Matthew 7:13-23

1. Kingdom Choices Gates & Guides Matthew 7:13-23

2. If I go through that back door now, I will go through back doors all my life.

3. Your decision about Christ affects your destination.

4. Gates & Guides 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. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 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. 22 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?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7)

5. The Two Gates 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. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7) 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. (Luke 13)

6. The Narrow Gate 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. (John 10) Jesus sets before the crowd an either-or choice regarding eternal life. There are two gates, two ways, and two destinies. The key to understanding this section is that one enters through the gate and begins travelling the road of discipleship. Jesus is the narrow gate. His narrow gate leads to a kingdom. The way of discipleship then stretches throughout one’s years on earth, ultimately leading to life eternal.(Keith Krell, “The Highway To Hell”)

7. Life 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. (John 10) 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14)

8. Discipleship Living as citizens of God’s Kingdom.

9. Discipleship He (Jesus) radically redefines the kingdom of God not as those who are ethnic Jews, but as those who are committed to him – King Jesus, the One who is the fulfillment of the Old Testament Law and Prophets. Jesus sets himself apart as the One to whom all loyalty is due. He lays out a picture of what we as his followers ought to be like and how we ought to live: We are loyal to him, seeking to develop a personal relationship with him that then transforms our lives in such a way that we make a difference in our world. We shine out as lights in the darkness; we are the salt of the earth – the transforming power of his grace in our lives making us visible in our community. (Danny Hall, “Routes & Fruits”)

10. Kingdom Lifestyle

11. The Two Guides 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. (Matthew 7)

12. False Guides … false teachers are by nature very seductive. Notice how they are described: “come to you in sheep’s clothing.” In other words, they are disguised in ways that allow them to easily infiltrate our world. There is often a bait-and-switch going on. Their presentation is very enticing and appealing. It sounds good, looks good, and is often framed in a language that is very accessible to us. Yet underneath, not only are these false teachers seductive, they are also destructive. Jesus says inwardly they are ravenous wolves, set to devour us. (Danny Hall, “Routes & Fruits”)

13. False Guides False prophets are particularly dangerous because they appear to be genuine. They seemingly have the credentials of authority. What are these credentials? Jesus calls them ‘sheep’s clothing’. The outward forms would incline one to believe these false prophets to be reliable guides. They may wear a distinctive garb which sets them apart as leaders. They may have the title ‘reverend.’ They may be men who hold positions of religious leadership. They may well have graduated from a divinity school. Indeed, they might even be seminary professors. Judging on the basis of external indications we might assume them to be reliable guides, but we cannot evaluate on such external evidence. (Bob Deffinbaugh, “The Fatal Failures of Religion ”)

14. Identifying False Guides 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. 22 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?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7)

15. Identifying False Guides 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Matthew 7)

16. Guarding Against False Guides

17. Response Enter through the narrow gate!

18. Response There is a general assumption prevalent in the world that it is extremely difficult to be a Christian. While it is true that many don’t completely disqualify themselves as “Christians,” they do modify their claims: ordinary Christians they call themselves. They respect the church, worship fairly regularly, try to live decently. But they also give themselves somewhat generous margins to allow for the temptations and pressures put upon them by the world.

19. Response To be really on the way of faith, take with absolute seriousness all that the Bible says – well, that requires a predisposition to saintliness, extraordinary willpower and an unspecified number of nameless austerities that they are quite sure they cannot manage. (Eugene Peterson, “A long Obedience In the Same Direction ” p.115)

20. Response 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10) 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7)