CHILDREN OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER

Lesson Nine

ENTER IN THROUGH THE NARROW GATE

Burden to Impart:

As children of the heavenly Father we should believe in Christ and follow Him according to His Word. We should ask ourselves, "Which path am I taking?"

Facts to Teach:

1. The Lord Jesus told us that in the whole world there are only two paths. Everyone has to choose which gate they will enter, the narrow gate or the wide gate. Everyone must also choose which path they will walk on, the constricted path or the broad path. As children of the heavenly Father, which path are you taking?
2. What is the wide gate? What is the broad way? This is the way of life that the world has chosen. It is the "easy way," the loose, careless, undisciplined way. This is the way of life we were all born with. This is the way of life of all those who are not children of the heavenly Father. Those who walk on the broad way feel that they are the "boss," they are their own master, they can do whatever they decide to do. After all, they think they are in charge! They live according to themselves and do just what they want, what they like. They feel that their choice is "the" choice. They also feel that they are "all right" and "everything is just fine, for I am in control." Little do they know that everything is not all right. They are on the wrong path, a path that leads to ruin and destruction. One reason they feel that they are O.K. is because so many others are on the same broad path. They have a lot of company and friends who think and feel the same as they do! The broad path is the path of our own way. It is also the way that the world is walking. It is a life that is neither for God nor is according to God's will. (There is a way which seems right to a man, But the end of it is the ways of death. Prov. 14:12)
3. Now, what is the narrow gate? What is the constricted way? The Lord Jesus said: "I am the door" (John 10:7) and "I am the way" (John 14:6). Actually, in God's eyes there is only one door and one way, Christ. Only Christ is the true door and only Christ is the true way. Any other door, any other gate, is only a false one, a cheating one. Any other way does not lead to life, but to destruction.
4. We enter into Christ as the narrow gate by believing in Him. Only the Lord Jesus can save us from our sins today and from destruction tomorrow. God has provided only one Savior, His beloved Son, to die on the cross for us so that His precious blood could wash away all of our sins and He could come to live within us. Have you believed in Him yet? Have you called upon Him yet and asked Him to be your own personal Savior? (Lord Jesus! Only You are my Savior! Save me today!)
5. By believing in Christ and receiving Him we enter the narrow gate. Then we must walk the constricted way. The constricted way is also Christ. He is now our Lord. We follow Him. We live according to him. What He wants is what we choose. What He says is what we will do. We live differently than the world, for Jesus is our Lord, not the world or we ourselves. This way is constricted. Not many people find it. But those who do find it, find that it leads to life.
6. Life is God Himself. To have God's presence and to have God living within us is life. This also fills our hearts and mind with peace and joy. Life also means that in the future we will enjoy the heavenly kingdom of Christ together with Him when He returns.
7. Example: The prodigal son in Luke 15 left his righteous father and his home to travel on the broad road of sin. Soon he lost everything. The wrong kind of friends stole all that he had--all but his life. He eventually had to live with the pigs and eat their food. By God's mercy, he came back to his father and the narrow way. More than he lost was restored to him and he experienced a new life. He would never travel the broad way again.