Citizen ATX
Citizen ATX
Things Jesus Didn't Promise: A Broad & Easy Way
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Jesus never promised an easy road. Yet, many believers are blindsided when the Christian life gets tough. Why do we often overlook this? Why would God make the way to life difficult and narrow? Join Matt and Jonathan as they tackle the broad and easy way that Jesus didn't promise.
Hello there and welcome to the Citizen ATX Podcast. My name is Matt Gillum, and we're glad you are joining us as we continue our conversation on the things that Jesus never promised. Joining me in the studio is Jonathan Spencer. Hello, Jonathan. Howdy, Matthew. And if this is your first time tuning in with us, we broadcast this podcast from Austin Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, thus the ATX and Citizen ATX. And we are utilizing our podcast to basically serve as a supplement to what we're talking about on Sunday mornings, to um, because on a regular basis, I know you're not able to go into the depths of uh all these topics. Right. And so this is a good opportunity for us to talk about some of those things. So, Jonathan, why are we in this series talking about the things that Jesus never promised?
SPEAKER_00Well, we're hoping this might be helpful for those that are listening on Sunday mornings. We're in this series called Anchored, and we're talking about anchor verses, promises that Jesus has given his church, and each week we're looking at one of those verses that we can anchor our lives to to help us weather the storms. And so while we're talking about those comforting promises on Sunday mornings through the context of the sermon series, really the podcast series is trying to talk on the other side of maybe some false promises we believed in, you know, false expectations, things that maybe we have muddied together, that we've learned culturally that maybe aren't scripturally founded, things that we've assumed about Jesus that he would promise into our lives that maybe aren't actually realities. Because I think it's equally important for us to understand both ends, what is true and what is not, so that we can have true expectations for this world.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, there's an interesting concept called the Mandela effect, where there are certain things that we tend to think we remember about something that are completely different. Like that movie that Shaquille O'Neal was in in the 90s. Shazam. Shazam. It's not Shazam, it's Kazam.
SPEAKER_00Is it Kazam? Oh yeah, Shazam. That was later. Yeah, yeah. Mandela strikes again.
SPEAKER_01So anyway, it's it's a fun phenomenon. It's a fun uh phenomenon. But we tend to do this with Jesus as well. So because uh what it is is usually very commonly understood content that then tends to get shifted just a little bit.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so today what we're gonna talk about is the the question: Did Jesus promise us a broad and easy way? And so I've pulled uh Matthew chapter seven, verses thirteen through fourteen to read with this one. And this is where Jesus is in the midst of the Sermon on the Mount and some of his most basic teachings. Uh but jumping in in verse 13, Jesus said, Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction. And those who enter it 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. Now, Jonathan, this past Sunday, when you preached, one of the big things that we talked about in there was this idea of what it means to find salvation means to find Jesus. So why is it that so often we we disregard kind of what is said here by Jesus to say, well, doesn't Jesus offer isn't Jesus' uh offering free for us? Isn't it not by works, you know, all that? So why why is it that we get this this cross-up uh in that?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think it's because we conflate maybe uh some of the characteristics we like to remember about Jesus, that he's loving, he's gracious, he's invitational, which of course he is, all that stuff's true. But also salvation is exclusive. Jesus Jesus is inclusive, he invites all to walk on that narrow way, but salvation is also exclusive in that it is down only one path. Um and so Jesus says it on both ends that that all who call upon his name will be saved, but also his point is not everybody, and in fact, most people will not. That's really what Jesus is pointing towards. But I think for us, why do we conflate those two things? I think a lot of times it's just because we know Jesus loves the world, and and consequently, wouldn't life be easy and everybody just easily get on that road, and Jesus says, Well, life's really not that easy because most unfortunately don't choose that road.
SPEAKER_01Well, and you also have the the passage, and I'm the citation is is uh fleeing me right now, but the uh where Jesus says, My yoke is easy and my burden is light. And so we kind of get this cross-up that happens, and a lot of people will look at this and say that idea of like cheap discipleship, yeah, things like that. But um I guess one thing one area we'll start on, since Jesus makes all these promises about the the uh freedom that we have in him to to call upon his name and be saved and that grace is free, then that question becomes well, if that is what Jesus' intention is, then how could a good God make the way actual way there narrow? Like what how I mean and you use that term earlier, exclusive. Like how why is it that how how can we, as we consider the goodness of God, his love, his openness, all that, why would be he be so exclusive to create the way to life to be narrow and that those who find it are few?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think the the question's probably better asked a different way, because the question asked then is you know, why is the road narrow? The real probably the better question is why is there a road at all? Because if you really look at it from the perspective of of the biblical message, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, all ultimately are uh dead in their transgressions. God, by his providence, has provided this outlet of salvation through the person and work of Jesus Christ. But when we're talking about fairness and you know, why would God, God could have left us dead in our transgressions. That's kind of the point, is we're not entitled to that road. Actually, the road we are born onto and that we choose through our lives is apart from God, that we go the other way. So, really, any road and the narrow road in this context as we're talking about it, it's all grace. I guess it's all grace. And I think that's what gets lost is that spirit of entitlement to salvation. It's like, no, we're not entitled to it. That's what makes it grace, and it's narrow, I would argue, because of the hardness of hearts of mankind, um, that God so loved the world that he sent his only son. Yeah. But unfortunately, many in the world reject the son, and so that's what makes that road narrow.
SPEAKER_01Well, and so then the question becomes as we're talking about grace and things like that, um, we we talk about the fact that how is the narrow way not the same thing as works righteousness or performative Christianity? A lot of what you preached about on Sunday was on that topic, yeah. You know, you don't we don't earn our way to heaven, and um and if over religiosity, like you put it in the in the sermon, is bad, how does that correspond to a narrow way? Because I mean, doesn't that if I if I'm just hearing in general the concept narrow way versus broad way, yeah, I would assume that the narrow way is some kind of performative thing where only highly skilled or highly um informed or or you know just specially gifted people are gonna be the ones that find it. Uh I think about it even in like a uh a tra uh context of like hiking a mountain, like they're whenever you go and look on trail apps, um, they're gonna be ranked easy to difficult or strenuous. Um and they do that because even though the trail is there, not everybody's gonna be able to make it to the end. And usually the what they'll say and the caveat for that is you need to be an experienced mountaineer to do this. So does that mean if that's the nature of what a narrow way is, how are we not promoting work how is Jesus not promoting works righteousness here?
SPEAKER_00Well, because I think when it comes to the spiritual realm, the wide road is works-based. Because like for all of us by nature, most people, you know, in the world believe in a God, and oftentimes they revert to a works-based salvation methodology of I'll go to heaven because I'm a good person, or I'll go to heaven because I did more right than wrong. It always comes back to works-based, and that works-based is all about control, that I'm ultimately the one that can create my own path. I'm the one that can get to the end that I want, which in this case we're talking about God. And so that to me is the really the epitome of a wide road is a works-based system of I'm in control, I will blaze the trail and get to where I want, where really the narrow road teaches the opposite that you're really not in control, you can't get there. And now Jesus has created this narrow pathway that comes through faith, not through works, and it's faith in him that opens up that door to salvation. So I think it's just about perspective. I would argue the wide road really ultimately is the works-based road. Yeah. And the narrow road is a faith-based road that most of us don't want to trust and put faith. We want to work in control. And so it's hard to surrender.
SPEAKER_01Well, and there's got to be that that meaning included in it when you talk when it talks about the fact that those who find it are few, because you know, Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. You mean we would imagine that finding the way ought to be pretty easy.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I mean, uh to be honest, in our history now, I mean, the the gospel has gone to what we should say is the majority of the planet. Whether it was received or not, it's a different story. But I mean, this is not necessarily a hard thing to find. What where this has kind of struck me in my life with in kind of the personal realm, I remember when I was in college um I was talking with a friend about some of my frustrations about people that I knew that had proclaimed to be Christians but were kind of were falling off the map, like making some pretty terrible choices and really drifting away from Christ. And I was just expressing, you know, the pain that I felt over it. And my friend said, Well, I mean, Jesus said the way is narrow, and if you find it, I mean, you're kind of stuck seeing that happen in front of you of this idea that maybe peop people who and it took this easier way, this broad way, and um superficially received Christ, but didn't really receive Christ. They didn't really find the way. They found a way that they liked and they followed it until it became too difficult for them, and then they said, I'm gonna go to a different way. But um I think it's a hard truth for us as believers sometimes because you know, we want everyone to find knowledge of Christ. We want people to find this peace that we have in Christ. Not because we're, you know, lonely or anything, but because we recognize this is life, right? And maybe it says that in the passage that the road to life. Yeah. Um and so when it when it comes to this idea of sharing the gospel, then if if Jesus promises us that the way is narrow and that few find it, does that impact the way that we share the gospel? Like, does that mean that we're kind of wasting our time when we share the gospel if the majority of people that we wind up sharing it with will never take a step on that path or never find it?
SPEAKER_00Well, it's never wasting time, but I I would say it the narrow road should encourage us in a sense, I think, in two different ways. One, it encourages one that there is a road. So it means some people are gonna enter, which that I think if you're gonna be an evangelist, that's already encouragement, meaning you're not wasting your time. Like some people will enter on that road. Um, and every day people are saved in this world. And so knowing there is a road, some are gonna walk on it, that should already make us more optimistic as evangelists that, yeah, by God's grace, some people are gonna see the truth and they're gonna choose that path. So that should motivate us. But then also I think it should probably measure um, in a sense, our I don't want to put the word expectations, that'd probably be a wrong word, but it should take the pressure off of ourselves is a better way to put it. Yeah. Because when we share Christ, I mean, with that knowledge that, yes, I'm gonna be faithful with this. Yes, some will say yes, but also Jesus already told me many are gonna say no. I can go to bed and sleep it tonight, knowing that I didn't just mess it all up and I'm the one who met who ruined this. Jesus said no, they rejected the prophets, they rejected me. And this is just the truth is that not everyone is gonna find that path, even though that door of salvation's been opened. So I think it takes the pressure off of you in a major way if you just embrace that that you can't be the superhero to to get everybody to walk that path.
SPEAKER_01Well, I think culturally we've we have received some pretty some pretty rough uh example of that, right? Because I mean, you talk about the the middle of the 1900s and all that with the Billy Graham Crusades and all this, where we start to measure how spiritual and how righteous a person is based on the blank number of gospel uh receptions, I guess, or the amount of people who raise their hand in the context of a big crowd, you know, regardless of whether they actually did anything with that or not. Um now obviously we feel that a lot more as ministers because you know if you're looking for metrics, that generally is one of the big ones. So are you seeing people coming to Christ? Um but I think it's it's interesting that you you put it in that in that context because uh when we when we talk about the broad way being performative, being works-based, it's funny how we've put a place evangelism in that same road to to where you know um your your faith is only as good as you're able to sell it to other people. Um now, something that will be, I think, more of a classical conversation, I guess. Um we we get into kind of this topic of Calvinism, right? The idea of uh predestination, right? Um so this enters into that because what I think people coming from that angle, or you may we say I guess we're foreign people or something like that, it's like Jesus knows who's gonna be on that narrow road, narrow way. And so the argument that some would bring up is if Jesus already knows who's he who he's going who these elect are and he's already gonna bring them into my church, yeah, and he's already got this all planned out in his mind, his time to timelessness, why should I share the gospel at all? I mean, does doesn't that mean I'm pressing against the mind of God, the mind of Jesus, and saying, Well, I know you've got a plan for these people, Jesus, but I'm impatient for that, or um, yeah, I mean, how should we?
SPEAKER_00I would put it this way. Somebody one time kind of said it kind of jokingly, but I thought there was some truth to it, that we do the nominating, God does the electing. And I thought that was kind of an interesting way to put it. Um, but but I think there's actually a little bit of wisdom in that, in that saying, and you know, it's kind of a joke, but in that sense, what that's saying is communicating is we're not God, um, we're not sovereign, we are not providentially working all these things together. All we simply do is present Jesus Christ to people, um, calling upon them to be saved, using that word nominating kind of jokingly. But the whole why be a part of it and why would God call us to it, ultimately our part in evangelism is not because he needs us. That's the other thing, too. It's why should we do it? Because he told us to and he invited us. And really, that's where I think we miss it. That we think the victory of evangelism is us getting a few more points on our scorecard that I won a few more people. For the record, you haven't ever won anybody. I hate I hate that term, the whole soul winners thing. Yeah, it's I I just hate it. I have helped lead people to Jesus Christ in my lifetime. I've never won a single one of them. I haven't won any of them. Yeah, um, because I can't defeat hell and death for them. I can't do that. And but Jesus is the one who saves. He uses us as a middleman, not because we need he needs us, but because there's something formative that happens in our lives when we obey and we participate. Because when you share Christ and you see God actually speak through you and bring really spiritual fruit from that, it'll change your life. Like if you want to grow in Christ and really experience him in a profound way, simply share your faith and be a part of one of those transformational moments where somebody does surrender to Christ, that will change you forever if that's never happened in your life. And I think that's why he invites us in. It's not because he needs us. Um, I think it's because he wants to shape us through that process to become more like Jesus who came to seek and save the lost. And so we get invited into it.
SPEAKER_01And anecdotally, I mean, the people that I have seen in my life who are the least satisfied with their Christian faith are the ones who share their faith the least. Um there is something about speaking and proclaiming that truth that aligns us with the heart of God and it makes a difference in our lives. It powers us forward for for one thing. Um and yeah, I obviously don't uh you know, the with the with the balance between reform versus Arminian and all that, you know, the reality is the Bible tells us to share the gospel in season, out of season and I mean whether whether whether it makes sense to us at the time or not, I mean it's that question of are we living out truth, are we are we taking those steps forward. So another question would be to this then if the way is narrow and few find it, where does that place us in the life of the church with response? And I know I know this has been something that you and I have been talking about for quite a while. That in the you know, if you are a part of kind of a, I would say, traditional Baptist church, um and a lot of I think evangelical churches are like this as well, but you know, you you can almost set your clock on a sermon that there's gonna be three points, uh poem, and then there's gonna be an altar call at the end. Um while this is getting nerd getting into the nerd side of things, while that kind of action is relatively new to like the eighteen hundreds with the anxious bench, which what a name for it's time for the anxious bench, I guess. Oh my gosh. Um but uh with that, so how are we supposed to as churches and as ministers and even just as Christians, you know, how are we supposed to promote these times of response? What should we do them at all? Are they helpful at all? Or are they, like some some have said, just a uh giving a channel for an overly emotional response to a convicting message?
SPEAKER_00I think you just have to give an opportunity. I think what that opportunity looks like to respond changes by context and honestly by culture and time. Um, because to your point, even the modern day invitational altar call, that's a relatively modern phenomenon. You know, they weren't doing altar calls to our knowledge, you know, in that first century church, although Peter was proclaiming repent and be baptized.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that was their response.
SPEAKER_00By golly, they did it. So there was there was a response and an opportunity there. So I think it's important for every church to consider that of not only do we proclaim, but do we give them an opportunity? Um, churches vary on that. I don't think there's a right or wrong way. Um the walk the aisle invitational language that still does work sometimes, and some churches do it more effectively than others. Um obviously, there we all look back in modern times, where even somebody like me who's not as old as others, I remember of, even though I didn't live it all out. I remember I know. I'm so I'm in the middle. I'm I'm too young to be too old to be young.
SPEAKER_01For the podcast listeners, he called a group of teenagers young men today. He is on his way to AIP weird rolling right in the middle.
SPEAKER_00I was like, those young men, that was a nice young man. I was like, who am I right now? I know, I know, I know, I'm aging quickly. Um, I forgot what I was talking about.
SPEAKER_01We were talking about using the method methods.
SPEAKER_00I think churches just have to look at what is it. I was talking about when I'm old enough um to remember, you know, the Billy Graham days, even though I didn't go to Crusades, I didn't wasn't part of that era. It trickled down throughout generations of evangelicalism of that kind of picture of if you build it, they will come, offer the invitation, then have them walk the aisle and have their lives be changed. And that methodology still works to a degree, I would argue. Yeah, but it doesn't seem to be as effective in a lot of places around the country. Um, and if it's not, that's okay. It doesn't mean evangelism's dead. It just means, well, then we need to figure out how what are the outlets that maybe they will come towards? How do we engage? What's what's the methodology of engagement so that we can talk to them about Jesus and really discern have they understood and have they repented and believed in Jesus?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And it's interesting too how that uh revival culture or crusade culture, I think we should call it, because revival culture was before that.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_01Um, how that actually led into the attractional church model. I mean you made that statement, build it, they will come.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01You know, when people, when culture started moving away from Christianity as just what you do on Sundays, the churches, in order to continue doing that model, had to create more buy-in from people. So that's why that's when you get tigers on stage and uh and all sorts of all sorts of things. And you know, one thing that that sticks with me that you that you mentioned is that idea of is it wrong? And something that that I think in this is more to the intention of what you're doing. So, like for instance, once I was at a a student camp and the speaker had been preaching the gospel and talking about you know how Jesus was moving, and then at the end of the sermon, abruptly, without a prayer, without anything, just walked off the stage. Now, his reasoning was I don't want to overly emotionally you know manipulate these kids, which is a pretty common thing. But you had a lot of kids who were convicted by the gospel and were ready to respond and no avenue was given to them. What's interesting is at that camp, and I'm gonna brag on Rend Collective the Band, that was the uh or I don't know what they're called now, but they uh but they were the band. They they walked up to the microphone and said, Well, I guess we should uh give a time for response. Like if you if uh if Jesus if yes, Jesus into your heart, let's get this started. I mean it was it was they were totally thrown on the spot. Then on the flip side, you have the model where that's just how you end a service. Right. Whether there is actual call to repentance and response at all, we kind of I mean, for those who kind of get into that routine, it kind of ceases to have meaning at that point and then provides a different barrier where I mean I guess this is just what you're supposed to do every week.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_01So I mean, I I would say that your method your methodology that doesn't matter as much as your intentionality with it. Um something we'd say a lot, clarity um clarity is kindness, right? Um if you're in a culture where you are assuming people are thinking one thing that is like a cultural Christianity or whatever, and that they're gonna understand what you're talking about, right? That's flawed logic.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And especially now with our with the church population as it is. I mean, would you agree with that?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think you just have to be clear. Um, and a lot of people even use the Billy Graham example that I say I was shaped by that, even though I'm a little bit younger than many who attended the Crusades, to go back to the thing of me now becoming an older man, a middle aged man. Like you talk about Gen Z, Gen Alpha. They don't know anything about that. Like that was like they're in our churches. They know nothing about that era. They weren't shaped by those experiences. So it kind of shows you how methods do change from one generation to the next. I would go back to that point though, you talked about how your methodology, some people push away from methods because they don't want to, quote, emit emotionally manipulate. Right. Um, which I understand that perspective, and I've also seen that happen. But I will also say I think sometimes people shy away from that out of a sense of self-righteousness, um, where they try to remove emotion completely. Emotion should be involved in your in your salvation experience. I just think about biblically, even in the Old Testament, when people are repenting, they are weeping and tearing their clothes and covering themselves with ashes.
SPEAKER_01You know, we we read the Bible wrong so often when it says that Jesus cried out. You know, you're you read it's like, and then Jesus said this.
SPEAKER_00Or the people who call upon Jesus that then he rewards their faith, they are on their knees desperate, shouting to him for salvation. And it's so, I mean, like that that emotional part of our salvation experience, it's real. It should be there. Some people are maybe bigger criers than others, but at the same time, I think pastors have been like, oh, if they're emotional, then this might be fake, and I'm not maybe they're just getting caught up in the moment. I'm like, yeah, it's a moment. They should be emotional.
SPEAKER_01It's bad.
SPEAKER_00If they're actually having an emotional experience, this can't be real. I'm like, man, well, I guess nobody got saved in the Bible because everybody in the Bible seemed to have a pretty big emotional experience.
SPEAKER_01Which is terrible. I should get saved. Yeah, exactly. So I should go get bad.
SPEAKER_00But I think that's where insecure pastors who want to uh be in control of someone's salvation, where then I have to make sure that I can academically make sure you know every doctrine before I will officially say that yes, you believe and I've seen fruit in your life for months before I will affirm it. It's like, well, or if the person's just really broken in that moment and having an emotional moment with God, can we just applaud that and say, Praise God? Um, but I think we've because we've seen it manipulated over the years, I've just seen that in culture where now we've separated emotion from the spiritual experience as if emotion's the bad guy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And emotion's not the bad guy. It's it's part of the experience.
SPEAKER_01That's also why a lot of preaching is turned into a seminary. It has. And I'll and I'll say it this way too, back to that kind of the idea of the narrow way. Um we I I think we mishear Jesus on that, and we think that that narrow way means it needs to be hard to understand, and it needs to be difficult, and it needs to be because I I don't see that and I don't think let me let me read it again.
SPEAKER_00Especially what he says that in a different text that the greatest in the kingdom of heaven are are like these children. Right. So it clearly doesn't take that much aptitude.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And all it says for the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life. But I mean that's kind of the normal thing. It's not over it's not impossible, it's not overly difficult. Yeah. Um it it's uh I say that it is difficult because it requires trust, right? I I remember one of the the the big things I would do with middle schoolers when I was a student minister were trust falls. Yeah, we would we would take there you go, you get you get a pie in the face, everybody eats pizza, and then you do trust falls and try try not to injure a child. Um but we we were doing it as part of a uh Hebrews 9 11 1, where it talked about how uh faith is and you'll probably quote it better than I will, but uh uh faith is being certain of what we hope for and hope for and certainly. Sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Yeah, um and so the with that that was that idea, and I watched kids who because of the difficulty of trusting that somebody was going to catch them, but like physically shivering and and shuddering, and I've seen adults do it too. Yeah, but it is really hard to trust in something you don't see. And um and so when we talk about the hard way, it's not necessarily a complex way. Um simplicity can be very difficult. Uh and actually I face this with a lot of uh Bible teachers at times when I'm telling talking to them about how to teach a study and stuff like that. You know, you can go in and use a top shelf vocabulary sermon. You can do a sermon that is um uh like a seminary class and show everybody your Greek and Hebrew and all that stuff. Yeah. But sometimes that's easier than actually simply explaining what does this actually mean. Yeah. Um because that's what people need, that's what people want. Are we giving it to them?
SPEAKER_00Well, and I think the trust fall is a good reminder too, illustratively, that the greatest obstacle to someone getting saved ultimately is themselves. Like it's themselves. Um a lot of times people that are not saved like to blame the Bible or blame, you know, some hypocritical Christian. But it all comes down to what you're pointing to. It's that trust, it's it's surrender of I'm gonna fall back into faith um where I have a reason to believe, but but I there is faith, there is a faith component here. And by me falling to use that term um for the like that trust fall, it's gonna require me to let go. It's gonna require me to ultimately submit and let go to a God I cannot see. And and that that part, just like a trustfall, it's hard to let go to the guy you cannot see.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And and I just think though, that's that's the biggest obstacle. It really is not, I think, a theological misunderstanding for most people. It's just it's the trustfall. That's that's exactly right.
SPEAKER_01Well, and I want to there was one other layer that I used to do with the trust fall thing. And this is for free for you guys, because I saw it when I was a seventh grader and it just it stuck with me. Now I'm not a seventh grader. I think I'm what would I be, like 30th grader? Anyway, what the what the guy did is as we were doing the different trust falls, he then picked out the person in the crowd who was like the most you know boisterous, excitable, you know, Mr. Mr. Cheerleader or whatever. Um we had a kid at camp this year that was like that. They put him up on his shoulders and he had like two monsters in his hands. He was just having the time. So anyway, that you call that kid to the front and then you blindfold him. And then while you're talking, you start by talking from behind him, have him do just a regular crust fall. Then you get him back set up, and then you start walking away from him. And in fact, you walk around in front of him for like 10, 12 feet in front of him. So clearly, you're not standing behind him. And then what I do then is say, All right, you said that you trust me. Do you still trust me? You hear my voice over here, but I am telling you, if you fall, I will I will catch you. I will not let you fall. And unknown to the kid, I have somebody sneak out of the crowd and step up behind him to catch him. And it was about 50% of the time that the kid would actually do it. Yeah. Um and even the ones that did, I mean, they were shaking. Yeah. And I just I I have found that through my life in ministry to be such an impactful thing of understanding faith and understanding this narrow way. Um if we hear God if we hear and have God's voice, it's not up to us on our perspective on where it's coming from. We're called to be obedient to it. And that I think is what makes that you made that statement. It uh what keeps people from salvation is themselves and it's obedience. Yeah how are we going to trust somebody else other than ourselves other than ourselves to receive that? So um anyway, I I think that this has been a um an issue that a lot of us face because we we just we want then we want the way to be broad, but it's not. And so how then, Jonathan, if the way is narrow and few find it and the way is hard, um, how does the Lord expect us to survive that? Like how does he expect us to actually find it if it if it is hard? I mean, what where does that come into the this picture?
SPEAKER_00Well, by finding it, I think, first of all, to find it, I think it does require a work of the Holy Spirit. Um I think I think salvation does come from the Lord. And in in John 6 uh 44, Jesus says that no one uh comes to him unless the Father who sent him draws him first. And so the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, draws us, like every salvation ultimately is a is a miracle. It's an act of God. And so how do you get onto that road? Um, it's like Saul, who later is known as Paul. You have to have that kind of moment where the scales are removed and you can see and the Spirit of God uh reveals himself to you. Then, as far as continuing down that road, um, it really once again is still connected to God. Um that's why I I think at Hebrews 12, when we're told to fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and the perfecter of our faith. So faith starts with him, and then ultimately it will then end in our life journey with him, where he will continue to perfect us to make us more like him in this lifetime until we see him face to face. So, I mean, as far as the narrow road, I think it's just it's the same point. It's God gets you on the road, and then he sustains you on the road, and then he guides you down the road to himself in heaven one day into glory. So um, you can't do it in your own work, which I think once again goes back full circle. That wide road, it's all works. Narrow it's all faith, and and faith is what gets you there, and faith's what's gonna keep you there. Yeah, um, and that's day-by-day trust.
SPEAKER_01That's why I love one of my favorite characters in script, not characters, peep people in history, is Ananias. Yeah. Because, you know, Jesus tells Ananias this is the way forward. The narrow way forward for the church is gonna be through a literal terrorist. Uh-huh. And he is gonna be the one that winds up doing all this for me. And Ananias is very honest. Yeah. I've been gone for a little while, you know what's going on. Maybe not the one that's killing people and uh putting them in jail and stuff like that. But I mean, ultimately, what God did through Ananias' obedience to put himself in danger, but to be obedient to God through that narrow way, He brought them He brought the gospel to Europe.
SPEAKER_02Yep.
SPEAKER_01And I think today for believers, you might you might find yourself at times discouraged by the fact that you might feel like you're the only one on the road. We talked last week about the uh the issue of loneliness and you know, uh how it's a natural thing that that that we deal with. But I know that's a it's a real a real pressure. You feel that way in your workplace, you feel that way in your schools, you feel that way in a lot of places where it's like, man, God, why do you have me on this road that it feels like there's nobody else on? Um and and I think that's that what that encouragement is, is that even though it may feel lonely on the road, you aren't ever alone. No. And um the reality is uh as we have faith in him and place and place our faith in him for that road, we will see those signs and wonders. We will see things that absolutely change our world and gives us that that the eyes of Christ. Yeah. Um and so then the last question that I have is then if we recognize that it is a difficult way and that it does create a lot of uh need for faith, how how can we help people who are struggling on that narrow way? And and people who are struggling with that idea of man, this is hard. Why why should I do this?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think just walking with them in discipleship, which even go back to that road, because if it is a road of faith, if we're kind of working with that definition there, that means you also need to be in a community of faith because Jesus is the one guiding you on that road, but then also we're walking on that road with others, and that's the idea is that you're supposed to be walking in discipleship with other believers. So if you know somebody struggling, that's where you are that Galatians 6 believer where you're bearing one another's burdens, you're helping them, um, and you're locking arms with them, encouraging them that they're not alone. Um, I talked a little bit about that last week about the presence of God and how that brings comfort in our lives. And the presence of people is the same way, right? Um, of a spirit-filled person, just them simply listening, hearing that. And truthfully, if you get with the right person, every believer has felt those things, you know, where it's man, this road is hard. And now I'm actually push comes to shove. I have to live out my faith right now in a real practical way, and it hurts. Like it's hard. I'm having to make a tough decision. It's hurting me socially. Maybe it's hurting me financially.
SPEAKER_01Sorry, I'm I'm laughing because I'm thinking about your middle school football players who when they go from no pads to pads. Yeah, it gets real.
SPEAKER_00It hurts. I know eventually you realize you think this is a game, it's gonna hurt. So it's it's the same thing in the Christian life, though, but you're right, you know, to go with that metaphor, Christianity's a contact sport, and it'll it'll hurt it'll hurt at times. And uh you need you need somebody in your life to help you.
SPEAKER_01There's your sound bite, Chris, is uh Christianity is a contact sport.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_01But yeah, and I I think uh it's also important as part of that of being that present and and uh and bearing one another's load, is to be able to share how God brought you through on the narrow way in other parts of your life. I know that there have been uh lots of people over my life where I have I mean, they just seem like normal people, but man, they have gone through extraordinary circumstances and God has been good to them through those things. I know there's there's one person in particular I'm thinking about is an older woman who was just they were the nicest, sweetest couple. They were college leaders at uh at the church I went to in Arlington. And uh she was an I believe it was a brain tumor, like a really bad one, and she was like mostly paralyzed and all that. Um but then, you know, through that time of paralysis, she continued in her life of prayer, she continued recovering. And then I saw like last week she was like climbing a mountain with her husband, like crazy stuff like that. And it's not to guarantee that all the all these sicknesses will be healed, at least physically in this lifetime. But man, I would not have known her story unless she was bold enough and and kind enough to share it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And friends, you may have stories that have been difficult, ways that have been difficult, and there are people around you who are craving survival and are craving to know how can I survive this life. And so, what are some ways that people can be effective in sharing their stories and the the paths that they they've been on that you've seen in the local church?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think the key is just look into who's around you and try to be intentional. It's through interpersonal connection, through relationship, because you're not gonna be able to share a story if you don't actually connect with anybody. So I think it's being proactive as a believer, um, whether that be in the context of church, people you meet in a uh Bible fellowship group, a Sunday school class, get together with them outside of the class, go have coffee, go have lunch, encourage one another, get to know one another. And then I think a lot of it too, this gets to the Henry Blackaby kind of principle when he talks about experiencing God. You just have your eyes open every day asking for God to give you those opportunities to give testimony and share. A lot of times the opportunities are in front of us, we're just kind of not aware of it. Um, because there might be somebody at work, there might be somebody at school that's going through a hard time that's there, that clearly somebody's hurting, and you're the guy or gal that's right there, and you can speak to them, encourage them, and give witness to what's happened in your life.
SPEAKER_01If you meet somebody else who's a parent, you're gonna be able to encourage them because all of us are wondering how are we gonna survive this phase of our lives? And all of us have people that are ahead of us on the road and people who are behind us on the road.
SPEAKER_00And I will say this, sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off. If you want to, if you want to give witness to, I would just encourage with this advice, ask questions and that will open up the door. Um, because usually we want to give witness to what happened in our life because we we all love, we're all our biggest, our favorite voice is our own. That's how we all go, myself included. And so we naturally want to talk about our life experience and don't lead with that, in other words, ask about their life experience, what's going on with you, and then as the spirit prompts you, give opportunity to speak into that. But questions usually open up doors um that proclamation does not. So ask the question and it'll open it.
SPEAKER_01You know, I take exception, Jonathan, to everybody's favorite voice. I thought my voice was everyone's favorite voice.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you.
SPEAKER_01My friend Dale has everyone's favorite voice. He does have a great voice. Anyway, well, any any last thoughts uh on this thing that Jesus didn't promise us of an easy and broadcast.
SPEAKER_00I'll just close with a thought that oftentimes in life, the best things are the hardest things. Um that is actually, I think, just a practical principle in life. Um, you know, the best diet, the best workout plan, the best education, the best grades, the best career, all those things like it requires the hardest. Um, and and it's and most people don't choose that. You know, it's narrow to use that same terminology, but that narrow path usually leads to the best outcome. And it's the same thing spiritually, that the pathway that leads to life, life to the full, it's narrow, it's Jesus and it's hard, but it is the best path. And so I would just encourage you as you're listening to this, take that principle that you already know that's true, that oftentimes the best things are the hardest things, and just know that Jesus is on that same list, but he is the best thing. So keep walking down that path.
SPEAKER_01All right. Well, friends, thank you for joining us today. And as a reminder, uh, if you'd like to see or hear the sermons that have been uh coming out of these anchor points that we have in Christ and the promises that he does make, encourage you to tune in or come join us at Austin Baptist Church. I would also recommend that if you're if you're not in our area, find a local church and start see uh seeking out those promises that Jesus has. Look into Scripture to see things that he did say and maybe learn some more things about the things he didn't say along the way. So on behalf of Jonathan, our producer, Chris, and myself, thank you for joining us this week on Citizen ATX Podcast. We'll see you next time.