(Matt 7:13-14) （太7：13-14）

Last Sunday上个主日聚会, God showed His faithfulness to us by demonstrating His power toward us神很信实，将大能浇灌下来, brother Rob experienced deliverance during the service 弟兄被大大释放, when the power of God came on him神的能力临到他, something came out from his body along with vomiting symptoms 他就吐了，有东西从他里面出去, Afterwards, he felt so light 然后人感到极其轻松. It’s his faith that saved him他的信救了他。This week I have been extremely busy in dealing with various cases from Monday to Sunday这周从周一到周日我极其的忙碌, eventually, I got the preparation work done for the service最后终于把这周主日聚会工作准备好.

When a spiritual awakening is about to happen属灵复兴即将来到, the devil will definitely wage war against God’s people who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus 撒旦必定与神子民争战，就是那守神诫命，为耶稣做见证的 (see Re 12:17，见 启示录12：17). And many hidden things will be brought to the surface许多隐藏的事将要显露, people seem to think that troubles are increasing看上去好像麻烦事莫名其妙地增加. But it is just a sign to show that the enemy isn’t willing to fail这只是仇敌不甘心失败的表现. But remember 但请记得, our Lord Jesus said 主耶稣说过, that if He is hated 祂既然为仇敌所恨, how can His household not be hated by the enemy also 何况祂的家人呢? That’s why we are commanded to “be constant in prayer.” 因此主吩咐我们：祷告要恒切！(see Romans 12:12，罗12：12下)

Today, we’re looking at the summary of Jesus’ sermon on the Mount 今天我们继续分享山上宝训. Matt 7: 13 （太7：13） “Enter through the narrow gate你们要进窄门. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction因为引到灭亡，那门是宽的，路是大的, and many enter through it进去的人也多. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life引到永生，那门是窄的，路是小的, and only a few find it找到的人也少.

1，What do “the narrow and wide gate”, “the many and the few” mean?“宽门和窄门”“多人和少人”是什么意思？

We all know that Jesus said that he himself was the gate主说他就是（救恩的）门, “I am the gate for the sheep 我就是羊的门. John 10:7（约10：7）” It means that to enter into the kingdom of God we must enter through Jesus意思是我们惟有藉着耶稣，才能进入神的国, when we receive Jesus我们接受耶稣, we receive salvation就是接受救恩 But is this so small that only a few can find it这是说救恩门小，找到的人少? Is this saying that many may not be saved, because they don’t accept Jesus这是说很多人不得救，因为他们不接受耶稣?

In fact 事实上, regarding salvation关于得救, the book of Revelation says this《启示录》这样说, “9 After this I looked此后，我观看, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count见有许多的人，没有人能数过来, from every nation, tribe, people and language是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的, standing before the throne and before the Lamb站在宝座和羔羊面前. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands身穿白衣，手拿棕树枝. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice大声喊着说: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne愿救恩归与坐在宝座上我们的神, and to the Lamb也归与羔羊.” If “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” 如果”引到永生，那门是窄的，路是小的,找到的人也少”, means that only a few who can receive Jesus as their saviour那就是少数人会接受耶稣为救主, how could “a great multitude that no one could count” turn up为什么又会说“有许多的人，没有人能数过来”? In Roman 10:9（罗10：9）, If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” 你若口里认耶稣为主， and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead心里信神叫他从死里复活, you will be saved就必得救.

This is the very beginning of accepting our Lord Jesus in faith by “declaring with our mouths, believing in our hearts”“口里承认，心里相信”是信耶稣的起点, which enables us to enter the Kingdom of God从此我们就进入神国. Salvation is God’s free gift to give everyone who believes in the work of Christ done on the Cross救恩是白白的恩典，赐给那些信耶稣钉十架的人. It is only by grace not by our works得救是本乎恩、因着信 (see Eph 2:8-9，弗2：8-9). But if “the narrow gate” is only talking about the very first step of entering through the narrow gate by accepting Jesus但如果“窄门”仅指接受耶稣这第一个起点, it will have nothing to do with our strivings or our efforts它就与人的竭力努力无关了, but in Luke 13但在《路加福音》13章, when Jesus talked about the narrow door主耶稣谈到窄门时, He clearly explained that we must strive to enter through the narrow gate明明白白地说：你们要努力进窄门。

Luke 13:23-24（路13：23-24）, 23 Then one said to Him有一个人问他说, “Lord, are there few who are saved主啊，得救的人少吗?” And He said to them耶稣对众人说, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate你们要努力进窄门, for many, I say to you我告诉你们, will seek to enter and will not be able将来有许多人想要进去，却是不能. Jesus clearly said耶稣明明白白地说, that many will seek to enter the narrow gate who is Jesus himself but they can’t许多人想要进耶稣这窄门，却是不能. Let’s think about ourselves想想我们自己, when we didn’t even know who Jesus was当我们还不认识耶稣时, would we strive to enter this narrow gate会不会努力进窄门? Of course not当然不会. Unless we have become His people除非我们是神的子民, but once we have been saved可问题是，一旦得救, why should we still strive to enter through the narrow gate为什么还要努力进窄门呢? To understand this要理解这一点,

2，we must know what happens to the three parts of us at salvation我们必须知道人的三部分的拯救是什么?

In 1 Thess 5:23（帖前5：23）说, it says, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely愿赐平安的神亲自使你们全然成圣; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ又愿你们的灵与魂与身子得蒙保守，在我们主耶稣基督降临的时候，完全无可指摘. From God’s word we know that salvation through Christ Jesus who saves us will not be complete at the very beginning when we first accept Jesus从神的话看见，初信时藉着耶稣基督得蒙拯救，那拯救并不完全. We are born again by the Holy Spirit in the beginning我们起初因圣灵入住而重生, and our spirit is saved灵就得救了, when we only need to make a decision to receive Jesus by grace那是我们仅仅靠恩典做了接受耶稣的绝对. Then we are accounted for righteousness然后就算为义了 (Romans 4:23-24，罗4：23-24), as we receive the free gift of justification and the indwelling of the Spirit of God因我们白白地称义，接受圣灵内住, Romans 5:18（罗5：18）, Consequently如此说来, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people因一次的过犯，众人都被定罪, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people照样，因一次的义行，众人也就被称义得生命了.

But salvation is a lifelong process但救恩是一生的过程, which also including our souls and bodies还包括魂和体的拯救. The bible clearly tells that when Jesus our Lord comes again圣经明明说，主耶稣再来时, He will give us a new body会赐给我们新的身体, which is the redemption of our bodies 就是指身体得赎 (see Romans 8:23, Phi 3:21，见 罗8：23，腓3：21). So what part of us needs a lifelong process of salvation那么，人的哪部分需要一生的拯救? The soul part是人的魂! That’s why Jesus says in John 10:10因此主耶稣在（约10：10）说, “you may have life羊得生命 – this is the first step这是赛跑的起点, but it’s not the end of the race但不是终点, the next step is to下一步是 have the life to the full 并且得的更丰盛. which needs a lifelong process to sanctify our souls就是一生使魂成圣的过程.

There is no doubt about how to enter through the kingdom of God by taking the narrow gate通过窄门进入神国是毫无疑问的, that is to confess and repent and receive Jesus by grace就是承认、悔改并接受耶稣的恩典. But it is not the end of the race但这不是赛跑的终点, it’s just the beginning只是起点, we need to continually go on the narrow road to follow Jesus Christ我们需要不停走窄路，跟随耶稣基督. That’s why Jesus says这就是为什么耶稣说, “anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me不背着他的十字架跟从我的，也不配作我的门徒. Matt 10:38（太10：38）” That’s the narrow road indeed那实在是条窄路! It’s very narrow非常窄! unless we take up our crosses and die to the self to follow Christ’s footsteps除非背起自己的十字架，向己死, we are not worthy of Him否则就不配作祂的门徒! Isn’t that a narrow road这条路窄不窄? Jesus never hide the difficulties of following Him from us耶稣从未向我们隐瞒跟从祂的困难! Our Lord calls us to follow his footsteps by dying to the flesh主呼召我们跟从祂向肉体死 (or dying to the self或向己死) and living in the will of the Father活出天父的旨意, like he did如他所行. Only in His grace we can move forward惟有靠恩典我们才能前行!

Spiritual growth can’t take place unless we practice our faith by obedience to the truth若不操练信心顺服真理，灵命就不能成长 – to enter through Jesus Christ by grace in faith靠恩典，凭着信心，藉着耶稣基督入门 – and to follow the narrow road by grace to put to death the misdeeds of the body by the power of the Holy Spirit靠神的恩典和圣灵的大能，治死身体的恶行，走跟随基督的窄路. In other words换句话说, don’t expect that spiritual growth can take place automatically别指望属灵生命会自动长大, We need to make every effort to put our trust in His words 我们必须竭力信靠神的话and practice not living according to the desires of the sinful nature操练不靠肉体私欲去行, if so, we will definitely stop growing in Christ那样的话，绝对会停止在基督里的生命成长. That’s the enemy tries to do to us not God这是仇敌想要看到的，不是神! Because the bible clearly says因经上说得很明白, “the mind of sinful nature is death体贴肉体的就是死…the sinful mind is hostile to God体贴肉体的，就是与神为仇…those who are controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God属肉体的人不能得神的喜欢。(Romans 8:6-7，罗8：6-7)  These words are not for the gentiles but for believers这些话不是对外邦人说，而是对信徒说的, which results in sanctification only as far as we go in following Christ in faith向己死只是关系到成圣,就是我们在信心里跟随基督有多. In other words换句话说, how far we want to follow Him关系到我们想跟到多深, or by how much we can be made more like Christ from the inside out to become overcomers或你最终有多少从里到外的像基督，成为得胜者, so that we may receive the promised rewards which are only for overcomers (Re 2:7,11, 17, 26, 3:5, 11-12, 19-21) 因此我们能得那单应许给得胜者的赏赐。

Without knowing His words, it’s impossible to follow若不明白神的话，就不可能跟随. This week, I’ve been busy in dealing with a family’s visa problem我这周忙着为一个家庭签证的事 by asking for advice from an immigration lawyer咨询一位移民律师, because their application for a further visa has been disapproved因他们的签证延期失败了, and they must leave NZ before 11th Nov (next Sunday) 他们必须在11月11日（下周日）前离境. Cut the story short, anyway, 长话短说，不管怎样, if we surrender ourselves to God who holds our tomorrows我们若将自己交托掌管明天的神, we will have peace in our hearts心里就会有平安. Through this case借着这个案子, I learned that if people try to emigrate to other country and to do business there我认识到，如果人想移民去其他国家并在那里做生意, they must know that country’s language, law and culture就必须先了解那个国家的语言、法律和文化, otherwise, they must fail否则他们一定失败. Similarly与此类似, if we want to emigrate to God’s country (kingdom)我们若想移民到神的国里去, we also must know God’s language and God’s law也必须了解神的语言和神的律法, otherwise, how can we be successful in the kingdom of God否则怎能在神国成功呢? We must pay attention to God’s words我们必须留心神的话, and believe what He says并信祂所说的.

Apparently很明显, there are two roads that you can choose to go on after you have been born again in Christ重生后你有两条路可选. You are free to make the choice由你自己决定. But please listen但请听, which road you choose to follow will affect you eternally你所选择走的路会影响你到永恒. It determines whether you can receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord or not这会决定你是否会丰丰富富进入神的国 (2 Peter 1:3-11，彼后1：3-11). Some say有人说, “because I’ve been Christian for long time我信主很多年, so I must be first我要先进神的国.” Who said this谁这样说? Jesus says主耶稣说, “many who are first will be last有许多在前的，将要在后, many who are last be first在后的，将要在前.”（太19：30）

3， the narrow gate and the narrow road 窄门和窄路– Only Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit 惟有耶稣和圣灵的工作。

the wide gate and the broad road 宽门和大路– the flesh and the work of the flesh肉体和肉体的工作。

The first road is narrow and small which leads to life but only a few find it，前面第一条路，又窄又小，领人进到永生，找着的人少. We read the book of revelation我们读《启示录》, which tells us that 里面说“a great multitude that no one could count有许多的人，没有人能数过来, from every nation, tribe, people and language是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的, will become the redeemed people of God将成为神赎买的民. But only a few are fully sanctified in the end但到最后只有一些人洁净了自己, as is written in Revelation 14:1-5,就如（启14：1-5）所写：

14 Then I looked我又观看, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion见羔羊站在锡安山, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads同他又有十四万四千人，都有他的名和他父的名写在额上. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder我听见从天上有声音，像众水的声音和大雷的声音. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps并且我所听见的好像弹琴的所弹的琴声. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders他们在宝座前，并在四活物和众长老前唱歌，仿佛是新歌. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth除了从地上买来的那十四万四千人以外，没有人能学这歌. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women这些人未曾沾染妇女, for they remained virgins他们原是童身. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes羔羊无论往哪里去，他们都跟随他. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb他们是从人间买来的，作初熟的果子归与神和羔羊. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless在他们口中察不出谎言来，他们是没有瑕疵的.

Mount Zion represents the victory of Christ锡安山代表基督的得胜! “and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads同他又有十四万四千人，都有他的名和他父的名写在额上” In Re 22:4（启22：4）写到， we see that only those who reign with Christ will have his name on their foreheads只有那些与基督同坐宝座的，他的名字必写在他们的额上. Here says that the 144,000 were God’s people who were faithful followers这里的十四万四千人是神忠心的跟随者, some theologists believes that the number of 144,000 is a symbol just as virgin is also symbolic有些神学家认为“十四万四千”和“童身”都是象征性的, which represents that they were purified and refined as blameless from their hearts to their mouths“童身”代表他们是被炼净的，口里和心里都无可指摘. I agree with that我同意这说法, because it doesn’t say the great multitude but a few in the great multitude that are faithful followers因为经上没有说“许多的人”而是其中一些人，忠心跟随羔羊. Just as what Jesus said to us就如主耶稣所说, “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life引到永生，那门是窄的，路是小的, and only a few find it找到的人也少. Only few find the narrow road只有不多的人找到这条路. The 144,000 represents the few十四万四千代表的就是这少数.

On our way to sanctification (the journey of spiritual growth) 在我们的成圣之路上（就是属灵生命成长的路上）, the bible says经上说, “Do not be deceived不要自欺: God cannot be mocked神是轻慢不得的. A man reaps what he sows人种的是什么，收的也是什么. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh (the sinful nature) 顺着情欲撒种的, from the flesh will reap destruction (corruption)必从情欲收败坏; whoever sows to please the Spirit顺着圣灵撒种的, from the Spirit will reap eternal life必从圣灵收永生. Gal 6:7-8（加6：7-8）；For the flesh lusts against the Spirit因为情欲与圣灵相争, and the Spirit against the flesh圣灵和情欲相争; and these are contrary to one another这两个是彼此相敌, so that you do not do the things that you wish使你们不能作所愿意的. Gal 5:17（加5：17）

These words clearly tell us that there will be two roads这些话清楚地说到有两条路, entering the small gate and go on the narrow road 进窄门、走窄路 – entering through Jesus and following Christ by deny the desires of the self in faith 靠耶稣进门，凭信否定己欲跟随主and relying on the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit倚靠圣灵洁净之工, reaps eternal life来收永生果子. Entering the wide gate and go on broad road 进宽门走大路– through the work of the flesh and its good works reaps destruction靠肉体行事，靠肉体做好，收获毁坏. 

The flesh’s way is wide and broad肉体的路又大又宽, look at Christianity看看基督教, the “prosperity gospel” attracts a great multitude“成功神学”吸引了许多的人, where churches preach a gospel of health and wealth教会里鼓吹健康发财. Jesus becomes a blessing only of healing and money耶稣只是让人得医治、得财务祝福的主. They no longer focus on dealing with the flesh to be sanctified in the fire of the Holy Spirit and in truth教会不再关注肉体被真理圣灵的火洁净, and to yield fruits of repentance continually in God’s love and grace在神的爱和恩典中持续结悔改的果子, and to have life to the full and to be faithful even lose one’s own life得丰盛生命、忠心至死, so that they may glorify God and inherit the Kingdom荣耀神并承受神的国. Because Jesus promised his followers the kingdom not earthly things因耶稣应许将神的国赐给跟从者，不是赐地上的东西, Do not be afraid, little flock你们这小群，不要惧怕, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom因为你们的父乐意把国赐给你们. Luke12:32（路12：32）

Surely it is not surprising这毫不令人惊奇, for Jesus foretold that few will find it因耶稣预言很少人会找到. Even in the age of Paul the apostle甚至在使徒保罗时代, who in the Spirit wrote the letter to Galatians for the church of Galatia保罗在圣灵里写信给加拉太教会信徒, because the whole church who had been born again by the Holy Spirit 因全教会靠圣灵得着重生后went back to their old ways of entering through the broad road 却走回了老路、大路– the flesh and trying to do good works to achieve perfection想靠肉体做好事得完全. So in Galatians 3: 3, he rebuked them于是他在（加3：3）责备他们, “3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 你们既靠圣灵入门，如今还靠肉身成全吗？你们是这样的无知吗？” Basically, he was saying他基本上是在说, “You aren’t saved completely你们还未完全得拯救, you start with receiving salvation by the work of the Holy Spirit你们靠圣灵入门得拯救, you still need the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit to save your soul from the love of this world你仍需要圣灵洁净的大能，拯救你们的魂脱离爱世界– the lust of the flesh就是肉体的情欲, the lust of the eyes眼目的情欲, and the pride of life今生的骄傲. No one can save his soul or achieve sanctification by his own ‘good works’没有人能靠自己的好行为使魂成圣.” That’s what Paul wants to say in the Spirit 这就是保罗在圣灵里想要说的.

We need to understand 我们要明白 that the only way to be sanctified in the Christian life is by the ministry of the Holy Spirit through obedience to the word of God基督徒生命成圣的唯一道路，是顺服神的话，被圣灵服事. Salvation in Christ is transformation救恩是生命的更新, it has nothing to do with our own good works of self-reformation与我们自我改造的好行为无关!

It doesn’t matter how much good works you do不论你做了多少好事, the matter is how much obedience you have to the Holy Spirit by trusting and practicing His words in faith关键是你有多顺服圣灵，信靠并操练神的话, God promises神应许说, “Turn at my rebuke你们当因我的责备回转; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you我要将我的灵浇灌你们; I will make my words known to you将我的话指示你们. Proverbs 1:23（箴言1：23）”

Nobody can follow Jesus Christ on the narrow road without the infilling power of the Holy Spirit没有圣灵充满的能力，就没有人能跟随耶稣基督走窄路, because without the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit within us因没有圣灵在我们里面洁净的工作, no one can be sanctified无人能成圣! Holiness comes from the Holy Spirit圣洁从圣灵而来! Our own good works will never sanctify our souls人靠肉体的好行为不能洁净自己的灵魂, it only leads us to yielding fruits of pride而只会生出骄傲, jealousy嫉妒, fear惧怕, worry 忧虑and all fruit of the flesh和各样肉体的果子! So we need to cry out因此我们呼求, “Lord, I surrender主啊，我降服! I surrender to Your Holy words我向你圣洁的话降服…It’s all about surrender and trusting in Your words惟有降服你的话，信靠你的话, This is the narrow road that no one can follow Christ by his own good works这是窄路，没有人可以用旧人的好行为跟随耶稣…I once strived to do good works我曾经努力靠自己做好…but my soul is still filled with heaviness and joylessness可我心里苦，没有喜乐…today, I come to turn to Your words今天，我要因你的责备回转…” no one can go on this narrow road by his own strength无人可以用自己的能力跟随这窄路…I surrender我降服与你….and trust in You…来信靠你…”

before we take the communion, let us sing and pray together….让我们在领圣餐前，一起来唱诗，祷告…