Walking the Narrow Way: Christian Behavior According to Jesus

Good morning, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to share God’s word with you today. It’s very interesting when you come into a passage that you’ve preached on before and thinking that with all the new building stuff that’s going on and life in general, that it’s one of those weeks where I could just pull up the old message and repeat it. And with the folks here today. I could guarantee that around half of you wouldn’t notice and since I preached through the Sermon on the Mount in June of 2021, chances are most of the Standing Stone congregation wouldn’t remember either.

I had a free pass, this week, to ignore anything God might have to say and be completely free of Judgement. I have the sermons I preached on Matthew 7 saved here and can repeat them if I feel lead to do so. But, I’m not in the business of preaching what I feel like, I’ve done it a few times, and it didn’t turn out well.

When is comes to being a follower of Christ it becomes less and less about what we want to do and more and more about what he wants us to do for his glory and his purpose.

And I find that when I walk forward in his will, it’s way better than anything I have planned.

All this to say that as we study today, I ask that we put ourselves aside and focus on what God would have us learn from his word.

Let’s begin with the beginning of Matthew 7. There’s a heading above Matthew 7 in most Bibles: what does the heading say?

Many Bibles Judging Others. A few say Judge not. The Message, which is a paraphrased version of the Bible, which I do not recommend for Biblical study, labels this section of scripture “A simple guide to Behavior”

Now the headings are man’s word meant to give clarification to what you are reading next. But there is a big difference between Judging Others, Do Not Judge and A Simple Guide to Behavior.

The best way to discover what God’s word says is to: A. listen to what man has to say about God’s word. B. Read God’s word

That’s right, read God’s word. There is value in what we share. And from what others share. It can help us understand better.

But I will ask this question about studying God’s word. And if you were at the study on Thursday, you can’t answer.

FROGS Raise you hand if you dissected a frog in school. Good, from those who raised their hand, who can tell me something cool you can learn about frogs by dissecting them.

Now can anyone tell me what you can learn about how a frog lives, how a frog looks while it’s swimming, by dissecting it?

You can’t. where must you go to observe a frog living? You must go where it lives. There are advantanges to cutting them up and you can learn something from that, but the best way to learn about frogs is to go down to the pond and watch them.

Same with the Bible, you can read what others say about the Bible or listen to a pastor talk about the Bible and there is value in that, it helps you understand the text. But if you don’t open up the Bible and read for yourself, then you won’t see what it really says.

That being said, let us all open up to Matthew 7 and see if we can determine if the headings these passages have are accurate.

Let us read Matthew 7:1-6

Matthew 7:1–6 ESV

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Okay, we read 6 verses of scripture on Judging and I’m going to ask what verse and what words we as Christians sometimes and the world almost always focuses on.

Matthew 7:1 ESV

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.

Now, if I was told to skim through the Bible and put headings on the tops of each chapter, I might read Matthew 7:1 and say that chapter 7 is ALL about not judging others and leaving people alone.

Has anyone every heard or done this. “The Bible says you shouldn’t judge.”

I have. But is that what these 6 verses are saying? I don’t think so.

I think this passage more points us to

The Strength of the Community

is relation to how we deal with the community when sin occurs.

Sure we look at verse one and think we shouldn’t judge, but when we look at verse 2-6 it’s less about not judging, but more how to judge correctly.

It is tough to watch someone either sin or fall away completely. And as believers, it is our duty to step up and let the person know what is going on.

I’m going to ask a really tough question and I’ll ask for a show of hands. And if someone wants to share, a testimony I think we’ll all be glad to hear it.

Here is the question: Just about everyone has been through a tough time in their life. My question is: When you were at your lowest, when things were so bad you KNEW giving up was the best option. When it seemed all the walls were crashing in around you. By a show of hands. Who had at the time been or felt utterly ALONE?

UTTERLY ALONE?

Is there anyone who would like to share about such a time? I know it’s a big ask, but I’m hoping that in your pit of despair you found a way out and I hope you can tell us what it was.

(IF NO ONE SHARES SHARE about Dad’s Affair and singing)

When we are alone, it is guaranteed that the best way out is with someone else. ANd verses 2-5 show us who.

Matthew 7:2–5 ESV

2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Now, I’ve not done a power point with this whole group before. So I want you to know that when I put scripture up on the screen, that doesn’t mean you get to close yours. I put it up here so you can see what I read and what I have found and I hope you do the same, so keep those bibles open.

You’ll see I’ve underlined a view pierces here. Let me tell you what I’ve discovered from here.

When you are at your worst. When sin is in your life and you don’t know what to do. The very worst person to come along side you, is someone going through the same garbage.

This passage is, however, not written to show you who needs help how to get help, but it is there to show the believer how to help the one who needs it.

If I see a friend who is in debt and can’t get themselves out and has no one to turn to and I look at my overdrawn bank account, I’m not the one to help them out.

However, as these words point out. If I’ve been through the same struggle and have found myself on the other end. Then I am the perfect person to help.

And it doesn’t matter what your depth of despair is: alcohol, gambling, lust, anger, jealousy. There is going to be someone that God will place in your life that can come along side you and help you out.

And just because you haven’t gone through the same thing as your friend, doesn’t mean you can’t help them either.

If you have someone in your life who you know is doing the wrong thing and you have checked your self and found you don’t have that log in your eye and have never had that log in your eye, you can talk to them too. You can come along side them.

I’ve never had a serious drink of alcohol. The last time I voluntarily took a drink was about a half sip of some peppermint blue stuff in my buddy’s grandpas cabinet when I was 15. I didn’t like it and I never did it again.

But If I see someone who does have that problem, I can use my life experience with a family full of alcoholics and say, “Your drinking is keeping you alone. I wish my dad had gone to a meeting, or got help of some kind. I would have had more time with him.

It is hard. I won’t lie to you, it is hard to tell someone they are sinning and they need help. But is it really worth leaving them alone. Because they hate being alone as much as you hate them being alone, but the secret is you know how to help. You can come along side and love on them. So many think judgement is a mean thing.

“You are doing wrong and I’m not, I’m better than you.”

That is not judgement, that’s pride and malice and that’s not okay.

Judgement is, “I love you, you are doing wrong, and I want to help.”

There is a warning though.

If you are the one in sin and you don’t recognize that the person is just trying to love you. You might fight back. You might make excuses, or blame.

Matthew 7:6 ESV

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

At this cultural point in history both dogs and pigs were labeled as unclean. Jesus is communicating that if someone doesn’t receive you, you can back off. Hopefully, until they are ready again.

But the main point in judgement is not to just point out a wrong and walk away.

It’s to join them in their healing

The Healing of Community

The next passage seems a little different than the first, but let’s look at it as if it belongs to verses 1-6.

Matthew 7:7–11 ESV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

If we look at verses 1-6 as the person who is entering into Judgement, with first examining themselves and coming to you to love and help you. Then verses 7-11 are your response. To ask for help and to receive help.

When suffering, the right people in our lives bring restorative power through prayer, encouragement and provision.

This passage shows us that when we are alone and struggling. God is always there to help.

Now, sometimes we ask God for help, but we ask on our terms. Like God, wave your magic wand and help me quit being angry all the time.

Does God do that? Yes. Not with a magic wand, but there are times and seasons where God will relieve you of your struggle without much effort. I’ve heard many testimonies of people who were miraculously released from alcohol, drugs, lust, etc.

But many times, he places someone in your life. Someone to point out your struggle, to walk with you. to love you.

But sometimes, it takes recognition on your part. It takes you asking for help. And that is hard.

I know it is. getting to that breaking point and saying, “I need help is so hard.

But God never says no to a genuine ask. He’s there with you every step of the way. Many times through the people in your life who love you.

And that is a primary reason for the Church. We are here to help you up when you are down. To set you back on the right path. It’s not always fun, but it is good. And coming out the other end you will be better and healthier.

If you are at a point in you life when you need that kind of help, I suggest you pray that God will send you the exact person or people you need. And if you don’t know, ask. Let him know, let the church know. Don’t go it alone.

Which leads us to

The Purpose of Community

Our final passage for today is Matthew 7:12-14

Matthew 7:12–14 ESV

12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

There is strength in the community. It tells us when wrong is happening. It checks itself to stay on the right paths and points out, in love, when people are on the wrong path.

The Healing in Community comes when we recognize that our lives were designed with Jesus in mind.

Through our struggles, Jesus is there, when we feel at our worst, Jesus is there.

When we make our choices, Jesus is there.

And this final bit of the the passage, I think, really points us to the purpose of community.

It tells us to treat people like we like to be treated.

This is, however, an often misquoted verse. Who has ever heard, “Do onto others AS they do onto you.” Treat people like they treat you.

This is not what the Bible says. It says to treat others in the same way you like to be treated.

Now, I will tell you what this doesn’t mean. If you, for some reason, like being treated poorly, so you therefore treat people poorly. That is not the golden rule, that is a cry for the first 6 verses of chapter 7.

It means that since God loves us and we love God, we should also love others. And that begins with treating people with the same love God shows us.

We love them enough to tell them if they are doing something wrong. We reply well, when people notice a wrong in our life. Not with excuses or lies, but with earnest wonder. Because if someone sees something wrong in your life, then perhaps others see it too. And we need to explore and pray about it.

We treat others how we want to be treated. So, if I come up to you and say, I’ve witnessed a sin in your life and I care about you and want you to stop and I want to do whatever I can to help. You don’t reply. Oh, I’ve just been busy. Or oh, what I did doesn’t matter, or it’s not a big deal.

We treat people how we want to be treated. Wow, I didn’t realize that what I did actually hurt others. I’m going to spend some time in prayer and seek out God’s will in this. And a bonus you can always ask the person to pray with you.

Matthew 7 says a lot about how to treat people who sin, how to respond to your sin and how to solve both.

We are not always going to respond well. I don’t. It’s hard to admit wrong. But when you are a part of the big C Church, a follower of Jesus, I want to leave you with this to pray on.

1 Corinthians 12:12–14 ESV

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

This is the church and even though we aren’t always unified. We can be if we love on each other and Jesus loves on us.

Let’s Pray