A Better Way Part 7 | A Better Path

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.

Here is a sad reality, most people, according to this, will not make it through the gate that leads to life.

• • 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
• 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

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
• 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
• 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