THINK TOGETHER
Have you ever chosen a path just because it looked easier?
READ TOGETHER
Being a Christian is very, very, easy, and very, very, hard at the same time. It’s very, very easy because all you have to do is trust in Jesus and his death for you on the cross. And it’s very, very hard because all you have to do is trust in Jesus and his death for you on the cross. Jesus called this trust in him a “narrow gate.” Listen to what Jesus says here in the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 7:13-14. 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Jesus describes two paths leading to two gates. One gate leads to destruction. The other gate leads to life. One path is wide and easy. The other path is narrow and hard. Many find the wide way, while few find the narrow way.
But what is Jesus actually trying to say here? He’s saying that he IS the narrow way. In fact, Jesus would say that he is the ONLY way to God the Father and to heaven.
But what makes the way of Jesus so hard? The answer is that the way of Jesus is so hard because it is so easy. Jesus offers us all a gate that opens up to God when we simply believe in him. No keeping all of God’s commandments. No trying harder and harder to be a good person. No performance. No grades. Just simple faith in Jesus. That’s the way to God. And it is so easy that for many people it is just too hard. Sadly, people can’t just accept heaven as a free gift of God’s grace. They think they have to earn it or deserve it. And so God’s easy way to heaven through the finished work of Jesus is too difficult for people to accept.
Have you walked through the narrow gate of Jesus to God and life with him forever? Have you trusted in Jesus as your savior? Are you simply believing in his love and mercy to get you to heaven? I hope so.
And if you have, then you too can stay on the hard path of Jesus’ love. Loving and being kind to others is hard sometimes isn’t it? But when you know that God loves you no matter what, then you can love others no matter what too.
Because of Jesus we can walk through his narrow gate to God by simply trusting in him.
With Jesus we can walk on the hard path of love too, just like he did.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Watch this scene from Shrek. Why was Donkey so scared to cross the narrow bridge? Why is it so hard to trust another person instead of trusting what we think we can do or not do? Is it hard for you to trust Jesus to save you? Why or why not?
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
You are the only way to heaven and God the Father. Help me to always remember that all I have to do is trust in you and your cross.
Amen.
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