Lord, Lord...
Notes
Transcript
Intro
A student’s senior year is a joyous occasion in which one will celebrate the completion of hard work done. The senior is super excited while slightly saddened by the finishing of high school. I remember graduating from high school and being more concerned about what was to take place afterward. Crucial questions regarding life flood the minds of high school seniors such as what do I do next? Do I go to college? Do I join the workforce? Should I move off to attend college? Should I stay close to home? Will I need a job while in college? Should I take out a loan? What do I want to do with my life? Do I really want to be a nurse, teacher, accountant, air conditioning technician, mechanic, or small business owner? Who am I?
While these questions flood the mind of the senior, it often comes to the neglect of more crucial questions. What most times takes place is an over-complication of life. As this next phase of life begins to take form, a relationship with Christ can hit the bottom of the agenda. It can fade away. One can seemingly be so consumed with what is next in this earthly life that it comes to the neglect of their eternal spiritual life. This not only happens to the senior graduating high school worried about the future. This happens to mature adults as well. We are so consumed with our lives and status that we forget life is all about dying to ourselves to honor God. That is the commitment we made in Christ upon our salvation. In getting burdened down constantly looking to what is next, we neglect to look at where we are spiritually and how we are being used for God’s glory.
In fact, Jesus tells us that life is not a breeze for the Christian. Instead, it is a narrow road that not many will walk down. It is a hard road that continues to get harder at each phase of life. Not only is it hard, but few will find it and take it. Notice the word FEW. That word should shake us to the core this morning. The cost of following Christ is high, but the paw off is eternal.
Let’s look at what Jesus preaches in His Sermon on the Mount.
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.
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Pray.
Jesus has already been preaching the Sermon on the Mount for two chapters, and now, He is coming to a close of the sermon. However, He does not lose His energy or meaning as He winds down. He reveals to us three things here: Following Christ is hard, Be on Guard against false teachers, and Cling to Him.
Following Christ in a lost and dying world is hard, but it leads to life!
Following Christ in a lost and dying world is hard, but it leads to life!
As Jesus preaches to this crowd on the mountain, He brings everything that He has just preach to culmination in order to now turn to His listeners and ask what they will do with what He has presented. Not only that, but Jesus has just outlined these two paths to be taken. There is the narrow gate and the wide gate. One leads to life while the other leads to destruction. Likewise, there is no third or fourth option. There is only the narrow and the wide gates. Understand this as well. Each and everyone of us are on one of these paths. We are either on the wide gate headed for destruction or we are on the narrow gate heading for life. If you think you are on a different path you are not. You are on one of the two. Let’s evaluate these two paths Jesus speaks of.
The wide path.
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.
Jesus begins by calling His listeners to enter by the narrow gate. Then, He quickly turns His attention to the wide gate. This is a wide gate that is easy to locate and enter, and it is easy to take. That is what makes it so appealing. Life is easy if you take this path. There are no thorns, thistles, rocks, inclines, or cliffs. On this path, anything goes and all is well. There are no boundaries and there are no judgments. Notice, many will enter and take this road. Therefore, the one who takes this road will never be alone. In fact, one may always have someone by their side to cheer them on in this path. Life is easy and a breeze; however, its end is destruction.
It is easy because this is the nature of humanity. Humanity’s nature was corrupted in the fall. In that, man sinned against God. As man sinned against God in Adam, all are now born with a sin-fallen nature. We are all born unable to honor God on our own. But Jesus came to set things right. Jesus stepped down from heaven lived a holy and sinless life. Then, He was crucified on the cross of calvary to pay the price for us. In doing so, sin was paid for and at His resurrection, death, sin, and satan were defeated.
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Notice, two camps still exist. Owen Strachan points out that there are two camps: the camp of condemnation in Adam and the camp of salvation in Jesus Christ. There are two paths. The wide path is the path of Adam in which sin reigns and condemnation is certain.
This is a complete picture of our current world. This is the world of anything goes and everything is okay and good as long as it is not of Christ. On this path anything goes. There are no boundaries and everything is good as long as it pertains to how one feels. On this path there are no absolutes everything is relative. This is the path of the world. We see this in everyday life.
No morality is found anymore. Whatever is thought of goes. You can no longer tell anyone they are wrong on this way because everything is good. This is the way of supposed no limitations. There are no boundaries to what one thinks.
This is the way of our world and it is purely sinful. Seniors this is the world that you are heading into, and adults this is the world that you are currently in. A world with no morals, no concern about God, no regard for human life, complete denial of human sinfulness, complete denial of Christ, and a world that is headed for utter destruction. This is why homosexuality, trangenderism, secularism, and abortion are on the rise. The sin of this world is growing further and further away from God.
Many will take this path. The majority of the world is on this path; therefore, it is easy to take this road. It is easy to walk in accordance with this way because you will have friends, popularity, earthly success, temporary fun, and can live in complete sin with no regard for God. But the end is destruction.
Then, there is the narrow gate.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
The narrow gate provides the opposite side. The narrow gate is hard to take and few find it. The narrow gate or path is the way that leads to life. Likewise it is narrow and never broadens. Now, this is not particularly a call to be narrow minded; however, this is a call to trust in Christ alone and in trusting in Him our thoughts are narrowed as they are centered upon His Word. In contrast to the wide path, the narrow path is hard to go down. Jesus is completely upfront about this fact. Jesus does not display and claim that following Him will be easy. In fact, He explicitly says that to follow Him is hard. It is difficult. Likewise, this path is not difficult just for a little while. The path is constantly narrow and never widens. Jesus tells us that directly. However, this path leads to light. Meaning, for those who repent, believe, and trust in Jesus will have a tough road, but that road will result in eternal life because of Christ’s atoning work on the cross that has paid the price for your sins. Understand that one must enter this gate alone. No one else can bring you to the gate. What I mean is that no one else can bring you to salvation. Salvation is in Christ alone and you, yourself must hear the Gospel and repent and believe. If you do not, you remain in your sin. If you do repent and believe you will enter through the narrow gate that is Christ and receive salvation.
It will lead to life because you have trust in the true one that gives life. True life is found in Christ Jesus and in Him alone. Not in anyone else. And to follow Christ means to die to yourself.
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
To follow Christ means to die to yourself and to live for Christ. This verse becomes more and more true as the time of Jesus’s return draws near. This world is moving further and further from God’s Word each and every day.
As a guy who did enter into college, seniors I am here to tell, you better know exactly where you stand in your relationship with Christ. You will be challenged. You will be pushed. You will be confronted. Adults in the work place. You are being confronted, pushed, and challenged each and every day. However, are you submitting or standing on the Word of God. If you are standing on God’s Word you are bowing to the world. You must determine where you are and what path you are on.
If you are in Christ, the way in narrow and hard. You will lose friends. You will stand alone at times. But understand that in the end there is life.
R. Kent Hughes writes, “The narrow way is completely fulfilling. It provides freedom and joy. And ultimately it leads to eternal life that Jesus defines as knowing Him and the Father.”
If you are in Christ, this life is not our only hope. Eternal life with Christ is our hope that makes this life of difficulty bearable. Life for the believer is tough, but faith in Christ assures that this life is not all.
Be on guard, false teachers abound, keeping people on the wide way!
Be on guard, false teachers abound, keeping people on the wide way!
As Jesus finishes speaking about the two paths, He then warns His listeners about false prophets. Notice what He says,
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Jesus warns and calls us to be on the look out for false prophets. He describes them as wolves in sheep’s clothing. Jesus is using this illustration to make His point about how dangerous such false prophets are. The will come with the appearance of a sheep or a Christian. They will appear as though they are truly following Christ. Their falseness will be subtle as they will seek to hide it. They may look the part, say the right things, and even have the right education; however, they are wolves in sheep’s clothing Likewise, Jesus promises that they will come. False Prophets are certain.
Jesus further affirms this in Matthew 24:11.
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
False prophets are pointed out here by Jesus. He assures His listeners that they will come. Then, He gives them advice regarding recognizing these false prophets.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
As sure as these false prophets arise, they will be recognizable. Jesus says that we will recognize them by their fruits. What Jesus is saying here is that a false prophet will be easily recognizable because they will not produce good fruit or they will not produce Christ-exalting results. The fruit that they produce will be good for nothing. Understand that the teaching that is false will take root in the life of the hearers and what will result is a produce of fruit that is rotten with heresy and destructive nonsense that is not found in the Word of God. Therefore, in evaluating a the fruit of a preacher, R. Kent Hughes suggest that his doctrine and moral life be evaluated. We must understand that doctrine divides.
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Faith in Christ sets us on the narrow path calling us to be wholly devoted to Christ above all else. On this narrow path, we stand for the proper teaching and understanding of God’s Word even when it is not popular according to our modern culture. Even when it costs us dearly, we must stand on the Word of God above all else.
This is why it is vital that each and every Christian know the Word. In essence, this is why it is vital that every Christian know his or her Bible. False teachers are here and will continue to persist. How will we spot a false teacher if we do not know what the Scripture says?
Furthermore, I have no idea where this ideology came from that says student and adults cannot understand theology, doctrine, or God’s Word. Where did that come from?
It is ironic to me that students can apply themselves to understand calculus, algebra, geometry, all the while memorizing an entire playbook, and know the entire storyline a the Marvel movies that just came out. Adults can tell you ever detail of car from front to back, memorize and quote tv shows, tell you every aspect of a celebrity’s life, and keep up with the recruiting class of Alabama football. Then, when it comes to Scripture, we had better not teach it too deep because someone might not understand it. I think the proper response is that we teach Scripture rightly, fully, and all for God’s glory in order that we have healthy churches that are able to stand on God’s Word in order that the church will stop living defeated under the weight of a world that is growing constantly toward sin. How did we ever get to a place in which sports, education, and work are more important than the church?!!! The truth of the matter is not that Scripture is to hard to understand. The truth of the matter is that the love for God’s Word has declined within the Church.
Again, seniors and adults, we had better know our Bible because false teachers are here now and will continue to come. And if we do not know Scripture, we will not be able to stand upon God’s Word when the world stands against it.
False teaching seeps into the church all the time. Teachings such as the idea that everyone will go to heaven regardless of what faith they are. False teachers will claim that God loves everyone; therefore, He will not allow anyone to go to hell. I am just here to tell you, that is complete and total garbage.
The truth of Scripture tells us, in fact, Jesus tells us
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is the only way to salvation. God does have love for everyone; however, God only has a saving love for those who repent and believe in Jesus. Jesus the way. This points us back to the narrow way. Christ is the only way to the Father. We are only saved by repenting of our sin and placing our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross. If we do not repent and believe, we are left in our sinful state to appear before God and will be sentenced to eternity in hell.
False teachers never speak of humanity’s sinfulness and need for a Savior.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
All of us have sin and fall short of God’s glorious standard which is perfection. We all have sinned against Him.
False teachers never tell you that following Christ will be tough and contain persecution and suffering. This truth of Scripture has seemingly left the church today.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Suffering is sure but victory is found in Christ Jesus our Lord who has overcome the world with His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.
False teachers are more concerned with the crowd and production value of a service than with the spiritual maturation and purity of the church.
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
The church is called to be devoted to God because we belong to Him. The church was purchased by the blood of Christ on the cross and must devote herself to God’s Word, worship, fellowship, discipleship, and evangelism. If a church never opens God’s Word, my advice is to run as far away from that church as fast as you can. Notice what Jesus says the tree that bears bad fruit is worth, to be thrown into the fire. The false teacher that leads people astray and does not preach the Word of God is worthy of hell.
Ultimately, false teachers seek to mold God into who they would like for Him to be. I was watching a debate last week in which a woke “Christian” had shaped God to be what he wanted Him to be. However, Scripture gives us the clearest understand of God. We cannot shape God into our own image. God reveals to us in His Word exactly who He is. Therefore, we read God’s Word which tells us who God is. This is God’s special revelation to man and we must understand it. Likewise, Romans 9:20 says,
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”
We have no right to speak back to the molder that is God. God has molded us. Therefore, we have no right to mold Him however we would like.
Always evaluate the teaching that you hear. This is vital to the health of the church. Seniors along with every other believer, I urge you to know God’s Word and to stand by it.
Cling to Christ, eager to cry out Lord, Lord when you stand before Him!
Cling to Christ, eager to cry out Lord, Lord when you stand before Him!
As we look at the narrow gate and the truth regarding false teachers, it is important that we cling to Christ relying upon Christ as we will one day stand before God.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
These are some of the scariest verses in all of Scripture; however, these words from Jesus scare us because we know that they are true. Jesus has pointed out that the narrow way is the hard way that leads to life. Furthermore, He has revealed that false teachers will come and seek to lead people astray. Now, we see the results. This is pointing to the final judgment. The Day of the Lord when the judgment will take place.
Some of those on the last day will be sinners that were led astray by false teaching. False teaching leads people to walk down the wide path. As the sinner is convince that he or she is saved utter sadness will take place on the day in which he or she stands before God. As the false teacher had led them astray and they never come to repentance and faith in Christ, the sinner will cry out Lord, Lord but the answer will be depart from me for I never knew you.
Then, there will be some who have been in churches their whole lives, served, been a deacon, even been a pastor. They will stand before God. As they cry out Lord, Lord, devastation will come upon them as they never repented and placed their faith in Christ. As they stand before God, they will point to their resume of religious deeds such as casting out demons, prophesying, and doing mighty works. However, this will not be enough. They walked down the wide path that was easy and led to destruction. They did not find and take the narrow gate that is Jesus Christ. Because of that, Christ will declare He never knew them.
This declaration does not mean that Jesus did not know them for instance their identity. This is a declaration that Jesus did not know them salvifically. God’s saving love was not upon them because of their rejection of Him and their practice of lawlessness. Their final sentence is to hell.
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
How sad. How tragic. How true.
What is even more tragic is the fact that there will be many who do this. Verse 22 says many will say Lord, Lord and list their deeds.
For those who are in Christ, this day will be glorious. This will be the day whenever we stand before our Father. This will be the day when we go home to be with Christ. What will we do? We will stand before God clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
God made Jesus Christ to be sin even though He never once sinned. He did this in order that we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus took your place on the cross to bear God’s wrath in order that we are saved. That is the glorious grace that we bask in if we are in Christ.
As we stand before God on that day, Steve Lawson writes,
There but for the grace of God, we would suffer the same torment. There but for the grace of God, we would be judged and condemned. There but for the grace of God, we would be damned forever. The only difference between us and those who will be condemned at the great white throne judgment is the unconditional love and unmerited favor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every one of us who believes in Jesus Christ deserves to be condemned at this great white throne judgment. We likewise should be cast down into the lake of fire, for we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Yet, God has taken our many sins and placed them behind His back. Jesus has removed our iniquities from us as far as the east is from the west. Christ has washed away our sins, imputed His perfect righteousness to us, and covered us with His blood, so that our sins will never be brought into account before God. (https://www.ligonier.org/blog/final-judgment-and-christian-life/)
We will stand before God with unmerited grace through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
As we entered in through the door that is Jesus Christ. As we walked the narrow hard path. Our reward will be eternal life with Christ the King.
Jesus loves us so much that He went to the cross of calvary though never committing sin. He endured that cross for our sake. His blood was poured out all for us. Then, after He died, He did not stay dead. He rose from the grave victorious over sin, satan, and death. Now, to those who repent and believe, the narrow road will be tough but the grace of God toward us places us in heaven with the Savior for all eternity!
Will you say Lord, Lord or will you have the righteousness of Jesus clothed upon you?