Matthew 7:13-23
¹³Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. ¹⁴For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
A Tree and Its Fruit
¹⁵Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
¹⁶You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰So then, you will know them by their fruits.
²¹Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ²²Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ ²³And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
Devotional
The tree is known by its fruits.
We enter God’s Kingdom by bearing fruit from our relationship with the Christ.
It is thought that the broad way is only a way of frivolous life, full of bars and discos. While on the narrow road there are only churches. Yet Jesus means more than that in Matthew 7:13,14.
The distinction between the wide and the narrow gate and the broad and the narrow way is also the difference between the teaching of the Jewish lawyers and the teaching of Jesus, which is aimed at entering God’s Kingdom.
In traditional Jewish law education, you as a person kept the reins in your own hands. That is something that we humans always like to do on our own initiative. Then we can be very active, but always to the limit that we ourselves observe. Jesus asks for more (Matthew 5:17-20), namely self-denial and that we put ourselves completely in his service (cf. Romans 12:1,2).
That Jesus says that few people find the narrow way means also to be an incentive: don’t be too quick to think that you are already on that road.
False prophets point to the wide gate and the broad way.
It all sounds very good
▪︎ that road seems very pleasant to go
▪︎ those preachers seem fine teachers,
but they lead you on a road that leads to destruction.
Don’t just rely on the sound.
It is about the place that Jesus occupies in education. If He is not central in word and deed, then it is the wrong way (Matthew 7:15-20).
Jesus even says that you can call Him Lord, but you will still be judged (Matthew 7:21-23).
It is about acknowledging Him with your heart as Lord, the One who has complete control over your entire existence. He is, after all, the way to eternal life (John 14:6).
A faith relationship with Him is necessary.
Even if you do spectacular things like prophesying, casting out evil spirits in Jesus’ name, it won’t help, if you don’t have that relationship with Jesus yourself.
The most important thing in the Kingdom of God is that you will find in Jesus your Redeemer, who also accomplished everything for you (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:30,31).
Question
- What does Paul teach us in Philippians 3:12?
Prayer Suggestion
- Ask the Lord to help you to live sincerely with Him as a redeemed person.
Read more of these messages at: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
Download your Bible pictures from: http://bijbelplaatjes.nl
Follow me on Twitter: @schoemakerharry
Email: devotionals@harryschoemaker.nl