Matthew chapter 7

New Testament

Matthew chapter 7

Scripture:

Today I will summarize Matthew chapter 7 where Jesus taught the crowds and his disciples about judging others and about the golden rule, the narrow and wide gates, the tree and its fruit, and about the two foundations that a person can build their life on.   Jesus taught if you judge other people, you’ll be judged with the same in the same measure you are judging them with.  It would be wise not to be proud and think of yourself as someone else’s judge.  How can you say to your brother let me take that speck out of your eye when you have a giant log protruding out of your eye?  First, you have to take the log out of your eye then you can see help to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.  Do not try to correct someone who will not listen.  They will trample your holy wise words and will trample you to pieces like the raging boar.  Jesus taught in everything treat people the same way that you would want them to treat you.    If you do this you will obey all the law and all of the prophecies.  If you have a son and he’s hungry and he asks you for a fish to eat. will you give him an alive venomous snake or if your son asks for bread will you give him a stone to eat?  If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your father who is in heaven? He will give what is good to those who ask him.  The people who seek will find, and those who knock on the door will be allowed in.  Beware of false prophets.  They will act like sheep but will be rabid wolves.  You will know them by their fruit.  Anyone can say anything and pretend. Anyone can be an actor but you will know people’s speech is true if their speech and actions match what they say. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  Every tree that bears bad fruit will be cut down and will be thrown into everlasting fire.   Jesus taught you must enter into heaven through the narrow gate. Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to everlasting destruction.  Most people will enter through that gate.  Small is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to everlasting life in heaven and there are only a few people who will enter the gate.   I am the gate and I am the way.  But not everyone who says to me lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven only he who does the will of my father will enter. Many people will cry and say to me on that day Lord didn’t we prophesize in your name? cast out demons in your name?  Didn’t we do many miracles in your name?   But I will declare to them that I never knew you?  Depart from me you who practice lawlessness and they will be thrown into the lake of fire.  Jesus continued and said anyone who hears my words, obeys them, and acts on them can be compared to a wise man who built his house on a rock foundation.  The rains fell and the floods came and the wins smashed against that house but the house did not fall during the storm because it had a rock foundation.  Anyone who hears my words and does not obey and act can be called a fool and can be compared to someone who built his house on the sand.  The storms came the floods and wind beat on that house and it fell.  Great was its fall.  I am the rock and foundation.  Anyone who built his house on me will not be hurt by the wrath of God when it falls.  Anyone who rejects me will suffer unimaginable loss when god’s wrath punishes all unforgiven sin.

Observation:

I think the lord wants to understand after reading his chapter that we should recognize our need to be careful when we judge others.  We should be sure to look at and correct our flaws and failures first before we try to pull someone out of sin.  God wants us to see that he loves his children and will give good gifts to those who ask him.  He wants us to understand the golden rule that says we should do to others as we want them to do to us.  He wants us to understand that there’s a small gate and narrow road that leads to heaven and only a few people find it.  Most people go through the wide gate and are on the broad road that leads to destruction in the lake of fire. God wants us to understand that they will be many who think they’re Christians and who call Jesus Lord but they are deceived and are pretenders.  Jesus will claim that he never knew them.  Even fake Christians can cast out demons and prophesize and do miracles in the powerful name of Jesus but only the person who does the will of the father will enter into heaven at the end of their lives. 

Application:

Does Jesus know you?  If so that verse does not apply to you.  Remember Jesus told them that he never knew them.  Today is a great day to change that fact.  Tell him you are willing to come to him in the way he prescribed not in the way you have been taught.  Tell him you repent for your sin and that you surrender to him.  Jesus humbled himself and died on the cross and died for our sins. He died in place of you and me.

Prayer:

Almighty God I struggle with anger and judgment.  God, I see things and want to get revenge, or I wish others to be punished for wrongdoing.  I pray that you fill my heart with compassion and forgiveness.  Help me not to condemn, but seek first to forgive others.  Help me not to judge, but to serve.  Father, you have anointed me to be fruitful.  Help me to be a blessing to many so that they who see the good work will praise and glorify my father in heaven. No matter what difficulties may come my way always help me to walk on the right path and not choose the shortcut.  Holy Spirit please guide me along the right path and help me to obey and do the will of my father so that my father in heaven will be pleased with me.  I ask this in the mighty name of your beloved son our lord Jesus Christ. Amen.