Matthew 7:13-29
Key verse - Matthew 7:24 "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.”
Introduction: Today’s passage concludes the
long discourse of the Sermon on the Mount. The theme of this discourse was the
kingdom of God. During the last few studies, we have learned much about this
kingdom. Who are qualified to enter the kingdom? What is required to enjoy all
the blessings of the kingdom? We have discussed these questions, as well as
others.
This study was thus concluded in Matthew 7:12
“So in everything, do to others what you would
have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
This was a positive presentation of God’s law.
When I say ‘positive’, I mean active or proactive. Instead of reacting to
other’s actions or circumstances, one is
to act positively toward God and others,
in and by faith. So, our actions should not be focused on punishing wrongs or bringing about justice on my own,
but rather on actively doing what is good and right. Such a proactive way of
life is found in our attitude toward our own lives. We love our lives more than
anything else in this world, and we do our best to take care of our lives. This
is universal human nature. Out of this, a love directed toward others must also
develop.. This quality and character is what God demands in His kingdom. Simply
speaking, it is too hard for any of us to do alone.
Some may ask: ‘is this the only way?’ or ‘there must be an
easier way.’ Have you ever asked such questions in your mind? Why do I have to
love others so much, even when I myself am so much in need of love? Today’s
passage answers these questions.
Four commands are given here:
1.
Enter through the narrow gate [Matthew 7:13-14].
2.
Watch out for false prophets [Matthew 7:15-20].
3.
Who will enter the kingdom of heaven [Matthew 7:21-23].
4.
Build a house on the rock [Matthew 7:24-27].
A.
Enter through the narrow gate [Matthew 7:13-14].
Read Matthew 7:13-14.
"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.”
Here two ways of life are offered. One is
through the wide gate and the broad road; the other is by way of a small gate
and a narrow road. Of these two, Jesus is telling us to choose the narrow one. It is within your reach and freedom
to choose, but it is better to choose the narrow gate and narrow road because that
is the only way that leads to life.
Let’s carefully examine what Jesus said.
Here, we come to know that Jesus used two
things that everyone should be familiar with - a gate and a road. It seems that
these were different expressions of the same thing, but I rather think that it
denotes two distinct things. First, a gate is an isolated structure, standing
alone. Through the gate, only one road is open and it serves as an identifier
of the kind of road that may be beyond it. So, whatever gate you choose, it
will inevitably lead to the road that proceeds from the gate. So choosing a particular
gate is the same as choosing the road that comes along with the gate.
In deciding which gate to choose, we think
about many things, such as is it easy to get in? How about the road that is
attached to the gate? Is the road well-paved or are there many hills and
mountains? All of these conditions must be taken seriously, but the most
important thing that we have to consider is, ‘Does this gate and road lead to
life?’
Once Bob chose to enter medical school, he had
to go through about 10 years of studying and training. It was hard work and
often the gate was small and the road was not always an easy one to follow; he
even considered it a treacherous one at times.
When he entered medical school, there was
fierce competition. The school accepted only sixty students, but over three
hundred applied. This gate was very narrow, and not only the gate, but also the
road as well. There were long hours of studying and reading through many nights;
so many tests robbed him of his weekends. Even after graduation, he endured four-six
years of intense training. He often only got a few hours of sleep before
working a long fifteen hour schedule. However, once he finished the training, he
will have reached the final stage of his journey - he will have acquired the
specialty board, and be able to earn three or even five time more than. What
gate you choose and faithfully following the road you have chosen is important.
Again, we have to ask ourselves: Does the gate
I have chosen and the road I am on lead me to life? If this is in doubt, than
we have to ask: ‘what is the gate or the
road that do lead to life?’
Our focus is life, so whatever it takes, we
must choose the gate that leads us to life. How the gate or road appears should
not be the major factor in choosing a direction for your life. We have to
choose the gate and the road that assures us life. The gate that leads us to
the kingdom of God must be our choice, no matter how it looks.
In life, what is the gate and what is the
road?
Dr. Ben Carson is a medical hero for many. He
was born poor, but even in such adverse conditions, he was inspired by his
grandmother’s faith. He became a famous neurosurgeon, describing the road he
took in his biography.
Thomas Edison was a scientific hero. He worked
hard through many days and nights, experimenting, until he finally invented the
lighting bulb. These are human successes, but they never lead to life.
So the gate is a person, and the road is what
comes with him. His philosophy, his way of life, and his sense of the direction
his life should go, all come along with the person we chose to follow.
Some have claimed to offer life especially in
other religions, such as Buddhism, Islam,
Hinduism, Zen, and Sikhism. Many offer life through different gates and
different roads; however, their lives speak about the life they lead. None of
these people really have life. We will discuss this in detail later.
For now, out of so many gates and roads, which
should we choose? Here, there are only two choices:
Here, two ways of life are described.
One is through a small gate and by a narrow
road. The only one distinct feature about this gate and road is that only a few
find it. It is hidden from the eyes of ordinary people; the majority of
people fail to find it. The narrow gate is the gate that our nature is
reluctant to go through. Most of our difficulties are, in the fact, because we
have to do things our pride won’t allow us to do or that our nature is
reluctant to do.
The other option is to enter by the wide gate
and follow the broad road. The wide gate is the gate that many can go through.
It is available everywhere and offers many incentives and immediate rewards.
There is the least amount of resistance and difficulties if one chooses to go through
this gate. If we want to do what we like to do, if we want to choose what
causes me the least pain, least effort, or least hardship, then this is it! It
boosts our pride and makes us feel great. Many are going this way. Actually, so
many have chosen this gate and are going along by this road, that we feel left
alone if we do not go along with them. However, the most important thing about
this way is that the wide gate and wide road never lead to life.
We must go back and rethink our view of the
narrow gate and the narrow road; though it may not be easy for me, it is the right
choice! It is the only choice for my life!
Since anything that nurtures our pride also boosts
my confidence, increases my ability, builds my own riches, most likely belongs to
the wide gate and wide road, be careful!
Here we must seriously consider what Jesus
offers.
What does he offer?
What Jesus taught was different from that of
other people. It required extra effort and sounded odd and too hard. Jesus said
that we should not judge but must first take out the plank from our eyes. But
how can we do that? Jesus said that we have to love others as we love ourselves.
How can we do that? These are truly part of the narrow way. Very few try to go
through this way or even be willing to take such advice; yet Jesus said that
this is the only way that leads to life, even if it is narrow.
Jesus is that narrow gate and the road he
followed is the only way to life. The way Jesus is offering is a narrow gate and
road, through which eternal life is assured to all who enter! So we must choose
the narrow gate, no matter what it takes!
B.
Watch out for false prophets [Matthew 7:15-20].
"Watch out for false prophets. They come
to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By
their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, 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 recognize
them.” (Matthew 7:15-20).
This is quite a jump. Why would Jesus suddenly
start talking about false prophets? The Pharisees kept the law to the minutest
details, so they seemed to offer another narrow way that would lead many to
life; however, they do not. Thus, they were false prophets. These false
prophets seemed to offer two things: eternal life and an alternate to Jesus’ narrow
gate. What they offer seemed to be true and genuine; it looked very similar to
Jesus’ way. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time weren’t the only ones to offer such
fake products. Today, many such offers
are available, but they are not the truth. How do we know? What is the key
element in our selection of the right gate?
"Watch out for false prophets. They come
to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” (Matthew
7:15).
Here,
we know that we must avoid such ferocious wolves by all means. How do we know
or discern who or what they are?
“By
their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or
figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16).
We
know that thorn bushes can never bear grapes. The fruit that a man bears tells
us what he is. Michael Jackson was a famous singer and was loved by many, but
he died young, by drug overdose. Many loved his songs because they spoke
vividly about their lives and they could easily empathize and relate to the
lyrics. The fruit he bore tells us what he was. The ultimate fruit of life is
life itself, including his death. So how one lives and dies are important
questions. What about others who claimed to offer life?
Both
Mohamed and Buddha died and were buried in tombs. Many others who claimed to be
religious gurus also died and were buried. After that, they never saw the
light. There are many who claim such a religious life, but none of them gave their
life for any men.
Jesus
taught the truth, healed many who were sick, loved those who were in need, but
the most outstanding fruits of his life was his life-giving love on the cross
and his resurrection. His resurrection is the utmost fruit of his life. After
seeing his death and his resurrection, his disciples were empowered by God and led
thousands to eternal life. Jesus’ fruit is clearly the fruit of life. This
fruit is of God and His power, and hope for all of us.
Certainly,
we can see many of the leaders of our time and discern who they truly are by
their lives. Are their lives typified by giving, loving, and serving? Or are they
typified by commanding, taking, and extorting? Do they fear God or men? Do they
care for their own pride and power or God’s truth? How they live testifies to who
they are. So, we must choose the best one. Jesus is the one who bore fruit —
providing life by his resurrection. His resurrection speaks far more than
thousands of words. Jesus gives LIFE.
Then
what would happen to those who do not bear good fruit?
“Every
tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
(Matthew 7:19).
This
is God’s judgment. His judgment is true and real; it will come to those who don’t
do the Father’s will.
C.
Only the one who does the will of my Father [Matthew 7:21-23].
Here, the attention is given to those who
decided to follow Jesus. Many, if not all, of us have chosen Jesus as our gate and
committed ourselves to walk the road Jesus did as our Lord. What then does it
mean that I follow Jesus? How genuine is my commitment to Jesus? This is
discussed in this passage:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord,
Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my
Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21).
It took me a long time to call on God as my
Lord. At the beginning of my new life in Christ, it was too strange for me to
call God ‘Lord’. Yet as time went on, God became my true Lord and now I feel
comfortable calling Him Lord. By calling God my Lord, I show my respect and
honor to Him as my God and let the world know that I am one of His subjects or
believers.
But here, Jesus says that calling God ‘Lord’
is not good enough to enter the kingdom of God. Only those who do God the
Father’s will is qualified to enter His kingdom.
Here, I would like to think about each part of
this sentence so as to fully grasp the
word of God.
1.
It is not about who is or is not God’s child right now; it is
about entering the kingdom of God in the near future. It also means that what
one does from now until the time when one enters the kingdom of God is at
issue.
2.
Jesus did not say that one who does what he says will enter the
kingdom of God, but rather the one who does the will of my Father who
is in heaven. In other words, Jesus is making a strong connection between himself
and God the Father in heaven Also, by taking this approach, one is accepting
that Jesus is the Son of God and that God is his heavenly Father. Jesus is
truly both the Son of God and the exact representation of the Father. What
Jesus taught is what God was telling them, and they had to accept them as God’s
directives.
3.
It is one who does the will of the Father. It is not how well
they understand and reason, accepts God’s word as truth, or confesses that
Jesus is the Lord, but it is the one who does the will of the Father.
Simply, the one who does the will of the
Father will enter the kingdom of God. God is not just interested in our mindset,
but also in our whole being. What we do is who we are. It is not just a one-time
act of faith, but it is a life lived by faith until we die.
Who does or does not belong to this?
Read Matthew 7:22-23.
“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 perform
many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away
from me, you evildoers!'” (Matthew 7:22-23).
There were some who thought that they
prophesied, performed miracles, and even drove out demons in Jesus’ name. , yet
they lacked one crucial thing in their lives as children of God. What was it?
Jesus said that he never knew us! These people
had no intimate relationship with Jesus. Whatever they did, they did it on their
own accord. They also had no connection with God the Father. A relationship
with God is created and maintained by doing His will. If one does not do the
will of the Father, then there is no relationship formed.
What does it mean to do the Father’s will? Throughout
his life, Jesus distinctly demonstrated what this means. When he was about to
take up the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, take this cup from me!” (Matthew
26:39). He prayed this three times and God answered three times with silence.
So God’s answer, His will was clear! Jesus had to take up the cross! So Jesus
submitted to God’s will, even to the point of death! Submission to God’s will
is the beginning of doing His will. Submission to His word is the beginning of
establishing a meaningful relationship with God our Father.
“If you obey my commands, you will remain in
my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.”
(John 15:10).
So we must think about what the Father’s will is!
When God is telling you to do something, do it by faith! It may go against your
feelings or plans! But do it in obedience and faith.
But doing God’s will has far more
significance.
Read John 15:24.
"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.” (Matthew 7:24).
Having a nice house is our dream. A house
provides a secure heaven for our lives, so we like to build or have a house in
a well-secured place. In the Middle Ages, lords built castles on top of a high
rock, surrounded by high walls. Their major concern was protection from
enemies. This way, no enemy could invade them.
We saw a tsunami hit Japan. Thousands of
houses were washed away in a matter of minutes. At the same time, thousands of
peoples were lost along with the houses.
When I buy a house, I want to make sure that
the house is not sitting in a flood zone. All these precautions are geared toward
securing our lives.
Though we try hard to avoid any disasters in
life, no one knows when or how one might come. Even those inside their houses
before the tsunami hit Japan, never knew such things were coming and they lived
as usual. They planned to do what they did yesterday, and the day before
yesterday.
But there is a way to secure our lives. It is similar
to building a house on a rock. Even if floods come, it will not be swept away; it
will stand high above the water. How can we build a house that is protected
from all kinds of disasters in life? How can we build a house that protects us
from all hardships in this life?
Read Matthew 7:24-25.
"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 foundation on the rock.”
(Matthew 7:24-25).
We know that we cannot escape rainy days in
life. Trouble comes! It comes in various forms; it comes as sickness, financial
breakdowns, natural disasters, but the one who practices the words of Jesus is
the wise man who built his house on a rock. No matter what happened, the house
he built was not swept away!. The life we anchor in Jesus will stand firm!
Why are our lives secured when we do the will
of the Father? God has secured our lives in all situations.
I had a similar crisis in life. About 2 years
ago, as the financial crisis happened to the nation, my investments soured. I
was losing several thousand dollars every month in loan obligations. I feared
that I might have to declare loan default or bankruptcy. It was a crisis of
life, faith, and my trust in the Lord, but I remembered what God had done for
me in the past, where I learned to trust Him.
Not long after I came to America, I was at a
crossroads. I had to choose my career, but I could not find my training program
in Maryland. I had to choose whether to go to other state all by myself or to
stay here to serve in God’s work. In faith, I chose to stay here, choosing
missions over pursuing my medical career somewhere else in the United States.
When I acted in faith, God took care of my job. Before this, I had two crises
in my life, but God took care of them both.
So in this time of financial crisis, I
remembered those incidents while I was praying. I gave thanks to God that I
could put my trust in His care and love for me, and asked Him to do the same in
this situation as well. God truly gave me peace and even took care of such financial
losses.
When we rely on God and do His will today, we
can rely on Him tomorrow, even if a tsunami is milling against our house. The
house we build by obeying the word of God and doing His will, will surely
secure our lives in His hands. This is how we can be wise in life.
If someone hears the word but does not do
anything, then what will happen? Read Matthew 7:26-27.
“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. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds
blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew
7:26).
Many people attend church and listen to the
message of God. Their brains are saturated with all kinds of biblical knowledge,
but they seldom act upon the words of God that they are hearing. Therefore, they
are never certain if the word of God is true. Jesus said, ‘ask, seek, knock’, but
they have never tried asking, seeking, and knocking, so they are unsure if God
is living or He would answer their prayers, especially in life’s crises. When
we do not obey, we can never know God’s truth and love.
When one does God’s will, what will happen to
him? 2 Peter describes it well:
“Now that you have purified yourselves
by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your
brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you
have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,
through the living and enduring word of God. For,
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the
field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord
stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you” (2 Peter
1:22-25).
Here, obeying the truth means doing God’s will
of God; then everything they do is genuine and truthful. In this way, we are
born again through the word of God. God is living and doing something for me. He
is my Lord and my redeemer. He is true and trustworthy. All these words bear
true meaning and significance in our lives.
The word of God is enduring but we are like
grass of the field. When we put our trust in the word of God, our lives will never fail.
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