Mensa Otabil - The Broad Gate (10/02/2025)
Well, so far we have said that life is a choice and that Jesus holds the key. Now we’re going to look at the two options that Jesus presents to us in Matthew chapter 7, verse 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.» Jesus says there are two kinds of ways: the broad and the narrow.
Today, we will look at the broad gate, and He shows us that these paths do not lead to the same destination. In the immediate context, Jesus is talking about eternal life and eternal damnation, but the principle applies to other choices we make in our lives: there is a broad way and a narrow way. He discusses three different aspects that we will consider today. First, He talks about the wide gate. The wide gate is one that is widely open; it has no access control. This is an option in life that everyone can enter; it is open to all and has no rules or restrictions. It appeals to everybody and rolls out the welcome mat to everyone.
When we look at life and see something that everybody is doing, and everybody is going through that way, it is easy; it doesn’t demand anything from us, and it welcomes everybody. We must be very careful because Jesus warned against the broad way. Sadly, in our age today, this gate is getting wider and wider. Permissiveness is rampant, and just anything goes; anything is accepted. That seems to be the way of our world today, and unfortunately, a few Christians are walking such a path because they seek convenient access without restrictions, wanting something that appeals to everyone.
The first feature of this wrong direction is that access is open to all. Secondly, it is a broad way; it is easy to travel on. Those who enter make no sacrifices; there is no carrying a cross and no pressure. It’s just everyone feels free; everybody just enjoys life as it comes. These days, you hear people saying things like, «I want to enjoy my life.» It is good to enjoy life, but when enjoying life becomes all that we want, if we just want our peace of mind or happiness, then we are in danger of walking the broad way.
The Christian life does not tell us to simply enjoy life and be happy. No, the Christian life speaks of trials, tribulations, and difficulties. Even beyond the Christian life, anything that is worthy of pursuit comes with sacrifices, effort, and hard work that we must put in to achieve results. The wrong way has a wide gate and is a broad way, and Jesus says many are on it. I hope you are not one of the many who are walking the broad way, wanting to enjoy life without hard work.
Sometimes you even see it in the church; people just want you to anoint them with oil, thinking it will solve all their problems. They don’t want to work on their marriages; they want a marriage anointing. They don’t want to work hard; they just want a prosperity anointing. Yes, God anoints us, but His anointing does not eliminate the need for effort. If you want your marriage to work, in addition to being prayed for, you must work hard at it. You have to work hard at your business, work hard in school to get good grades. Everything that God wants us to have requires significant hard work.
If you want to know the path we must avoid, Jesus says it is called the wide gate, the broad way, and many are on it. But I am persuaded that is not the road you are on, and even if you are on that road today, you can choose to get off it and move to the next road we will discuss tomorrow.
Let us pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, help me to resist the temptation to choose the easy path. I want to choose Your way. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.» We will talk about the good way tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.