AGONIZE TO ENTER

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AGONIZE TO ENTER

• Matt. 713,14, Enter ye in by the narrow gate
  for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
  leadeth to destruction, and many are they that
  enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate,
  and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life,
  and few are they that find it.
• Luke 1324, Strive to enter in by the narrow
  door for many, I say unto you, shall seek to
  enter in, and shall not be able.

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Jesus tells us that being saved now and
eternally demands a striving, seeking, agonizing!

• Lk. 1324 employs the Greek verb, agonizomai,
  which transliterated becomes agonize.
• To fully realize just what Jesus is saying, let
  us look at this verb as it appears in other
  passages
• 1. To enter a contest contend (in the gymnastic
  games), 1 Cor. 925, And every man that striveth
  in the games exerciseth self-control in all
  things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible
  crown but we an incorruptible.

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2. To contend with adversaries, fight, Jn.
1836, Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this
world if my kingdom were of this world, then
would my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews but now is my kingdom not
from hence.

• 3. To contend, struggle, with difficulties and
  dangers (antagonistic to the gospel), 1 Tim.
  612, Fight the good fight of the faith (or,
  struggle the good struggle of the faith, or
  agonize the good agony of the faith).
• 2 Tim. 47, I have fought the good fight
  (literally, the good struggle I have struggled).

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4. To endeavor with strenuous zeal, strive (to
obtain something), Col. 412, Epaphras, who is
one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth
you, always striving for you in his prayers, that
ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the
will of God.

• Let us look again at Matt. 713,14
• Matt. 713,14, Enter ye in by the narrow gate
  for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
  leadeth to destruction, and many are they that
  enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate,
  and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life,
  and few are they that find it..

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I. THE EXHORTATION, v. 13, enter ye in!

• It requires agonizing (as we have seen, Lk.
  1324). It costs to become and be a Christian!
• Lk. 1425-35, Now there went with him great
  multi-tudes and he turned, and said unto them,
  26 If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his
  own father, and mother, and wife, and children,
  and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life
  also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whosoever
  doth not bear his own cross, and come after me,
  cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you,
  desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit
  down and count the cost, whether he have
  wherewith to complete it? 29 Lest haply, when
  he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to
  finish,

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all that behold begin to mock him, 30 saying,
This man began to build, and was not able to
finish. 31 Or what king, as he goeth to
encounter another king in war, will not sit down
first and take counsel whether he is able with
ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him
with twenty thousand?

• 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way
  off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh
  conditions of peace. 33 So therefore whosoever
  he be of you that renounceth not all that he
  hath, he cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt
  therefore is good but if even the salt have lost
  its savor, wherewith shall it be season-ed? 35
  It is fit neither for the land nor for the
  dung-hill men cast it out. He that hath ears
  to hear, let him hear.

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Lk. 962, But Jesus said unto him, No man,
having put his hand to the plow, and looking
back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

• Phil. 212, So then, my beloved, even as ye
  have always obeyed, not as in my presence only,
  but now much more in my absence, work out your
  own salvation with fear and trembling.

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II. THE TWO GATES

• 1. One is wide enough for
• all religious doctrines (of both hemispheres)
• all forms of worldliness and disobedience,
• all who do nothing and stand for nothing!
• 2. One is narrow cramped, compressed, strait
  (restricted).
• Admits only godliness and unity.
• Eph. 41-6, I therefore, the prisoner in the
  Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling
  where-with ye were called, 2 with all lowliness
  and meek-ness, with longsuffering, forbearing one
  another in love giving diligence to keep the
  unity .

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of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There
is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye
were called in one hope of your calling 5 one
Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and
Father of all, who is over all, and through all,
and in all.

• Lk. 924-26, For whosoever would save his
  life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his
  life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25
  For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole
  world, and lose or for-feit his own self? 26
  For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my
  words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed,
  when he cometh in his own glory, and the glory
  of the Father, and of the holy angels.

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III. THE TWO WAYS

• 1. One is broad, admitting everything, and is
  down-hill to hell.
• It takes no effort!
• One may believe what he may
• Free in Christ
• Comfort zone
• church of your choice
• PMA,
• Self-esteem,
• I like,
• Whats wrong with?

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2. One is straitened difficult, restricted

• This one brings trouble, affliction
• 2 Tim. 312, Yea, and all that would live
  godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
• This one requires divine authority in all
  things.
• Col. 317, And whatsoever ye do, in word or in
  deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
  giving thanks to God the Father through him.
• Acts 242, And they continued stedfastly in
  the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the
  breaking of bread and the prayers.
• 2 Tim. 113, Hold the pattern of sound words
  which thou hast heard from me.

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IV. THE DESTINATIONS

• 1. Destruction
• Greek, Apoleian ruin, not annihilation (per
  the JWs)!
• Hell is forever! Matt. 2546, And these shall
  go away into eternal punishment but the
  righteous into eternal life.
• 2. Life
• Eternal union with God.
• Rev. 210, Fear not the things which thou art
  about to suffer behold, the devil is about to
  cast some of you into prison, that ye may be
  tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be
  thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee
  the crown of life.

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1 Jn. 225, And this is the promise which he
promised us, even the life eternal.

• V. THE TRAVELERS
• 1. Many
• Exodus 232, Thou shalt not follow a multitude
  to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause
  to turn aside after a multitude to wrest
  justice 3 neither shalt thou favor a poor
  man in his cause.
• Jn. 666-68, Upon this many of his disciples
  went back, and walked no more with him. 67
  Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye
  also go away? 68 Simon Peter answered him,
  Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of
  eternal life.

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Matt. 2214, For many are called, but few
chosen.

• 1 Jn. 215-17, Love not the world, neither the
  things that are in the world. If any man love the
  world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16
  For all that is in the world, the lust of the
  flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory
  of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
  world. 17 And the world pass-eth away, and the
  lust thereof but he that doeth the will of God
  abideth for ever.

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2. Comparatively few

• Why is this so?
• Lk. 923, And he said unto all, If any man
  would come after me, let him deny himself, and
  take up his cross daily, and follow me.
• Matt. 1034, Think not that I came to send
  peace on the earth I came not to send peace, but
  a sword.
• Lk. 1249,51-53, I came to cast fire upon the
  earth and what do I desire, if it is already
  kindled? 51 Think ye that I am come to give
  peace in the earth? I tell you, Nay but rather
  division 52 for there shall be from henceforth
  five in one house divided, three against two, and
  two against three.

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53 They shall be divided, father against son, and
son against father mother against daughter, and
daugh-ter against her mother mother in law
against her daughter in law, and daughter in law
against her mother in law.

• Matt. 1624, Then said Jesus unto his
  disciples, If any man would come after me, let
  him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
  follow me.
• Comparatively few, although of every nation!
• Rev. 79,10, After these things I saw, and
  behold, a great multitude, which no man could
  number, out of every nation and of all tribes
  and peoples and tongues, standing before the
  throne and before .

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the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in
their hands 10 and they cry with a great
voice, saying, Salvation unto our God who sitteth
on the throne, and unto the Lamb.

• Everyone is invited to be among the few
  travelers!
• Rev. 2217, And the Spirit and the bride say,
  Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And
  he that is athirst, let him come he that will,
  let him take the water of life freely.
• No one has an excuse for missing heaven!
• Mk. 1616, He that believeth and is baptized
  shall be saved but he that disbelieveth shall be
  con-demned.

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