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Restoration Ministry

Restoration 2004: Eleventh-hour Evidence

Phil Mills

The Gate

It's always a privilege to be someplace to talk about Jesus, isn't it?

I'd like to take you back to the spring of another year, 29 A.D.

It was the beginning of Christ's Galilean ministry.

He was preparing to send his disciples out on a missionary tour.

Helpers were needed and he chose a hillside just north of the Sea of Galilee.

And there, in preparation for the disciples' important work, he ordained the 12 and preached that powerful sermon that has come down with the title, The Sermon on the Mount.

Toward the end of the Sermon on the Mount, He said 2 verses that the disciples I don't think understood and I don't think anyone in that large crowd understood.

Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." And then the next verse, because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Now, I don't think they could understand that at the time, because, you see, it was springtime.

And at springtime, the world is always full of hope.

There were crowds that were following Jesus at this time.

And as the disciples looked over the huge multitude, In their minds they saw the future conversion of all of Israel.

They saw the churches packed, the synagogues packed to welcome their message.

The multitudes were in favor of Jesus, in fact, needs to be higher.

In fact, some were calling for Him to be a king.

John's disciples were a little jealous of all the success that Jesus was having.

What do you mean, few there be that find it?

They told John the Baptist, they said, Rabbi, He that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold the same baptizes and what's that next phrase?

Few there be that find it, But they would learn better over the next 2 years.

In fact, in only 1 year, the fickle multitudes forsook him.

John 6, 66, from that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.

Never again would his being in town create even a flicker of interest.

In fact, if a friend was going to go, they would speak against the man that had so stirred their hearts only a short time before.

It was 2 years later that Jesus made his final visit through the villages and towns of Israel.

Luke 13 tells of this story, chapter 13, verse 22.

And he went through the cities and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem, where he was to be crucified.

Then said 1 unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?

But now it was time for Jesus to repeat what He had given there in that Sermon on the Mount that should have come as no surprise to them.

And so he said, verse 24, strive to enter in at the straight gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able.

How come there were no enthusiastic crowds now in this final time of Jesus' visit toward Jerusalem?

How come just a few in each village appeared interested in His message?

In fact, some of them were kind of strange.

You would have been embarrassed to have them part of the crowd.

Not even the disciples realized that this was the final visit of Jesus, His final tour through Israel.

No 1 knew that he would never in person be in their village again.

How soon we take advantage and take for granted of the blessings of God.

The multitudes had been reduced to a remnant.

You see, if you were going to follow Christ, you risk being considered fanatical.

It was to invite the wrath of the Jewish leaders.

It was a certain way to be kicked out of the church.

As John 9, 22, these words spake the parents of a man who had been healed from blindness.

And even though Their son had been healed, though they had prayed to God for healing for years.

When he was healed, these people wouldn't even then confess Jesus.

They feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if any man did not confess that he was Christ, did confess, excuse me, if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

They tried to believe in secret, like Peter denying him publicly.

This was particularly true of those who were in leadership and who did not want to lose their position.

John 12, 42, 43, Nevertheless, Among the chief rulers also many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him.

Lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they did love the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Great Controversy, page 597, has a very interesting couple of sentences.

Many are the ways by which Satan works through human influences to bind his captives.

Sometimes we worry about his direct influences, but how does Satan also work?

Just as God has human influences, Satan has human influences.

And he binds them as captives, here's how, he secures multitudes to himself by attaching them by the silken cords of affection to those who are enemies of the cross of Christ.

Whatever this attachment may be, parental, our parents, philelial, our siblings, conjugal, our life's partners, or social, The effect is the same.

The opposers of truth exert their power to control the conscience and the souls held under their sway have not sufficient courage or independence to obey their own convictions of duty.

You see, it's not alone when the United States, the image makes an image to the beast and tries to compel people to follow Satan.

Right now, there are many who attempt to compel and would keep us bound to Satan if we don't have sufficient courage.

And this has been true throughout history.

Many are called, Matthew 22, 14, but what?

Of the many who first responded to Noah only 1 family Ultimately boarded the boat 120 years later Only 3 individuals a part of 1 family escaped from Sodom.

Of the 3000000 excited Jews, Moses led out of Egypt.

Romans 9.27, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, what is that last phrase?

Jesus told a parable of the net, Matthew 13.47, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind which when it was full they drew to the shore and sat down and gathered the good into the vessels but cast the bad away.

The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them into the furnace of fire.

There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." The Gospel net brings in a group, but the true gospel separates them out.

Not everyone who is baptized will go to heaven.

Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

This was just a few verses after what we had read this morning about few there be that find it.

Not everyone who saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." This was just a few verses after what we had read this morning about few there be that find it.

Not everyone who saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Not everyone who begins the journey to heaven will finish it.

If you take drug addicts, they go through a program, their chances of staying off, well under 50 percent.

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Restoration 2004: Eleventh-hour Evidence

The Gate

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