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Matthew 7:13-20 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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We invite you to take your copy of God's Word and turn to the Gospel according to Matthew chapter 7.
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! We are bringing our study of the Sermon on the Mount to a close this week and Lord willing, next.
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And today's text is Matthew chapter 7, verses 13 through 20.
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As followers of Jesus Christ, we are believers in the truth, we are lovers of the truth, and we should be proclaimers of the truth.
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But in our age, if you want to find yourself unliked very quickly, dare to claim that you believe in a truth that deserves the belief of all people.
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Denounce the idea that you can have your truth and I can have my truth.
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Claim that there is such a thing as the truth, and you will be called narrow or arrogant.
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Pluralistic relativism is antithetical to the truth.
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It stands in opposition to it, but it does not and it cannot work in the world.
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If what is right and pure and praiseworthy is not defined by truth, then it will be defined by power.
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And in our day, those with the power seem to be those who are the loudest at declaring their truth.
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Now at this point in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has concluded his teaching about his kingdom ethic.
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And he has made bold, absolute truth claims.
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He has been striking and clear about what citizens of the kingdom of heaven look like and act like.
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At the very end of chapter 7, Matthew declares,
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And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
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for he was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes.
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In verse 13, Jesus, having concluded his teaching on his kingdom ethic,
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presses an invitation to enter into that kingdom.
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And he does not leave space for pluralistic relativism in matters concerning his kingdom.
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So let's look together at Matthew chapter 7, verse 13 through 20.
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Beloved, let me remind you that this is God's word to us, written for his glory and our good.
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We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
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Enter by the narrow gate.
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For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction,
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and those who enter by it are many.
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For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life,
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and those who find it are few.
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Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing,
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but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
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You will recognize them by their fruits.
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Our grapes gather from thorn bushes or figs from thistles,
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so every healthy tree bears good fruit,
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but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
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A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
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Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
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Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits.
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Now there are two exhortations in this text.
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The first is found at the beginning of verse 13.
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Jesus says,
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Enter by the narrow gate.
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And then gives reason why this should be the way for us.
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The second is a warning to stay away from those who would keep you from entering by the narrow gate.
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And it's found in verse 15,
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where Jesus says,
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Beware of false prophets.
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So, enter and beware.
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We assert as a church that access into the kingdom of God
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is a thing that is granted to us by God.
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Jesus is recorded in John chapter 6, verse 44,
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saying,
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No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,
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and I will raise him up on the last day.
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We are saved by grace alone.
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But this reality does not preclude our action.
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We are to enter and to beware.
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And this is a binary decision.
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It's either one or the other.
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There are only two options presented for us in our text this morning.
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You cannot have God and everlasting life on your terms.
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You must have him and it on his terms.
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Notice that Jesus says there are two gates,
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two ways,
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two destinations,
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two people,
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only two.
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My prayer for you this morning,
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and has been across this past week,
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is that you will be careful to consider
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which gate you have entered by,
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which way you are in,
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which destination your way leads to,
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and which people you belong to.
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There are only two choices.
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Let's consider first the narrow gate,
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the difficult way,
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the destination called life,
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and the few.
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Jesus is the narrow gate.
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This is the absolute truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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If one is to be reconciled to God the Father,
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we must come through God the Son.
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There is no other way.
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Jesus said of himself in John chapter 14 and verse 6,
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I am the way,
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and the truth,
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and the life.
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Not a way,
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a truth,
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a life.
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The way,
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the truth,
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and the life.
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No one comes to the Father except through me.
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The Apostle Paul said something similar
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in 1 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 5,
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For there is one God,
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and there is one mediator between God and man,
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one who stands in the gap between us and God,
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the man Christ, Jesus.
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Jesus is the only way.
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If this seems too narrow to you,
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then you think far too much of yourself.
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Those who have placed saving faith in Jesus Christ
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have been humbled by the wretchedness of their sin
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before a most holy God.
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They have felt the weight of their rebellion
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against God's good word
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and are thankful that there is a way at all.
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Praise God that there is a gate,
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that it exists,
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a way to God exists
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for those who have rebelled wickedly against Him.
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And that gate is Jesus Christ,
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the way,
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the truth,
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and the life.
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And our text tells us
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that this narrow gate
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leads us into a difficult way.
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Jesus is not unclear
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about the nature of the Christian life.
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If you desire ease and comfort in this life,
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there is a broad way for you.
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But if you seek the coming kingdom
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and the life found there,
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the way will be difficult.
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Jesus said in Matthew 16,
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verse 24 and verse 25,
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If anyone would come after me,
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let him deny himself
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and take up his cross
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and follow me.
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For whoever would save his life,
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broad way,
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will lose it in his destruction.
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But whoever loses his life,
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difficult way,
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for my sake,
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will find it.
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Where did Jesus go
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when He carried His cross?
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Did He take it to a place of ease and comfort?
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No.
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He went to a place called Golgotha
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to die.
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And He invites us to follow Him
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in doing the same.
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to deny ourselves.
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To put to death by the power of the Spirit
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sin in our lives.
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To suffer for the glory of His name.
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It should be normative
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that disciples of Jesus Christ
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will suffer as He suffered.
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Listen to the words of Jesus
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recorded in John 15,
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verses 18-20.
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Here He said to His apostles
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and to us this morning,
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If the world hates you,
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know that it has hated Me
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before it hated you.
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If you were of the world,
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the world would love you
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as its own.
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But because you are not of the world,
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but I chose you out of the world,
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therefore the world hates you.
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Remember the word
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that I said to you,
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A servant is not greater
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than his master.
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If they persecuted Me,
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they will also persecute you.
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If they kept My word,
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they will also keep yours.
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But we far too often live
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as if we're greater
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than our master.
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That Jesus' suffering and death
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has set us up
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for a life of comfort
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and of ease.
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And we should ask ourselves
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if we're in the difficult way
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or if we're in the easy way.
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If we've entered by the narrow gate
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to the difficult way.
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Or if we've gone to the broad gate
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to the broad and easy way.
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We can see an example
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of this kind of suffering
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in following Jesus
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found in the life of Paul
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in Acts chapter 14.
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The story of Paul being stoned
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at Lystra.
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Verses 19 through 22.
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Luke records for us,
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But Jews came from Antioch
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and Iconium,
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and having persuaded the crowds,
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they stoned Paul
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and dragged him out of the city
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supposing he was dead.
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They stoned him to the point
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that they thought he was dead,
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and they took his body outside
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to rot.
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But when the disciples
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gathered about him,
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he rose up and entered
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into the city.
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And on the next day,
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he went on with Barnabas
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to Derbe.
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When they had preached
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the gospel to that city
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and had made many disciples,
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they returned to Lystra
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and to Iconium
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and to Antioch.
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Back to the place
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where everybody had heard
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about the suffering
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he had experienced
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for the gospel.
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And verse 22 says,
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Strengthening the souls
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of the disciples,
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encouraging them
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to continue in the faith.
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And here's the peculiar part
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of this text,
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to us,
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I think.
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And saying
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that through many tribulations
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we must enter
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the kingdom of God.
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How is it that Paul
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encouraged them
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to continue in the faith
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and told them
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that through many tribulations
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we must enter
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the kingdom of God?
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Wouldn't it be better
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for Paul to tell them
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to not worry?
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That everything
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is going to get better?
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That having Jesus
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in your life
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improves the temporal existence
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that you have now?
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No.
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This would not be the way
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that these people
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should be encouraged
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because this is not the way
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of the kingdom.
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It is a difficult way.
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It's not an easy way.
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But he's able
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to encourage them
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with the promise
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of the kingdom.
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He's able to say to them,
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yes, you suffer now
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because you're a disciple
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of Jesus Christ.
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But later,
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we look to the promise
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of the future reward.
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Remember the words
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of Jesus in Matthew 16, 25,
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which I read to you
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just a moment ago.
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Whoever loses his life
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for my sake
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will find it.
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Find it.
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The community group
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that I lead
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has been praying
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for the work
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of some brothers
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and sisters in Pakistan
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who have seen
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an imam come to faith
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in Jesus Christ.
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Praise the Lord.
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But this morning,
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we received word
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that his wife,
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his children,
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and three others
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are now in Christ
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because of his witness.
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But also,
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that he's been
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kicked out of the mosque,
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his Bible taken from him,
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his children kicked out
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of school,
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and he has been hospitalized
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from a beating,
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a stoning.
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How does one bear up
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under such a thing?
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By looking to the promise.
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So this man knows
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that it's better
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for him to suffer now
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and have a heavenly reward
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that Jesus is more precious
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than anything this world
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would have to offer,
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that he would gladly,
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for the glory of God,
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have such things happen
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to his family.
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Those who have Jesus
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need nothing else.
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Those who have tasted
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and seen that the Lord is good
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do not need the comfort
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and ease of this world
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and can look with hopeful expectation
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to the life beyond this life.
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Here's a closing word from Jesus
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on the difficult way
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found in Luke chapter 14
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beginning in verse 27
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and following.
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He says,
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Whoever does not
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bear his own cross
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and come after me
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cannot be
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my disciple.
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So,
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what does it mean
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for us
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to pick up our cross,
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to die to ourselves,
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to suffer for the sake
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of the name?
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This is a thing
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that should be counted.
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And too many of us
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grew up in churches
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that taught us
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a cheap grace gospel.
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That did not tell us
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that what Jesus demands
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of us
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is our all.
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We were sold
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an improper bill.
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So,
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he says,
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count the cost.
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Listen to what he says
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in verse 28
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and following.
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For which of you
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desiring to build a tower
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does not first sit down
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and count the cost,
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whether he has enough
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to complete it?
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Otherwise,
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when he has laid a foundation,
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is not able to finish,
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all who see it
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will begin to mock him,
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saying,
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this man began
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to build a tower
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and was not able
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to finish.
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How foolish a thing.
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Or what king,
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going out to encounter
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another king in war,
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will not sit down first
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and deliberate
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whether he is able
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with 10,000
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to meet him
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who comes against him
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with 20,000.
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So,
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if you are to enter
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by the narrow gate,
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you do so
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at great cost.
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And you must
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consider this.
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If you are to follow
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Jesus Christ,
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it will cost you
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everything.
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Are you willing
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to give everything
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to follow
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Jesus Christ?
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I can tell you
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that everything
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we have to give
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in the work
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of following Jesus
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is a trifling cost.
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It is a nothing cost
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compared to the riches
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that are ours
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in Christ.
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If you have
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experienced
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the living God
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and the personal
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work of Jesus Christ,
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if you have beheld
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him,
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it is an easy
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trade
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to make,
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to give away
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everything
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for the sake
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of his name.
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So,
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Jesus is
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the narrow gate
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and he leads
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into a difficult
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way
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whose destination
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is called
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life.
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life.
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The destination
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of this difficult
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way is called
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life.
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Now
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and
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forever.
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It is a quality
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of life
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in the soul
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of man
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that those
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of this world
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do not
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and cannot
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understand.
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why would
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this man
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in Pakistan
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trade the
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favor of
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his community,
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his job,
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possibly his
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very life
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to follow
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this Jesus?
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Because
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he has
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been changed
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from death
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to life.
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Because he
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has this
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quality
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of life
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in his soul
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knowing
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his creator
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that we
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give up
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everything
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for it.
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This is
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the life
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that David
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speaks of
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in Psalm
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17
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verse 15
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where he
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writes,
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As for me
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I shall
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behold
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your face
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in righteousness.
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When I
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awake I
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shall be
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satisfied
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with your
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likeness.
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Those who
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are in
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Christ
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have his
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presence,
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his power
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and his
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provision
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and this
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is good.
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And it
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will be
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the great
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blessing
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of heaven
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forevermore.
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Do you
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know the
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life
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everlasting
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for us
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is that
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we get
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more
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of our
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Savior?
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That we
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get to
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bask in
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his glory
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forever
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and ever
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and ever?
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You can
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imagine a
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heaven without
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the glory
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of God?
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You have
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a wrong
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view of
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heaven.
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If you
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would have
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all the
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blessings
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of heaven
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apart from
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God,
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then you
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don't love
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God.
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He is the
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center of
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all that is
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happening
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in the
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forever
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of our
19:46
living.
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Jesus
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said in
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John 14
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verses 2
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and 3,
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in my
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Father's
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house are
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many
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rooms.
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If it
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were not
19:55
so,
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would I
19:56
have told
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you that
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I go
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to prepare
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a place
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for you?
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And if
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I go
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and prepare
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a place
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for you,
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I will
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come again
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and do
20:04
what?
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Take us
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to a
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place
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where we're
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just going
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to be
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happy
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and play
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and there's
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going to be
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streets of
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gold and
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all of these
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things are
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going to
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be wonderful,
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those things
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are going
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to be
20:12
wonderful,
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those things
20:13
are going
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to be
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true,
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but what
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does he
20:14
say?
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And take
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you to
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myself,
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that where
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I am,
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you may
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be also.
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There's the
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great blessing
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of life
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now and
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life forever
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more.
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Being with
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the triune
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God is
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the high
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promise
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of heaven.
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And beloved,
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we experience
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that in
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part now.
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The baggage
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of our
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flesh and
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the sin
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of the
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world,
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the coming
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kingdom is
20:49
being made
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real and
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alive in
20:51
us who
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have placed
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our faith
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in Jesus
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Christ.
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The narrow
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gate leads
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to a
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difficult
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way whose
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destination
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is life
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now and
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forever
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more.
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There's
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also a
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people who
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Jesus here
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calls the
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few.
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The few.
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Some will
21:15
say,
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well that
21:17
seems so
21:18
exclusive.
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And how
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can I
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know if
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I am
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the few?
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What about
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people in
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the world
21:30
who have
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not heard
21:31
this message?
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Not heard
21:34
of Jesus?
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Jesus.
21:37
Once again,
21:39
you may
21:39
think too
21:40
much of
21:41
yourself.
21:42
You may
21:42
think too
21:43
much of
21:43
humankind.
21:47
God has
21:48
proved himself
21:49
gracious and
21:50
merciful in
21:51
saving even
21:52
one sinner.
21:55
If God
21:56
came and
21:56
simply saved
21:57
a single
21:58
human in
22:00
fallen history,
22:01
he would
22:02
show himself
22:03
to be far
22:04
and above
22:05
gracious and
22:07
merciful.
22:08
We could
22:08
ever expect
22:09
of him.
22:12
Listen to
22:12
Jesus'
22:13
answer to
22:13
a very
22:14
similar
22:14
question.
22:15
This idea
22:15
of, well
22:15
that seems
22:16
a scoofer,
22:16
how can I
22:17
know if I'm
22:17
the few?
22:19
In Luke
22:19
chapter 13
22:20
verse 23
22:20
and 24,
22:21
someone said
22:22
to him,
22:23
Luke records,
22:25
Lord will
22:25
those who
22:26
are saved
22:26
be few?
22:28
And I
22:29
love Jesus'
22:30
answer to
22:30
this.
22:31
He doesn't
22:31
go, well
22:32
let's talk
22:32
about the
22:33
number.
22:34
He says
22:34
to this
22:34
person,
22:36
strive to
22:37
enter through
22:38
the narrow
22:39
door.
22:42
For many
22:42
I tell you
22:43
will seek
22:43
to enter
22:44
and will
22:45
not be
22:45
able.
22:46
Strive.
22:47
That's the
22:47
answer.
22:48
God is
22:49
gracious and
22:50
merciful.
22:50
God has
22:51
made a
22:51
way.
22:52
Strive to
22:53
enter by
22:55
that way.
22:56
Strive.
22:57
Seek the
22:58
way.
22:59
Be counted
22:59
amongst the
23:00
few.
23:02
And allow
23:03
me to
23:03
expound upon
23:04
the grace
23:04
and mercy
23:05
of our
23:05
God from
23:06
the book
23:06
of Revelation.
23:07
So as we
23:07
maybe grapple
23:09
a little
23:09
with this
23:09
idea of
23:10
few and
23:11
many,
23:13
find this
23:14
a comfort.
23:15
John's
23:15
vision of
23:15
heaven.
23:16
Revelation
23:16
chapter 7
23:17
verse 9
23:18
and following
23:19
John says
23:19
after this I
23:20
looked and
23:20
behold a
23:21
great multitude
23:22
that no one
23:24
could number
23:25
from every
23:26
nation,
23:26
from all
23:27
tribes and
23:28
peoples and
23:28
languages,
23:28
standing before
23:29
the throne and
23:30
before the
23:31
Lamb clothed
23:31
in white
23:32
robes with
23:32
palm branches
23:33
in their
23:34
hands and
23:34
crying out
23:35
with a loud
23:36
voice,
23:37
salvation belongs
23:38
to our God
23:39
who sits on
23:40
the throne
23:40
and to the
23:42
Lamb.
23:43
There's a
23:44
great multitude
23:45
gathered in
23:47
heaven.
23:48
And so I
23:49
don't know.
23:49
I think that
23:50
Jesus is using
23:52
this language
23:53
to press us
23:55
to strive,
23:57
right?
23:57
To help us
23:58
to look around
23:59
at all the
23:59
ways that
24:01
people are
24:01
going in the
24:02
world and
24:02
see that as
24:03
the broad
24:04
and not the
24:04
narrow.
24:06
And to seek
24:07
to enter by
24:08
the narrow
24:10
gate.
24:13
And there are
24:13
many cries
24:14
against this
24:15
teaching.
24:17
The exclusivity
24:19
of the
24:20
gospel.
24:20
It says
24:21
that people
24:21
must come
24:23
to God
24:23
by Christ.
24:27
It goes
24:27
something like,
24:28
how can a
24:28
loving God
24:29
wants to
24:32
answer with,
24:34
well,
24:34
there's many
24:35
ways.
24:35
We're to
24:35
seek our
24:36
way.
24:37
We're to
24:37
find our
24:38
way.
24:40
Many
24:40
contemporaries
24:41
of our day
24:42
say things
24:43
like this.
24:45
Our answer
24:46
to such
24:46
objection
24:47
should be,
24:48
oh,
24:48
but there
24:49
is a
24:50
way.
24:51
Praise God.
24:52
It's a
24:52
single way,
24:53
but there
24:53
is a
24:56
way.
24:57
And we
24:59
should go
24:59
and share
25:00
that way
25:01
with everyone
25:02
everywhere.
25:05
I've received
25:06
this objection,
25:07
somebody
25:07
rejecting the
25:09
gospel,
25:09
when I'm
25:10
sharing the
25:11
gospel with
25:12
them.
25:12
And that's
25:12
what I've
25:12
said.
25:12
I've simply
25:13
said,
25:13
but I'm
25:14
telling you
25:15
the way.
25:16
And you
25:16
have to
25:16
understand.
25:17
And people
25:18
who are not
25:19
followers of
25:19
Christ should
25:19
have great
25:20
sympathy for
25:20
Christians
25:21
because we're
25:21
simply being
25:22
consistent if
25:24
we try to
25:24
convert people
25:25
to follow
25:26
Jesus,
25:26
who said,
25:27
I'm the
25:27
way,
25:28
the truth,
25:29
and the
25:29
life.
25:29
We are
25:30
the worst
25:30
of hypocrites.
25:31
If we
25:32
believe that
25:32
to be true,
25:33
we don't
25:33
tell people
25:34
that good
25:35
news.
25:37
Paul says
25:38
in Romans
25:39
chapter 10,
25:39
verse 14
25:40
and following,
25:41
how then
25:42
will they
25:42
call on him
25:43
in whom
25:44
they have
25:44
not
25:44
believed?
25:45
It's rhetorical.
25:45
They can't.
25:47
And how
25:48
are they to
25:48
believe in
25:48
him of whom
25:49
they have
25:49
never heard?
25:50
Again,
25:51
rhetorical.
25:52
They can't.
25:53
And how
25:54
are they to
25:54
hear without
25:55
someone
25:56
preaching?
25:58
They can't.
25:59
The word of
25:59
God has to
26:00
come to
26:01
people to
26:02
believe in
26:02
Christ.
26:04
And how
26:05
are they to
26:05
preach unless
26:07
they are
26:07
sent?
26:09
They can't.
26:10
as it is
26:12
written,
26:12
how beautiful
26:13
are the feet
26:13
of those
26:14
who preach
26:14
the good
26:15
news.
26:17
But they
26:18
have not
26:18
all obeyed
26:18
the gospel
26:19
for Isaiah
26:19
says,
26:20
Lord,
26:20
who has
26:21
believed
26:21
what he
26:21
has heard
26:22
from us?
26:24
And then
26:24
verse 17
26:25
says,
26:26
so faith
26:26
comes from
26:27
hearing,
26:28
and hearing
26:29
through the
26:30
word of
26:31
Christ.
26:33
Jesus Christ
26:34
is the way,
26:35
the truth,
26:36
and the life.
26:37
He's the
26:37
narrow way,
26:38
leads to a
26:39
difficult path,
26:40
path,
26:40
whose
26:41
destination
26:41
is life.
26:45
Now let's
26:46
consider the
26:48
wide gate,
26:48
the easy
26:49
way,
26:50
the destination
26:50
called
26:51
destruction,
26:53
and the
26:54
many.
26:55
We can do
26:56
this a bit
26:56
more briefly
26:57
because we're
26:57
talking about
26:58
everything else
26:59
that I haven't
26:59
mentioned
27:00
already.
27:02
Recall
27:03
that all
27:04
throughout the
27:04
Sermon on
27:05
the Mount,
27:06
Jesus has
27:07
not been
27:07
speaking against
27:08
a godlessness
27:09
that denies
27:10
the existence
27:11
of a god.
27:13
His original
27:14
audience are not
27:14
people who
27:15
denied that
27:15
there was
27:16
a god,
27:17
but rather
27:18
a godlessness
27:19
that worshipped
27:20
the right god,
27:22
but in the
27:23
wrong way.
27:26
He is
27:26
specifically
27:27
going after
27:29
the Phariseeism
27:30
of his day.
27:31
and I
27:32
would suggest
27:33
to you
27:33
the pluralistic
27:35
relativism
27:36
of our
27:37
day.
27:39
He is
27:39
teaching us
27:40
that there
27:40
are countless
27:41
wrong ways
27:42
to worship
27:43
the right
27:43
god,
27:44
as well as
27:45
countless
27:46
wrong ways
27:46
to worship
27:47
the wrong.
27:50
The destination
27:51
sign over the
27:53
difficult way
27:54
over the
27:58
difficult way
27:58
says heaven.
28:00
We enter the
28:01
narrow gate
28:02
over the
28:03
difficult way
28:03
says destination
28:04
heaven.
28:07
The destination
28:08
sign over the
28:09
easy way
28:09
does not
28:10
say hell,
28:12
but also
28:13
says heaven.
28:15
heaven.
28:17
Jesus makes
28:18
it clear
28:19
that if we
28:19
do not
28:20
enter the
28:20
difficult way
28:21
by the
28:21
narrow gate,
28:22
that we
28:23
will be
28:23
deceived into
28:24
thinking that
28:25
we are
28:25
headed to
28:26
life,
28:27
but that we
28:28
are in
28:28
actuality
28:29
headed to
28:31
destruction.
28:33
The one
28:34
who reigns
28:35
over the
28:36
broad and
28:37
easy path,
28:40
Satan
28:40
himself
28:41
puts up
28:42
that destination
28:43
sign.
28:44
Oh,
28:44
there are
28:44
many ways
28:45
to heaven.
28:47
It could
28:48
look like
28:48
this or
28:50
this or
28:50
this.
28:52
And the
28:53
end is
28:54
destruction.
28:56
Proverbs
28:56
14.12
28:57
says there
28:58
is a way
28:58
that seems
28:58
right to
28:59
a man,
29:00
but its
29:00
end is
29:01
the way
29:01
to death.
29:04
I'm so
29:05
thankful
29:05
that God
29:06
has humbled
29:07
me and
29:09
helped me
29:09
to know
29:09
that there
29:10
is nothing
29:10
good within
29:11
me and I
29:13
must look
29:14
without me.
29:15
I must
29:16
look to
29:16
Christ.
29:17
I must
29:18
find the
29:19
answer to
29:20
the way
29:21
of life
29:21
from him,
29:23
not from
29:23
myself.
29:27
Now,
29:27
I would
29:27
like to
29:27
illustrate
29:28
the
29:29
broad
29:31
path
29:31
for you
29:34
with a
29:34
reading from
29:35
the
29:35
Pilgrim's
29:35
Progress.
29:35
So,
29:36
I hope you
29:36
got a
29:36
bulletin in
29:37
your hands.
29:37
You can
29:37
flip it
29:38
over.
29:38
You're
29:38
going to
29:38
see a
29:38
lot of
29:39
stuff on
29:39
the back
29:40
of it.
29:44
As I
29:44
said in
29:45
the welcome,
29:47
this is a
29:47
book that
29:48
everybody should
29:48
read.
29:50
You can
29:50
find modern
29:51
English versions
29:52
of it if
29:52
this language
29:53
is scary
29:53
to you.
29:56
It was
29:57
written by
29:57
a man named
29:57
John Bunyan,
29:58
the pastor,
30:00
in 1678.
30:02
He began
30:03
the writing
30:04
of this
30:04
work while
30:05
he was in
30:05
prison.
30:07
He was
30:07
on the
30:07
difficult
30:08
way.
30:09
He was
30:09
in prison
30:10
for preaching
30:11
the gospel
30:11
of Jesus
30:12
Christ.
30:13
He wasn't
30:13
sanctioned by
30:14
the state
30:14
to be a
30:15
preacher,
30:15
but he did
30:16
it anyway
30:17
because for
30:17
him to be
30:18
sanctioned by
30:18
the state
30:18
he would
30:19
have to
30:19
not
30:19
preach
30:20
the gospel
30:20
of Jesus
30:22
Christ.
30:23
In fact,
30:24
when he was
30:25
thrown in
30:25
prison he
30:26
would stand
30:26
out in the
30:26
courtyard and
30:27
preach and
30:27
people would
30:28
gather around
30:29
the prison
30:29
walls to
30:30
hear John
30:31
Bunyan
30:32
preach.
30:33
And so
30:33
they put
30:34
him in a
30:35
cellar.
30:36
A dank
30:37
dungeness
30:38
part of
30:38
the prison.
30:40
And he
30:40
had with
30:40
him a
30:41
Bible and
30:42
he had a
30:43
copy of
30:43
in his
30:44
day the
30:45
version of
30:45
Fox's Book
30:46
of Martyrs
30:47
in his
30:47
day.
30:48
These were
30:48
the two
30:48
things that
30:49
were a
30:49
comfort to
30:50
him in
30:51
that place.
30:52
And he
30:52
began to
30:53
write the
30:54
story that
30:55
we call
30:55
The Pilgrim's
30:56
Progress which
30:57
is about the
30:57
journey of
30:59
a man named
31:00
Christian and
31:01
later his
31:01
wife whose
31:02
name is
31:03
Christiana.
31:05
Where we
31:05
are in
31:06
the story
31:06
he's come
31:09
through a
31:10
narrow gate
31:10
it's called
31:11
in the story
31:11
the Wicker
31:12
Gate.
31:12
It's a
31:12
wooden gate
31:13
that he's
31:13
come through.
31:14
He's carrying
31:15
this burden
31:16
of sin on
31:16
his back and
31:17
he goes to
31:18
the cross
31:18
where the
31:19
burden falls
31:20
off.
31:21
He's given
31:21
some things
31:22
in the process
31:22
of that.
31:22
One of them
31:23
we're going to
31:23
see in our
31:24
reading is a
31:24
cloak that's
31:25
given to him
31:25
to cover his
31:26
nakedness.
31:27
He's clothed
31:28
in Christ.
31:29
And he
31:30
meets two
31:31
characters as
31:31
he's traveling
31:32
on his way
31:33
to what Bunyan
31:34
calls the
31:35
celestial city
31:36
and you'll
31:36
see them
31:37
call it
31:37
Mount Zion
31:38
here in
31:39
our text.
31:41
So we
31:41
begin.
31:43
He,
31:43
this is
31:43
Christian,
31:44
espied two
31:45
men come
31:46
tumbling over
31:48
the wall on
31:49
the left hand
31:50
of the narrow
31:51
way.
31:52
So they
31:52
didn't come
31:52
by the narrow
31:53
gate.
31:53
They've come
31:53
tumbling over
31:54
the wall
31:56
and they
31:57
made up
31:57
a pace
31:58
to him.
31:59
The name
32:00
of the one
32:00
was formalist.
32:02
That's a person
32:02
who keeps
32:03
very carefully
32:03
the law.
32:06
And the name
32:07
of the other
32:07
was hypocrisy.
32:09
One who says
32:10
they do but
32:10
in actuality
32:11
don't.
32:12
Formalist
32:13
and hypocrisy.
32:15
So as I
32:16
said,
32:16
they drew up
32:17
unto him
32:17
who thus
32:18
entered with
32:19
them into
32:20
discourse.
32:20
They started
32:21
talking.
32:21
That's what
32:21
that means.
32:23
Gentlemen,
32:23
whence came
32:24
you and
32:24
whither go
32:25
you?
32:27
We were
32:27
born in
32:28
the land
32:28
of vain
32:29
glory and
32:30
are going
32:30
for praise
32:31
to Mount
32:31
Zion.
32:33
Why came
32:34
you not
32:34
in at the
32:35
gate which
32:35
standeth at
32:36
the beginning
32:37
of the way?
32:39
Know you
32:39
not that it
32:40
is written
32:40
that he
32:41
that cometh
32:41
not in
32:42
by the
32:43
door but
32:43
climbeth up
32:44
some other
32:44
way the
32:45
same as
32:46
a thief
32:47
and a
32:48
robber?
32:49
They said
32:50
that to go
32:50
to the
32:51
gate for
32:51
entrance was
32:52
by all
32:53
their
32:53
countrymen
32:54
counted
32:55
too far
32:56
about
32:56
and that
32:57
therefore
32:57
their usual
32:59
way was
32:59
to make
33:00
a shortcut
33:00
of it
33:01
and to
33:01
climb over
33:02
the wall
33:02
as they
33:03
had done.
33:05
Will it
33:05
not be
33:05
counted
33:06
a trespass
33:07
against the
33:08
lord of
33:08
the city
33:09
whither we
33:10
are bound
33:10
thus to
33:11
violate
33:11
his revealed
33:12
will?
33:14
They told
33:15
him that
33:15
as for
33:16
that
33:16
he needed
33:17
not to
33:18
trouble
33:18
his head
33:18
thereabout
33:19
for what
33:20
they did
33:20
they had
33:21
custom
33:21
for
33:22
and could
33:22
produce
33:23
if need
33:23
were
33:23
testimony
33:24
that
33:24
would
33:24
witness
33:25
it
33:25
for
33:25
more
33:26
than
33:26
a
33:27
thousand
33:27
years.
33:29
At this
33:29
point do we
33:30
know what
33:30
Bunyan is
33:31
talking about?
33:32
He's talking
33:32
about Roman
33:33
Catholicism.
33:34
He's talking
33:35
about religious
33:35
practice.
33:37
And hear this
33:38
for yourself
33:38
this morning
33:39
if you're
33:39
asking the
33:39
question
33:40
have I
33:40
gone through
33:41
the narrow
33:41
gate
33:41
place
33:42
saving
33:43
faith
33:43
in the
33:43
personal
33:44
work of
33:44
Jesus
33:44
Christ
33:45
or am I
33:46
merely going
33:47
through the
33:47
religious
33:48
rites?
33:49
Coming here
33:50
does not
33:50
save your
33:51
soul
33:51
brothers and
33:52
sisters
33:52
placing faith
33:54
in Jesus
33:55
Christ
33:55
for the
33:55
salvation
33:56
of your
33:56
soul
33:56
is what
33:56
saves
33:57
your
33:58
soul.
33:59
So we
34:00
have
34:00
for more
34:02
than a
34:02
thousand
34:02
years
34:02
this is
34:03
the way
34:03
that people
34:03
have been
34:04
getting
34:04
into the
34:04
ways
34:05
what they
34:05
say
34:05
but
34:06
said
34:06
Christian
34:07
will
34:08
your
34:08
practice
34:08
stand
34:09
a
34:10
trial
34:10
at
34:11
law?
34:12
They
34:13
told him
34:13
that
34:14
custom
34:14
being of
34:16
so long
34:16
standing
34:17
as above
34:17
a thousand
34:17
years
34:18
would
34:18
doubtless
34:19
now be
34:19
admitted
34:19
as a
34:20
thing
34:20
legal
34:20
by any
34:21
impartial
34:21
judge
34:22
and
34:22
besides
34:23
said
34:23
they
34:23
if we
34:24
get
34:24
into
34:25
the
34:25
way
34:25
what's
34:25
the
34:25
matter
34:26
which
34:26
way
34:26
we
34:26
get
34:26
in
34:27
if we
34:27
are
34:28
in
34:28
we
34:28
are
34:28
in
34:29
thou
34:29
art
34:30
but
34:30
in
34:30
the
34:30
way
34:30
who
34:30
as
34:31
we
34:31
perceive
34:31
came
34:31
in
34:32
at
34:32
the
34:32
gate
34:32
we
34:33
are
34:33
also
34:33
in
34:33
the
34:34
way
34:34
that
34:34
came
34:34
tumbling
34:34
!
34:35
where
34:35
in
34:35
now
34:36
is
34:36
thy
34:36
condition
34:37
better
34:37
than
34:38
ours
34:39
and
34:40
this
34:40
is
34:40
the
34:40
question
34:41
of
34:41
pluralistic
34:42
relativism
34:43
right
34:43
and the
34:45
answer
34:45
Jesus
34:46
is saying
34:47
you must
34:48
worship
34:48
the right
34:48
God
34:49
and you
34:50
must
34:50
worship
34:50
him
34:51
rightly
34:52
no one
34:53
can come
34:54
to the
34:54
father
34:54
but by
34:56
me
34:56
right
34:57
Christian
34:58
says
34:58
I walk
34:59
by the
35:00
rule
35:00
of my
35:01
master
35:01
you
35:02
walk
35:03
by
35:03
the
35:03
rude
35:04
working
35:04
of
35:04
your
35:05
fancies
35:05
you
35:06
are
35:07
counted
35:07
thieves
35:08
already
35:08
by the
35:09
Lord
35:09
of
35:09
the
35:09
way
35:09
therefore
35:10
I
35:11
doubt
35:11
you
35:12
will
35:12
not
35:12
be
35:12
found
35:12
true
35:12
men
35:13
at
35:13
the
35:13
end
35:13
of
35:13
the
35:13
way
35:14
you
35:14
come
35:15
in
35:15
by
35:15
yourselves
35:16
without
35:16
his
35:16
direction
35:17
and
35:17
shall
35:17
go
35:17
out
35:18
by
35:18
yourselves
35:18
without
35:19
his
35:20
mercy
35:20
Christian's
35:21
a
35:22
not a
35:23
weenie
35:23
guy
35:23
to
35:25
this
35:25
they
35:25
made
35:26
him
35:26
but
35:26
little
35:26
answer
35:27
only
35:27
they
35:27
bid
35:27
him
35:28
to
35:28
look
35:28
to
35:31
that
35:35
these
35:35
two
35:36
men
35:36
told
35:36
Christian
35:37
that
35:38
as
35:38
to
35:38
laws
35:39
and
35:39
ordinances
35:39
they
35:40
doubted
35:40
not
35:41
but
35:41
they
35:41
should
35:41
be
35:42
as
35:42
conscientiously
35:44
do
35:45
them
35:45
as
35:45
he
35:46
therefore
35:46
said
35:47
they
35:47
we
35:48
see
35:48
not
35:48
wherein
35:48
thou
35:49
differest
35:49
from
35:50
us
35:50
but
35:51
by
35:51
the
35:51
coat
35:51
that
35:52
is
35:52
on
35:52
thy
35:53
back
35:53
which
35:54
was
35:54
as
35:55
we
35:55
trow
35:55
given
35:56
thee
35:56
by
35:56
some
35:57
of
35:57
thy
35:57
neighbors
35:57
to
35:57
hide
35:58
the
35:58
shame
35:58
of
36:00
thy
36:00
nakedness
36:00
so
36:01
they're
36:01
saying
36:01
is
36:01
we
36:01
keep
36:02
the
36:02
law
36:02
just
36:03
as
36:03
you
36:03
keep
36:03
the
36:03
law
36:04
the
36:04
only
36:04
difference
36:04
between
36:05
us
36:05
and
36:05
you
36:05
is
36:06
you're
36:06
wearing
36:06
this
36:06
coat
36:07
which
36:08
we
36:08
understand
36:08
from a
36:09
reading
36:09
of the
36:09
pilgrimage
36:09
progress
36:10
is the
36:10
righteousness
36:11
of
36:12
Christ
36:13
and
36:14
Christian
36:14
says
36:14
by
36:15
laws
36:15
and
36:15
ordinances
36:16
you
36:16
will
36:16
not
36:17
be
36:17
saved
36:18
since
36:18
you
36:18
came
36:19
not
36:19
in
36:20
by
36:21
the
36:21
door
36:21
and
36:23
they
36:23
have
36:23
a
36:23
little
36:23
more
36:24
interchange
36:24
and
36:27
shortly
36:27
they
36:28
come
36:28
in
36:28
the
36:28
story
36:28
to
36:29
a
36:29
hill
36:29
!
36:31
difficult
36:31
and
36:33
the
36:33
narrow
36:33
path
36:33
goes
36:34
straight
36:34
up
36:34
the
36:34
hill
36:35
called
36:35
difficult
36:36
and
36:37
at
36:37
this
36:37
point
36:37
Christian
36:38
leaves
36:38
his
36:38
fellow
36:39
travelers
36:39
behind
36:40
because
36:41
they
36:41
find
36:42
alternate
36:43
paths
36:43
that
36:44
go
36:44
around
36:44
the
36:45
hill
36:45
and
36:46
they
36:46
perceive
36:46
that
36:46
they
36:47
meet
36:47
back
36:47
up
36:47
on
36:48
the
36:48
other
36:48
side
36:49
one
36:50
takes
36:50
a
36:50
path
36:50
called
36:51
danger
36:51
and
36:52
gets
36:52
lost
36:53
in
36:53
a
36:53
wood
36:53
the
36:54
other
36:54
takes
36:55
a
36:55
path
36:55
called
36:56
destruction
36:57
where
36:58
he
36:58
dies
36:58
so
37:00
Bunyan
37:00
very
37:01
beautifully
37:02
illustrates
37:02
this
37:03
for us
37:04
religion
37:05
is the
37:08
broad
37:09
easy
37:10
way
37:11
through
37:12
Christ
37:13
that we
37:13
are
37:14
saved
37:16
and it's
37:17
because of
37:17
the nature
37:18
of the
37:19
broad
37:19
and easy
37:19
way
37:19
Jesus
37:20
exhorts
37:21
us to
37:21
beware
37:22
of false
37:23
prophets
37:24
beware
37:26
of the
37:27
people
37:27
that
37:28
would
37:28
lead
37:28
you
37:29
to
37:30
the
37:30
broad
37:30
and
37:31
easy
37:31
way
37:32
be
37:33
cautious
37:33
of
37:34
these
37:34
people
37:35
he
37:36
says
37:37
that
37:37
they
37:37
are
37:37
outwardly
37:38
in
37:39
sheep's
37:39
clothing
37:40
they
37:40
look
37:40
like
37:41
a
37:41
brother
37:41
or
37:41
a
37:42
sister
37:42
but
37:42
inwardly
37:43
ravenous
37:44
wolves
37:45
like
37:45
they're
37:45
seeking
37:46
your
37:47
destruction
37:48
and he
37:50
tells us
37:50
how we're
37:50
to
37:50
recognize
37:51
these
37:52
false
37:53
prophets
37:53
were to
37:54
recognize
37:55
them
37:55
by
37:56
their
37:57
fruits
37:58
and he
37:58
asks
37:58
them
37:58
rhetorical
37:59
questions
37:59
grapes
38:00
gathered
38:00
from
38:01
thorn bushes
38:01
of course
38:02
not
38:02
or figs
38:03
from
38:03
thistles
38:03
of course
38:04
not
38:05
so
38:06
every
38:06
healthy
38:07
tree
38:07
bears
38:07
good
38:08
fruit
38:08
but
38:08
the
38:08
diseased
38:08
tree
38:09
bears
38:09
bad
38:11
fruit
38:11
right
38:11
healthy
38:12
tree
38:12
can't
38:13
bear
38:13
bad
38:13
fruit
38:13
diseased
38:14
tree
38:14
can't
38:14
bear
38:14
good
38:15
fruit
38:15
right
38:16
duh
38:16
!
38:23
and
38:24
beloved
38:25
I
38:25
wish
38:26
that
38:26
it
38:27
was
38:27
just
38:27
easy
38:29
and
38:29
simple
38:30
to
38:31
identify
38:31
the
38:32
false
38:32
prophets
38:32
but
38:34
it's
38:34
not
38:34
so
38:35
easy
38:35
we
38:36
must
38:36
be
38:37
examining
38:37
!
38:37
and
38:38
careful
38:38
we
38:39
must
38:39
watch
38:40
right
38:41
we
38:41
must
38:42
examine
38:42
fruit
38:44
and
38:46
I
38:46
want
38:46
to
38:46
give
38:46
you
38:46
just
38:46
three
38:47
quick
38:47
like
38:48
outline
38:49
ways
38:49
to
38:49
examine
38:50
the
38:50
fruit
38:50
of
38:51
teachers
38:51
of
38:52
our
38:52
day
38:52
to
38:53
consider
38:53
whether
38:54
or
38:54
not
38:54
we
38:54
should
38:54
be
38:54
listening
38:55
to
38:56
them
38:56
please
38:58
don't
38:58
make
38:58
me
38:58
the
38:59
one
38:59
that
38:59
has
38:59
to
38:59
always
39:00
sort
39:00
out
39:00
false
39:01
prophets
39:01
for
39:01
you
39:01
I
39:01
don't
39:01
have
39:02
nearly
39:02
enough
39:02
time
39:03
to
39:03
tell
39:03
you
39:03
all
39:03
the
39:03
people
39:03
you
39:03
should
39:04
avoid
39:04
first
39:08
we
39:08
should
39:08
examine
39:09
their
39:09
character
39:10
Ephesians
39:12
chapter 2
39:13
and
39:13
verse
39:13
10
39:14
Paul
39:14
writes
39:14
for
39:15
we
39:15
are
39:15
his
39:15
workmanship
39:15
created
39:16
in
39:16
Christ
39:16
Jesus
39:17
for
39:17
good
39:17
works
39:20
we
39:21
should
39:21
walk
39:21
in
39:21
them
39:22
we
39:22
are
39:22
not
39:22
saved
39:23
by
39:23
our
39:23
works
39:24
we
39:24
are
39:24
saved
39:25
by
39:25
the
39:25
righteousness
39:25
of
39:25
Christ
39:26
but
39:27
he
39:27
having
39:28
given
39:28
us
39:28
the
39:28
Holy
39:28
Spirit
39:29
now
39:29
intends
39:29
to
39:29
work
39:30
good
39:30
works
39:31
in
39:31
us
39:31
so
39:33
the
39:33
evidence
39:33
the way
39:34
that we
39:34
can
39:34
examine
39:35
someone
39:35
from
39:35
the
39:36
outside
39:36
to
39:36
see
39:37
if
39:37
they
39:37
are
39:37
in
39:37
fact
39:38
producing
39:38
good
39:39
fruit
39:40
things
39:40
that
39:40
are
39:40
consistent
39:41
with
39:41
the
39:42
scripture
39:42
I
39:43
fear
39:43
that
39:44
in
39:44
our
39:44
day
39:44
most
39:45
of
39:46
the
39:50
they
39:51
are
39:51
very
39:51
distant
39:52
very
39:52
aloof
39:53
they
39:53
are
39:53
backstage
39:54
they
39:55
come
39:55
out
39:55
they
39:55
go
39:56
backstage
39:56
again
39:57
they
39:57
are
39:57
shuttled
39:58
out
39:58
a
39:58
side
39:58
door
39:59
no
39:59
one
39:59
can
40:00
really
40:00
know
40:00
these
40:01
men
40:01
and
40:02
really
40:02
examine
40:03
their
40:04
fruit
40:04
and
40:04
this
40:05
is
40:05
a
40:05
troubling
40:06
thing
40:06
I
40:06
believe
40:06
in
40:07
our
40:08
day
40:08
and
40:08
I'm
40:08
not
40:08
saying
40:08
that
40:08
every
40:09
pastor
40:09
of
40:09
a
40:09
large
40:10
church
40:10
is
40:10
a
40:10
false
40:10
prophet
40:10
so
40:11
don't
40:11
hear
40:11
that
40:12
but
40:13
it's
40:14
troubling
40:14
if
40:15
spiritual
40:16
leaders
40:17
don't
40:17
have
40:17
a
40:17
tight
40:18
group
40:18
of
40:18
people
40:18
around
40:19
them
40:19
that
40:19
are
40:19
helping
40:19
them
40:20
walk
40:20
examining
40:21
questioning
40:22
holding
40:24
them
40:24
accountable
40:24
right
40:26
we
40:27
are
40:27
known
40:28
as
40:28
Christians
40:29
by
40:29
our
40:30
fruit
40:30
Jesus
40:31
says
40:31
in
40:31
John
40:32
15
40:32
8
40:32
by
40:32
this
40:33
my
40:34
father
40:34
is
40:34
glorified
40:34
that
40:34
you
40:35
bear
40:35
much
40:36
fruits
40:36
this
40:37
is
40:37
a
40:37
fruit
40:37
of
40:37
righteousness
40:38
right
40:38
putting
40:39
to death
40:39
sin
40:40
putting
40:40
on
40:40
good
40:40
works
40:42
and
40:42
so
40:43
prove
40:43
to
40:43
be
40:44
my
40:45
disciples
40:45
right
40:46
how is
40:46
it
40:46
that
40:46
we
40:46
show
40:47
that
40:47
we
40:47
have
40:47
faith
40:48
we
40:48
show
40:49
that
40:49
we
40:49
have
40:49
faith
40:49
by
40:50
our
40:50
works
40:51
James
40:52
tells
40:53
us
40:53
so
40:54
examine
40:54
the
40:55
character
40:55
of
40:57
the
40:57
teachers
40:57
in
40:57
your
40:58
life
40:59
encourage
40:59
others
40:59
to
41:00
examine
41:00
the
41:00
character
41:00
of
41:01
the
41:01
teachers
41:01
in
41:01
their
41:03
life
41:03
examine
41:03
my
41:03
character
41:04
please
41:05
secondly
41:06
we need
41:07
to look
41:07
to
41:07
the
41:09
doctrine
41:09
we need
41:11
to look
41:11
to the
41:11
doctrine
41:12
of
41:12
those
41:14
teachers
41:14
in our
41:15
midst
41:15
Paul
41:17
writes
41:17
to
41:18
Timothy
41:18
in
41:18
2 Timothy
41:18
chapter 4
41:19
beginning
41:19
in
41:20
verse 1
41:20
I charge
41:21
you in
41:21
the
41:21
presence
41:21
of
41:21
God
41:22
and
41:22
of
41:22
Christ
41:22
Jesus
41:23
who
41:23
is
41:23
to
41:23
judge
41:23
the
41:24
living
41:24
and
41:24
the
41:24
dead
41:24
and
41:25
by
41:25
his
41:25
appearing
41:26
and
41:26
his
41:26
kingdom
41:27
preach
41:27
the
41:28
word
41:28
this
41:30
text
41:31
66
41:32
books
41:32
Old
41:32
and
41:32
New
41:33
Testament
41:33
be
41:34
ready
41:34
in
41:35
season
41:35
and
41:35
out
41:35
of
41:35
season
41:36
and
41:37
as
41:37
a
41:37
note
41:37
Timothy
41:38
only
41:39
had
41:39
the
41:39
Old
41:39
Testament
41:39
at
41:39
that
41:40
point
41:40
that's
41:41
the
41:41
word
41:42
he's
41:42
referring
41:42
to
41:42
specifically
41:43
those
41:44
39
41:44
first
41:45
books
41:46
preach
41:47
the
41:47
word
41:47
be ready
41:47
in
41:48
season
41:48
and
41:48
out
41:48
of
41:48
season
41:48
reprove
41:49
rebuke
41:49
and exhort
41:50
with complete
41:50
patience
41:51
and teaching
41:51
why
41:52
why is he
41:53
instructing
41:53
Timothy
41:54
to do
41:54
this
41:54
first
41:55
three
41:55
says
41:55
for
41:56
the
41:56
time
41:57
is
41:57
coming
41:57
when
41:59
people
41:59
will
41:59
not
42:00
endure
42:00
sound
42:00
teaching
42:01
but
42:02
having
42:02
itching
42:02
ears
42:03
they
42:03
will
42:03
accumulate
42:03
for
42:04
themselves
42:04
teachers
42:05
to
42:05
suit
42:05
their
42:06
own
42:06
passions
42:07
and
42:08
they
42:08
will
42:09
turn
42:09
away
42:09
from
42:09
listening
42:09
to
42:10
the
42:10
truth
42:10
and
42:11
they
42:11
will
42:11
wander
42:11
off
42:12
into
42:12
myths
42:13
right
42:13
the
42:14
time
42:14
is
42:15
here
42:15
when
42:16
people
42:16
don't
42:17
want
42:17
to
42:17
hear
42:17
the
42:17
truth
42:17
of
42:18
God
42:18
they
42:19
want
42:19
a
42:19
broad
42:20
and
42:20
easy
42:20
way
42:21
and
42:21
so
42:21
they
42:21
gather
42:21
!
42:22
who
42:23
will
42:23
tell
42:23
them
42:23
exactly
42:24
what
42:24
they
42:25
want
42:25
to
42:26
hear
42:26
and
42:28
so
42:28
many
42:28
teachers
42:29
and
42:30
I
42:30
think
42:30
with
42:31
good
42:31
intentions
42:31
although
42:32
I
42:32
think
42:32
I'm
42:32
tired
42:33
of
42:33
making
42:33
excuses
42:34
for
42:34
these
42:34
people
42:34
with
42:35
good
42:35
intentions
42:35
will
42:37
tell
42:38
people
42:38
what
42:38
they
42:38
want
42:39
to
42:39
hear
42:40
they
42:41
think
42:41
they're
42:41
leading
42:41
people
42:42
to
42:42
Christ
42:42
and
42:43
I
42:43
would
42:43
suggest
42:43
that
42:43
more
42:44
often
42:44
than
42:44
not
42:44
they're
42:45
making
42:45
people
42:46
twice
42:47
a
42:48
child
42:48
of
42:48
hell
42:49
it's
42:50
very
42:50
dangerous
42:51
that we
42:52
lead
42:52
people
42:52
to
42:52
think
42:53
they're
42:53
following
42:53
the
42:54
risen
42:54
Christ
42:54
and
42:55
they're
42:56
not
42:56
they're
42:56
following
42:56
a
42:57
Jesus
42:57
of
42:58
our
42:58
invention
42:59
preach
43:01
the
43:01
word
43:02
everything
43:03
we do
43:03
need to
43:04
be
43:04
text
43:04
driven
43:05
informed
43:06
we
43:07
cannot
43:07
step
43:07
outside
43:08
this
43:09
book
43:10
A.W.
43:12
Pink
43:12
was a
43:13
19th
43:13
century
43:13
British
43:15
theologian
43:15
said
43:16
this
43:16
this is
43:18
pretty
43:18
scathing
43:19
any
43:21
preacher
43:21
who
43:22
rejects
43:23
God's
43:23
law
43:24
who
43:26
denies
43:27
repentance
43:27
to be
43:28
a
43:28
condition
43:28
of
43:29
salvation
43:29
who
43:31
assures
43:31
the
43:32
giddy
43:32
and
43:32
godless
43:33
that
43:33
they
43:33
are
43:33
loved
43:34
by
43:34
God
43:34
who
43:35
declares
43:36
saving
43:36
faith
43:37
is
43:37
nothing
43:37
more
43:38
than
43:38
an
43:38
act
43:38
of
43:39
the
43:39
will
43:39
which
43:40
every
43:41
person
43:41
has
43:42
the
43:42
power
43:42
to
43:43
perform
43:43
is
43:44
a
43:44
false
43:45
prophet
43:45
and
43:46
should
43:46
be
43:47
shunned
43:47
as
43:48
a
43:48
deadly
43:48
plague
43:49
I
43:52
agree
43:52
J.C.
43:55
Ryle
43:55
and this
43:56
is a
43:57
another
43:58
another
43:58
19th
43:59
century
43:59
British
44:00
pastor
44:01
and
44:01
theologian
44:02
who's
44:02
on the
44:03
front of
44:03
your
44:03
bulletin
44:03
said
44:03
false
44:05
doctrine
44:06
and
44:06
heresy
44:06
are
44:07
even
44:07
worse
44:08
than
44:08
schism
44:08
and
44:09
he's
44:09
saying
44:09
than
44:09
dividing
44:10
from
44:10
a
44:11
fellowship
44:12
of
44:12
believers
44:13
false
44:14
doctrine
44:14
and
44:14
heresy
44:14
are
44:15
even
44:15
worse
44:15
than
44:16
schism
44:16
if
44:17
people
44:17
separate
44:18
themselves
44:18
from
44:18
teaching
44:19
that
44:19
is
44:19
positively
44:20
false
44:21
and
44:21
unscriptural
44:22
they
44:23
ought to
44:23
be
44:24
praised
44:24
rather
44:25
than
44:25
reproved
44:26
in
44:26
such
44:27
cases
44:27
separation
44:28
is a
44:28
virtue
44:29
and
44:30
not
44:30
a
44:30
sin
44:30
for
44:32
the
44:32
good
44:32
of
44:32
people
44:33
beloved
44:33
we
44:34
need
44:34
to
44:34
be
44:34
warning
44:35
others
44:35
away
44:36
from
44:36
the
44:37
false
44:37
teaching
44:37
of
44:38
our
44:38
day
44:38
for
44:39
the
44:39
sake
44:39
of
44:40
time
44:40
I
44:40
will
44:40
not
44:40
list
44:41
people
44:41
in
44:41
our
44:41
area
44:42
for
44:42
you
44:42
that
44:43
we
44:43
should
44:44
we
44:45
need
44:45
to
44:46
pray
44:46
for
44:46
these
44:46
men
44:47
that
44:47
they
44:47
would
44:47
come
44:47
to
44:47
a
44:47
realization
44:48
of
44:48
the
44:48
truth
44:49
for
44:49
some
44:49
of
44:49
them
44:49
maybe
44:50
that
44:50
their
44:50
souls
44:50
would
44:51
be
44:51
saved
44:51
and
44:53
we
44:53
need
44:53
to
44:53
help
44:53
people
44:54
we
44:54
need
44:54
to
44:54
lead
44:55
people
44:55
to
44:55
the
44:57
narrow
44:57
gate
44:57
in
44:58
the
44:58
difficult
44:58
way
44:58
so
44:59
that
44:59
they
44:59
can
44:59
have
45:00
life
45:00
and
45:00
life
45:01
everlasting
45:02
we
45:04
also
45:04
need
45:04
to
45:04
look
45:05
at
45:05
these
45:06
men's
45:07
followers
45:08
these
45:09
men's
45:11
followers
45:11
how
45:12
do
45:12
people's
45:12
lives
45:13
orient
45:14
always
45:15
have
45:15
access
45:15
to
45:16
the
45:16
man
45:17
but
45:17
how
45:17
is
45:18
it
45:18
that
45:18
people
45:18
are
45:18
living
45:19
in
45:19
relation
45:19
to
45:20
his
45:21
leadership
45:22
Peter
45:23
writes
45:23
in
45:23
2
45:24
Peter
45:24
chapter
45:24
2
45:24
verse
45:24
1
45:25
and
45:25
2
45:25
the
45:26
false
45:26
prophets
45:27
also
45:27
arose
45:28
among
45:28
the
45:28
people
45:28
just
45:29
as
45:29
there
45:30
will
45:30
be
45:30
false
45:30
teachers
45:31
among
45:31
you
45:32
we
45:32
shouldn't
45:32
be
45:32
surprised
45:33
by
45:33
this
45:34
who
45:35
will
45:35
secretly
45:35
bring
45:35
in
45:36
destructive
45:36
heresies
45:37
even
45:37
denying
45:38
the
45:38
master
45:38
who
45:38
bought
45:39
them
45:39
bringing
45:39
upon
45:39
themselves
45:40
swift
45:40
!
45:44
We
45:50
live
45:51
in
45:51
a
45:51
day
45:51
where
45:51
people
45:51
claim
45:52
to be
45:52
followers
45:53
of
45:53
Jesus
45:54
Christ
45:55
and
45:55
live
45:56
as
45:56
followers
45:57
of
45:57
Satan
45:57
absolutely
45:59
mock
46:00
the
46:00
gospel
46:00
of
46:01
Jesus
46:01
Christ
46:02
we
46:03
must
46:03
be
46:03
so
46:04
very
46:05
careful
46:06
as
46:07
we
46:07
beware
46:08
Jesus
46:09
warns
46:10
us
46:11
beware
46:12
of
46:12
the
46:13
false
46:13
prophets
46:15
beloved
46:17
there is
46:18
much
46:18
at stake
46:20
here
46:20
much
46:21
at stake
46:22
here
46:22
the glory
46:23
of our
46:24
God
46:24
and the
46:25
eternal
46:26
souls
46:26
of
46:27
people
46:28
I
46:29
know
46:30
that
46:30
every
46:30
time
46:31
I
46:31
talk
46:31
about
46:31
false
46:33
teaching
46:33
in our
46:34
area
46:34
you
46:35
get a
46:36
little
46:36
angsty
46:37
about
46:37
it
46:37
right
46:38
why
46:38
because
46:39
I'm
46:39
making
46:39
a
46:39
truth
46:40
claim
46:40
that's
46:41
absolute
46:41
and
46:43
you
46:43
are
46:43
conditioned
46:44
to
46:44
think
46:44
of
46:45
that
46:45
as
46:45
narrow
46:45
and
46:46
arrogant
46:46
you're
46:48
conditioned
46:48
to
46:49
do
46:49
it
46:49
how
46:49
could
46:50
you
46:50
possibly
46:50
say
46:51
how
46:51
can
46:52
you
46:52
know
46:53
because
46:54
the
46:54
text
46:55
says
46:55
it
46:55
it's
46:56
not
46:56
my
46:56
authority
46:56
it's
46:57
God's
46:57
authority
46:57
that
46:58
says
46:59
such
46:59
things
47:00
we
47:01
have
47:01
to
47:01
be
47:02
emboldened
47:03
we
47:04
have
47:04
to
47:05
contend
47:05
for
47:06
the
47:06
truth
47:06
because
47:07
the
47:07
glory
47:07
of
47:07
our
47:07
God
47:08
and
47:09
the
47:09
eternal
47:09
souls
47:10
of
47:10
people
47:11
which are
47:11
intrinsically
47:12
tied
47:12
together
47:12
are
47:13
at
47:13
stake
47:15
so
47:17
this
47:17
morning
47:17
is
47:17
a
47:18
final
47:18
application
47:19
be
47:20
sure
47:20
that
47:21
you
47:21
have
47:21
entered
47:21
by
47:22
the
47:22
narrow
47:23
gate
47:23
you've
47:25
placed
47:25
saving
47:25
faith
47:26
in
47:26
Jesus
47:26
Christ
47:27
that
47:27
your
47:27
righteousness
47:28
is
47:28
in
47:29
him
47:30
that
47:31
you're
47:31
on
47:31
the
47:31
difficult
47:31
way
47:31
that
47:32
you're
47:32
headed
47:33
to
47:33
a
47:33
destination
47:33
called
47:34
life
47:34
and
47:34
that
47:35
you
47:35
are
47:35
counted
47:35
amongst
47:36
!
47:37
the
47:37
few
47:37
and
47:38
you
47:39
find
47:39
that
47:39
this
47:39
is
47:39
true
47:39
of
47:39
yourself
47:40
contend
47:41
for
47:42
the
47:43
absolute
47:43
claims
47:44
of
47:46
the
47:46
Bible
47:46
Jesus
47:48
says
47:48
enter
47:49
by
47:49
the
47:49
narrow
47:50
gate
47:50
for
47:52
the
47:52
gate
47:52
is
47:52
wide
47:53
and
47:53
the
47:53
way
47:54
is
47:54
easy
47:54
that
47:54
leads
47:55
to
47:55
destruction
47:55
and
47:55
those
47:56
who
47:56
enter
47:56
by
47:57
it
47:57
are
47:57
many
47:57
for
47:58
the
47:58
gate
47:59
is
47:59
narrow
47:59
and
48:00
the
48:00
way
48:00
is
48:00
hard
48:01
that
48:01
leads
48:01
to
48:01
life
48:02
and
48:03
those
48:03
who
48:03
find
48:03
it
48:03
are
48:04
few
48:05
let's
48:06
pray
48:06
together
48:06
to
48:07
those