God does not ask for perfection, but He does ask for surrender. Discover why the Narrow Road may not be popular, but it’s the only one that leads to the future your soul actually craves!
Notes 📓✏️:
Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Living a righteous life costs more than comfort is willing to pay.
That’s why the road is narrow and the traffic is light.
The Narrow Road doesn’t run on hype. It runs on a heart surrendered to a lifestyle of challenge and change.
Obedience > Applause
Matthew 5:20: “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 6:1-2: “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity!”
Matthew 6:5-6: “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
Matthew 5:16-18: “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
You can’t fake what you’re rooted in. Your fruit will always expose what’s happening under the surface.
Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. (Matthew 7:20)
The Narrow Road may not be popular, but it’s the only one that leads to the future your soul actually craves.
Jesus didn’t preach the Sermon on the Mount to impress the crowd. He preached it to separate the crowd.
Discussion Questions 📝❓:
- What does it mean to chose the “narrow road” as described in Matthew 7:13-14, and why do you think few people choose this path?
- How does acknowledging out inner struggles, as Pastor Kyle mentioned, help us to live more authentically in our faith?
- Pastor Kyle points our that Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount to separate those who genuinely follow Him from those who only appear to. How can we ensure we are genuinely committed to our faith?
- What questions can we ask ourselves to check that our good deeds, like generosity and prayer, come from a place of sincere devotion rather than a desire for recognition?