Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew 7:13-14

“Life concentrates on man at the cross-roads”

Choice has been put before man.

In perfect harmony with His absolute sovereignty, God has always allowed men to choose Him or not, and He has always pleaded with them to decide for Him or face the consequences of a choice against Him.

That choice has been set before mankind from the beginning:

Mt 7:13 begins the application of the Lord’s sermon—the call to choose which side of righteousness you will be on.

It is the call the choose one right vs. many wrongs.

The call to choose one true way vs. many false ways.

John Stott:

We would all prefer to be given many more choices than only one, or better still to fuse them all into a conglomerate religion, thus eliminating the need for any choice.

But Jesus cuts across our easy-going syncretism.

The contrast Jesus makes is not between religion and irreligion, or between the higher religions and the lower ones.

Nor is it a contrast between nice and upright people and vile and degraded ones.

It is a contrast between divine righteousness and human righteousness, all of which is unrighteousness.

It is a contrast between divine revelation and human religion, between divine truth and human falsehood, between trusting in God and trusting in self.

It is the contrast between God’s grace and man’s works.

two systems of religion in the world.

One is God’s system of divine accomplishment, and the other is man’s system of human achievement.

From here to the end of SOM: Jesus repeatedly points out two things: the necessity of choosing whether to follow God or not, and the fact that the choices are two and only two.

There are two gates, the narrow and the wide; two ways, the narrow and the broad; two destinations, life and destruction; two groups, the few and the many; two kinds of trees, the good and the bad, which produce two kinds of fruit, the good and the bad; two kinds of people who profess faith in Jesus Christ, the sincere and the false; two kinds of builders, the wise and the foolish; two foundations, the rock and the sand; and two houses, the secure and the insecure.

In all preaching there must be the demand for a verdict.

Jesus makes the choice crystal clear.

The question: Why One Way?

How can we know it is the one true way?

Jesus presents 4 sets of contrasts: 2 paths, 2 gates, 2 destinations, 2 crowds.

The Two Gates

Narrow vs. wide.

“enter” is AAImp—demands definite and specific action.

Why is the gate narrow(small)?

God’s righteousness vs. Jewish traditions

God’s revelation vs. man’s wisdom

To enter this gate, what would be some of the baggage that can’t be brought in?

(sin, selfish ambition, covetousness, even if necessary family and friends) deny self

Luke 18:18–23 (NASB95) Rich Young Ruler

What is Jesus saying by contrasting that to the “Wide” gate?

What are characteristics of its wideness?

How does someone take the first step of “entering”?

Charles Spurgeon said, “You and your sins must separate or you and your God will never come together.

No one sin may you keep; they must all be given up, they must be brought out like Canaanite kings from the cave and be hanged up in the sun.”

The First Step is Repentance: (what is the evidence of repentance?—changed life)

The Two Paths (ways)

The narrow way is the way of the godly, and the broad way is the way of the ungodly—and those are the only two ways in which men can travel.

the easy, attractive, inclusive, indulgent, permissive, and self-oriented way of the world.

There are few rules, few restrictions, and few requirements.

All you need do is profess Jesus, or at least be religious, and you are readily accepted in that large and diverse group.

Sin is tolerated, truth is moderated, and humility is ignored.

God’s Word is praised but not studied, and His standards are admired but not followed.

This way requires no spiritual maturity, no moral character, no commitment, and no sacrifice.

The 2 ways contrasted are: hard way vs. easy way; narrow vs. broad; ‘roomy’ and ‘restricted’

It is a fact that revealed truth imposes a limitation on what Christians may believe, and revealed goodness on how we may behave.

And in a sense this is ‘hard’.

Yet in another sense, as Chrysostom pointed out centuries ago, Christ’s hard and narrow way is also to be welcomed as his ‘easy yoke’ and ‘light burden’.2

It is not for those want a cheap and easy way to assure heaven, while continuing to live their own selfish and worldly lives on earth.

Jesus only saves those for whom He becomes Lord.

Sadly, most people think that heaven can be obtained on much easier terms than those prescribed by Christ.

William Hendriksen comments,

The Kingdom then is not for weaklings, waverers, and compromisers.…

It is not for Balaam, the rich young ruler, Pilate and Demas.…

It is not won by means of deferred prayers, unfulfilled promises, broken resolutions and hesitant testimonies.

It is for strong and sturdy men, like Joseph, Nathan, Elijah, Daniel, Mordecai and Peter … Stephen … and Paul.

And let us not forget such valiant women as Ruth, Deborah, Esther and Lydia.

(Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973], p. 490)

Next time we’ll look at the 2 destinations and 2 crowds.

Thoughts?