The Wide Gate

Mat. 7:13-14 Sermon on the Mount

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds Matthew 7:13-14, contrasting the narrow gate and way of true conversion with the wide gate and broad way of counterfeit conversion. He argues that true conversion is difficult and rare, requiring a strict dealing with sin, self, and the world. Counterfeit conversion, by contrast, is easy and common, allowing individuals to retain their sin, self-will, and worldliness while professing Christ. Martin urges listeners to self-examine their conversion experience against biblical standards, warning that the broad way, though popular, leads to eternal destruction.

4 illustrations in this sermon

Introduction: The Two Gates, Two Ways, Two Ends

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Narrow Turnstile and Baggage

Driving home: When Jesus Christ said, few there be that find it, he meant that. He meant that.

The narrow gate is likened to a narrow turnstile where all baggage of sin and self must be left behind, illustrating the difficulty and demands of true conversion.

But then our Lord enunciated the difficulties of conversion for he said that the gateway of true conversion is like a narrow turnstile and at that turnstile all the baggage must be left. All the baggage of sin and self must be repudiated. And then our Lord said it's difficult not only at the beginning but all along the way for it's not only a narrow gate but it's also a narrow or a compressed way. And then our Lord closes his description of the narrow way and the narrow gate by saying that such entrance is a rare thing.

2:07 - 2:48 Read in full sermon

Satan's Counterfeit Offer to Awakened Sinners

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Wide Barn Door vs. Narrow Turnstile

The point: If you're here this morning and you couldn't care less whether you go to heaven or hell, I have no message for you, dear one, except to pray that God will somehow awaken you from the slumber of your sin.

Satan's offer of a 'big, broad barn door' for the wide gate, contrasted with Jesus' 'narrow turnstile,' illustrates the perceived ease of counterfeit conversion compared to the demands of true conversion.

deceiver of the whole earth says, ah, but listen to me. Are you interested in the kingdom? I have a much easier way. Look. Jesus offers you a narrow turnstile. I offer you a big,

12:05 - 12:18 Read in full sermon

lightbulb example

Counterfeit Valuables

The examples of counterfeit diamonds and money, but not counterfeit pennies or sandstones, illustrate that only things of great value (like a soul's conversion) are worth counterfeiting.

poses his counterfeit conversion. You see, anything that's worthwhile is going to be counterfeit. I never heard of a counterfeit penny maker or a penny maker who made counterfeit pennants. Never heard of anyone making counterfeit sandstones. I've heard of people trying to

13:12 - 13:32 Read in full sermon

The End of Counterfeit Conversion: Destruction

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Mountain Summit and Precipice

In this part of the sermon: Martin emphasizes the sobering truth that the wide gate and broad way lead to destruction, everlasting darkness, weeping, and wailing, despite being popular and easy to enter.

A man seeking a mountain summit ignores a difficult road for an easy, broad highway, only to drive off a precipice. This illustrates the delusion of the broad way, which appears easy but leads to destruction, despite clear warnings.

Try to picture this with me. A man has seen from some distance a man who's traveling across a certain country, and he sees a beautiful mountain, and he says, oh, I want to drive my car to the summit of that mountain or as close as it's possible to do so. And I want to attain that place that I might look over the countryside and take in its breathtaking view. And so he goes inquiring, and he finds that there are specific maps given as to how a man may get to that particular place.

39:54 - 40:22 Read in full sermon

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