Matt2-6

Jesus is coming near the end of this sermon on the mount and has been teaching in different ways on spiritual realities, the realities of coming into the kingdom (5:1-20), of a heart life ( 5:21 -48), of real piety (6:1-18), and of trusting God ( 6:19-7:12 ). All this needs to be born in mind at this point.

Now, says Jesus, these are the realities and they are not easy. In fact they appear very restrictive and few receive them. The way into this life is narrow and small, there is only one way and most people reject it. The path is narrow and tightly defined and most people don't want it. It's death to self and being alive to God and to the realities being spoken about.

The fact is, says Jesus, that most people prefer to go the easy way, living just as they please in a life that has no restrictions, that appears easy going. The trouble is it leads to destruction. Yes, the choice in eternity is life or death, that is what all this sermon is about. It's whether we will receive and live in eternal life now by going Jesus' way, or whether we will experience death now and in eternity, separated from God. THIS is the challenge!

D. Application?

1. Easy come, easy go, easy live, easy die!

2. Life means we first face up to our real need, and receive God's real help

through His Son, Jesus, and really live on that basis.

Chapter: Matthew 7:13-29

Passage: Matthew 7:15-20

A. Find out :

1. How do false prophets appear? v.15a

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing,

2. But what are they like in reality? v.15b

but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

3. How are you to recognise them? v.16a,20

By their fruit you will recognize them.

4. Where don't you find grapes? v.16b

Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

5. Where will you find good and bad fruit? v.17

Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

6. Where can't you find bad and good fruit? v.18

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

B. Think :

1. How does this passage continue the theme of realities?

2. How can a name or a person's position deceive us?

3. What sort of behaviour designates the good or bad fruit, do you think?

C. Comment :

Another area of spiritual reality that needs considering is ministry, particularly of those who come to you from elsewhere.

When someone first comes they may come as a well known name or holding some position with a title. That, says Jesus, can be quite deceiving, for they may be completely different on the inside from what you would expect from such a person. The only way to really weigh up a person is to observe them carefully and watch for the fruit of their lives. They may seek to deceive you with good words but watch for the reality of the fruit that comes from them.

First the fruit of CHARACTER, the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22 ,23). Is there love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control?

Then, is there the fruit of MINISTRY, the fruit of lives truly changed, built-up, encouraged, released, healed. If it's prophecy, of accurate words that are in line with Scripture and which are fulfilled, all leaving people loving Jesus more than before.

D. Application?

1. Words can be deceiving. They can deceive us about ourselves and they

deceive us about others.

2. The reality is the fruit of the Spirit that is being developed in us and

the effect of our serving on other lives.

Chapter: Matthew 7:13-29

Passage: Matthew 7:21-23

A. Find out :

1. Who will not enter the kingdom of heaven? v.21a

"Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven,

2. Who will enter? v.21b

only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven

3. When will be the time of accounting? v.22a

on that day

4. What 3 things will many claim they've done? v.22b

`Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'

5. What will Jesus declare about them? v.23a

Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you.

6. What will he do with them? v.23b

Away from me, you evildoers!'

B. Think :

1. What is the one crucial criteria for going to heaven?

2. How can words deceive us?

3. How can actions be false and deceive us?

C. Comment :

In continuing on this subject of false ministry, Jesus now focuses very tightly on the key issue: is the person in question doing what they are doing out of obedience to God or for some other reason. Words and actions can be completely deceiving!

First, words. We may speak lots of fine words and call Jesus Lord, but if we are not actually obeying His word and obeying the prompting of His Holy Spirit, then all the words are meaningless. Jesus is not impressed by words without obedience.

Second, actions. We can involve ourselves in lots of apparently fine religious behaviour, even apparently prophesying, casting out demons or doing apparent miracles, but if the origin of even these things is not the leading of the Holy Spirit, then we are not being obedient to Jesus and we are doing things with other motivations.

These are tough and challenging words of Jesus at this point (even more than what has gone before!) and any person must be challenged, "Is my life, my work, my ministry based on the leading of Jesus Christ by His word and His Spirit?".

D. Application?

1. The crucial issue is not whether I speak right words but whether I am

obedient to God.

2. The crucial issue is not whether I do good works but whether I am

obedient to God.

Chapter: Matthew 7:13-29

Passage: Matthew 7:24-29

A. Find out :

1. Who does the wise man represent? v.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.

2. What effect did the wind and rain have? v.25

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall,

3. Why not? v.24c,25c

because it had its foundation on the rock

4. Who does the foolish man represent? v.26

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.

5. What effect did the wind and rain have? v.27

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

6. What effect did Jesus' teaching have and why? v.28,29

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law

B. Think :

1. What is the key message of this passage?

2. Why is the position of this passage significant?

3. What is the greatest danger in the Christian life?

C. Comment :

At the very end of this wonderful sermon given by Jesus to his disciples, comes this memorable warning: don't just hear what I am saying, but put it into practice . There is no point us being blessed by the words in these studies if we don't go away and actively put them into practice in our lives. So much does Jesus want us to heed this warning that he doesn't say it in straight words but he paints vivid pictures to ensure they stay with us, ones that every Sunday School child knows, but the message can be forgotten in the picture details.

When you obey Jesus, it will be like establishing your life on rock and whatever comes against it will have no effect, but if you don't do what he says it will be as if you have no foundation, and so when the pressures of life come against you then everything will seem to collapse around you.

Finally note the effect these words had on the listeners: they were amazed, for the teaching came with clarity, boldness and sureness i.e. with authority, not like the uncertain and unclear teaching from the religious teachers of that day. May His words come to us with this same powerful effect. May we not simply hear and remain unchanged!

D. Application?

1. Many people hear God but that isn't the issue.

2. The issue is, having heard, will you put into practice what you have

heard?

RECAP: - Letting Jesus be Lord -- Matthew 7:13-29

SUMMARY :

In these final 4 studies we have seen Jesus teach on:

  - the restricted entry to the kingdom

  - the narrowness of the path of the kingdom

  - false, deceptive ministry

  - empty words & empty actions

  - Lordship means obedience

COMMENT :

In these closing words of this amazing sermon, Jesus challenges us to review the keys to the reality of BELIEVING all he has been saying. This is first by understanding that coming into the kingdom of God has to be by the narrow door of death to self and belief in Jesus himself. It also means that walking the life of the kingdom is equally narrow in that it requires us to totally follow what Jesus says.

Many appear very religious, bringing apparently spiritual words, but if their lives don't match their words, then they are deceived. The key issue at the end of this sermon is are you actually DOING what Jesus says?

LESSONS :

1. Entry into God's kingdom is by one narrow way, believing in Jesus and

following Him.

2. Life in God's kingdom is along one narrow path, following Jesus and

obeying Him.

3. Religious words can deceive us into believing we are spiritual, but God

says "I will bless your obedience, not your religious acts"

4. Doing God's will by obeying Jesus is the crucial issue in our lives

5. Failure to obey Jesus, as a way of life, means that we will fall under

pressure and be destroyed.

PRAY :

1. Ask the Lord to search you and show you if you are NOT obeying Him, if

there are unreal areas of your life, if you are only pretending to let Him

be Lord.

2. Purpose before the Lord to let Him lead you in any and every area of

your life, and to genuinely be Lord of them all.

SECTION SUMMARY - Matthew 5-7

As we conclude these studies on the Sermon on the Mount, we have seen Jesus teaching on spiritual realities, how things really are, the way God has made things to be and what He has called us to be. In that we have seen:

1. The Beatitudes 5:1-10

Jesus' teaching on basic spiritual principles of the kingdom

2. Our Role & Response 5:11 - 20

- Jesus' teaching on our role in the kingdom

- our role as rejected

- our role as salt and light

- our response is to be righteous

3. Heart Life in the Kingdom 5:21-40

Jesus' teaching that inner heart attitudes are critical

4. Real Piety 6:1-18

Jesus' teaching that pious behaviour is to be private before God and not to the glory of man

5. Trusting God 6:19-7:12

Jesus' teaching on our need to live trusting in the loving provision and care of our heavenly Father

6. Letting Jesus be Lord 7:13 -29

Jesus' call to us to follow the narrow path he lays down, to be obedient to him, and not merely be hearers but not doers.

SECTION CONCLUSION - Matthew 5-7

As we review some of the things that this Sermon might have said to us, the following surely must head up such a list:

1. Entry into the Kingdom of God

The entry criteria are not easy. It is the person who recognises their own spiritual poverty, who mourns their state, who cries out to God, and trust in Jesus death as God's provision for them, they and only they, are a candidate for the kingdom.

2. Requirements of Life in the Kingdom

Living in the kingdom demands total reality or truth, a facing of the truth about oneself and a living without pretence, deception or falseness.

Living in the kingdom focuses not on external acts but on the heart condition and the demand is for complete purity of heart.

Living in the kingdom looks not for outward religious acts but for a real relationship with God who is Father.

Living in the kingdom means knowing God as Father who provides all we need as His children.

Living in the kingdom means letting Jesus rule over our lives, which means we obey everything he says.

3. The Impossibility of the Demands of the Sermon

As we read these things there must come a sense, at least if we are truly honest, of the impossibility of being totally blameless in following all that Jesus says to us in these pages.

Instead of falling under condemnation however, the Lord wants us to simply realise afresh our complete need of His work on the Cross. We do fail, we will fail, but as we come to Him and confess that failure and seek His forgiveness, we WILL receive it.

4. What Purpose

This sermon can therefore act either as a plumb line against which we measure our failure or it can act as a constant challenge to climb higher in our life with the Lord. It should perhaps do both these things so that, by His grace, we may become more fully those people He has made us to be.