Building On The Rock

Matthew 7:13-27

As we read the Words of Christ, we see that the strait gate is very narrow. It is so narrow that many folks will not travel through it, they will approach the broad way and see that the gate for it is wide and easy.......however, it is anything but!

But many there will enter......that way leads to destruction...........

The narrow way leads to “life”.....I believe I said this on Wed. night, but whenever....... “Life” from Jesus’ tongue and the others through the Holy Spirit that wrote the NT, does not mean just a duration of time, but a quality of life......sure it is forever and forever is great unless you are living in torment! “Life” in Christ’s view is quality.........A quality that is not known by the human mind!

So then this “life” beyond sight, hearing, and thought can only be found at the narrow gate! The passage way seems narrow and dim, but in reality it is the Light of The World and the Door to the Presence of God, as Jesus said He was and is!

Right after this Jesus warns us of false prophets.....which come to us like a harmless lamb but are inwardly ravening wolves. Ravening means prowling for food, viciously!

These false teachers will attempt to convince us of some other way, subtly but viciously!

Only to gather souls for hell!

I read this quote: “satan is most effective in the church when he comes not as an open enemy but as a false friend: not when he persecutes the church, but when he joins it; not when he attacks the pulpit, but when he stands in it.”

This is what Jesus is referring to......beware of these! They will make Christ of none effect because they are not telling of the true Christ, there is only One Christ and His is the only way!

Belief in Jesus is simple but difficult because it is we are bombarded with those that are agents of satan teaching something that feed the flesh but abandon the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Making everyone feel good, removes the reality of true need of redemption, which can only come from true repentance and turning unto the true Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Jesus goes on to tell us that those will be known by their fruit.....I have thought a lot about this over the years....

There have been many over the years that have put make-up on a pig......so, what fruit do we look for?

The fruit is only found in Scripture and in Jesus Christ, which is only found in Scripture!

I give you a great example of this....those that teach and preach self-righteous.....it will not be presented as “self-righteousness” but it is presented in such a way that you have some kind of value to God through your works!

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

Self-righteousness is a hellish doctrine that of followed through with will lead you to the next few verses.......Lord didn’t I do this in your name?? Depart from Jesus for He never knew you!

Another way to tell, is those that are offering the by-products of Christ......give me blessings, give me good feelings, experiences,.....they teach only the by products of the Grace of God, instead of the true reality of eternal life through Christ which is not if this world!

They are not consumed with the glory and the honor, the wonder, the beauty, the magnificence of Christ........they are only consumed in what

They are not consumed with exalting Christ. honoring Christ, obeying Christ, loving Christ, submitting to Christ.....just give me this, give me that!

John Piper wrote this: “The Gospel does not offer to the sinner what the sinner wants naturally!”

The Gospel does not offer to the sinner what the sinner already wants!

The Gospel offers us want the sinner does not want and that is righteousness, holiness, forgiveness, Heaven, and all of that is summed up in Christ! Or could I say the Lord of all of that is Christ!

This is why the gate is narrow!

What fruit do we look for? The doctrine of Jesus Christ.....the Person and the Work of Jesus Christ!

So Jesus goes on to to declare that there are some that will say that they have done work in His name and even cast out devils in His Name, but they were far from Christ!

I don’t think we need to get lost in the question of how was they able to cast out devils if they were not true..........the question is how did Jesus not know them?

Know them intimately! Maybe they thought they did something that they didn’t really do but whatever the answer to that question is the statement that Jesus declared to them “depart from Me for I never knew you”!!!!!

Jesus then goes on to say that whoever hears His sayings and does them, that person will be a person that built his house on a ROCK and nothing can prevail against!

Hears and does......James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

What was Jesus’ primary teaching in His earthly ministry?

Follow Him! Many times in Scripture He told folks to follow Him!

After He would help someone or after He would be questioned, He would say follow Him!

One Scripture in particular tells the reality of this Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Repentance and obedience......That is what it is to follow the true Christ! To believe in the true Gospel of Jesus Christ!

This is summed up in Romans 10........Romans 10:4-13.........

Many times do we look at verse 9 and it is true, but confess is not what is verbally said.....it is a confession that Jesus is Lord, the Lord of my salvation, the Lord of bringing many sinners unto righteousness!

In my search for to be right.....I have found nothing of myself......I have realized my need and saw no solution from myself or any human on this earth!

I am, as we all are as the first part verses 3-6 in Matthew 5........ Matthew 5:3–6 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

Jesus brings the other parts of that, the good.......Heaven, Comfort, Inheritance, Filled with Righteousness!

That brings me to verse 13...........Calling upon the Name of the Lord.......This calling on carries the idea of having severe need therefore that should be all of us.....not in the by products but desiring righteousness God’s righteousness, which is the only!

Lastly.......this is how put it and reacted to it! 1 Timothy 1:14–17 “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”