September 3 - Matthew 7:13-23 - "A Real Response"

MPC 3rd September 2023.

Sam Hemming

INTRODUCTION

A real response matters.

When I was working on our family farm, one of the most repeated questions my Dad would ask was: "Have you checked the gear?".

What he meant was: Have you checked the engine over? Have you checked if there's enough oil in the sump? If there's enough water in the radiator? If there's enough PSI in those tyres? And even the spare tyre!"Have you checked the gear?"-Maybe your dad was as meticulous as mine (love you dad!).

Now, I quickly learnt that this was a question which required a real response. After over-heating an expensive piece of agricultural equipment (which we don't need to mention any more), I learnt that I needed more than just a "yes"! I needed a real response: with real action. A "yeah Dad of course I've checked the gear" was never enough! And was never going to be enough!

A real response matters.

Throughout the last few weeks, we've been hearing about the good and beautiful life in the sermon on the mount. The Lord Jesus has been teaching his disciples about the greater righteousness of the kingdom of heaven, whole-hearted devotion to one's heavenly Father.

And this morning, we've reached the conclusion. And just like any sermon or message, Jesus brings his disciples to the application, to the response, to the 'now what?'.

In Matthew 7:13-23, the Lord Jesus calls us to a real response. Whether you're here investigating Jesus, or visiting for Father's day, or you're a regular-Jesus wants each one of us to give a real response: to choose life! To make the choice between 'life' and 'destruction' 'wisdom' and 'folly' 'entry' and 'exclusion' from the kingdom of heaven. The Lord Jesus calls us to a real response: to choose life.

As we'll see, Jesus' does this by speaking about two sets of images: two kinds of paths and two kinds of prophets. We're to take the difficult path to life (v13-14) and watch out for false prophets as we go (v15-23).

1. TAKE THE DIFFICULT PATH (V13-14)

When it comes to travelling, human logic says, "take the path which is easy".

When Bek and I go travelling, Bek is always the one who chooses the path we take. Why? Aside from my poor navigational skills and driving, it's because she'll take the easiest path: the more sensible path, the more logical path, the more well-used path. Maybe you've got that sort of special someone as well!

You see, when it comes to travelling, human logic says, "take the path which is easy". But in verses 13-14, the Lord Jesus defies human logic. Jesus calls his disciples to take the path which is difficult.

13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Here Jesus contrasts two kinds of paths. You can probably imagine it: The first path is wide and broad, arguably more comfortable and popular. It is an easy path, but ironically it leads to destruction, a synonym for judgement.[1] In contrast, there is a second path which is small and narrow, arguably more painful and unpopular. It is a difficult path, but astonishingly it leads to life, a synonym for the kingdom.[2] Jesus contrasts two kinds of paths which lead to two different destinations. So, Jesus calls his disciples to travel along the path which is difficult because it leads to a far more glorious and wonderful end-life.

Now you might be thinking, well what actually is this difficult 'path' which leads to life? And what does it actually look like for someone to travel down it? Well, at a basic level, it's just a metaphor about the choice we all face. The choice between living out Jesus' teaching or not living out Jesus' teaching.

You see, the person who is travelling down the difficult path to life is the person who is poor in spirit (5:3-12); who lets their light shine for the glory of the Father (5:13-16); who reconciles with their hurt brother or sister (5:21-26); who loves their enemies (5:43-48); who gives to the needy in secret (6:1-4); no they're not perfect, but they do pray "Father, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (6:5-15). It's the person who does not worship in order to be seen by others (6:16-18); who serves God instead of material wealth (6:19-24); who does not worry about daily needs (6:25-34); who judges with wisdom and humility (7:1-11); who does to others what they would have others do to them (7:12). The person who is travelling down the path to life in the kingdom of heaven is the person whose existence is being formed and shaped by the good, different, and difficult life of the Sermon on the Mount.

Alternatively, the person who is travelling down the path to destruction is the person whose existence is more and more like the Scribes and Pharisees.[3] You see, the path to destruction is not merely an immoral or worldly life (although it does include that!), but it's more so the life of empty moralism, self-righteousness, and a religion that is mere talk. It is the person who is only concerned about external behaviour, such as abstaining from murder, adultery, and divorce (5:21-32); It's the person who practices their giving, prayer, and fasting for the sake of being seen by others (6:1-18); It's the person who thinks that they can serve two masters, that their behaviour and heart have no real connection (6:19-24); it's the person who does not pray to God as Father, who does not seek him for mercy and forgiveness; and who does not depend on him for every good thing (6:9-13; 7:7-11). The person who is travelling down the path to destruction is the person whose existence is shaped by the easy way of the Scribes and Pharisees.

So, the Lord Jesus Christ, calls his disciples (and each one of us) to choose life. To choose the difficult path of living out the beautiful life of the Sermon on the Mount.

POSSIBLE IN CHRIST

Now, when we hear this command to choose life, it can feel like a bit of an impossibility, can't it? It can feel like that moment in high-school PE, where your teacher sets the high-jump bar far above your capability and says "jump". It can appear and feel impossible.

In fact, as we've heard from Jesus' sermon on the mount, maybe that's been your reaction the whole time-this is impossible!

And on one level, it's kinda right to feel that. This life is extremely difficult because the only person who can perfectly live this life is the Lord Jesus Christ. This life is so good, so glorious, so beautiful that it does feel unattainable. In his work titled, Studies on the Sermon on the Mount, Martin Loyd-Jones empathises with us:

"The Christian way of life is difficult. It is not an easy life. It is too glorious and too wonderful to be easy... [because] it means living like Christ himself".[4]

On one level, it's kinda right to feel like this is an impossibility. But on another level, it's kinda wrong to feel that.

You see, the beautiful life in Christ is actually not an impossibility. Yes, it's difficult! But it is possible! It's possible because this way of existence has been achieved in and through Christ's life, death, and resurrection. Everything Jesus has been teaching his disciples has been made possible through his cross and crown. Jesus Christ, God the Son, is the one who brings us into the righteous life of the kingdom of heaven. He has graced us by leaving heaven, by resisting the devil, by teaching us the good and beautiful life of the kingdom, by suffering righteously on the cross, by pouring out his Spirit of holiness, and by rising and returning to heaven. The Father, through the Son, by the Spirit has graced us in every way, so that we might be able to walk the difficult path to life. In God, you and I have everything we need to live out the wonderful and blessed existence of the kingdom of heaven.

So, brothers and sisters, walk in His steps, live as He Himself lived, trod upon the difficult path he trod, and enter life as he did.

Take the difficult path which leads to life-choose life.

2. WATCH OUT FOR FALSE-PROPHETS (V15-23)

Now, on every path there are also certain things to watch out for.

[Path/Snake Story.]

You see, on every path there are things to watch out for. In verses 15-23, the Lord Jesus calls his disciples to watch out for false prophets.

15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Now, if you're anything like me, you're probably wondering why the abrupt transition? Why does Jesus go from paths to prophets? It seems a bit weird, doesn't it?

Well in the Scriptures, the issue of false prophets is extensive. In both the Old and New Testament, false prophets were people who claimed to speak and teach on behalf of God. In fact, they claimed to know God and that God was speaking through them to the people. And as you might be able to guess, false prophets were extremely unhelpful! And in verse 15, the Lord Jesus reminds his disciples of that!

Jesus says that these false prophets are "deceptive and dangerous".[5] They're deceptive because outwardly these people are disguised in sheep's clothing. They appear peaceful and harmless (they appear to be insiders of God's flock, the church).[6] But, they're actually dangerous because inwardly these people are like ferocious wolves. They are predators who destroy sheep (they're actually outsiders of God's flock).[7] These false prophets are deceptive and dangerous; their internal reality does not match their immediate appearance.

So, in verses 16-20, the Lord Jesus tells his disciples what to look for, how to recognise them, how to spot these tricky beasts. And Jesus' point is simple: look for fruit.

16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Here, the Lord Jesus appeals to the logic of how fruit grows on trees. He says that prophets, like fruit trees, "produce according to their nature".[8] A good tree (or prophet) bears or literally "works" good fruit and a bad tree (or prophet) bears or "works" bad fruit. The point is that false prophets are to be defined not so much by what they say (although that is important), but more so by what they do-their fruit.[9] So, the disciples are to look for fruit.

Now, if there's anyone who should come to mind when Jesus says, "false prophets", well it's got to be the Scribes and Pharisees-the Jewish religious leaders of the synagogue in the 1st and 2nd Century. Throughout Matthew's Gospel, the Scribes and Pharisees are repeatedly condemned because they don't bear good fruit.

Here's a few sound bites (from Matthew 23):

- "Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. They do this so that everyone must be careful to do what they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." (Matthew 23:1-3)

- "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." (Matthew 23:13)

- "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!... you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." (Matthew 23:27-28)

You see, who was going to snatch the disciples off the path to life? Who would lead them away from the beautiful life in Christ? Who would drag them into empty moralism and mere talk? Well, it was going to be the Scribes and Pharisees. So, our Lord Jesus reminds his disciples-watch out!

But just to drive the point home that bit further, the Lord Jesus fast-forwards to a scene of eternal judgement. In verses 21-23, the Lord Jesus judges false prophets-and it's a continued reminder for the disciples to watch out!

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 who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Here, the Lord Jesus talks about future judgement, especially of false prophets. In verse 21, Jesus gives a general principle: a person will be judged by what they do not merely what they say. Entering the kingdom of heaven is not simply a matter of profession "Lord" "Lord", but a matter of "doing the will of the Father".[10] That's the general principle.

Then, in verse 22, this general principle is applied to false prophets. Whilst they call out to the Lord and have performed prophetic acts in his name-such as "prophesy" "driving out demons" and "performing miracles"-these false prophets are refused entry into the kingdom.[11] In fact, in verse 23, Jesus professes that he "never knew" these false prophets. Whilst these false prophets professed to know the Lord, the Lord professes to have never known them. Then, in verse 24, Jesus even calls these false prophets "workers of lawlessness", another term used for the Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:28).

I hope you can see what these verses are doing. They're a frightening warning to the disciples: watch out for false prophets. They're not here to cause morbid introspection or undue self-doubt; no, these verses are here to exhort the disciples to pay attention to fruit, not merely profession.[12] These verses are here to remind the disciples to stick with Christ, their true prophet. It's a warning against going down the wrong path; the easy way of the Scribes and Pharisees; the way of empty moralism and mere lip service-which leads to destruction.[13]

OUR PROPHET

Now, after hearing all this talk about false prophets, you might be wondering whether this is still relevant today. Do we really need to watch out for false prophets? Are they really a threat to us, today? What's this actually look like for us? Well, I think the answer's still 'yes'.

As members of the flock of Christ, we need to be people who wisely and graciously examine those who lead and teach us. Whether it's the person you're reading, or listening to online, or are in a small group with, or are pastored by-we all need to watch out.

Now, of course, this doesn't mean being suspicious of everybody or taking up the hobby of heresy-hunting. But it does mean a real concern for not just what someone says, but also what that someone does.

We have to consider, first and foremost:

- The quality of their character.[14] Is this person's life resembling and growing into Jesus' teaching on the sermon on the mount?

- The effect that their teaching is having on their people.[15] Are the people in their ministry resembling and growing into Jesus' teaching here?

- The content of their teaching itself. Is this person proclaiming the beautiful life in Christ or are they calling people to something else?

In a church culture of online pastors, sermons, and churches, we need to be people who look for fruit, not merely profession. In a church culture which values appearance over substance, we need to care more about character not merely ability. In a church culture which can tend to value intellect over practice, we need to watch for a real response.

Remember: A lot is at stake. Who could take us off the path to life? Who could lead us away from the beautiful life in Christ? Who could drag us into empty moralism and mere talk? Well, it could anybody who professes "Lord" "Lord". So, like the disciples, we watch out. Like the disciples, we stick with Christ. We listen to Christ who came and preached about the good news of the kingdom of heaven. We listen to him who spoke salvation and called sinners and sufferers to repent, and to find life and rest eternal. Like the disciples, we listen to Christ and all others who live and teach like him.

CONCLUSION

Here in Matthew 7:13-23, the Lord Jesus Christ is calling us to make a real response-to choose life. To practice the faith, not merely to profess it. We are to be people who embody our Lord's way of existence. We are to live in and through the one who taught the way of righteousness and lived the way of righteousness. Our crucified and risen Christ must be visible in us. And we are to be on-guard against false prophets. We are to make sure that we ourselves and others stay on the path to life. We need to always listen to our true prophet, Jesus Christ. We need to wisely look for fruit not merely profession.

We need a real response: we need to choose life-today, tomorrow, and every day after that.

In 1974 the theologian and presbyterian pastor Francis Schaeffer gave an address in Switzerland called "Form and Freedom in the Church". In this address, Schaeffer thought that there were four things which were "absolutely necessary" if the church was going to flourish in adversity. The first was 'sound doctrine', the second was 'honest answers to honest questions', the third was 'true spirituality', and the fourth was 'the beauty of human relationships'.[16]

These are some of Schaeffer's comments under his third point 'true spirituality'. It's basically the same call to what we've already heard today: to make a real response. He writes:

"The end [i.e., goal] of Christianity is not the repetition of mere propositions... But after having the correct propositions, the end of the matter is to love God with all our hearts and souls and minds. The end of the matter is to be in relationship to him. A dead, ugly orthodoxy, with no real spiritual reality must be rejected as sub-Christian".[17]

"There must be true spirituality... Will it be perfect? No... [But] there must be something real of the work of Christ in the moment-by-moment life, something real of the forgiveness of specific sin brought under the blood of Christ, something real in Christ bearing his fruit through us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. These things must be there".[18]

Let's pray and ask God to help us pursue these things together.

1 Carson, Jesus's Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World, 186.

2 Carson, Jesus's Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World, 186.

3 Pennington, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing, 300.

4 Loyd-Jones, Studies on the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 50.

5 Stott, Christian Counter-Culture: The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, 198.

6 Luz, Matthew, 370.

7 Luz, Matthew, 370.

8 Pennington, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing, 288.

9 Luz, Matthew, 370.

10 Luz, Matthew, 370.

11 Pennington, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing, 301.

12 Pennington, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing, 304.

13 Luz, Matthew, 370.

14 Stott, Christian Counter-Culture: The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, 201.

15 Stott, Christian Counter-Culture: The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, 202.

16 Schaeffer, Form and Freedom in the Church, 368-379.

17 Schaeffer, Form and Freedom in the Church, 374.

18 Schaeffer, Form and Freedom in the Church, 375.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

1. TAKE THE DIFFICULT PATH (V13-14)

POSSIBLE IN CHRIST

2. WATCH OUT FOR FALSE-PROPHETS (V15-23)

OUR PROPHET

CONCLUSION