In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of entering through the narrow gate that leads to life, as opposed to the wide gate that leads to destruction. He uses the analogy of building a house on a solid foundation to illustrate the difference between those who hear and practice the words of Jesus and those who do not. The preacher shares his personal testimony of how he came to faith in Christ after receiving a Bible as a birthday present and seeking answers in its pages. He concludes by highlighting the need to acknowledge Jesus before others and the transformative power of the Word of God.

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. Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house. Yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a great crash. When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him. And he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah. He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases. Whoever finds his life will lose it. And whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. My name is Roy Hollis. I'm from Dauphin Island. I'm 43 years old. It makes me 43 years old. And I wasn't raised in a church. I didn't know anything about the church. I didn't know anything about the Bible. And so I went out into the world and soaked it up best I could and got involved in the sake of the world. In 1982, a good friend of mine gave me a Bible for a birthday present. And I looked at it, and I thought, it's an odd birthday present. But I wasn't saved, but I had manners, so I said, Thank y'all a lot. And every time I moved, it moved with me. And it stayed somewhere between the photo albums and the other books. And then in October, the Lord came knocking. And I had no foundations at all to recognize what was happening. But I knew that Bible somewhere had the answer. So I went and found it. And so I started reading that Bible. And this time, when the Lord came knocking, I didn't understand what was happening in my life. And since I had not been raised in church, I had not had any spiritual foundation whatsoever, I could only relate to it in a secular sense. So I would ask people, Do you even believe in angels? And they'd go, What are you talking about? And I'd say, Man, I think mine just got fired. And the one I've got now is real strict. And the power of the Lord's Spirit came over me, and I started reading the Bible by myself, at kitchen time. And I'd start about seven at night, and I'd see the sun come up. And I'd sleep, and I'd start reading again. And this went on and on and on, until it just started filling my heart. And I started realizing that all the answers to life was in that book. Amen. Then, the Lord decided it was time to show me to me. And one night, while I was praying, He turned me inside out, and He showed me what I was. And when I got through whimpering like a puppy, because I had always taken the position, You know, No, don't you have some fears, and some famine, and some wars, and some bad things to go deal with? I'll take care of my own problems. I can handle it. There's got to be some crisis in the world that needs more attention than me. So I just pushed Him away, and pushed Him away, and pushed Him away. And then when He revealed me to me, and I got up, I knew what an ugly, ugly sign I was on the inside. But the beauty of it was, when I got up, I realized that it had all been forgiven. I am so grateful. Oh, you just don't know how grateful I am to be in the Association of Christians for the first time. In my life. Glory be to God.