Matthew Ch7v13-27 - The Way To Life

Thanks, Rob.

If you need a sheet, if you're taking notes, then they're at the table if you came in.

Feel free to go and get one of them and a pen if you need one as well.

It will help you as you follow along.

Thank you.

And turn in your Bibles, please, to Psalm 1.

Psalm 1.

Psalm 1.

We will be back in Matthew in just a moment or two, but we're going to read Psalm 1 today.

Let's hear God's word.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way that sinners take, or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever they do, whatever they do prospers.

Not so the wicked.

They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Well, let's turn to Matthew's gospel and chapter 7.

We're working our way through this gospel account,

and I hope that you will make connections as we go along through Matthew 7, starting at verse 13.

You'll make connections between Psalm 1 and what we're going to look at together.

We're going to be looking at verses 13 through to 27,

but we're going to pray and ask for God's help.

Father, as we listen to your word, as we meditate upon it and reflect,

we long that your word would travel deep into our hearts

and change us so that we become fruitful,

displaying the beauty and the glory of Christ,

that we would become distinctive and attractive in our lives,

leading others to Jesus.

So would your words do an effective work in our life,

that it would be good for us,

good for each other,

and good for the world in which we live.

Help us now, we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, Jesus is coming to the end of his sermon,

and it's decision time.

It's been a bit of a marathon, quite a long sermon.

If you want to go back to chapter 5, verse 1,

this is where the sermon began.

Remember, Jesus went up a mountain,

he saw the crowds,

and he sat down and his disciples came to him,

and he began to teach them.

So this is where the sermon begins.

And it goes all the way through

to the end of chapter 7,

verse 28,

where it says,

So it's a long-winded message,

long sermon.

Perhaps it took all day,

we're not quite sure.

But his message is crystal clear.

Jesus is God's king

with absolute power and supreme authority.

And he's calling people

to enter into his kingdom

and to live as citizens of the kingdom.

We are to live distinctive and attractive lives

so that others would see our good deeds

and glorify God,

that they too would enter into the kingdom.

And as Jesus comes to the end of his sermon,

as he comes to his conclusion,

we have a decision to make.

Have I entered the kingdom?

Am I living as a citizen of the kingdom?

And to help us make our decision,

Jesus gives four pictures

so that we can be absolutely clear

where we stand.

The first picture

is of two roads,

the choice we face.

I love takeaway nights.

Not only do we have the choice

between Indian,

pizza,

Chinese,

or the chipper,

maybe there's some other ones

out there as well

in Carragalline,

but you know,

each one has about 50 options.

So that's at least

200 different meals

we get to choose from.

And if we don't like it,

well,

you can always go down to Lidl's

and get a steak instead.

We love choice,

don't we?

And the more,

the better.

Except for when it comes to

how we live,

there are only two ways.

Look at verse 13.

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.

It's very simple.

Jesus is crystal clear.

There are only two ways to live,

two roads to walk on.

There's a broad road

with a wide gate

or a wide entrance,

and there's a narrow road

with a small gate

or small entrance.

That's it.

That's your choice.

Two roads.

There's no middle way.

There's no other option.

There's no alternative route.

We haven't arrived

at a crossroads.

It's more like a T-junction.

And you can't be on both roads

at the same time.

You can't, as it were,

have one leg on one road

and one leg on the other road.

It's one or the other.

This is the choice we all face.

Two roads.

The broad road that we're given

is or represents

the way of the world's kingdom.

It's a life that appoints self

as king

and always chooses

what I desire.

The narrow road

represents the way

of God's kingdom.

It's a life that submits

to Jesus as king

and longs to serve

his desires.

Now notice who's on the road

or where the people are.

Verse 13 tells us

that many

are on the broad road.

While in verse 14

only a few

are on the narrow road.

It seems that the broad road,

the road where we appoint

self as king

is the most popular place

to be.

It's the option

that we most like.

After all,

when I'm king

I get to do

and I live my life

the way I want to.

Who wants to walk

the narrow road

which is all about

service

and sacrifice.

Well as we think

about our choice

look at the consequences.

Verse 13

The broad road

leads to

destruction.

But the narrow road

verse 14

leads to

life.

That's why Jesus

calls us

at the very beginning

of his conclusion.

Look at verse 13

Enter

through the narrow gate.

This is what

Jesus has been

urging us to do

all along.

To leave the kingdom

of this world

and enter

the kingdom of heaven.

And how do we

enter?

How do we go through

onto the narrow road?

Well just have a look

back to chapter 4

verse 7.

Sorry,

verse 17.

chapter 4

verse 17.

As Jesus

began his ministry

he had a simple

clear message.

From that time on

Jesus began to

preach

repent

for the kingdom

of heaven

has come near.

It's the same

as chapter 5

verse 3.

Blessed

are the poor

in spirit.

those who

he looks on

in favour

are those

who know

their spiritual

need

that they

need God

for theirs

is the kingdom

of heaven.

He's calling us

to change

roads

to leave

the broad road

and walk

the narrow road.

The popular

path may promise

much

but it will lead

only to distress

and fear.

follow the

path

of Jesus

and it

leads to

life

and hope

and peace.

So the big

question we need

to ask

as we

follow Jesus

in his sermon

is have I

entered

the kingdom?

No one else

can answer that

question

for yourself

only you.

Have I

entered

the kingdom?

am I still

fighting for

my autonomy

wanting to

live my

own life

or have I

surrendered

my all

to Jesus

as my

supreme

authority?

Which road

are you on?

You can't

walk both.

This very

moment

right now

you are either

on one

or the

other.

Two roads.

the choice

that we

face.

The second

picture he

gives us

is one

of two

trees.

The fruit

we display.

It seems

that there

are some

people who

pretend

to be in

the kingdom

of heaven

but are

actually not.

Do you

see how he

describes them

in verse 15?

Watch out

for the

false

prophets

they come

to you

in sheep's

clothing but

inwardly they

are ferocious

wolves.

They have

this appearance

of being

followers of

Jesus.

They sound

like kingdom

people.

They claim

to be walking

on the narrow

road but

they are

wolves in

sheep's

clothing.

They are

not the

real deal.

They subtly

teach that

there are

actually not

two roads

but there

are many

roads that

you can

take and

any one

of them

that you

choose will

lead to

life.

So choose

whichever path

you want.

No, says

Jesus, watch

out, be

careful.

So how do

we know who's

genuine and

who's not?

How can we

tell who is

in the kingdom

of heaven?

Well, look at

verse 16.

By their

fruit you

will recognise

them.

How do you

know the

difference between

a pear tree

and an apple

tree?

Well, they

look pretty

similar, don't

they?

Their leaves

are very

similar but

it's the fruit

that will

distinguish them

which is

exactly Jesus'

point.

He's crystal

clear.

Let's read

from verse

16.

By their

fruit you

will recognise

them.

Do people

pick grapes

from thorn

bushes or

figs from

thistles?

Likewise,

every good

tree bears

good fruit

but a bad

tree bears

bad fruit.

A good

tree cannot

bear bad

fruit and

a bad

tree cannot

bear good

fruit.

Every tree

that does not

bear good

fruit is

cut down

and thrown

into the

fire.

Thus, by

their fruit

you will

recognise

them.

Now here

the kingdom

is pictured

like an

orchard.

An orchard

that's full

of fruit

trees.

But there

are only

two kinds

of tree.

There's a

tree that

produces good

fruit which

represents the

true citizens

of the

kingdom.

They're the

ones that

take seriously

the commands

of God and

the values

of the

kingdom.

And then

there's another

kind of tree

that produces

bad fruit and

represents the

false citizens

of the kingdom.

They live by

their own

standards and

pursue their

own desires.

Therefore,

the fruit

that is on

display is

the evidence

of whether

you are a

true citizen

or a

false

citizen.

The issue

isn't

is there

fruit

because we

all display

fruit.

The issue

is what

kind of

fruit are we

displaying.

The kind

of fruit that

we should

expect to

see on

display is

the life

that Jesus

commands and

demands of

us.

if we

had time

to read

all of

Jesus'

sermon,

he would

have reminded

us of

things like

this.

This is the

kind of

fruit that

we be

non-judgmental,

not looking

down at

other people,

not looking

for the

speck in

somebody else's

eye,

taking the

plank out of

our own

eye.

That we're

ruthless with

sin, that

we cut it

out, that

we are

faithful in

our marriages,

that we're

true to

our word,

that what

we say is

our yes

and what

we say

is no

is no.

That there

would be

extravagant

love for

others, that

there would

be generosity

in giving

to the

needy, that

we wouldn't

be holding

grudges, and

that we are

generous to

those we

consider to

be against

us.

Chapter

7, verse

12 captures

it well

for us.

So in

everything you

do, do

to others

what you

would have

them do

to you, for

this sums

up the

law and

the

prophets.

You want

a summary

of what

all God's

commands are

all about?

Love

others the

way you

would want

to be

loved.

Treat others

the way you

want to be

treated.

That's it,

fruit in a

nutshell.

This is the

kind of fruit

that is good

that should be

on display.

Now again,

notice in

verse 18 that

there are no

mixed trees

producing mixed

fruits.

Verse 18,

a good tree

cannot bear

bad fruit,

and a bad

tree cannot

bear good

fruit.

fruit.

Now this

isn't talking

about being

perfect,

it's talking

about people

who humbly

see their

need of

God and

are depending

upon God

to do a

work in

their life

so that

they will

produce

good fruit.

But those

who are

proud and

depend on

self and

carry on

their life

going their

own way

will only

ever produce

bad fruit.

And sooner

or later

there's going

to be a

harvest.

When the

fruit will

be picked

and it

will become

evident to

all and

the trees

that do

not belong

to the

kingdom will

be exposed,

there will

be no

hiding.

Look at

verse 19,

every tree

that does

not bear

good fruit

is cut

down and

thrown into

the fire.

So the

big question

we need to

be asking

here is

this,

can I

see

evidence

of good

fruit?

Am I

practically

serving in

the life

of the

church?

Am I

other

centred or

have I

become

self

absorbed?

What

kind of

tree are

you?

Only

you can

really answer

that.

We can't

be both,

we can't

be kind

of a

half a

good tree

and half

a bad

tree,

it's

either good

fruit or

bad fruit.

Two

trees,

the fruit

we display.

The third

picture that

Jesus gives

us is one

of two

claims,

the priorities

we have.

as he

comes towards

the end

of his

sermon,

he gets

very

personal

and up

front.

And we're

to imagine

ourselves

standing

before Jesus

on the

last day.

Here we

are,

picture

yourself

standing at

the entrance

to the

kingdom.

Are we

going to

enter into

that eternal

kingdom?

What are we

going to

say to

Jesus?

Jesus?

Well, let's

read verse

21.

Not

everyone who

says to

me,

Lord,

Lord,

will enter

the kingdom

of heaven,

but only

the one who

does the

will of

my Father

who is

in heaven.

Many

will say

to me

on that

day,

Lord,

Lord,

did we

not

prophesy

in your

name and

in your

name drive

out demons

and in

your name

perform

many

miracles?

Then I

will tell

them

plainly,

I never

knew you.

Away from

me,

you

evildoers.

Once

again,

we're

presented

with two

kinds of

people.

The first

person

claims to

know God,

but it

is actually

excluded and

shut out

from the

kingdom.

Jesus

says,

away from

me,

I never

knew you.

Now,

at first

reading,

it seems

terribly

unfair,

because this

person seems

to be

sincere.

Lord,

Lord,

it's a

recognition

that Jesus

is king,

that he

does have

all authority.

Lord,

you're the

one who's

in charge.

And they

seem to

have done

some very

spectacular

things in

their ministry

life as

well,

haven't

they?

Verse

22,

we

prophesied

in your

name,

we drove

out demons

in your

name,

we performed

miracles in

your name.

I mean,

look at all

that we've

done.

Surely,

they must

be a

disciple.

If anybody's

going to be

a disciple,

it must be

one of

these people.

They seem

to be

genuine,

enthusiastic,

and have

served well.

But yet,

Jesus said,

I never

knew you,

they're

excluded.

Why?

Why have

they been

shut out?

Well,

when we

look at

the second

person,

they also

claim to

know God,

they also

acknowledge

Jesus as

Lord,

but here's

the difference.

Did you

pick it up

at the end

of verse

21?

Only the

one who

does the

will of

my Father

who is

in heaven.

only the

one who

does the

will of

my Father

in heaven

is going

to be

in the

kingdom.

Their

priorities

are

God's

priorities.

Imagine

yourself

right now

standing

at the

entrance to

the kingdom

before

Jesus.

Lord,

I was

such a

regular

attender

at that

church,

Carigoline

Baptist

Church.

I sang

songs so

enthusiastically.

I don't

think any

time I was

ever there

that I

ever did

not take

communion.

And when

I was in

that church,

I served

well.

I was on

the rota

Lord.

And in

my ministry

life,

I even

led

somebody

to the

Lord.

No,

Jesus

isn't

impressed

by our

words

or our

lists.

The real

issue that

he'll keep

coming back

to is,

did you

do the

will of

the

Father?

You see,

doing the

Father's

will is

not a

once a

week event

or a

duty to

tick off

on my

to-do list.

That's it

done.

That's that

compartment

dealt with.

The

Father's

will is

to be

done

every

moment

of every

day.

Remember

how Jesus

taught us

to pray.

Have a

look back

at chapter

six.

Chapter

six and

verse nine.

This

then is

how you

should

pray.

Our

Father in

heaven,

hallowed be

your name.

Your

kingdom

come,

your

will be

done

on earth

as it

is in

heaven.

Not

my will,

not my

standard,

not what

I think

is enough

or suitable.

Your

will be

done on

earth as

it is in

heaven.

It's a

whole life

of prioritising

and pursuing

what God

wants.

It's daily

submitting and

surrendering to

his will.

It's a

wholehearted

commitment to

see his

rule over

every area

of my

life.

Christianity

is not a

social club

where we

meet up

once a

week,

put our

names on

a road

to help

out our

duty to

perform.

It demands

our life,

my all.

Chapter

6,

verse 33,

seek

first

his

kingdom.

It's

challenging,

isn't it?

When you

say,

yes,

yes,

I get

all of

that,

but what

about

grace?

grace.

I

thought

getting

into the

kingdom

was all

about what

Jesus has

done for

me,

not what

I do.

And yes,

you've got

it right.

That's true.

It's all

of grace.

My performance

counts for

nothing.

There's nothing

I can say to

Jesus,

look at what

I did,

that will

mean that

he has to

accept me.

It's all

of grace.

grace.

However,

if I

have

experienced

grace,

it will

be seen

and expressed

in prioritizing

the kingdom

of God,

his will

being done

in my

life.

An

experience

of grace

will always

lead to

a life

of

obedience.

We

sang about

amazing

grace,

but amazing

grace changes

us and

transforms

us.

So the

big question

we need to

be asking

is this,

do I

obey God's

will?

We all

know what

God's

will is.

I'm sure

many of us

here could

write a

wonderful

essay.

We could

even teach

people,

this is

what God

desires.

And maybe

some of us

here can

look back

in history

to our

past life

and pinpoint

examples

and say,

I did

God's

will.

But it's

not about

what we

know or

even what

we did.

It's am I

humbly

reordering

my life

around his

values

today?

Am I

doing what

I claim

to be?

two claims

the priorities

we have.

The fourth

picture that

Jesus gives

us

is of

two houses

the way

we build.

how are

we going

to respond

to Jesus

teaching?

I mean,

it's hard

to avoid

it.

I don't

know about

you,

but it's

hitting me

between the

eyes

anyway.

What we

do with

the words

of Jesus

is like

building a

house.

Let's read

together

verse 24.

Therefore,

conclusion,

therefore,

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

foundations

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,

the winds

blew,

and beat

against that

house,

and it

fell with

a great

crush.

Again,

the picture

is clear

and simple,

isn't it?

But here's

what it does

do.

It reveals

our eternal

destiny.

first we

have this

house built

on a

foundation

of rock.

This

building

project

represents

the person

who hears

the word

and obeys

the word.

And then

we have

another house

which is

built on

a foundation

of sand.

And this

building

project

represents

the person

who also

hears the

word,

but does

nothing about

it.

you see,

each one

of us

here,

all of

us,

we're all

building a

house.

And from

the outside

and from

our perspective,

they all

look identical.

Above

ground,

they're exactly

the same.

The house

is all the

same.

We're all

hearing the

word together.

But there's

a crucial

difference

that will

determine

whether the

house stands

strong or

falls with

a crush.

and that's

the foundation.

The foundation

is not

the word

and the

foundation

is not

even Jesus,

not in

this context.

The foundation

is putting

the words

of Jesus

into practice.

That's the

foundation.

Look at

verse 24.

Everyone

who hears

these words

of mine

and puts

them into

practice

is like

the wise

man who

built his

house on

the rock.

In other

words,

the foundation

is obeying

the teaching

of Jesus.

You see,

this is the

point of the

whole sermon.

Am I

living a

life of

obedience?

Obedience

is always

evidence of

repentance.

I say I've

repented.

Well,

it will be

expressed in

obedience to

God's word.

I've

experienced

God's

grace in

my life.

Well,

the evidence

of that

will be

obedience.

That's

the foundation.

And the

foundation we

have determines

our eternal

destiny.

Jesus tells

us it's like

a flood

that is

coming.

In the

picture here,

the rains

are going

to fall,

the streams

are going

to rise,

the winds

are going

to blow.

It will

test whether

you have

built your

house on

a good

foundation.

It's a

flood of

judgment.

Just as

the flood

came in

the time

of Noah,

so a

final and

ultimate

judgment

will come.

And the

question is,

how will

your house

stand?

You see,

not having

the right

foundation

is like

walking on

the broad

road.

It leads

to destruction.

It's like

a tree

with bad

fruit.

It's going

to be cut

down and

thrown into

the fire.

It's like

making a

claim to

no God,

but being

shut out

and excluded.

Jesus'

words

are serious.

Do you

hear them?

He's

painting a

picture that

is real

and through

it he is

literally

shocking us

into action.

How do you,

how do I

respond to

his word

today?

Because it

determines our

eternal destiny.

it's either

heaven

or it's

hell.

It's

either the

kingdom of

light

or it's

the kingdom

of darkness.

There are

only two

roads.

There's

only two

trees,

two claims,

two houses.

things.

So the

big question

is,

am I

putting

Jesus'

word

into

practice?

Not am I

reading it

through the

week,

but am I

doing what

it actually

says?

It's not

can I

answer all

the questions

about who

did what

and who

Moses was

and who

David was

and what

Jesus did,

but is it

making a

difference

in my

life?

Decision

time.

Let's

pray.

let's

just take

a moment

to reflect

on what

we've

heard.

Let's

just

take a

moment

to reflect

on what

we've

heard.

Father,

we need

your

spirit

to do

a work

in each

of our

life,

to show

us

exactly

what our

hearts are

like,

so that

we run

to you

seeking

your

grace

and your

help.

Asking,

Father,

that you

would change

us and

do a work

in our

life so

that we

produce

fruit,

live lives

of obedience

and prioritize

your values

and your

desires

above

our own

thoughts.

Father,

help us

to walk

in your

way

and help

us that

we might

become

distinctive

and attractive,

displaying the

beauty

and the

glory of

Jesus to

those around

us so

that they

too might

enter the

kingdom

and know

the joy

of a

life with

you.

in

Jesus'

name,

Amen.

We're

going to

sing

a song

that I

hope helps

us to

reflect well

on what

we've

heard today.