Entering His kingdom

Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had said to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. In Matthew 7, Jesus described the way.

"Enter by the narrow (stenos) gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small (stenos), and the way is narrow (thlibo) that leads to life, and few are those who find it." Matthew 7:13-14

This is where we will find the kingdom we are seeking. The narrow gate is restrictive (stenos); we cannot carry much through this gate. The way leading away from the gate is difficult (thlibo). The word rendered "narrow (thlibo)" is related to the word that we usually render "tribulations". This is the way that leads to life. Few find this way.

Jesus used contrast to describe this way. The difficult way is contrasted with an easy way. Another way leads to destruction. Its gate is wide, its way is broad. Many people take the other way. Jesus gave contrasting pictures of the two ways; without specifying immediately what is different between them, He makes it clear that they are very different.

This is the point of beginning for entering into the kingdom. The gate is restrictive. Jesus made that clear. For those who were looking for a revival of their nation, and victory over the Romans, this was not what they wanted to hear. For us who want our forms of Christianity to be blessed by God, this is not what we want to hear. The kingdom of God is not the "Easy Button".

This is where we must start: not with a sense of inclusion, but with an attitude of exclusion. We need to clearly say: "No, you cannot bring all of your stuff with you." Multitudes of people were listening to Jesus as He gave the Sermon on the Mount; but Jesus did not give something for a multitude, but something for an individual. He was saying to them, 'If you want to find the kingdom of God, you should understand now that the way is difficult.' This should be our message concerning discipleship. We should not be trying to make discipleship as easy as possible, lowering the bar for every level of effort. Discipleship should be understood to be restrictive and difficult. Fasting is a picture of this; fasting is restrictive and difficult. A disciple fasts; a disciple takes a restrictive and difficult path.

Like Jesus, we should have multitudes coming to see what is going on. But like Jesus also, we should point out to the multitudes the narrow gate. The door of the church should be open wide; the church should be a place where people can sit on the grass and listen to what this unique Man is saying. But we should distinguish between people gathered on a hillside and discipleship. We should feed the thousands gathered, providing for them what they do not have. But this is not discipleship. Those who are gathered to listen should see a small, restrictive door off to the side; it should be made clear that sitting in a padded pew is not discipleship. Discipleship is through that narrow door.

Our concept of discipleship has been conformed to our consumer-oriented world. The third leg of the tripod has been lost. Things are our master; the Bridegroom has been taken away from us. Fasting specifically is about food and drink; but the discipline can be applied to many parts of our world. We could fast for a time from television; this is not a decision that television itself is universally wrong, but that addiction is wrong. We could fast from electronic input. We could fast from our lifestyle. There is value in the disciplines of abstinence. Discipleship is restrictive; it is difficult.

But we need to have something on the other side of that small door, for there will be a few that want to go through. Others may want to later, but some want to go through now. They want significance; they want more than "dress and attend". If we do not have something significant to offer those who want to grow, they will find someone else.

"Beware of the false prophets..." Matthew 7:15

We should be able to put down on paper explicitly what discipleship is. If we cannot do that, then how can we make disciples of Jesus Christ. We should be able to describe the restrictive gate and difficult way without looking for words. A drill instructor in boot camp knows exactly what he is going to train recuits to do; he will do himself everything he orders them to do.

A few want to enter the kingdom; we should at least know where the door is.