
A Better Way Series Study of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount Part 7
A Better Path
Matthew 7:13-29
When Jesus began His earthly ministry at the age of 30, he found, a corrupted religion, with a spiritually bankrupt leadership. He found a people who “fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd…”, Matthew 9:36. He found, a nation of people who had strayed from the paths of God’s righteousness.
John, the forerunner, came to make straight the paths, Matthew 3:1-3. Jesus came to heal the spiritually sick, Mark 2:17. He came to teach a better way.
The Path of Narrowness
Matthew 7:13-14
- One Path leads to life.
- Strait is the gate = difficult, treacherous to pass through.
- Narrow is the way.
- Few find it.
- Strait is the gate = difficult, treacherous to pass through.
Here is a sad reality, most people, according to this, will not make it through the gate that leads to life.
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- Water and people seem to always choose the path of least resistance.
- The Hebrew Christians were straying from the narrow path, back to the path of Judaism, in part because there was less resistance.
- Hebrews 12:1-4
- Jesus prepared His disciples for this difficult path.
- Matthew 5:11-12
- Matthew 10:21-22, 28, 37-39
- He has walked it before us and will walk it with us.
- Matthew 28:18
- Illustration; Footsteps in the Sand by Mary Stevenson
- Water and people seem to always choose the path of least resistance.
- Any other path leads to destruction.
- Wide is the gate = easy to pass through.
- Broad is the way.
- Many go in there.
- Sadly, most people will not walk the difficult way to life, but will take the easier path.
- It is not that God cannot save, or will not save, but men love darkness.
- John 3:16
- John 3:19-20
- Wide is the gate = easy to pass through.
The Path of Opposition
Matthew 7:15-20
- One of the Hazards along the Path of life is false teachers.
- False prophets
- Wolves in sheep’s clothing
- Acts 20:29
- They offer an easier path.
- Ezekiel 13:16
- Jeremiah 8:10-11
- False prophets
- Principles of Fruit Inspection
- Know characteristics of good fruit.
- Ephesians 4:11-14
- The fruit is how you judge the health of the tree.
- Good fruit = good tree
- Bad fruit = bad tree
- Trees that do not produce good fruit are cut down and burned.
- Similar to fruit of the vine
- John 15:6
- Luke 6:45
- Know characteristics of good fruit.
- The purpose of fruit inspection.
- We talked this morning about judgement
- In order that we must judge righteously, John 7:24
- We are not to make harsh judgments of others, based on incomplete information.
- We cannot know the heart of the one we are judging, but the fruit of his life is evidence.
- We cannot be in fellowship with such an individual, Romans 16:17-18.
The Path of Obedience
Matthew 7:21-23
- "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord…"
- Many people want to call themselves Christians…
- Faith only, grace only, etc., etc.
- They mistake the wide gate and the broad path for the strait and narrow.
- Profession without obedience is pointless, Luke 6:46.
- "He that’s DOES the Will of the Father."
- James 1:22-25
- James 2:14-18
- Any works not done in Christ are unacceptable.
- Cast out devils, many wonderful works
- Without Christ we can do nothing, John 15:5!
- Without Christ, no work of man is of any value, even if it appears to be done in the name of Christ.
- Denominations can do a lot of things in the name of Christ, but ultimately they have done no good at all!
- "I never knew you!" How terrible that statement is!
- Depart from me!
- Workers of iniquity (Lawlessness)
The Path of Soundness
Matthew 7:24-29
- The Word Obeyed, Matthew 7:24-25
- Hear and DO
- Builds his house on a rock!
- Jesus is the rock! Matthew 16:18
- House = spiritual life
- Ephesians 2:19-22
- Withstand the Storms of life
- The Word Disobeyed, Matthew 7:26-27
- Hears but doeth NOT
- House on Sand
- If you build your spiritual house upon the shifting sands of man doctrines, opinions, whims ...
- Falls in the Storms of Life
The Word Respected
Matthew 7:28-29
- *Astonished: Amazed; confounded with fear, surprise, or admiration, Webster’s.
- to be struck with amazement, astonished, amazed, Thayer’s
- Authority
- Jesus as the Word of God has all authority
- Matthew 28:18
Jack McNiel, Evangelist, Oak Grove Church of Christ
*Resources Consulted:
- Southwest School of Bible Study Class Notes.
- Guy N. Woods Commentary
- Linguistic Key to the New Testament
- Footsteps in the Sand by Mary Stevenson
- Webster's Dictionary
- Thayer's Dictionary