Matthew 7 - Entering the Kingdom

Introduction

Why is it called the “Sermon on the Mount”?

Matthew 5:1 “1 When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.”

Matthew 8:1 “1 When he came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him.”

On a mountain near Capernaum

Augustine (late 300s) - earliest known writer to use this title

When was the Sermon on the Mount preached?

Early in Jesus’ Galilean ministry—after He’d called His first disciples and crowds began gathering, but before the formal commissioning of the Twelve

What was the Sermon on the Mount about?

Who Kingdom people are (5:1–16) Beatitudes describe the blessed character of its citizens (poor in spirit, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers). Disciples are salt and light—public holiness for the common good.

How Kingdom righteousness works (5:17–48) Jesus fulfills the Law and demands a deeper righteousness (5:20): not just “don’t murder,” but banish contempt; not just “don’t commit adultery,” but fight lust; keep covenantal truthfulness, enemy-love, integrity. It’s an inward obedience with outward visibility.

Practicing devotion without show (6:1–18) Give, pray, and fast in secret; pray the Lord’s Prayer—God-centered, daily dependence, forgiven-and-forgiving hearts.

Trusting the Father, not treasures (6:19–34) Choose your treasure, vision, and master; don’t be anxious—seek first His kingdom and righteousness (6:33).

Kingdom relationships & discernment (7:1–12) Drop hypocrisy (“first remove the log”), exercise wise discernment, ask-seek-knock, and live the Golden Rule.

Application time (7:13–27) - like any good sermon Two gates, trees, claims, and foundations: giftedness isn’t godliness; do the Father’s will. The wise build on Jesus’ words.

What was the purpose of the Sermon on the Mount?

A manual for new disciples (early Galilee).

characteristics: poor in spirit, merciful, pure in heart, etc.

wisdom instruction: secret generosity, prayer, fasting; non-retaliation; worry-free trust

A public corrective to the scribes’ shallow standards.

A covenant renewal—gathering Israel around Himself as the authoritative teacher-king

How could the disciples meet these demands?

John 15:5 “5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.”

Acts 1:8 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

How should we view the Sermon on the Mount today?

The characteristics Christians should match the characteristics of kingdom citizens (citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven)

1. Entrance to the Kingdom - The Narrow Gate

Matthew 7:13–14 CSB

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.

v.13 - a “narrow” gate vs a “wide” gate

This is an illustration; almost like a parable. The gate and the road shouldn’t necessarily be thought of as two different things. The entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven is like a narrow gate leading to a difficult path (uphill, winding, hard to travel).

In a sense, the lost are already traveling on the broad road (John 3:18 “18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.” )

The decision to follow Christ may be difficult; the walk of discipleship in this life will be difficult.

Who do you think of as a modern day, “hero of the faith”? Billy Graham?

John MacArthur recently went home to be with the Lord. Many of his obituaries and tributes mentioned The Gospel According to Jesus:

Listen to today's typical gospel presentation. You will hear sinners entreated with such phrases as "accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior"; "ask Jesus into your heart", "invite Christ into your life"; or "make a decision for Christ." You may be so accustomed to hearing those phrases that it will surprise you to learn that none of them is based on biblical terminology. They are the products of a diluted gospel. It is not the gospel according to Jesus.

The gospel Jesus proclaimed was a call to discipleship, a call to follow him in submissive obedience, not just a plea to make a decision or pray a prayer. Jesus' message liberated people from the bondage of their sin while it confronted and condemned hypocrisy. It was an offer of eternal life and forgiveness for repentant sinners, but at the same time it was a rebuke to outwardly religious people whose lives were devoid of true righteousness. It put sinners on notice that they must turn from sin and embrace God's righteousness. It was in every sense good news, yet it was anything but easy-believism.

Our Lord's words about eternal life were invariably accompanied by warnings to those who might be tempted to take salvation lightly. He taught that the cost of following him is high, that the way is narrow and few find it. He said many who call him Lord will be forbidden from entering the kingdom of heaven (cf. Matt. 7:13-23).

Present-day evangelicalism, by and large, ignores those warnings. The prevailing view of what constitutes saving faith continues to grow broader and more shallow, while the portrayal of Christ in preaching and witnessing becomes fuzzy. Anyone who claims to be a Christian can find evangelicals willing to accept a profession of faith, whether or not the person's behavior shows any evidence of commitment to Christ.

What does it take to enter the narrow gate and travel the difficult road? Repentance from sin and a willingness to follow Jesus in discipleship.

2. The Enemies of the Kingdom - False Prophets and their Professions

Matthew 7:15–23 CSB

15 “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

v.15 “false prophets” - those who point to another way of entering the Kingdom. The New Testament has much to say about such:

A. Their Doctrine

A different gospel / another Jesus / another spirit (Gal 1:6–9; 2 Cor 11:3–4).

Deny core truths about Christ (incarnation, Sonship, lordship) (1 Jn 2:22–23; 4:1–3; 2 Jn 7–11).

Secretly introduce destructive heresies—even denying the Master who bought them (2 Pet 2:1).

Speculations, myths, and added rules (forbidding marriage/foods, asceticism) (1 Tim 1:3–7; 4:1–3; Col 2:8,18,23).

Twist Scripture to their ends (2 Pet 3:16).

B. Their Methods

Sheep’s clothing; look orthodox/impressive, even do “mighty works” (Matt 7:15, 22–23).

Smooth talk and flattery that deceives the naive (Rom 16:17–18; Jude 16).

Exploit with fabricated stories; traffic in sensationalism (2 Pet 2:3).

Draw disciples after themselves—personality cults (Acts 20:29–30).

Give people what their itching ears want (2 Tim 4:3–4).

Boast of visions/knowledge to gain authority (Col 2:18; 2 Pet 2:18).

C. Their Motives and Character

Greedy, lovers of money; view godliness as a means of gain (2 Pet 2:3,14–15; 1 Tim 6:3–5; Jude 11).

Sensual/sexually immoral, promise “freedom” while enslaved to passions (2 Pet 2:2,10,18–19; Rev 2:14,20).

Proud, rebellious, slanderous, reject authority (2 Pet 2:10–12; Jude 8).

Hypocritical “form of godliness” without power (2 Tim 3:1–5).

Divisive—cause factions/strife (Rom 16:17; Jude 19).

v.16 “You will recognize them by their fruit”

Why? v. 18 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit”

What then is “bad fruit”?

Character (who they are) Beatitude-shaped holiness: humility, mercy, purity, peacemaking; not anger, lust, oaths, revenge (Matt 5:3–9, 21–48; 12:33–37).

Conduct (what they do) Doing the Father’s will, not just saying “Lord, Lord” (7:21–23). Truthful speech, reconciled relationships, enemy-love, secret generosity, prayerful trust (ch. 5–6).

Creed (what they teach about Jesus) Teaching that aligns with Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law and the gospel—not distortions or additions (5:17–20; cf. 7:28–29).

v.21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’” - whom does this refer to?

Primarily to the false prophets. They would be most likely to have done the works of prophesying, miracles, and exorcisms

Nevertheless the point stands that it takes more than a profession to enter the Kingdom. Wayne made it a point not to promote doubting our salvation (illustration of marriage, which I had never heard before but some may find to be helpful). Is he married because he gets her an anniversary gift? No. But what would it say about their marriage if he had no such desire?

Trust and Obey - one gospel song which in part captures this idea:

When we walk with the Lord In the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.

v.23 “I never knew you” - your ministry was unauthorized

Examples: Mormons (want desperately to be linked with Christ and incessantly talk about Jesus); Roman Catholics; Jehovah’s Witnesses

3. Foundation of the Kingdom - Rock vs Sand

Matthew 7:24–27 CSB

24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”

How important is the foundation of a house? All-important!

Illustration - Flash flood vs house build on rock

Application - hear these words...and act on them!

James 1:22 “22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Applications

What two things does it take to enter the narrow gate and travel the difficult road? Repentance from sin and a willingness to follow Jesus in discipleship.

We should beware of false teachers by carefully examining fruit

We can learn much from the Sermon on the Mount. The Kingdom living it describes should be seen today in the life of the church.