Jesus said,, “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.”

Matthew 7:13-14

So many of today’s evangelists are offering a carrot stick gospel — a gospel that focuses on our personal payoff for following Jesus, not Jesus’s lordship over every area of our lives.

From Philip Ware – “Jesus, especially in Matthew 7, reminds us that grace does not dismiss discipleship, and mercy does not release us from our need to repent genuinely. Genuine repentance is NOT feeling bad about our sin — that is godly sorrow that should lead to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-11). Repentance means changing how we live our lives and choosing to live for Jesus. We joyously accept the grace God gives to us in Jesus and truly let Jesus be Lord of our lives. It’s not an “either-or” proposition but a “both-and” call from God. We receive grace and obediently follow Jesus as Lord. We obey and serve God because he has adopted and brought us into his family. Our motivation to do good things is not to earn our salvation but to thank and honor God, who has been so good to us and saved us at great cost by his mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:8-10).”

Almighty God, holy and awesome, I know I will never be worthy of your grace. I know that my flesh can easily be lured away from the path of discipleship. So, Father, I need the Spirit to help me as I strive to follow Jesus and live obediently to him. I want to recognize and profess to all, I’m but a sinner, saved only by Your loving grace. In his name, I pray. Amen.