Sunday, November 29, 2020 am
TEACHINGS OF Jesus (28)
Sermon on the Mount (27)
Which Way Will You Travel?
Matthew 7:13-14
As we continue our examining of
the Sermon on the Mount as part of our theme dealing with the teachings of
Jesus, we now see Jesus beginning to wrap this lesson up, but even in this,
there is still plenty of sermon to examine and lessons to apply to our lives.
Many sources present one summary lesson based upon the remainder of the
text (Matthew 7:13-27), but we will devote a handful of lessons to His teachings
here.
Last week we noted His teaching
about “the Golden rule”. Today, we
find the choices we are faced with.
I.
Two choices
a.
As Jesus begins to summarize, He presents us with choices.
In fact, in the remaining sermon, we find at least 4 choices:
i.
The broad way and the narrow way – today’s lesson
ii.
Good fruit and bad fruit – which will you choose?
iii.
To do His will or not do His will –those who profess to believe in Him can be
included in those who do NOT do His will
iv.
What foundation will you build upon? The Solid rock or on sand?
b.
Throughout the Bible, we find that we are faced with choices – either obey God
or do not obey Him.
That was the choice Eve and Adam faced in the garden (Genesis 3:1-6) that they
failed.
Moses could have chosen to remain in Egypt’s royalty, or to serve God.
He chose the latter (Hebrews 11:24-25)
Joshua 24:15 – chose this day whom you will serve.
1 Kings 18:21 – similarly, Elijah challenged the people of Israel, “How long
will you falter between two opinions?”
He was challenging to choose God or Baal.
Matthew 12:30 where Jesus said, You are either with Him or you are not.
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 – I have set before you today life and good, death and
evil…choose life…
c.
This is the message of scripture.
You HAVE to choose! And there
is no middle ground.
II.
What is the broad way?
a.
Jesus described this as having a wide gate – something that many can pass
through at the same time. It is OPEN
all the time and receives anyone for any reason whatsoever.
b.
The way is broad meaning spacious – plenty of room.
Think of some of our freeways in California – with 14 lanes across (so
large, you could build a nice sized house on it and have a yard) and contrast
that with a 1 lane road off the beaten path.
IT is a POPULAR road filled with all the bright lights of temptations and
worldly pleasures.
c.
It leads to destruction – Jesus is here again addressing the subject of hell.
Jesus spoke of this place of torments and everlasting punishment more
than anyone else in the New Testament.
- TO describe hell, Jesus references a valley of Jerusalem that at that time was
a garbage dump (γέεννα – geenna,
the valley of Hinnom).
It was unclean, filthy, maggot infested and putrid. It was the most
terrible place the corrupt Jewish leaders could comprehend.
- Originally, it was prepared for the devil and his angels – Matthew 25:41. (2
Peter 2:4, Revelation 20:10).
But it will also be filled with all sorts of the ungodly (Revelation 20:15,
21:8, etc.) AND those who torment the godly – 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9, etc.
- This included the corrupt
religious leaders that Jesus was continually confronting – cf. Matthew 23:13, 15
where Jesus called the corrupt religious leaders “sons of hell”
The reality of this place is established throughout the New Testament.
For example – Matthew 25:46 speaks of everlasting punishment;
- Earlier Jesus said it would be better to pluck out your eye or cut off your
hand to keep from sinning than to be cast into hell (Matthew 5:29-30)
- Mark 9:44 further elaborates on this describing hell as a place “where the
worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” indicating torments.
- Matthew 8:12 – it was described as outer darkness, and “where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- even worse it will be a place where God is NOT found at all (- 2 Thessalonians
1:9, Matthew 7:23)
d.
Many go in by it
– this is the road of the majority.
This is the road of wickedness and evil.
This is the road of compromising the truth and false doctrine.
This is the road of those who persecute the godly.
This is the road of blasphemy and all sorts of ungodly behaviors (cf.
Revelation 21:8, Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, etc.).
It is also the road of those who do NOTHING!
III.
What is the narrow way?
a.
The gate is narrow – meaning it is restricted.
One source described it like a turnstile entering a station – only one at a time
enters, and you do not carry anything with you.
We KNOW what that door is. John 10:1
begins a discourse of Jesus as “the Good Shepherd”.
In vs. 1 He notes He is the door and anyone who climbs up another way is
a thief and robber (not welcome).
Vs. 7-8 notes He is the ONLY door – all who came before were thieves and robbers
Vs. 9-10, I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will
go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to
kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may
have it more abundantly.
b.
The way is difficult (NKJV) – small (NASB), “the way is hard” (ESV), or strait (KJV) – NOTE
the spelling in the KJV. This
doesn’t mean a road with no curves, the word means confined (like a geographical
strait – e.g. the strait of Gibraltar, the strait of Hormuz)
This certainly describes the way to heaven – 2 Timothy 3:12 reminds us that all
who desire to live godly, will suffer persecutions.
In this sermon Jesus has described its difficulty – seeking first the kingdom of
God, loving our enemies, forgiving others as we want to be forgiven, turning the
other cheek, etc.
He will become even more blunt as He continues His preaching and teaching on
earth – passages we have examined such as Matthew 10:37-38, Luke 9:62, 14:33 –
which speaks of forsaking all that we have, etc.
c.
It leads to life – clearly, Jesus is speaking of salvation – eternal life.
An oft addressed subject in the New Testament.
In fact, it is hope emphasized throughout.
- John 3:16 – everlasting life…
- Matthew 25:46 – “but the righteous into eternal
life”
- John 14:6 – Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes
to the Father except through Me”
- John 10:27-28, Jesus continues His discourse as the good Shepherd and says,
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them
eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them
out of My hand.
Romans 2:7 – speaks of eternal life awaiting those who seek for glory, honor and
immortality.
d.
Few find it –
unlike the broad way that virtually everyone is on, this path is quiet and
traveled by few. - Only the TRULY
righteous are on this path.
- These are those who literally “seek first the kingdom of God”.
- These are the ones who have obeyed the gospel and remained faithful, even unto
death, whether peaceful or in tribulation (Revelation 2:10).
- These are the ones who have “died in the Lord” – Revelation 13:14
THESE are the SAVED!
NOTE: It is worthy of mention that far more THINK they are on this path than
really are. Some have been lied to
with false gospels – some advocating false doctrine (our next lesson) OR
watering down the true gospel. We
need to examine ourselves continually and truly commit our lives to Him (2
Corinthians 13:5). Do NOT cheapen
the grace of God by thinking He will excuse you for that which He condemns
everyone else.
And thus, Jesus as He begins to
conclude His lesson, drives home the importance of the choices we need to make.
The reality is, you ARE making a choice, even if think you are not or do
not want to. And one day, you
will stand before God and reap the harvest of your choice.
Jesus offers to EVERYONE the strait and narrow path.
Are you on that path? If not,
let us help you in whatever way we can.
Think about it!