AN ACQUIRED TASTE (Matthew 7:13-14)
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Notice how Jesus didn’t say these gates were your destinations but rather an entrance to a path.
In this passage, Jesus was speaking about how you have a choice between these two gates and which one you would walk through.
THE WORLD (THE WIDE GATE)
1. THE TASTE OF DIRT
Whenever you enter into sin, it starts out small. You don’t think it’s bad and honestly, it just doesn’t even bother you.
You probably don’t think much about it. What it is, is Satan starts contaminating you with just little things.
On the outside, you look fine, but on the inside, you are just getting more and more dirty.
He just keeps planting those small little seeds, seed by seed, and since you’re curious and trying new things, you just water those seeds.
Or even you start digging around for a new thing, something fun, and it’s no big deal.
But you start realizing that something isn’t right.
I’m starting to get addicted.
I’m starting to lose some people I loved.
I’m starting to not be me.
And what it is, is Satan has contaminated you with lies and dirt.
Those seeds of sin are now rooted in your life.
That hole you have dug yourself into, you can’t get out.
And the sad part is you did it to yourself because you chose to water those seeds and dig for that new thing.
You made the bad decision and you’re trying to find your way out of it.
2. DECEIT : To cause someone to believe something that is not true, typically in order to gain some personal advantage.
Here is where it gets bad. Satan, after he gets you wrapped up in this mess that you have put yourself in, begins to deceive you into believing:
You can’t tell anybody.
You’re in this alone.
And there is no way I can get myself out of this.
But we forget that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness but of wisdom.
That all sin is equal and all fall short.
And you’re right, you can’t do it yourself, but through Christ, all things are possible.
Because if Jesus lives inside of you, then greater is He in you than he that is in the whole world.
Through Him, you’re the head and not the tail.
You’re called for a purpose; that’s right, you have a purpose.
You are loved and you do have hope.
Luke 22:31 – Jesus tells Peter Satan longs to sift you as wheat.
You have the choice to water those seeds, to dig that hole. You have that choice.
– And yes, you’ll make mistakes, but those mistakes you make aren’t you, and they aren’t the end of the story because the end of my Bible tells me if I choose Jesus, then I win.
We get the taste of that dirt and it becomes an acquired taste that we begin to crave until we find ourselves in a place where we feel like we can’t get out because the enemy deceived us into thinking that we have nothing.
HEAVEN (THE NARROW GATE)
1. THE TRUTH
Jesus said, “I am the truth, the way, and the life.”
Can I tell you, this walk is hard, it isn’t easy.
Sometimes you wake up every day with Satan hitting you in the face, but you don’t have to take those hits.
You can walk in the truth.
Anoint your shield with oil so that the fiery darts of the enemy can’t harm you.
You have to learn to walk in the truth that you’re good enough, that you’re loved, and have a purpose.
The enemy isn’t as strong as you think he is, and once you come to the truth, you’ll realize what once looked like a mountain is just a hill from heaven’s point of view.
Because sometimes we just look at the wrong perspective in life.
Sometimes we look at the fact that we are nothing but a speck in the universe, but that isn’t true when you put on heaven’s glasses.
You see that I am made in the perfect image of Jesus, the Son of God, the Anointed One. Fun fact: Christ isn’t His last name, but it means the Anointed One.
We are made in His image.
We are offered life and that more abundantly.
When you have that perspective, you realize that hole you dug is just a pothole in the journey. Get up and walk.
Those seeds of sin that were rooted never sprung. Pull them up and keep walking.
You realize you have favor with God because the enemy hasn’t killed you yet.
You’re still breathing.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
The narrow path is a hard path, but the reward for that path is worth it all.
The cheating.
The gossip.
The hurt and the pain.
All the things that are thrown at you.
It’s tough, I know, but trust me, it’s worth it.
When you put on those glasses and see the perspective of heaven, you realize with God you can do it.
Greater is He in you than he that is in this world.
2. GOODNESS AND MERCY (Psalms 23:6)
In this perspective, you realize that goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
Because God is so good, He gave you His only Son that you may have life with an expected end.
Because even though you sin, God has mercy on you. He forgives you of your sin.
And He is always with you.
It’s worth praising Him. He’s worthy of all the praise and glory.
3. AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE
Reminds me of that verse:
As for me and my house, we will praise the Lord.”
Because He’s worthy of our praise.
He’s worthy to be magnified and glorified.
Though I may not be perfect, and if you’re anything like me, you aren’t, but I’m thankful that He’s held me through my trials and uncertainties.
In my sins and iniquities.
When I was unfaithful, He was still faithful.
THE CLOSING DOOR (Revelation 3:7)
In the Hebrew calendar, in September, we will leave 5784. For those who don’t know, this year symbolizes the door.
With this year of the door closing, it makes you think about the door closing, which makes me wonder: is God about to close a door?
This is what I got from this thought:
What if this is the last time you’ll be in a service?
What if you get in your car tonight and never enter a car again?
None of us know our time, and this isn’t me scaring anyone or forcing the gospel down anyone’s throat, just me thinking, Connor.
What if this is the last time you can make everything right, sell out completely to God, and give Him everything beyond the three hours a week of church?
What if this is the last time?
Revelation 3:7 speaks in this verse: “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.”
Once God shuts a door, it can’t be opened by anyone else. Once He opens it, no one else can shut it.
Connor, what if doors shut in your life? You no longer have your mentors or your pastors. The people who inspire you are gone. What if the people you trusted leave?
– What if those doors are shut for a period of time and it’s only you and God?
Since I’ve had an acquired taste for it mentally with my flesh, it would be one of the hardest periods in my life.
– But if I would just put on those heavenly glasses, I would realize that just because you’re placed in a cave doesn’t mean I’m alone. God has me.
– In a cave, Elijah spoke with God.
– In a cave, a dead man was thrown on the bones of Elisha, and God healed him and raised him from the dead.
– Sometimes those doors are shut for a purpose and you wonder, “God, why?” and it may be that’s the only way for Him to speak to you.
– It may be that’s the only way He can raise you back up from spiritual death.
– You just have to change your perspective.
AN ACQUIRED TASTE
– We get acquired tastes in life where we get used to and comfortable with thinking we can sustain ourselves and do it on our own.
– That sin becomes an acquired taste, something that you have to have, but you still tell yourself that you got it, it’s okay, it’ll be fine, I’ll stop when I feel like it.
– But what if that door is about to close?
– What if you wait too late?
– Give it to Jesus now. Bring it to God, let Him have it and take care of it.
– Instead of acquiring a taste for sin and this world,
– Acquire a taste for prayer.
– Bible time.
– Your worship.