𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗨𝗣

• Why do you think people often choose the easier paths or popular options in life?

• Recall a time when choosing the harder option led to a better outcome. What happened?

• Share a time when delaying a decision led to missed opportunities or regrets. What lessons did you learn?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

“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.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟳:𝟭𝟯–𝟭𝟰

Jesus contrasts two gates and two paths: one is wide and easy which leads to destruction, and the other narrow and hard which leads to life. The 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 Jesus refers to encompasses the fullness of joy, peace, and purpose that comes from living in alignment with God’s will. This life is not merely about our eternal destiny, but also about experiencing the richness of God’s kingdom here and now. Choosing the narrow gate means following Christ, which leads to a deeper, more abundant relationship with God, even amidst challenges and trials. Today, we will look at the cost of the cross and what following Christ looks like.

𝟭. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁.

“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.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟳:𝟭𝟯

In its original language, this passage carries a strong sense of urgency and emphasizes the need for immediate action. Jesus is not merely suggesting a path but giving a decisive call to act without delay. The wide gate, which represents the path of ease, compromise, and worldly living, may seem attractive at first but ultimately leads to destruction. Jesus reminds us that the decision to follow Him cannot be postponed. What does 2 Corinthians 6:2 say about God’s salvation?

𝟮. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁.

“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘸.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟳:𝟭𝟰

The narrow path is challenging. Many who have decided to live for Christ endured hardships, persecution, imprisonment, and even death. For believers, walking the narrow path can feel like swimming against the current. In a culture that prioritizes convenience and comfort, Christians may feel out of place. The temptation to give up or follow the wide path, which offers ease and acceptance, is strong. However, Jesus teaches that the narrow path, though difficult and chosen by few, is the one that leads to life. Think of a time when following Christ entailed a difficult choice. What did you learn from that experience?

𝟯. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲-𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴.

“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘸.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟳:𝟭𝟰

When Jesus declared that He came so that we may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10), He was not only speaking about a future in heaven but a kind of meaningful life we can experience with Him here on earth. Although this life would mean denying ourselves and taking up our cross to follow Jesus every day, it is characterized by peace, joy, purpose, and fulfillment that is beyond worldly achievements. Those who find this life discover that it is worth every sacrifice. Share a time when you experienced fulfillment in your walk with Jesus.

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• Jesus describes the wide gate as easy yet it leads to destruction. In your life, what are the things that seem easy, comfortable, or even good, but you know would become a hindrance to following Jesus? What are you willing to do about this?

• What are you ready to give up or surrender to continue walking the narrow path that leads to life? Ask God to reveal these things to you and give you the grace to follow Him fully.

• What are the things you can do this week to encourage people around you to follow Jesus and experience life in Him although it may seem counterintuitive?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for the new life you have in Christ and the grace that enables you to choose and follow Him every day.

• Ask God for the grace to surrender the things in your life that hinder you from completely following Jesus.

• Pray for two or three people you know to seek God’s will in their lives and receive grace to follow Jesus. Ask God for opportunities to present the gospel to them this week.