Sermon Tone Analysis

Vision Moment:

8 years old

OTP this afternoon

Prayer for hurricane victims in Florida and the Carolinas

Thanksgiving for the return of Pastor Brunson

Introduction

Jesus is landing the plane, but just before he is officially finished with this sermon he wants his listeners to walk away knowing that the time they had just spent listening to Jesus was going to be a literal life-changing moment.

Jesus wants to make it crystal clear that they could not walk away and go about their lives, business as usual.

They were going to have to ponder on what he had taught them and decide whether Jesus was the type of Rabbi (Master teacher) they could spend the rest of their lives following.

Did they really want to experience the Kingdom of Heaven?

Did they really want things on earth to be as it is in heaven?

Did they really want Jesus

Did they really want to experience the Kingdom of Heaven?

Did they really want things on earth to be as it is in heaven?

There is an intended heaviness in the words of Jesus, he’s about to speak about eschatological judgement.

He’s looking at the crowd (undoubtedly with compassion) and calling them to follow Him.

So, I want you to imagine yourself sitting on the hillside, looking up at Jesus.

You’ve heard him talk about what real human flourishing looks like in the beatitudes.

You’ve listened as he confronted a faulty interpretation of the law; that somehow all YHWH cares about is outward adherence to the law.

You’ve heard him say that “you must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

You’ve listened as he explained that the spiritual disciplines of giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting are meant to be motivated by the truth that Your Father sees beyond what you give, pray, or fast, he sees your heart; stop trying to be a professional performer.

And you’ve hung your head as he’s talked to you, poor and unknown in your society, about how you view material things, and judging others, and summarized his teaching on ethics by saying, “Because of a renewed understanding of your Father, you’re free to do unto others the way you would have them to do to you.”

And in His final words of the sermon, he doesn’t just come as the wise sage, or even the gifted Rabbi, he comes as the very revelation of YHWH, his words bear divine authoritative weight.

And his closing words are like a wise Sage who is warning their grand child that things aren’t always the way they appear.

Take the road less travelled, don’t listen to the used car salesman, and by all means don’t take short cuts when you’re building something.

Church, Jesus is still speaking these warnings to each one of us today.

Do you want to experience the Kingdom of Heaven?

Do you really want things in your life to be as it is in heaven?

Is Jesus worthy enough to be your Master-Teacher?

Let’s listen intently to the three warnings of Jesus:

Warning 1: Don’t Choose the Broad Path that Leads to the Broad Gate because it Leads to Destruction

Matt 7:13

What is the narrow gate?

What is the narrow path?

Is Jesus sending us on a chase to find the code that cracks the good life?

Metaphors help us grasp a complex idea with a simple picture

So what would first century Jews see when Jesus talks about gates and ways?

This is the two ways of with Adam and Eve

The two ways Moses laid out for the Israelites in ,

The two ways Joshua laid out before the same people Joshua 24:15

The two ways of with the “Blessed man and the way of the wicked”

The concept is not difficult to see, but what do they represent?

But I had this mom and this grandma who felt like (even after I’d gone through all of my driver’s training and passed) I wasn’t really ready to drive.

They said,

Humanistic vs. Christianity

Good behavior vs. Bad behavior

What has Jesus been contrasting the entire sermon?

Teleios (whole person righteousness) vs. Hypokrinomai (pretending to live one way, but in the heart live a completely different way)

The narrow path is a path that is hard, narrow, less travelled, because it involves knowing yourself, being honest about who you really are.

How is that hard?

Humility

Vulnerability

Exposed

Apologizing

Forgiving

Discipline

Following

Submitting

In almost any society, do those words represent strength or weakness?

Positive or negative?

Relating to God only at an external behavioral level leads to destruction but relating to God on a whole-person level leads to life.

Warning 2: Don’t Be Fooled, the Spectacular and Miraculous Does Not Prove Anything

Matt 7:15-

Jesus is never far from the main point of the sermon, “How does one experience a life of flourishing?”

We looked at both Second Temple Jewish thought - when things go smoothly, you’re living the good life

We looked at Greco-Roman thought - very little difference

Remember the Beatitudes

All people are taught and discipled and mentored by a particular worldview

Jesus’ warning is about being careful who you receive your teaching from

First word picture - wolves in sheep’s clothing

Just because a prophet doesn’t appear dangerous, you must look at their life

Second word picture - you’re looking at their life to see what the fruit of their life is

Third word picture - but Jesus is not so concerned about the magnitude of their works

When Nicodemus came to Jesus in , he said “We know you come from God, for no one can do the signs you do, unless God is with Him.”

Moses taught the Israelites to test the words of a prophet and if what he said did not take place, he was a false prophet

God has done powerful things through ungodly people

Saul prophesied

So how do we know if a prophet is false or true?

Good Works towards others = fruit (teleios)

What they teach, is not the first litmus test, rather is there consistency with their teaching and practice?

Do unto others...

Posture in approaching Jesus

Notice that they’re approaching Jesus with their list of accomplishments

Anyone who has been rescued by grace will come with nothing in their hands

Who did Jesus praise in the story of the tax collector praying in the temple and the pharisee praying in the temple?

3. Doing the Will of God

Not ambiguous

- do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God

candidly depicts the Scribes and Pharisees as those who take advantage of and oppress the weak...

Matthew 23:

Warning 3: Don’t Just Be An Informed Disciple, Be an Obedient Disciple

Jesus’ last warning holds up the example of two characters, the wise builder and the foolish builder

Jesus could have easily gotten his point across without the building metaphor, but he selects this one and the image is very vidid.

What makes the builders and their homes different?

They both hear the words of Jesus, so that means they’re both under His teaching

They both build homes

The difference is in the material used for the foundation, obedience to the teaching of Jesus

Substance in discipleship is not information, but transformation

In Jesus’ day the focus was on the externals and not much has changed

Pastors want their people and parents want their kids to “look the part”