Living In The Kingdom 22
Scripture: Matthew 7:15-27; 24:4-5; Second Timothy 3:5
This is the final message of my series, “Living in the Kingdom.” As I shared with you at the very beginning of this series, Jesus gave this sermon to those who were choosing to align themselves with His kingdom. This decision came with great responsibility as the requirements for being a part of His kingdom stretched much farther than just saying the words and then acting like you were saved. Jesus opened His sermon by differentiating between someone living in His kingdom versus those living in the world. He talked about how our hearts must be changed in order for us to live in His kingdom and, once we belong to Him, we should be shining lights in a very dark world. He was the first to address how issues of life are generated from what lies within the heart and that’s why everything about our Christian walk comes down to what is now in our hearts. After addressing the heart, Jesus transitions to discussing how we should interact with one another. He talks about marriage, taking oaths, going the extra mile and loving our enemies. All of these things are to be done because our hearts are aligned with Him.
In chapter six He continues the message by focusing on how we interact with God. God is to be seen as a righteous Father versus a God waiting to pounce on those who mess up. Jesus says that the things we do for others should not be done for the praise of men, but for God. He taught us how to pray in secret and gave us examples of the words that would open a dialogue with the Father. He talks about our forgiving others because when we do so God will forgive us. He also talks about fasting and the way it should be done that would please God. Finally, He talks about our laying of treasures in heaven, not being able to serve two masters and not worrying because our heavenly Father will provide for our needs. While chapter five focuses on our being a part of the kingdom and what that looks like to others, chapter six focuses on our relationship with God and what that means.
When we enter chapter seven, the message becomes very serious. Up until this point the things that Jesus said sounded pretty beneficial for the one choosing to accept Him – blessings because of a heavenly Father Who provides for us. All we have to do is follow His instruction. For some hearers this possibly sounded like a basic act and results model - if you act a certain way the results will follow regardless of what was truly in your heart. However, in chapter seven Jesus explains that those who think this way will not make it into His kingdom. He opens with a command that we not judge others because with that measurement God will judge us. Then He tells us to seek God – to ask, seek and knock. This requires a desire to interact with God. Jesus begins to close His sermon by explaining that there are two gates, one that is very narrow, which few people will find, and one that is very wide – the one many will find. The narrow gate leads to heaven while the wide gate leads to the lake of fire. And with that Jesus closes His sermon with the words found in Matthew 7:15-27:
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17. So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20. So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven will enter. 22. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23. And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ 24. Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:15-27)
In verse fifteen, Jesus said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” This is the first thing He says after talking to His audience about the narrow and wide gates. This introduces them to the truth about those who think they are going to heaven and are not. He said that we are to be aware of false prophets – those that initially we think are truly walking with God and thus are tempted to follow them. The truth pertaining to His followers possibly being deceived comes up again later in the book of Matthew when Jesus’ disciples asked Him about the signs of the last days and of His return. The very first thing that Jesus said in response to their inquiry was, “…..Take heed that no man deceive you. 5. For many shall come in My name, saying, ‘I am Christ; and shall deceive many.’” (Matthew 24:4-5) The first sign of the last days will be the rise of false prophets attempting to deceive the people of God. This includes those who claim to be Christ and leaders who are misleading their flocks. We are witnessing a rise in the number of Church leaders who no longer believe what the Bible says and are teaching their flocks a new doctrine. We are witnessing a rise in a doctrine that says the Bible, as written, is no longer the standard for our century and therefore must be interpreted in light of what people are dealing with today. This is the world that we live in and represents exactly what Jesus said when He told the disciples to beware of false prophets.
Jesus then goes on to describe how we will be able to identify them. He said, “16. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17. So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Jesus said that, if we pay close attention, we will be able to recognize a false prophet by their fruit. What fruit is He talking about? If they have a large congregation, isn’t that proof positive of them producing fruit? If they sell a lot of books and/or music, wouldn’t that indicate that they are producing fruit for the kingdom? As you will hear later, these things, in and of themselves, do not prove someone is walking with Christ. People build kingdoms for themselves and while it might appear on the surface that everything they are doing is for Christ, the true proof will be in the fruit – the final result. It’s what they are producing according to the Word of God and not according to their own word! And New Light, the only way any of us can properly judge fruit is if we have a solid understanding of Jesus’ teachings, which we see expanded in the books following the book of Acts. Paul describes these people like this; “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (Second Timothy 3:5) There are many who call themselves Christian and have a form of godliness, but they are denying the power of Christ that can change their lives and truly save them.
Peter wrote, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who shall secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2. And many shall follow their shameful ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3. And through covetousness shall they with false words exploit you: whose judgment of old now lingers not, and their destruction slumbers not.” (Second Peter 2:1-3) A false prophet might sound good, be charismatic, successful, and very engaging but when you examine their fruit closely, you will see the truth. Many are those who are following false prophets and teachers because their teachings are pleasing and easy to accept. However, their teachings are fooling a lot of people who are refusing to go and search the truth of the Word for themselves.
Then Jesus makes it clear exactly who think they are entering the narrow gate but will be entering the wide gate. He says, “21. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven will enter. 22. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23. And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” Jesus makes it clear that no person by merely professing faith in Him and His atoning work will be saved, but “he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven will enter.” It’s not enough to just proclaim acceptance of Christ, we must also live the life. Peter said, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begins with us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (First Peter 4:17-18) Peter said that the judgment of the house of God will be first – it will begin with those who call themselves Christians. It will begin with us. He asks the question “….what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” and we know that the answer is that they will be entering the wide gate. Peter also says something that is so often overlooked when we read these verses. He said, “And if the righteous scarcely be saved…” Have you ever spent time thinking about what that word “scarcely” represents? That word means, “only to the slightest degree, surely or almost certainly not.” Peter said that once the judgment of the kingdom of God happens, those making it in will do so by the slightest degree. This tells us that getting into heaven is not a simple cake walk – it requires work.
I want to make a connection for you. In verse fifteen Jesus said beware of false prophets. In verse twenty-one, He said not everyone who professes to follow Him will enter into His kingdom. This is what I want you to see; in verse twenty-two, Jesus describes some of the things these people will say they did for him. This is what He said they will profess, “….Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” (Vs. 22) Jesus said they will proclaim to have preached in His name, cast out demons in His name and performed miracles. My question to you is this: “Who normally does these things?” Yes, preachers and teachers - men and women in leadership. Jesus wants us to know that even those we tend to look to as our leaders will not make it into His kingdom if they are not following His commandments – doing His will. It won’t happen no matter how many sermons we preached; demons we cast out; or miracles we perform. This is why Jesus makes it clear that we must not just look at the outer person, but we must spiritually examine their fruit so that we are not deceived. This is what Jesus said in response to those proclaiming to know Him because of the things they did “in His name,” “…..I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.” He said that those who are not doing the will of God will not make it in because He never knew them although they claimed to know Him.
Jesus ends His sermon by telling them how to establish their firm foundation so that they will not be deceived by those false prophets and others who will infiltrate the Church with false doctrines. He said, “24. Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.” All we have to do is hear His word and abide by them. That action alone will begin to change our hearts from the inside out.
In these verses Jesus contrasts two kinds of people just as He had described the two gates: one narrow and one wide. Jesus said the person who hears His words and does them is like “….a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Immediately we see that it is not enough to just hear the Word of God – we must do something with them. We must act on them. Jesus said the person who acts on the Word of God is like the man who builds his house on the rock. And this house, when the strong storms, floods and winds came and beat upon it, “did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.” This man had built his house on a solid foundation so it was able to withstand the storms that beat against it. It’s the same spiritually. When Christ is our solid rock and our house is built on His word only, when the storms of life are raging we hold firm. We do not move. We are not swayed. And in the end we enter the narrow gate.
However, the man that hears Christ’s words and does not do them is like a “…foolish man who built his house on the sand.” The first question that should come to mind is why anyone would build a house on sand – sand is not a solid foundation. It constantly shifts and moves during a storm. I have watched videos this month of houses which were built near beaches being washed away during our recent storms because the ground upon which they were built was not stable and washed away. This is exactly what Jesus was talking about. Someone who hears the words of Christ and then does nothing with them is like this foolish man who built his house on sand. When the storms came and beat upon the house, it fell. With no solid spiritual foundation, when the storms of life came against this person they could not withstand. They therefore went through the wide gate. Jesus wants His hearers to know that in order to enter the narrow gate they have to do something with His Word. They could not only hear them, but they had to take action with them. Hearing the Word and doing the Word is the biblical definition of “obedience”.
I want to close this series with something that was written in the book of Hebrews. I chose this Scripture because it references something that Esau did that he could not take back. It speaks to the permanence of some of our decisions, especially those leading to the narrow or wide gate. This is what was written: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 15. Looking diligently lest any man fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. 16. Lest there be any immoral, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17. For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” (Hebrews 12:14-17)
The writer says that, as Christians we should follow peace and holiness; the former contains our duty to man, the latter our duty to God. He said without doing so no man would see the Lord. In verse fifteen the writer speaks of a person who falls “short of the grace of God.” A person who falls short of the grace of God enters the wide gate. In verse sixteen the writer says, “Lest there be any immoral, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.” In this verse an immoral person was one who practiced sexual immorality and a profane person was one who mocks religion; who lightly regards its promises and repercussions for sin; who despises or neglects worship; and who speaks irreverently of religion. So these two words speak directly of someone (both Christians and non-Christians alike) who are living in sin and does not care. Into this group was thrown Esau. Why? Because he sold his birthright for a morsel of food! Genesis 25:29-33 tells us “And Jacob boiled pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint. 30. And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Feed me, I pray you, with that same red pottage; for I am faint’: therefore was his name called Edom. 31. And Jacob said, ‘Sell me this day your birthright.’ 32. And Esau said, ‘Behold, I am at the point of death: and what profit shall this birthright be to me?’ 33. And Jacob said, ‘Swear to me this day’; and he swore unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.”
Esau was used as an example of a profane person because he sold his birthright for a morsel of food. So why is this so bad you wonder? Being the firstborn came with many privileges which belonged to him, especially the honor of priesthood, all of which did belong to the first-born. He was the example of a profane person because when Esau set more value on one meal than on his birthright, he lost his blessing. Profane then are all those in whom the love of the world so reigns and prevails that they forget heaven – their birthright after receiving Christ as their personal Savior. This would include those who are led away by ambition, or become fond of money or of wealth, or give themselves up to other pleasures that take them away from the teachings of Christ. Hebrews 6:4-6 says, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5. and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, 6. if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” Esau here was the first-born of Isaac, circumcised according to the law of God, and partaker in all the worship of God, yet he proved an outcast from the covenant and promises thereof all because he was hungry and decided to sell his birthright for a morsel of food. What is the price that we are willing to sell our birthright in Christ for?
I want to close with what the writer said in verse seventeen. They wrote, “17. For you know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” While Esau was hungry, he cared for nothing but how he might have his stomach well filled. After Esau sold his birthright, there was no recovering it. It could not be undone. While the blessings of the firstborn were supposed to be his, he forfeited it for a morsel of food. Afterwards he repented of his action but it was too late. The writer said that although he sought repentance it could not be found even though he sought it with tears. Esau is an excellent example of Proverbs 14:12 which says, “There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” The writer of Hebrews, in using as an example Esau selling his birthright for one meal, is telling us that the decision of God, on the human character and destiny, will soon be pronounced. That decision will be according to truth, and cannot be changed. Remember, at death, all of our life’s decisions become final!
Jesus delivered a sermon that clearly lays out what it will take to be a part of His kingdom. He tells us what we must do individually to change; He tells us how to treat others; and He tells us how to have a right relationship with God. In our relationship with God, He spells it out so that we will know that we cannot fake it or just go through the motions of seemingly abiding by His words. Truly God knows those who belong to Him and this brings me to the mentioning of Esau in Hebrews. If we should despise our privileges, as Esau did his birthright, and renounce our faith as evident in how we choose to live, it would be impossible to recover what we had lost. When we take our last breath, there is no possibility of changing which gate we will enter for it would be determined forever. This passage does not allege to show that a sinner cannot repent, or that he/she cannot find ‘place for repentance.’ But it does demonstrate that we cannot disregard our privileges, turn away from truly following Christ, or neglect choosing Him until death comes because when God has once pronounced a sentence excluding us from His favor because of the decisions we made in life, no tears, or pleading, or effort on our part can change Him and confirmed in what we read from the sixth chapter of Hebrews.
Jesus said that there are two gates. He also said that not everyone who says that they know Him will be known by Him. Finally He said that those He will recognize are those who abide by His Word. Are you building a house on the rock or the sand?
Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
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