Matthew 7: Sermon on the Mount (Pt.3) – Realities of life with God

• v.1-6 On not Judging others
• v.7-12 Confidence in asking God
• v.13,14 Realizing Kingdom entry restrictions
• v.15-23 Be Discerning about imitation believers
• v.24-29 The Parable of two Housebuilders & need for Obedience

[Preliminary Note: We are now in the third and final chapter of this first block of teaching in Matthew, before he moves on in following chapters to blend teaching and activity. We might suggest that all the passages in this chapter are directly or indirectly about our security in God. Reflect on them in this light, impinging on our personal identity with God. ]

v.1-6 On not Judging others

v.1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

• Avoid assessing others badly

v.2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

• Your assessment will reflect back on you

v.3,4 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

• We need to sort out our own shortcomings

v.5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

• It’s hypocritical to focus on others

v.6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

• Consider precious the revelation God gives you

[Note: Judging others is a dangerous practice – what we do gets done to us, how we give is how we get. Why pick up others’ faults while ignoring your own – sort yourself out first. Don’t be casual with what is precious teaching.]

v.7-12 Have confidence in asking God

v.7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

• In need, keep on seeking God for His provision

v.8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

• With God it is those who ask who get from Him

v.9,10 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

• Consider how you desire to bless your own family

v.11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

• So won’t our loving Father be even more willing to give to us?

v.12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

[Note: Jesus now adds challenging teaching about the relationship with the Father [God] that enables us to ask believing. Think about how you treat your children. Surely loving God will treat you even better, So, treat others as you’d like to be treated; that sums it all up.]

[Comment: When it comes to prayer, keep on [the tense here] asking God, our heavenly Father, and He will give – you only get when you ask. ]

v.13,14 Realize Kingdom entry restrictions

v.13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

v.14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

[Note: Jesus teaches, to do God’s will, means real life only comes His way – rejecting the ‘any means’ of the world means accepting His demands only.]

v.15-23 Be Discerning about imitation believers

v.15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

• Beware purveyors of deception and lies

v.16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

• Observe the outworking of their lives

v.17,18 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

• Learn from trees, good fruit only comes from good trees

v.19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

• Realize the ‘bad tree’ will be removed

v.20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

• So watch for their fruit

v.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 who is in heaven.

• Realize not everyone who seems to use the right language is the genuine article

v.22,23 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

[Note: His teaching continues. Not every person coming in His name is His, see what they do and say, and understand. Learn from the fruit on trees – the bad will be removed – so, yes, look at the fruit. It’s not words but obedience to God that matters and because of this, many claiming access to heaven will be rejected.]

v.24-29 The Parable of two Housebuilders & need for Obedience

v.24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

• Obeying Jesus’ teaching is like a wise house builder

v.25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

• When the storms of life hit his house, it will stand

v.26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

• The disobedient are like those building lives on sand

v.27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

• When the storms of life come, they fall

v.28,29 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

[Note: Obedience and its consequences are seen in this story of two housebuilders. The storms of life have no effect on the life built on the Rock but the disobedient are like the house on sand, for when the storms of life come, they fall. Such teaching amazed his listeners by its authority and clarity.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: