The Narrow Way

We turn now to Luke 13:23-30 in which the Lord Jesus answers the question, 'Are there few who are being saved?' We are getting help here from our old friend John Bunyan as he wrote on this text, The Strait Gate - The Great Difficulty of Going to Heaven.'

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Call to Worship

Sunday School

Studies in The Sermon on the Mount
by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 26

Vindicate me, O Lord,
    for I have walked in my integrity,
    and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
    test my heart and my mind.
For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
    and I walk in your faithfulness.

I do not sit with men of falsehood,
    nor do I consort with hypocrites.
I hate the assembly of evildoers,
    and I will not sit with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocence
    and go around your altar, O Lord,
proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
    and telling all your wondrous deeds.

Lord, I love the habitation of your house
    and the place where your glory dwells.
Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 in whose hands are evil devices,
    and whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
    redeem me, and be gracious to me

12 My foot stands on level ground;
    in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.

 My foot stands on level ground;
    in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.

Opening Song

That Man is Blest Who, Fearing God (TH #558)

1 That man is blest who, fearing God,
from sin restrains his feet,
who will not stand with wicked men,
who shuns the scorners’ seat.

2 Yea, blest is he who makes God’s law
his portion and delight,
and meditates upon that law
with gladness day and night.

3 That man is nourished like a tree
set by the rivers’ side;
its leaf is green, its fruit is sure,
and thus his works abide.

4 The wicked like the driven chaff
are swept from off the land;
they shall not gather with the just,
nor in the judgment stand.

5 The Lord will guard the righteous well,
their way to him is known;
the way of sinners, far from God,
shall surely be o’erthrown.

Prayer

Focus this week:  Ann Reeher

Song

My Life is an Offering (CRC #23)

Verse 1
This life is an altar
Where I want to offer
My soul and my mind and strength
Cleansed by Your mercy to live a life worthy
Of the One Who called my name

Chorus
Jesus be glorified
Jesus be magnified
Let me be a pleasing sacrifice
Jesus be glorified
Jesus be magnified
Here at the altar
My life is an offering

Verse 2
How could I not love You
You authored my rescue
Raised me up from death to life
Your Spirit is in me revealing Your glory
Oh what joy as I give my life

Bridge
I choose to lose my life Lord
And find it in You
I choose to lose my life Lord
And find it in You

CCLI Song # 6565620, CCLI License # 108183
Joel Sczebel | Pat Sczebel
© 2013 Sovereign Grace Worship (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music, David C Cook))
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com

Song

Rock of Ages (CRC #39)

Verse 1
Rock of Ages cleft for me Let me hide myself in thee
Let the water and the blood From thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure Save from wrath and make me pure
Rock of Ages cleft for me Let me hide myself in thee

Verse 2   
Not the labors of my hands Can fulfill thy law’s demands
Could my zeal no respite know Could my tears forever flow
All for sin could not atone Thou must save and thou alone
Rock of Ages cleft for me Let me hide myself in thee

Verse 3
Nothing in my hand I bring Simply to the cross I cling
Naked come to thee for dress Helpless look to thee for grace
Foul I to the fountain fly Wash me Savior or I die
Rock of Ages cleft for me Let me hide myself in thee

Verse 4
While I draw this fleeting breath When mine eyes shall close in death
When I soar to worlds unknown See thee on thy judgment throne
With Thy righteousness am dressed, Brought into immortal rest
Rock of Ages cleft for me Let me hide myself in thee

CCLI Song #40588, Words: Augustus Montague Toplady/Thomas Hasings
Public Domain CCLI License #108183

Scripture Reading

Isaiah 58

“Cry aloud; do not hold back;
    lift up your voice like a trumpet;
declare to my people their transgression,
    to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet they seek me daily
    and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that did righteousness
    and did not forsake the judgment of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments;
    they delight to draw near to God.
‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
    Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
    and oppress all your workers.
Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
    and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
    will not make your voice to be heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose,
    a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
    and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
    and a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of wickedness,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
    and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
    the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
    and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually
    and satisfy your desire in scorched places
    and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water,
    whose waters do not fail.
12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
    you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
    the restorer of streets to dwell in.

13 “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath,
    from doing your pleasure on my holy day,
and call the Sabbath a delight
    and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
    or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;
14 then you shall take delight in the Lord,
    and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Preaching the Word

The Narrow Way

Luke 13:22-30

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.”

Closing Song

When This Passing World is Done (TH #545)

1 When this passing world is done,
when has sunk yon glaring sun,
when we stand with Christ in glory,
looking o’er life’s finished story,
then, Lord, shall I fully know,
not till then, how much I owe.

2 When I hear the wicked call
on the rocks and hills to fall,
when I see them start and shrink
on the fiery deluge brink,
then, Lord, shall I fully know,
not till then, how much I owe.

3 When I stand before the throne,
dressed in beauty not my own,
when I see thee as thou art,
love thee with unsinning heart,
then, Lord, shall I fully know,
not till then, how much I owe.

4 When the praise of heav’n I hear,
loud as thunders to the ear,
loud as many waters’ noise,
sweet as harp’s melodious voice,
then, Lord, shall I fully know,
not till then, how much I owe.

5 Chosen not for good in me,
wakened up from wrath to flee,
hidden in the Savior’s side,
by the Spirit sanctified,
teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
by my love, how much I owe.