Monday, April 23
Theme for the week:
Disciples Enter the Narrow Gate

Matthew 7:13-14

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

While walking and praying over this teaching, I happened across a lost house key, bringing to mind Luke’s version of this: Make every attempt to enter through the narrow door. What is the key to entering through that door, or as he says in Sermon on the Mount, the narrow gate? Well, that's what we are digging into this week.

In John 10, Jesus calls himself the gate – or door, depending on the translation. So in one sense the key is to know Jesus. But it also seems that calling Jesus “Lord” is not equivalent to knowing Jesus as Lord. We want to be clear that we are following Jesus as Lord, having walked through the door – not merely approached it or been taught about it or learned about it or read about it.

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Prayer for the Week

Father God, someone once said all roads lead to Rome. I doubt that was true, but You made it clear that not all roads lead to You. You have let it be known that there is a wide road that leads to destruction and there is only a narrow gate that to enter that leads to life – and that only a few find it. I come in the name of Jesus, the gate and thank you that I have access to You through Him. May your Spirit continue to lead me in this journey of life – and may I serve you in any way you desire, in Jesus name, amen.

Psalm 119: Immersed in the Word of God

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This is our continuing opportunity to encounter God through His Word in Psalm 119. Unique in the bible, Psalm 119 is fashioned around the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet (seen above). Each section contains eight verses, making it easily the longest psalm at 176 verses. 

Psalm of Meditation for the Week:

Psalm 119:9-16 (Beth)

ב

  1. How can a young person keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
  2. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
  3. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
  4. Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees.
  5. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
  6. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
  7. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
  8. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word

  • Read: the verses twice.

  • Mark: the words or phrases that catch your attention.

  • Meditate: talk (better yet write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect a response from the Lord.

Tuesday, April 24
God’s Mission Seen in John 6:60-71

John 6:60-71

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

God’s mission this week comes in light of the need to enter through the narrow door – or gate or if you prefer. To enter through the door is to come to God through Jesus, a way of becoming united with the Father.

Through Jesus we access to the Father. You don’t get there without Jesus. In fact Peter says in Acts 4:12 that there is no other name under heaven by which anyone can be saved.

This teaching is offensive to many today. But that’s not new. It was offensive back in Jesus’ day too! Jesus had a few teachings that were so offensive, it drove many away from Him (see the full John 6 reading today). But like any true disciple, Peter said something like “hard teachings or not, where else can we go? You have the words of life. We know that you are the Holy One of God – we’re still in”.

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Prayer Prompt

Lord Jesus, your words are full of life and Spirit. I believe this and pray that you would have Your Word and Spirit breathe life and spirit into me – even through the hard teachings. Help me to stay with You, like Peter and the other disciples; help me to say with disciples of today: Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life.

Scripture Meditation for the Day:

Psalm 119:9-10

How can a young person keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

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Statute, Command, Precept, or Decree of God:

Hebrews 13:4

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

The Promise:

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 

Wednesday, April 25
Your Identity in Christ

In Christ I have entered the narrow door and experience unity with God.

Wednesday is our identity day, when we remember who we are in Christ. But for today we are going to remember how important it is to know the identity of Jesus. We need to identify him as the door, the way to God the Father; we need to identify with him as Lord; we need to identify in him a Savior from our sin. It is his death and resurrection that opened the way to heaven; it is his lordship that has the authority to overcome death for us and grant us life, or let God grant us life in Jesus name. Truly he has the words of eternal life. Hallelujah!

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Prayer

Father God I thank you that in Jesus Christ I have found the way to you. I rejoice in seeing his prayer come to fruition that I have, in one sense, become one with you, that in another sense, I am still becoming one with you. I pray that by your Holy Spirit, the depth and breadth of that oneness continues to expand in the name of Jesus -- the door, the gate, the way, the truth, and the life. So I pray, Amen.

Scripture Meditation for the Day:

Psalm 119:11-12

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees.

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Statute, Command, Precept, or Decree of God:

Proverbs 3:1

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart…

The Promise:

Proverbs 3:2

…for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.

Thursday, April 26
Re-Center Around God

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door…” ~ Jesus

Review my week

For review, the words in the gospel - make every effort - can complicate this teaching of entering the narrow door. Believing in Jesus as Lord, you don't need to make every effort to gain salvation; it is a gift of grace. But the Lord does says work out our salvation (Philippians 2:12). The words make every effort can be an athletic term for ‘competing’ or ‘battling’. In this sense, one could say that we ‘battle’ our enemy to enter the door, to rise up against him and make every effort against him who opposes our entrance. We also have a call to seek hard after God (Psalm 63); to connect with him, unite with him, experience him.

Repent (if necessary)

The call is to repent of whatever things get between us and God, whatever things distract us from seeking hard after God, whatever makes us too tired to seek after God.

Return (as necessary)

Often it seems the way to return to God is in prayer: Father God I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ grateful that he opens the door and gives me access to you. Thank you for your daily mercies and constant grace. I want to be full of you and I want my life to be full of you; I want to live richly in you and I want to seek hard after you in my world just as the psalmist David did. I am so grateful that I have found the narrow door in your son Jesus I pray that you would allow me to be a blessing to let others experience this wonderful truth as well in his name I pray.

Scripture Meditation for the Day:

Psalm 119:13-14

With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

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Statute, Command, Precept, or Decree of God:

Joshua 1:8

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

The Promise:

Isaiah 55:11

[My word] will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Friday, April 27
Discipleship Point from John 6:60-71

How Discipleship Changes My Life

Knowing Jesus said “if you love me you will obey what I command,” we understand some of Jesus’ teachings are in a sense “laws” or “rules” that require personal discipline (sacrifice) in our lifestyle in terms of time, energy, relationships, money, even sleep at times. We recognize and believe that we are expected to follow not simply out of obligation, but rather out of love for God and moved by His Spirit; As we follow Jesus, we seek to live by the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit, enabling us to love God well and love our neighbor as ourselves.

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Discipleship Prayer:

Father God, I come in prayer and lay my life before you. I know that this may require personal discipline or sacrifice in my life in terms of time, energy, relationships, money or even sleep. I want to do this out of love for You God and moved by You Spirit;

Scripture Meditation for the Day:

Psalm 119:15-16

I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

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Statute, Command, Precept, or Decree of God:

Psalm 37:4a

Delight yourself in the LORD...

The Promise:

Psalm 37:4b

... and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Saturday, April 28
A Big Festival Behind a Small Door

Luke 13:22-30

The Narrow Door

22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

In the parallel passage from Jesus Sermon on the Mount, Jesus acknowledges that there will be few that enter the narrow gate – or narrow door as this story describes. But in this particular story, there will be a surprise perspective for many of us: A Jewish man asks if only a few will be saved and the by the end of the story Jesus has placed many of the Jews outside the salvation door. This would clearly have been a surprise to the Jews, who carried the name “chosen people”. Another surprise is that many Gentiles (non-jews) will have come from the north, south, east and west and will be at the banquet table with the Jewish patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob behind the narrow door feasting with God. So as you read this story and hear Jesus telling the people to strive to enter this narrow door, remember that he was not going to be with these Jews much longer and was encouraging them to take this teaching seriously.

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Prayer Prompt

Lord Jesus, instill in me the awareness that there is a difference between associating with you and identifying with you. That there is a difference between knowing about you and knowing you, that there is a difference between hearing about you and believing in you. I don't just want to approach the door be near the door or be aware of the door I want to enter the door walk through the door, I want to be in you and experience the blessing of unity of God through you. Amen

Sunday, April 29
Call to Worship God, to Gather Together

God Bless You

Psalm 29:2

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.

The simplest way to define worship is that it is to attribute worth to God’s revealed character. The command to “ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name” in Psalm 29:2 does not mean we add anything to God. It simply means that we acknowledge him for who he is and in this way glorify or honor him. This is precisely what is being done in heaven. (Revelation 4:11, 5:12)

~ William Thrasher
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Prayer Prompt

Father God today in worship we get a chance to feast with you at the table of your word and gifts, a foretaste of life with you in eternity. We get a chance to hear from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We get to hear from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has made us one with you. Bless our time of worship and may we continue to see people flow through the door of Jesus into life with you. We pray in the name of Jesus our Lord, amen.

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