Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Good morning and welcome back!

It is good to see everyone out this morning and good to see that no one ate too much or got hurt in the big shopping frenzy!

This morning I would like for you to start turning in your Bibles back to .

This morning we are going to finish up with chapter 7 and talk about three things.

We will be looking at the narrow way, bearing fruit, and building a house.

Three things that on the surface do not appear to have anything to do with one another.

But Jesus is going to tie them together to help us apply all of the concepts that he introduced during the Sermon on the Mount.

We actually finished the Sermon last Sunday night, but where we pick up this morning in verse 13, Jesus is going to begin the practical application of the Sermon.

Because, like anything else in life, if we do not know how to apply what we have learned, really what good is it?

It’s not.

So, here Jesus is going to tell them what the point of his sermon actually was.

And the main point for us is really for us to be sure we are who we claim to be.

So, this morning I am going to read you the entire passage and then we will get into it.

It is quite lengthy so I’d ask that you just remain seated.

Again, we are going to be looking at .

Matthew records this . . .

Scripture Focus

The Narrow Way

So, Jesus has just finished up the Sermon here, and just to recall, the last thing we talked about last week was verse 12, that states . . .

Which we know as the “Golden Rule.”

And the main point that we got from this last week was that we need to be treating other people the way that we would like to be treated.

Not how they treat us, but how we would want them to treat us.

And of course this is the whole meaning behind the Great Commandment to love God with all we are and to love others as ourselves.

So, Jesus now has them thinking about their lives and thinking about how they have been treating other people.

Specifically, Jesus is drawing a line between the people and the Pharisees because remember a couple of weeks ago Jesus told us that. . .

And a major part of that righteousness had to do with how they were treating other people.

They, in essence were being told that they needed to be treating other people better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, or the Sadducees.

And on a practical note, the Pharisees and Sadducees were really just a representation of the world and how the world treats other people.

What we need to take from this is that we need to be treating people differently, better than what the world treats them.

Earlier in Matthew, Jesus even tells us . . . .

Matthew 5:38-

Meaning that, the person that cut in front of you and got the last whatever you were trying to buy on Black Friday, don’t snatch it away from them.

Don’t punch them in the nose.

Don’t give them dirty looks.

Don’t cut them off with your shopping cart.

If they want it that bad, let them have it (the item that is!)

And pray for them.

Pray for them and pray that God will soften your heart as well.

Treat them how you would want to be treated.

In fact just to be safe, treat them better than you would want to be treated.

That way there is no question about who’s kingdom you represent.

Because Jesus is going to use this very concept to segway into some truth about heaven and about eternal life and our entrance into heaven.

And he starts here in verse 13 . . .

And there is nothing really magical or philosophical here.

Jesus is just telling them the plain truth about heaven and getting to heaven.

If you want to think about it in our modern terms, it would be like Jesus saying that the way to heaven is like a one lane road that sometimes is paved, sometimes is gravel, sometimes is dirt, sometimes is smooth, and sometimes is full of potholes.

However, the way of the world, the way of destruction is like an 8 lane interstate highway.

And the multitude will take the highway but they never reach the destination.

It is those who are willing to take the one lane road that will make it.

Because the truth is, everyone can take the one lane road, but it’s a difficult journey, we don’t know what to expect, and few are willing to take the chance.

They see everyone else taking the highway and instead of checking things out for themselves they jump in with the crowd.

And lots of them think that they are going the right way because everybody else is going that way as well.

But they are dead wrong because . . .

So the first thing we need to evaluate this morning is which road are we on.

Are we on the ‘easy path’ that everybody else is on?

Or are we willing to take a chance on the ‘narrow path?’

And you might be saying “it’ too hard....I can’t do it.”

And you would be right, you can’t, but . . .

And of course . . .

God doesn’t just throw us out there on the path and leave us there.

God goes with us and leads us down the path.

However, are we willing to go where God leads us?

That’s the question.

Known By Their Fruits

Now, with that firmly in mind, Jesus is now going to move forward a bit in the conversation.

He knows full well that there are many who are on this 8 lane highway, who think they are going down the right path.

And he also knows there are a few reasons why, one main one being the false prophets of the world who are lying to people telling them “their way” is the “right way.”

Jesus says this . . .

Matthew 7:15

And they are a sneaky lot too.

They have deceived millions, maybe even billions.

But Jesus gives us a way to know if they are for real or not . . .

So, what kind of fruit are they bearing?

And Jesus is not talking about the fruit that the world thinks is important.

Because the world tells us that if they are rich, powerful, have a big house, and all of these material goods then they must be doing good.

That’s not fruit, that’s just stuff.

Some of the most evil and perverse people in this world are some of the richest.

The question is, if they are claiming to be a Christian what kind of fruit are they bearing for God’s kingdom?

What are they doing with all those riches and all that power?

Are they using it to glorify God or glorify themselves?

And I will tell you it is not just the rich and powerful either.

This applies to all of us.

If we are claiming to be a Christian, what fruit are we bearing?

How are we glorifying God in our lives?

How are we using the gifts, talents, and resources that God has blessed us with?

The big question is what would people who see you behind closed doors say about you?

The people who see you with your guard down.

Your children, your spouse.

Those who you don’t put on the “church act” in front of.

What would they say?

Would they say that you are bearing good fruit or rotten fruit?

And I’m not talking about having a bad day.

We all have them every so often.

I am talking about every single day.

Remember Jesus says . . .

Now, the big question always is though.

What about the “good things” they are doing?

Don’t they count for anything?

Jesus says this. . . .