The Narrow Gate
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.The Tree and Its Fruit
“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.True Disciples
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’Building on a Solid Foundation
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority — quite unlike their teachers of religious law.
— Matthew 7:13-29.
In this series I've always started with the goodness of God.
But I am not at liberty to skip over the demanding parts.
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God.
— Romans 11:22 (NIV).
God is not a pushover, a sky-fairy or a sugar-daddy. * Yes he is our Father; but he's also our awesome creator and king. * "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild", who forgave the woman caught in adultery, also turned over the tables in the temple.
We have accepted the goodness and greatness of God; now we are looking at what follows.
That's why this series is called "Living the Jesus way".
How should we live?
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
— Ephesians 4:1.
Jesus told four short stories that give us four perspectives on how to live.
People in films often say "I had no choice". I always want to shout at them.
We always have a choice. Life is a succession of choices to make.
Consider the world we live in: it is in darkness, unable to see God.
The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
— John 1:5 (NASB).
We're all immersed in the currents of the world.
That's not a bad thing: Jesus' prayer for his disciples is:
I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one."
— John 17:15.
It's not a bad thing; but it's a dangerous thing. We always need to be aware of where the current is drawing us.
It's not enough to swim with the tide.
Are we surprised God would put us in danger? We are not just a family, a body and a bride, but also an army. Our job is to go into harm's way.
For example, my academic environment is very sceptical. * That can be good: for example, not accepting comforting fantasies about Covid. * But it can also be bad. It becomes cynical.
I have to guard against that. I have to choose consciously that I'm not going to take my broad highway.
Whatever your situation, you have a broad highway of your own.
Choose the narrow gate.
How can you tell is someone is headed for the narrow gate? Not by their words, but by their actions.
Jesus warns us "beware of false prophets". * In the time of Jesus an the early church that meant wandering preachers. * Now it means TV and Internet preachers.
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus will tell his disciples "Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves." We are told to be shrewd.
We are warned sternly that "they are really vicious wolves". (Not all of them! But wolves are out there wherever there is money to be made.)
What does it mean for wolves to be "disguised as harmless sheep"? It may be that it's someone with a big, visible ministy that looks successful.
We need to be cautious who we listen to and learn from.
We need to ask not just what preachers say, but how they act: * Do they have falsified credentials? * Do they preach about sexual morality but have affairs? * Have they been convicted of crimes such as tax evasion?
Your caution should include me! I talk a good game, but am I living it?
I'm happy to listen to Tim, Fiona and Aderyn preach because I know their lives.
Now, we are all very wise, making careful judgements about preachers. BUT! Jesus never tells us to judge others without judging ourselves! Which leads us into ...
"On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name."
That sounds amazing. If it's not good enough, then what is?
Jesus is more concerned with our obedience than with how impressive we are: * In Luke's telling of these stories, he recounts Jesus asking "why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?" (Luke 6:46). * And in John's gospel, Jesus says "If you love me, obey my commandments" (John 14:15).
How can we be "those who actually do the will of the Father"?
Lots of Christians worry about how they can know God's will. God answered that question through the prophet Micah 700 years earlier:
Should we offer him thousands of rams
and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
to pay for our sins?No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
— Micah 6:7-8.
Do what is right; love mercy; walk humbly.
We must consciously make right choices, choosing the narrow gate: that means being kind, generous, forgiving, slow to anger, quick to love. In short: like Jesus.
[Story of building La Conservatoir.]
So a couple of weeks before this sermon I literally built a house upon the sand.
This story is often read as being about how it's foolish to take short-cuts. But that's not it at all.
The point is that if you hear Jesus' teaching but do not follow it then you are like the foolish builder.
This is all about consequences.
We're not told that God punishes those who don't listen to Jesus' teaching. In fact, the same things happen to those who do and do not: a storm rises.
But the choices we have made have consequences: they will determine if our house stands or falls.
It's a stern warning.
We begin from our status as loved and forgiven children. Then:
This is how we grow into the people God wants us to be.
Q. You said that God wants us to do what it right, love mercy and walk humbly (Micah 6:8). But what does that actually look like in practice?
A. See the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46.
Q. You say that we have to be as shrewd as snakes in recognising false teachers, but doesn't this seem judgemental? Doesn't Jesus teach us not to judge?
A. Yes, he does. But there is a difference between "pass judgement on" and "make a judgement about".