This Sunday we will begin the conclusion of our Sermon on the Mount series. Our passage this week is…
Matthew 7:13-23 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.
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 in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’
Jesus is making some comparisons in this passage…
Wide gate folks and narrow gate folks
Sheep and wolves
Good fruit and Bad fruit
It seems like we would know the difference between sheep and wolves and good fruit and bad fruit, but this passage would indicate otherwise and how does this relate to the wide gate and the narrow gate?
Is it possible that folks are so busy doing things for Jesus… prophecy, casting out demons, and mighty works but somehow missed what Jesus was about? Are wide paths folks so concerned about doing, they are missing something?
What are wide path folks missing that the narrow path folks know?
And what does all of this have to do with sheep and wolves and good fruit and bad fruit?
Let’s talk about it on Sunday.
If you like poetry or a fun accent, you might enjoy this poem…
The imagery of this poem helped me visualize this passage in a different way.
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Preview YouTube video The Narrow And Wide Gates
