Wednesday,
Day 7: Matthew 7
This is another of those chapters that covers a lot of
terrain. Another sermon series . . . . I see some wonderful ‘what if’s’ in this
chapter: What if we lived by the guidelines suggested, that however we thought
about others, God would think of us, and to whatever extent we extend grace to
others, God would extend grace to us? We cannot help but observe – but we are
absolutely admonished to leave judgment to the Lord (or be willing to be judged by the exact same standard with which we judge), pay attention to our own
shortcomings, and treat others as we want to be treated. It’s nutshell
Christianity where the rubber meets the road.
Then in verse 13 the message switches to admonishments about how to get to heaven and whom to believe. There is only one way. Jesus is the narrow gate. No options. No other way.
Then in verse 13 the message switches to admonishments about how to get to heaven and whom to believe. There is only one way. Jesus is the narrow gate. No options. No other way.
False prophets were warned against in Jesus’ day – and they have
been surfacing ever since – misleading people with false promises and erroneous
information. Just in quick review I can think of several: The Church of Jesus
Christ Christian AKA The Aryan Nation, which was/is neither Christlike nor
Christian (perhaps a redundant statement – but I want it to be perfectly clear!); Jim Jones & his
Jonestown, Guyana followers who committed mass suicide; David Koresh and the
Branch Davidians; the Bahgwan Shree Rajneesh and his compound in Antelope,
Oregon; and a plethora of -isms that fail to present Jesus Christ as the only
way to God. False prophets bear fruit, but it is bad fruit . . . . Bad fruit
poisons and misleads people. It may seem appealing, but it’s like trying to
make a ‘balanced diet’ out of marshmallows. Jesus’ message is a message of His
love. It welcomes our taking responsibility for our choice. He wants us to
choose Him, but we aren’t forced to. And – it’s personal.
Perhaps the most compelling verses in this chapter are 21 - 23. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven . . . .”
Perhaps the most compelling verses in this chapter are 21 - 23. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven . . . .”
Several years ago I read a book titled The Vintage Jesus because I wanted to know if the author teaches the truth. His vernacular made me gasp a few times – but technically I have only one issue where I disagree – not about who God is, but about who we are.
I disagree on the same issue with my own church and have
stated that, sometimes vociferously. The statement I disagree with is that ‘we
are all sinners.’ I strongly object to that as our designation once we have
accepted Christ so I take exception to that statement, and believe that it
restrains people from living up to their best in Christ and as Christians. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is
he . . . .” If I think of myself
as a sinner it excuses me quite easily from living up to the standard Christ
sets for me. Our identity is to be in Christ – and it holds us to a very high
standard. Our plumb line is straight – Christ Himself. My identity is no longer
‘Sinner’ but ‘child of God’; ‘dearly beloved’ (aka loved one); ‘saint’; ‘redeemed’;
‘saved’; ‘friend’; joint heir with Christ.
“While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” – but once we accept Him, we are no longer identified as ‘sinners’ but as ‘saved by His grace’. My daughter will ask for proof from scripture, so here it is:
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (note the past tense)
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
John 13:33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come . . . .”
Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
John 15:14-15 You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Romans 9:25-26 As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” and,
“It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ “
Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints
Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Luke 1:68 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.
We are the redeemed - our identity is not ‘sinners.’ That is not to say we do not sin. We do. But, just like a child, we live up to how we are identified. If you want a child to do well, you praise his strong points, rather than focus on the negatives. When a preacher says “We are all sinners” I react. It was my identity. Now my identity has changed. I realize Paul identifies himself as the chiefest of sinners – but he does us a disservice not to put it in the past tense. O K - I can step down from that soapbox now . . . .
Chapter 7 ends with the story of the man who built his house upon the rock. When we build our lives on the solid teaching of Jesus Christ - our Rock - no storm can destroy our house - but when lives are built on anything else, it is like building on shifting sand, and when trouble comes - and trouble always will come – that house will not stand . . . .
The children’s chorus from my childhood has been wending its way through my brain all day.
“While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” – but once we accept Him, we are no longer identified as ‘sinners’ but as ‘saved by His grace’. My daughter will ask for proof from scripture, so here it is:
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (note the past tense)
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
John 13:33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come . . . .”
Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
John 15:14-15 You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Romans 9:25-26 As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” and,
“It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,
‘You are not my people,’
they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ “
Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints
Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Luke 1:68 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.
We are the redeemed - our identity is not ‘sinners.’ That is not to say we do not sin. We do. But, just like a child, we live up to how we are identified. If you want a child to do well, you praise his strong points, rather than focus on the negatives. When a preacher says “We are all sinners” I react. It was my identity. Now my identity has changed. I realize Paul identifies himself as the chiefest of sinners – but he does us a disservice not to put it in the past tense. O K - I can step down from that soapbox now . . . .
Chapter 7 ends with the story of the man who built his house upon the rock. When we build our lives on the solid teaching of Jesus Christ - our Rock - no storm can destroy our house - but when lives are built on anything else, it is like building on shifting sand, and when trouble comes - and trouble always will come – that house will not stand . . . .
The children’s chorus from my childhood has been wending its way through my brain all day.
The wise man built his house upon a rock
The wise man built his house upon a rock
The wise man built his house upon a rock
And the rain came tumbling down
The rains came down as the floods came up
The rains came down as the floods came up
The rains came down as the floods came up
And the house on the rock stood firm.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
And the rain came tumbling down
The rains came down as the floods came up
The rains came down as the floods came up
The rains came down as the floods came up
And the house on the sand went splat!
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ
So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ
Sp build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ
And the blessings will come down
The blessings come down as the prayers go up
The blessings come down as the prayers go up
The blessings come down as the prayers go up
So build your house on the Lord
Prayer for today:
Dear Lord, help us see ourselves
as You see us: redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Your only begotten Son,
who gave His life and poured out His blood as the payment for sin so we are no
longer called 'sinners' – who are
those who are away from You – but as 'sons' and 'daughters', which You have
made us by Your grace.
Amen
Humor for today:
Bill and Joe went on a camping trip. Joe took his old canvas framed tent to be their ‘home away from home.’ After they got it set up and organized with the cots in just the right places and all their gear appropriately stowed, they were worn out, so they crawled in and fell fast asleep. Several hours later Joe woke up, and waking Bill, asked him, “Bill - look up and tell me what you see.”
Bill replied, “I see millions of stars.”
“What does that tell you?” asked Joe.
Bill thought for a moment and then patiently responded, “Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies, and potentially billions of planet. Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Timewise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, it’s evident the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day when we get up later today. What does it tell you, Joe?”
“Well,” Joe observed, “It tells me that someone has stolen our tent.”
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