his time, and the four things the psalmist says about his leaf do not wither.

When does a tree leaf wither? There is no water when there is no light. But this tree's leaves do not wither. In any situation in this world, this man will not worry, and in the end, whatever they do prospers. But do not take it that whatever he touches will become gold.

Do not look at it with worldly eyes.

For the world, success means when they want something or desire to have something, they think they are prospering. If a boy gets his dream girl, then he thinks he will prosper. He gets a job in the Indian army, and he thinks he will become successful.

Success is completely different

When you achieve something in front of the world, when you get money in front of the world when your statue becomes famous in front of the world when you are the richest in front of the world.

But today God is not speaking about this prosper, In reality, this man's life is a proper life.

Why?

Because he has joy, which does not have those people who are walking in the way of the world.

And whatever he is doing, he is going with the help of God’s word. His whole life depends on God, therefore his life prospers.

 But in today's bible, there are second people,

2.The way of a wicked man is based on worldly things (4-5)

4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Listen to God’s word, Next day they will be in line at the wine shop.

Listen to God's word the next day, and they'll be in a group starting to backbite

listen to God the next day, and he'll be hurting his church brother.

Wicked people do not walk in the word of God. Their lives do not depend upon God's word, but they depend upon the world.

And they are like chaff. When they spend their lives in the world, their lives are empty. They just go before the wind. If they see some other thing, they will run before it.

Chaff does not have any value; it is lighter and is used for burning.

Wicked people like this chaff.

Let’s open 1 John 2:16-17

16 For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 

17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

A blessed man lives forever because he is living according to the word of God,

But for a wicked man who is living according to the world, verse 5 says he will not stand in the judgment, and neither will sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

In verse 1, a blessed person does not sit in the company of mockers, and in verse 5 a wicked man does not stand in the assembly of the righteous.

There is isolation between blessed men and the righteous. They are incompatible with one another.

A tree planted by streams of water, it has nothing to do with hollow chaff. 

Because that tree will not be uprooted as strongly as the wind, but this chuff will fly away even if a little wind comes. 

3.     The Lord determines the end of the path of these two (6)

Let’s see verse 6

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

God knows the way of righteousness, and here God knows this way has deep meaning, this path is created by the lord because this path is based on the law given by the lord and the words of the lord. 

But the path of the wicked will perish.

Dear brothers and sisters,

It is important for us to know which way we are walking, which path we are on.

Have we immersed our lives in the words of the Lord, or are we just floating above the words of the Lord?

Do you feel a burden when you read the word of God? You cannot abuse someone, you cannot live your life as other young people do, and you cannot be in a relationship as the rest of the world is.

But always remember that we received the great grace of God. My young brothers and sisters, Jesus came into this world, lived in the world by the word of the Lord, and died on the cross for you and me. And we all received his righteousness.

Did Jesus sit with sinners? Yes, but he told them that you did this wrong.

Did he walk on the will of the world? No, but he showed the world the right way.

Did he sit in the company of mockers? He did sit with them, but he gave them the good news and saved them.

If God saved me and you, then why do we not follow his word? Why do we feel burdened by his good news? My brothers and sisters, if you find your life burdened by good news, then something is wrong.

If you find it difficult to love your brother in church or in your house or your sister,

If you find it difficult to do good for others, then something is wrong.

Because Jesus has given his life for me and you, and if you are still not living our life according to his word, and if you are still not happy, then something is wrong. We are like that chuff, which blows in the wind.

But if you want to be a blessed man (a good tree), as Jesus has done for us, he has made us trees, then enjoy in his word and live according to the word of God.

Amen.