PS-F 01 Introduction

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Jesus seems to want us to know God. If we know God, what do we get? (John 17:3) Eternal life

How can we be instructed to know God? What has God given us to know Him? (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Scripture

Does God care about me?

1 Timothy 2:3–4 NASB95

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Does God care about you? About anyone? Yes

How do you know? He desires all men to be saved

Notice: God wants two things…what are those two things?

1. All men to be saved

2. All men to come to the knowledge of the truth

How are we going to do these things?

Building a Spiritual House

Jesus Used a Similar Illustration

Matthew 7:24–27 NASB95

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

Two Houses:

Wise

Foolish

What is the coming storm?

Understanding Context:

Understanding the context of a passage means we understand WHAT is being said, TO WHOM it is being said, and what the CIRCUMSTANCES were for WHY it was being said. Further, we understand all these categories in their original setting (often, some 2,000-3,500 years or more in the past in cultures long since dead).

The best way to study a passage is to understand the surrounding context. Let’s better understand Matthew 7:24-27’s context (and see what that coming storm is all about).

Matthew 7:13–23 NASB95

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “So then, you will know them by their fruits. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

What is the context of this passage, as Jesus begins in Matthew 7:13-14?

The gates that lead to life or destruction

There are two gates which lead to life (narrow) and destruction (wide)

Next, Jesus begins discussing fruit and trees in Matthew 7:15-20

What are the trees in this context? (Matthew 7:15) The false prophets

What, therefore, must be the fruit? Their teaching

Why might Jesus be talking first about the gates, then about these prophets/teachers? The false teachers are what lead the people toward the wide gates of destruction

Next, Jesus gives a warning in Matthew 7:21-23

What is on that day Jesus refers to? The Judgment Day

Who are the surprised people? They thought they were going to be good

Were these people religious or not? They were religious (involved in casting out demons, etc.)

What was wrong? Why weren’t they included? They did not do the will of the Father

Context: What is the storm referred to in Matthew 7:24-27? The storm of Judgment Day

The wide and narrow gates (destruction)

The false prophets (thrown into fire)

Those who did not do the will of the Father (will not enter)

Those who did not build upon obedience to Jesus’ word (house destroyed)

Expectations

Safe Place

Ask questions

Seek answers

Answer questions (it’s okay to be wrong)

Examine the text

Challenges

I will challenge you

Please feel free to challenge me

Goal: Growing spiritually as we seek to get to know and please God with our lives.

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