Commands of Christ-24a

Wednesday, June 22, 2022 Commands of Christ – 24a

A Christian's Relationships: To False Prophets

Last week we looked at Jesus’ command in:

Read Matthew 7:12

Matthew 7:12 (NASB95) “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12 (TPT) “In everything you do, be careful to treat others in the same way you’d want them to treat you, for that is the essence of all the teachings of the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12 (CJB) “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that sums up the teaching of the Torah and the Prophets.

It commands us to empathize with others. Because that is what WE want others to do for us.

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) Empathy

2: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner also: the capacity for this

2. In what sense does this rule sum up the Law and the Prophets?

Matthew 22:36–40 (NASB95) “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Doing this enables us to obey what Jesus said were the greatest commands:

Love God

Love others as ourselves

3. How would the world be different if we all lived by the Golden Rule?

Study 24:

1. Why are people likely to follow popular leaders or celebrities?

I asked my granddaughter about a show that she watches incessantly. It’s because she wants to BE the lead character: A good student (but not a nerd) (rare for children’s shows), beautiful and live an exciting life.

So do we follow them because we want to BE them?

2. Why are most people apt to believe in heaven but quick to dismiss the reality of hell?

God is love.

But He is also a righteous God.

Ephesians 2:8–10 (NASB95) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Think about how this lines up with one of the 7 parts of a Biblical worldview.

Heaven would not be heaven with all of the world’s failings there to torment us.

Revelation 21:8 (NASB95) “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Revelation 21:27 (NASB95) and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 22:15 (NASB95) Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

We will deal with false prophets, but let us start with

The history of the Christian church has been a long and dreary story of controversy with false teachers. Their value, in the overruling providence of God, is that they have presented the church with a challenge to think out and define truth. But they have also caused much damage. Jesus' warning "Watch out for false prophets" (Matthew 7:15) is addressed to us all. If the church had heeded his warning and applied the tests in this passage, it would not be in the perilous state of theological and moral confusion in which it finds itself today.

Read: Matthew 7:13-14

3. What command did Jesus give His followers in this passage? (7:13)

Enter through the narrow gate.

4. What exactly are we called to enter? Why? (7:13)

5. How are the two gates different (Matthew 7:13-14)?

Storms:

1. Which is first, the way or the gate?

Does a person enter through the gate in order to walk down the way, or does he first walk down the way in order to reach and go through the gate?

Probably the former.

The Gate is mentioned first, referring most likely to conversion.

The way, a possible reference to the Christian life, most likely comes second.

Pilgrim’s Progress describes Christian’s journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City.

There is a path that leads to the gate.

There are dangers and dangerous people who want to keep us from the gate.

There are people who want us to stay in the City of Destruction ( Obstinate and Pliable)

Then there are dangers and dangerous people who want to keep us from the Celestial City.

Perhaps Jesus is commanding those who, aware of the coming destruction through the power of the Holy Spirit, have traveled to the 2 gates and have make a decision.

Jesus is clear in His command: enter the narrow gate.

Storms goes on to say:

2. Let me describe the scene this metaphor is designed to portray.

The first thing we see are the two gates.

The gate leading to the easy way is wide, for it is a simple matter to get on to the easy road.

There is plenty of light shining on the path.

People are going through ten, twenty, even thirty abreast, all arm in arm.

They are driving cars through with luggage racks filled to capacity, some even pulling overloaded U-hauls behind them!

As Stott says,

“we need leave nothing behind, not even our sins, self-righteousness or pride. The gate leading to the hard way, on the other hand, is narrow. One has to look for it to find it. It is easy to miss. As Jesus said in another connection, it is as narrow as a needle’s eye.

Matthew 19:23–26 (NASB95) And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Further, in order to enter it we must leave everything behind—sin, selfish ambition, covetousness, even if necessary family and friends. For no one can follow Christ who has not first denied himself” (194–95).

Matthew 16:24 (NASB95) Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

The Wicket Gate in Pilgrim’s Progress is (according to Wikipedia) … was a narrow gate into a city that allowed the city] to avoid the risk of having to open the main gates to the castle or city for just one or two individuals on foot. Because the wicket was only one person wide, it only allowed entry one at a time and enabled the guards to better control access.

Croquette game has wickets — only one ball wide

Storms says:

I would suggest that the narrow gate is actually a turnstile!

No one enters the kingdom as part of a group.

Your affiliation with this church, your citizenship in this country, will do you no good.

The gate admits only one person at a time.

The decision is yours. It is personal. It is individual, not collective.

You cannot enter the kingdom on the coattails of a believing parent or spouse or child.

Describe the wide gate and wide road:

Storms:

The way that is on the other side of the wide and glittering gate has accommodations everywhere: rest stops, a Holiday Inn every few miles, gift shops, gas stations, etc.

There are countless people along the way, seemingly happy and carefree, all of them encouraging you to follow: “It’s so easy. It’s so uncomplicated. It’s so free!”

As Stott says,

“there is plenty of room on it for diversity of opinions and laxity of morals (no one will ever question your beliefs or criticize your behavior).

It is the road of tolerance and permissiveness.

It has no curbs, no boundaries of either thought or conduct” (194).

6. In what sense is the gate of Christianity small and the road narrow?

Storms:

On the other hand, you can also see through the narrow gate. Beyond it there are few accommodations, few people.

It is often lonely, difficult, and seemingly barren.

But then you do see something along the way: a cross (Mt. 10:37–39).

The boundaries of this way “are clearly marked.

Its narrowness is due to something called ‘divine revelation,’ which restricts pilgrims to the confines of what God has revealed in Scripture to be true and good” (Stott, 194).

Both gates claim to be the way to God.

The wide gate is not marked, “This way to Hell.” It is labelled “Heaven,” the same as the narrow gate.

But it does not lead there.

Satan is a master of religious deception.

He constructs his gate so that it will look like the door to heaven.

Remember the words of Solomon: “There is a way that seemeth right to man, but its end is death” (Prov. 16:25).

I agree with Stott that “there is considerable danger that the picture I am painting will be thought dull gray, not to say morbid; and so I hasten to add certain caveats to what I have just said.

There is a whole spectrum of joys and freedoms for the Christian.

The deepest joy is joy in personally knowing God through Christ, just as the deepest human joys have always been close, personal friendships.

There is the liberty of sins forgiven and of progressive triumph over temptation.

New loves and friendships mushroom with other disciples of Christ [see Mark 10:29ff.].…

As the Godhead becomes the center of the Christian’s thinking, all of life takes on a new and fascinating attraction as he glimpses the wholeness of things under God.”

7. Why do you think many people dislike the notion that there is only one true gate, road and destination?

Storms: Finally, we should note the size of the crowd on the respective roads. This tells us two things.

First, God’s way cannot be discovered by appeal to a majority opinion. But can so many be wrong? Yes!

Second, the narrow way cannot be pursued as long as we cater to the masses, as long as our actions are motivated by a desire to please others.

The narrow way wins few popularity contests.

But are there not as many gates as there are religions and philosophies? No.

There are only two ways which lead to one of two destinies: life or death.

Gandhi once said: “It was impossible for me to believe that I could go to heaven or attain salvation only by becoming a Christian.… It was more than I could believe that Jesus was the only incarnate son of God, and that only he who believed in him would have everlasting life.… I could accept Jesus as a martyr, an embodiment of sacrifice, and a divine teacher, but not as the most perfect man ever born. His death on the cross was a great example to the world, but that there was anything like a mysterious or miraculous virtue in it my heart could not accept.”

8. What is encouraging about Christ’s words?

By God’s grace there IS a narrow gate and narrow road.

God didn’t have to give it to us.

We should also be encouraged about the way of escape of temptation:

1 Corinthians 10:13–14 (NASB95) No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

9. What broad roads did you travel before you met Christ?

The road of my own desires — they certainly led to destruction and death.

10. How did you find Christ? What was your entry through the narrow gate like?

I had to give up my pride and become a weeping young man at an altar.

I had to give up my old friends and acquaintances (my best friend was livid!)

11. What wide gates and broad roads are some of your acquaintances following?

12. How might you respond to the charge that Christians are narrow-minded and arrogant?

May God deliver us from arrogance, but faith and confidence could be thus interpreted.

13. In what sense is it narrow-minded to believe in Christ?

Acts 4:8–13 (NASB95) Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, 9 if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 “He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. 12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” 13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.

14. Why do many people prefer the broad way that leads to destruction?

15. Why is it difficult to stay on the narrow road?

16. What kind of inner alarm (if any) alerts you to the fact that a person is a phony?

16. Why is it significant that Jesus' warning about false prophets (Matthew 7:15-20) comes immediately after his discussion of the narrow and wide gates?

17. Jesus says that false prophets "come to you in sheep's clothing" (Matthew 7:15)? What disguises might they wear today (see Matthew 7:21-23)?

So many people today think they are doing a good job of keeping an eye out for false prophets. And yet, many are sitting in the room with them unaware, serving them coffee and cookies.

“For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:5

We read this verse and often think we’re looking for a man dressed in a white robe with long hair proclaiming that he is literally Jesus.

What I believe Jesus was saying was that many would come in His Name (representing Him) and claim “I have the real Christ,” (a better and more acceptable concept of Christ) and deceive many.

In many churches today a false Christ is being preached. He’s a Christ that overlooks sin, and loves people so much he would never say, “Depart from me.” He doesn’t want to offend anyone, so he never preaches against sin. He wants everyone to see him as tolerant and accepting. He hangs out with sinners and shows them love by participating in their sins. He would never ask them to do such a thing as to pick up their cross and follow him.

He tells people it’s easy to be a Christian, and very little is expected of them as long as they’ve purchased their ticket to heaven. He preaches prosperity on earth as well as in heaven. He says all roads lead to heaven and he’s not the only way. Choose your own path. He encourages you to serve yourself instead of him or others. To many he sounds like an awesome dude. Who wouldn’t want to jump on board with him?

I’m sure you could probably add to the list of things he probably teaches and preaches. Because he is a false Christ. He is not the Jesus I, and many of you have come to know, love, honor, and serve.

Which Jesus do you believe in? We live in a society who has made Jesus whatever they want Him to be. They serve their own concept of Jesus, and have been deceived.

Paul was very clear about this in his instruction to the Galatians.

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8

I take that very seriously, and I certainly don’t want to be cursed. That’s why I must preach and speak truth. Souls are valuable to Jesus, and He doesn’t want anyone to be led astray. The warnings are severe for leaders, and I want to be sure I’m doing what God has called me to do.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” Revelation 19:11-16

I love you! Donna Sparks DonnaSparks.com

18. Why do we continue to be deceived by false prophets if we have Christ in our heart and the Holy Spirit in our lives?

19. In what sense are these false prophets like ferocious wolves?

20. Jesus also says, "By their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:16). What kind of fruit does he have in mind?

How can the quality of the fruit reveal the quality of the tree?

21. How can we keep from becoming "witch hunters" as we seek to recognize false prophets?

21. "Everytree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 7:19). How can this warning to false prophets also keep us from becoming complacent as Christians?

22. What does this passage tell us about the importance of doing good works?

23. How do good works and salvation fit together?

LifeGuide Topical Bible Studies - Sermon on the Mount. & Adult Questions for LESSONMaker.