"The Two Ways Of Life”

“The Two Ways of Life”

Matthew 7:13-27

INTRODUCTION: Here we have Jesus, the preacher of preachers, finishing His longest recorded sermon, “The Sermon on the Mount”

He closes with a Gospel message, almost like an evangels would today –

He lays before the people responsibilities in the form of parables

Each parable gives two options:

Either enter through the NARROW GATE or the WIDE GATE

Either be a GOOD TREE or a BAD TREE

Either be a TRUE DISCIPLE or be a FALSE DISCIPLE

Either build your life on THE SOLID ROCK or THE SHIFTING SAND

There is no middle ground in any of these parables

He never says that there is PLAN C ’or‘DOOR #3’

He simply says that there are ONLY TWO WAYS in life

He wants the listener to hear the REWARD for going the right way and the JUDGMENT for going the wrong way

He first says that they need to:

I. Realize That There Is Only One Way To Eternal Life

a. “Enter through the narrow gate…”

i. He says that one gate leads to eternal life and one to eternal death

ii. The opposite gate leads to eternal destruction

b. We live in a world of political correctness, and if Jesus gave such an exclusive claim today, He would be laughed at – as many who stand behind His claim are

i. But laughs and scoff do not make His claim any less true

ii. QUOTE: Not believing in rain will not keep you from getting wet in a storm

iii. Some people say, “I can’t believe God would be so cruel as to only give one way to heaven!”

1. But the truth is, “THANK GOD THAT HE GAVE A WAY”

2. God doesn’t have to accept us – we are sinners and He is perfect

iv. God is Holy and perfect and anyone who is going to go into His presence at death must also be perfect

1. Can anyone here boast ‘perfection”? Of course, not!

2. And because the Bible says that no one is perfect and perfection is required for heaven – we are all lost…

v. But thank God HE MADE A WAY!

c. Jesus is saying “Realize That I Am The WAY!”

i. I am the narrow gate!

ii. Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…” (John 10:9)

d. He goes on to say, “Be careful of anyone who says that there are other ways”

i. (v. 15) “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves”

ii. Today, more than ever, are there attempts to combine and form a universal religion that encompasses an agenda of ‘many ways to God’

iii. But Jesus says to BEWARE of these, because they are teaching a lie

1. People who say, “ The God of the Bible is the same as the god of the Koran, the same as the Buddhist god, etc.” are teaching a false doctrine

2. Buddhists believe God is not a being, but a force – that’s not the same God this Bible speaks of

3. The Koran says, “Cursed are they that says that Allah (their god) has a son – But this Bible says that God loved me so much that He sent His Son to die for my sins

e. Some people might say, “Christians are narrow minded”

i. You better believe it!

ii. Because there is only one way to heaven – the narrow way of Jesus

He then says that once we have the way, we need to:

II. Be Obedient to God in Following His Way

a. (v.21) “Not everyone…but the one who does the will of my Father in Heaven…”

b. This verse should be a wake up call for the nominal Christian

i. The false disciples in this verse were able to talk the talk, but they didn’t walk the walk

ii. Illustration: “Sports talkers” Anyone who has ever played a sport knows that you have your TALKERS and your PLAYERS. The talkers tell about how good they are. They might say, “I can pitch 100 mph fastball” or “I can kick a 50 yard field goal”. But my karate teacher once told me, “The proof is not in what’s said, but what is done”

c. Anyone can pay lip service to God – but no one can fool Him

i. And at judgment I believe there are going to be people who are surprised

ii. Because not everyone who is in church is saved

1. Being a church member does not assure your salvation

2. Quote: “If kittens were born in an oven, they still wouldn’t be a biscuit”

3. When Jesus returns for His own He is not going to get the church roll and start calling names