Gospel of Matthew Matthew 7:13-14

Transcription

1 Gospel of Matthew Matthew 7:13-14 The King s Sermon Are You On the Right Road? In Matthew 7:13-29, Jesus brought his sermon to a stirring conclusion. In this section Christ speaks of two gates, two ways, two destinations, two kinds of travelers, two kinds of trees with two kinds of fruit, two kinds of builders and two kinds of houses. Jesus has been moving toward this appeal and the call to decide about becoming a citizen of God s kingdom and having everlasting life or remaining a citizen of this sinful world and being condemned. The way to life is on God s terms alone. The way to condemnation is on any terms a person wants, because every way but God s way leads to the wrong destination. In verses 13-14, Jesus spoke of three things: a command, a warning, and an alarming reality. Here is a command to travel on the right road, a warning about traveling on the wrong road, and the alarming reality that few people are on the right road while many are on the wrong one. Matthew 7:13-14 amplifies the teaching of Solomon s proverb: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Pr. 14:12; 16:25). 1. The two gates represent the decision we make This represents the point of entry. There is a strait or narrow gate and a wide gate. The narrow gate is the right gate. Christ s command is not simply to enter any gate, but to enter the correct gate, the narrow gate, the only one that leads to life and to heaven. A. Everyone who enters the narrow gate must enter alone Salvation is an individual decision. We may think of this like a turnstile at a sports venue or amusement park. A large number of people may be inside the stadium, but they must enter one at a time. B. Everyone who enters the narrow gate must deny self The way of salvation is the way of self-denial. Matthew 16:24-25 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. We must lay aside self-confidence, self-righteousness, and selfsatisfaction. A person is not saved by adding Jesus to his life with the intention of living the same kind of life. He must be willing to give up his baggage. The narrow gate demands repentance. Many people in Jesus day thought it was enough to be a Jew, a physical descendant of Abraham. Many people today believe that it is sufficient to be in church, be in a Christian family, or simply be a good person. Charles Spurgeon said, You and your sins must separate or you and your God will never come together. If every person in your family or in a church is saved, it is only because every one of them made a personal decision to enter through the narrow gate of faith and repentance. When President Reagan was a young boy, he went to a shoemaker to order a pair of shoes. The cobbler asked young Ronald whether he wanted round or square toes on his shoes, and he couldn t decide. He told him he would let him know in a few days. The shoemaker saw him one day and asked if he had made up his mind yet. Ronald was still undecided. When he went to pick up

2 the shoes, one had a round toe and the other had a square toe. Reagan later said, That taught me a lesson. If you don t make your own decisions, somebody else will make them for you. 2. The two ways represent the life we live The narrow way is the way of the godly, and the broad way is the way of the ungodly. A. The broad way is attractive and inclusive To be broad-minded and tolerant is now usually considered a virtue, but a narrow-minded person is regarded as bigoted and unkind. A person may say he is broad-minded about religion, when in fact he would be very narrow-minded about other things. For example, when someone needs surgery does he say any doctor will do? When a young man wants to get married does he think any woman is acceptable? Shouldn t a person be very narrowminded and discerning about a choice with eternal consequences? These are some popular current views of people on the broad way: RELATIVISM every person decides what is wrong and right PLURALISM every person is entitled to his beliefs and all are equally valid SYNCRETISM all religions have good in them, so take something from each one UNIVERSALISM ultimately all people will be with God in heaven B. The narrow way is difficult and demanding The broad way is easy, attractive, permissive, and self-oriented. It has few rules, restrictions, and few requirements. In the broad way, sin is tolerated and truth is compromised. It demands no sacrifice or suffering. It is the easy way of floating downstream. By contrast, the narrow way is the hard way, the way of self-denial, the way of the cross. Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Someone said, You can tell you re on the right road it s uphill all the way. 3. The two destinations represent heaven and hell A. The broad way leads to destruction This doesn t mean the cessation of being or annihilation. It means the loss of well being or perishing forever. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. B. The narrow way leads to life This describes both the quality and quantity of eternal life. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. A road map shows many different roads. Which one do you take? It all depends on where you want to

3 go. A person may enjoy the road he is traveling, but that has absolutely nothing to do with arriving at the desired destination. 4. The two groups represent all people of all times A. Many people are on the road to destruction The many will include professing Christians and atheists, religious people and outright pagans, very moral people and very wicked people all traveling on the same wrong road. B. Few people are on the road to life There are few not because the gate is too narrow or the way is too narrow. There is no limit to the number who could go through the narrow gate and travel on the narrow way. The number is not few because heaven is limited or there is a shortage of God s love and grace.

4 Gospel of Matthew Matthew 7:13-14 The King s Sermon Are You On the Right Road? In Matthew 7:13-29, Jesus brought his sermon to a stirring conclusion. In this section Christ speaks of two gates, two ways, two destinations, two kinds of travelers, two kinds of trees with two kinds of fruit, two kinds of builders and two kinds of houses. Jesus has been moving toward this appeal and the call to decide about becoming a citizen of God s kingdom and having everlasting life or remaining a citizen of this sinful world and being condemned. The way to life is on God s terms alone. The way to condemnation is on any terms a person wants, because every way but God s way leads to the wrong destination. In verses 13-14, Jesus spoke of three things: a command, a warning, and an alarming reality. Here is a command to travel on the right road, a warning about traveling on the wrong road, and the alarming reality that few people are on the right road while many are on the wrong one. Matthew 7:13-14 amplifies the teaching of Solomon s proverb: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Pr. 14:12; 16:25). 1. The two gates represent Christ s command is not simply to enter any gate, but to enter the correct gate, the narrow gate, the only one that leads to life and to heaven. A. Everyone who enters the narrow gate B. Everyone who enters the narrow gate Matthew 16:24-25 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. The narrow gate demands repentance. Many people in Jesus day thought it was enough to be a Jew, a physical descendant of Abraham. Many people today believe that it is sufficient to be in church, be in a Christian family, or simply be a good person. Charles Spurgeon said, You and your sins must separate or you and your God will never come together. 2. The two ways represent A. The broad way is To be broad-minded and tolerant is now usually considered a virtue, but a narrow-minded person is regarded as bigoted and unkind. A person may say he is broad-minded about religion, when in fact he would be very narrow-minded about other things. For example, when someone needs surgery does he say any doctor will do? When a young man wants to get married does he think any woman is acceptable? Shouldn t a person be very narrowminded and discerning about a choice with eternal consequences? These are some popular current views of people on the broad way:

5 every person decides what is wrong and right every person is entitled to his beliefs and all are equally valid all religions have good in them, so take something from each one ultimately all people will be with God in heaven B. The narrow way is Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Someone said, You can tell you re on the right road it s uphill all the way. 3. The two destinations represent A. The broad way leads to This doesn t mean the cessation of being or annihilation. It means the loss of well being or perishing forever. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. B. The narrow way leads to John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. A road map shows many different roads. Which one do you take? It all depends on where you want to go. A person may enjoy the road he is traveling, but that has absolutely nothing to do with arriving at the desired destination. 4. The two groups represent A. are on the road to destruction B. are on the road to life