Read: Matthew
7
In verses 13-14 Jesus talks about the wide gate and easy way as
opposed to the narrow and more difficult way. Jesus recognized that each person
listening would have been familiar with the gates and roads around Jerusalem.
The main roads were wide and had a significant gate allowing many people in at
once. Security would be more difficult to ensure, therefore it would be the
easiest way for anyone to enter the city. Narrow roads on the other hand would
be more difficult to navigate. They were more likely to have thieves. Often they
were uncared for and were in disrepair, so travel could be hazardous. Gates
were often so narrow only one person could pass through at a time. Merchants would
have to unload and abandon everything off their carts or go around to a larger
gate. They were too small to bring baggage through.
For Jesus to say getting into heaven meant taking the narrow gate and difficult way is significant. The
people would understand the risk involved. Following Jesus wouldn’t be about making
life easier, but getting through the difficult things in order to enter eternal
life. They also would’ve had a mental
picture of going through alone. Faith suddenly became a personal thing. They
couldn’t get through as part of the whole Jewish community or the family they
came from.
Verses 15-20 gives us clear indication of how we can be sure someone
is a believer. Not only does this passage tell us what to watch for in others,
this passage is also a warning for each of us. If we don’t produce good fruit
then we will be cut down and thrown into the fire. The diseased tree produced
diseased fruit. The good tree produced good fruit. The fruit gives us the
indication of what is on the inside. If we want to produce good fruit, we have
to be good on the inside. This is a critical teaching! Many times we work hard
to produce good fruit – we serve, we volunteer, we give, we do, do, and do some
more to look like we’re producing good fruit. However, if we’re not producing
fruit from a heart that is fully engaged with God, restored and made whole by
Him, there is no possible way to produce good fruit. Jesus was not speaking to
the crowds about fruit as much as He was about the wholeness they could find in
Him that would bring about good, healthy fruit. We will be judged by our fruit
and that fruit will not be good unless the very core of who we are has been
transformed by Christ.
The very next section in this passage, verses 21-23, speaks about
those who do a lot of things for God, but don’t have a relationship with Him.
There is a sense among many that Christianity is really about following the
rules and doing the right things, even following a formula of sorts. We do
devotions and we don’t cheat on our spouses or our taxes. It’s easy to begin to
feel like Christianity is a religion based on works… even though we say we are
saved by grace. Yet this passage is so clear that Christianity is actually
based on relationship. We can do all the right things, but unless
we listen to God, like Jesus listened to His Father, we won’t know if we’re
doing the right things. We need to be in a relationship with Jesus that is
dynamic. He will speak, we will listen and respond. This is His deepest desire:
relationship. And those who don’t have that relationship will not be recognized
as His friends at that moment when everything is revealed.
Journaling and Prayer
1.
What are your expectations about being a
Christian? How have you prepared yourself to walk the narrow or difficult way? Ask
Him if there is excess baggage you are carrying that you will have to lay down
so you can enter through the narrow gate. (This could be material goods,
emotional baggage, or relationships, etc.) Ask the Lord to give you a word,
thought, or picture about how He will be with you as you navigate the narrow
road. Ask Him to speak to you about how worthwhile eternal life will be once
you have successfully entered that narrow gate.
2.
Ask the Lord to reveal to you whether or not
you are producing good fruit or diseased fruit. Ask Him what steps you need to
take in order to become more healthy and whole on the inside so that your fruit
is also healthy and whole. Ask Him if you should book an appointment for
personal ministry or visit with your cell leader or pastor, or spend extended
time with the Lord.
3.
Ask Jesus to give you a picture, word or
thought about how He sees your relationship with Him. Are you so focused on
doing things for Him that you forget to listen to Him so you can obey Him? What
steps does He want you to take to grow your relationship?
