Be on Guard

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. 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!’

Tonight we are going to be talking about something that becomes important as we start to grow in our walks with Christ.

Lets be honest here we as young adults as we grow do not plan on staying here in Laughlin. If there was anything that you should pay attention do it would be this.

We are going to talking about being ready to give defense of the Word of God. In order for us to do that we will have to look at the thought of one simple question.

How do you know what the person that is teaching the bible is teaching the word of God without changing words around?

As we look at answering this question we are going to look at three sections in this Passage that is going to explain why this is so important.

First

The Narrow Gate

Matthew 7:13–14 CSB

I want us to notice that this set of verses is saying it Is a narrow gate for us to get in to the kingdom of Heaven.

What does that mean for us. There is very few of of the world that would go through that gate.

Meaning if we as Christ take the easy way out of thing and try to follow the world because we know that they will not judge all we are doing is condemning ourselves.

WE are called to set the standard. We are called to take the path that is difficult meaning we will be persecuted we will be tested and will go through hard times.

Second step

Be on Guard

Matthew 7:15–20 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.

This is where we are called to get involved we the way that we learn. We are always called to double and triple check the person that is quoting or teaching Scripture.

When we follow someone that teaches false doctrine it leads in to us teaching others that is wrong and all we are doing is leading them down a path that leads to hell.

As we study the scripture we should be able know who teaches false just by the way the conduct themselves and by the way that they speak.

Finally we should be quick to cut down the tree that doesn't produce good fruit. we should be quick to stop the people that teach false in order to save someone from having to relearn how to follow Christ.

Trust the Lord

Matthew 7:21–23 CSB

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!’

The most important thing that we have to do is fully trust in Christ. this passage tells us that all of us will meet with him one day. The scary part about that is some of us will be turned away because we never really believed.