Matthew 7 Finding the Narrow Gate

Good songs 526 The Solid Rock

411 Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus

405 My faith has found a resting place

488 Just as I am

473 Victory in Jesus

492 At Calvary

In a world filled with judgment, deception, and false confidence, Jesus calls us to seek Him, walk the narrow way, and build our lives on the Rock.

In his book on heaven Randy Alcorn states for every 1 person who says that they are going to hell there are 120 who say they are going to heaven, that doesn’t seem to match reality.

1) People will miss heaven because they are too busy judging others.

Matthew 7:1–2 Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

I have a saying in church. I say it often. It isn’t original with me. A sermon on Sunday Bible reading on Tuesday it isn’t about you going. Hey, Bill you need to listen to pastor At least I am not as bad as that guy. No judge yourself. We should all try to let the Scriptures look inward

You should get the log out of your eye.

Matthew 7:3–5 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

You have probably heard of this verse before, but it is important we look into it. Sometimes we as Christians do exactly what this verse says. Myself included. I will give you my own example, the thing that I am guilty of. I dont like Disney, I used get after camper staff who sang disney songs every day, but I used to listen to punk rock. PASTOR Get that 2 X 4 out of your eye before you try to remove their sliver. In other words you should take care of your own sin, before you judge politicians. You should clean up your language before you judge your neighbor. We need to take care of our church before we judge the church down the road.

Who are you to judge anyway?

James 4:12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

On Judgment Day the only person you are responsible for is you. You stand before God and He isn’t going to say, “How good were the methodist? What about the mormons or muslims? Nope he is going to say, “How did you do? He isn’t going to ask you for a report on the democrats republicans communists? He will ask you how you did? Don’t miss out on heaven because you are worried about the other guy

Don’t judge, but don’t be oblivious.

Matthew 7:6 Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

You have to read verses in context. Jesus says don’t judge, but here he says don’t be foolish, I think about this and would like to give you a couple of examples. If you have spoken to your neighbor about the faith but they mock you, you don’t have to keep on letting them abuse yourself by pretending that they are listening. I think this also applies in a world of drug abusers. They come to church and talk spiritual trying to get a few bucks before there next fix. Just once wouldn’t it be nice that if rather than lying they come in and just say I have a drug preblem. I have lost all my money and I need help.

Heaven is worth it so ask, seek, and knock.

Matthew 7:7–8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Faith is not passive. Faith is active. You may believe that there is a God and that he answers prayer but that should spur you to action get you to pray. There is that verse that always haunts us

Demons believe in God and they tremble.

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

Every time I hear that verse. It get me, I believe in God, what makes me different than the demons.

Be like Abraham, believe in God, and ask, seek, and knock.

James 2:23 “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.”

It is By Grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

What does Asking, Seeking. and Knocking Faith look like?

Hebrews 11:8–10 “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

God wants to answer your prayers.

Matthew 7:9–11 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being 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!

I am going to approach this different than every pastor I have ever listened to. Because you have probably heard this about asking God for earthly things. My focus today is heaven and I think in context that what God prize is, we will get there,

God wants to give you what you are asking.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Seek a reunion with Christ.

Hebrews 9:27–28 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Let’s leave judgement to the judge. Let’s eagerly await the coming of Christ, He is coming riding on the clouds. The price has been paid and now we are seeking the homecoming of Christ. Acting like it could be today living like this could be our last day while taking into account that it could be 100 years from now.

Knock on the door of Heaven.

2 Timothy 4:7–8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Treat others the way that you want to be treated.

Matthew 7:12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Salvation is by grace, but the way isn’t easy.

Matthew 7:13–14 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

First - There is only one way.

Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Second - Jesus is the way.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Third - Yes, Christians are narrow minded, only Jesus is the way.

John 11:25–26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus is the only way to glory in a world where there are lots of ways Jesus is the only one who says I am the Way.

2) People will miss out on heaven, because they followed False Prophets.

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

False Prophets are those who would lead you away from the way. According to this chapter that is a dangerous thing. They will lead away from heaven. They point you towards judgment, away from prayer away from the Savior. They want you heading down the wrong road.

You will know authentic trees by their fruit.

Matthew 7:16–20 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

I am glad that verse doesn’t say you will know them by their works. How many tracts did they pass out, how many meals did they pass out, how many Bibles did they translate. No it says by their fruit. We know what fruit is, love joy peace longsuffering patience kindness gentleness. The kind of life change that God gives they are gifts of the holy Spirit.

False prophets are just a thorn in your side, destined for the fire.

Psalm 118:12 They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

Have you found Christ, you have if he has changed you. You are a different person on the inside because Christ has redeemed you. I have a question do you see the fruit of the Spirit in my life? I hope that I see it in you, I see compassion in some, I see generosity in others, I see

3) People will miss out on heaven because they don’t know Jesus.

Matthew 7:21–23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Many this passage of Scripture is convicting. I actually get uncomfortable myself just sharing it. Judgmental people are in trouble. The way that leads to destruction is wide and many be there that find it. Scary Stuff. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cast into the fire. Convicting. Here people are going to be at judgment. Buit God Lord Lord I did all this I cast out demons and did great wonders in your name. I will tell you I am going back to the beginning for every one person who says they are going to hell there are 120 who say I am going to heaven. That just isn’t reality.

The Scariest words in all the Bible - “Depart from me, I never knew you!”

Revelation 20:13–15 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Remember how I started this, there is one judgment you should be concerned with, and who are you to judge. You aren’t Him. Not Jesus

Remember I just told you there is one way. Jesus is the way! He did it all! And we have to seek Him~

You want heaven, Run to the Rock.

Matthew 7:24–27 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

I want you all ready for judgement day. So remember the words of Jesus I am the Resurrection and the life He who believes in me though He may die yet shall he live and who ever lives and beleives in me will never die

Seek the Savior, the Narrow way!

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:9–10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

That is the rock of your salvation, the stone which the builders rejected, on Him is solid ground everything else, is sinking sand and on judgment day you better be looking at him

Benediction

James 2:13 “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”