Sermon On The Mount: Narrow & Difficult
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
Actors, models, and talent for Christ: Consider 3 disquieting questions:
When did Christians exit the narrow path and settle down in life on Easy Street?
When did pastors change from simple shepherds to church rockstars, with mansions and book deals?
When did loot, lust, and the love of this world upstage the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
Because assimilation is tempting, because of our journey’s difficulties, Jesus reminds His faithful followers to resist earth’s pull to go with the flow.
In this light, He speaks of the narrow gate, 'The Door of the sheep' (John 10:7), namely, JESUS HIMSELF. He stands as THE Door: the One and only, must-pass Entryway… to 'A new Heaven and a new Earth,' and 'The holy city, New Jerusalem...' (Revelation 21:1-2).
In John's vision and visit to Heaven, he said, 'The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl' (Revelation 21:.21). Why pearls? A pearl is formed when a foreign body is introduced into an oyster’s shell.
'To ease this irritant, the oyster's body takes defensive action. The oyster begins to secrete a smooth, hard crystalline substance around the irritant in order to protect itself. This substance is called 'nacre.' As long as the irritant remains within its body, the oyster will continue to secrete nacre around it, layer upon layer. Over time, the irritant will be completely encased by the silky crystalline coatings. And the result, ultimately, is the lovely and lustrous gem called a pearl.*
Unlike other gems, pearls need no mining, refining, chiseling, or polishing. It lies shimmering and iridescent, with what has been called “a glow from within.”
The biblical pearl represents Jesus: the first, last, and only Pearl of Great Price.
The foreign substance that He accepted in His perfect heart… was our dirty sin.
The suffering caused Him to be covered by a lustrous coating of radiance.
Now we, too, can grow and glow from within. But the narrow path and difficult way are only acessible through Jesus.
Sermon On The Mount: Narrow & Difficult (Part 28)
* http://www.americanpearl.com/historyoyster.html
* Verses to consider on the value of the difficult way, a.k.a. suffering: http://www.openbible.info/topics/suffering
NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.