What is the driving force behind going to church?
What is the driving force that leads you to bible studies?
What is the driving force that tells you to raise your kids a certain way?
What is the driving force that leads you to believing in God?
What is the driving force that leads you to open your bible everyday and read scripture?
Driving Force, I know deep down that I can not do things all on my own. Even though I try really hard sometimes and I fail every time. I know that everything in life requires trust and faith in God. He will sustain me, he will guide me, he will love me, he will be my DRIVING FORCE to do things that I am afraid to do, he will be my DRIVING FORCE through life.
Approximately 17 years ago I was baptized, yes that is later in life compared to most in the South. One Sunday there was a DRIVING FORCE that led me to take communion, the following Sunday there was a DRIVING FORCE that led me to get baptized with no planning, no family there to witness, I didn’t care. I just wanted Jesus in my life.
As Luke states in
Acts 13:48 ESV
“And when the Gentiles heard this(the good news, the gospel(my words)), they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life Believed!”
Acts 13:48 Amp
And when the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified (praised and gave thanks for) the Word of God; and as many as were destined (appointed and ordained) to eternal life believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Jesus as the Christ and their Savior).
Wow that is awesome, but lets back up a verse. Now that I am saved I strive for the previous verse. It has taken many years but finally hitting home, that this is really the true joy in life. We are called several times to go and make disciples.
Acts 13:47 ESV “For so the Lord has Commanded us, saying, I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the Earth.”
Acts 13:47-49 AMP
14 years ago I started praying that my family and I would be a light to others around us. That others would see something different in us and they would want to know what it was. We are far from perfect but we are always trying to be Real, God loving, and God fearing. Now there is another element added to the equation. Sharing what we have learned with others while continuing to be a light.
Now times have changed a bit. Let’s look at this next verse.
Luke 13:22-30
The Narrow Door
22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” 1
ESV Lk 13:22–30.
What does this verse tell you about what was happening then?
What does this verse tell us about how it applies to us always?
How does this verse apply to us as individuals?
How does this verse apply to us as men? Leaders of our families?
What hits me in this verse is that although I may try and do what is right and what is noble it may not be enough. Can people that live a good life make it into heaven? Can they, based on their works and deeds be excepted into heaven?
What does this narrow door look like? I can imagine that people would be lined up to get though it that they have done “good” their entire life, lived a life serving others but didn’t know the Lord at the end of the day. Yes they have been a good person but they missed the point that being good and not believing in the Lord does not get you into heaven. This gate I believe is a gate for believers that followed the commands that have been given to us throughout the new testament from Jesus.
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34–35.
9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things. 1
1 Ti 4:9–11
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Mt 28:18–20.
Really all in all if we do not follow Jesus command to Go to Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth and make disciples, We fail, we will not get through the Narrow Gate, the narrow gate in my mind requires a discipleship key and only those who take on this role as commanded get through. Is this harsh?
Let’s look at this scenario:
If a guy that attends church weekly lives a pretty Godly life, tries not to sin, takes his family to church but relies on the church to teach his kids about the bible does he make it through the narrow gate? What if there is a guy that is very similar, this guy attends church weekly, lives a Godly life, tries not to sin, has a well rounded prayer life, takes his family to church, teaches his kids about the bible and he baptises them. Has a discipleship group and is always active in church discipleship opportunities. Does this guy make it through the narrow gate?
Part of Jesus’s command was to go out and make disciples. This is often an overlooked area of our walk with Christ and churches(i wont get into why churches lack in this area as I don’t know enough about it) . Why? Well from my little knowledge of talking with other guys it boils down to feeling inadequate. Like they haven’t received the training, they don’t have the time for that, that isnt where they were called to be. That is the Church’s job.
The great commission from Mark 16:14-16 really paints a great picture of this and where most guys are at until they have a driving force moment, and they realize oh crap I am not doing everything that Jesus called me to be doing.
In this verse the 11 disciples are sitting around in unbelief (11 Disciples because Judas killed himself) because they doubted those that saw Jesus after his resurrection.
The Great Commission
14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
The Cost of Discipleship
25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. 1
ESV Lk 14:25–33.
Question of the day???
Are we fulfilling what Jesus has asked us to do?
Let me remind you that it took 17 years for me to realize that I was not doing everything that we are commanded to do.
Anchored Men 
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