Intimately Known: Determined to Follow

[0:00] please take your Bibles and turn to Matthew's gospel the gospel of Matthew chapter 7 if you're visiting with us there's a black Bible in the chair in front of you go to the back and find the New Testament page 5 in that black Bible Matthew chapter 7 we're going to study this morning Matthew 7 verses 13 through 29 I'm going to finish off the Sermon on the Mount again Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 through 29 page 5 in that black Bible and excuse me for my nasalness my allergy is really bad and this is with an allergy pill so if I didn't have an allergy pill yeah never mind so thank you for being gracious in that way

[1:01] I'll try to keep my sniffing to a minimal Matthew chapter 7 verse 13 enter by the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and many are those who enter by it for the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life and few are those who find it beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves you will know them by their fruits they do not gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles in the same way every good tree does good fruit but the bad tree does bad fruit a good tree cannot do bad fruit nor can a bad tree do good fruit verse 19 every tree that does not do good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire so then you will know them by their fruits not everyone who says to me

[2:16] Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven many 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 and then I will declare to them I never knew you depart from me you who work lawlessness therefore all the ones who hear these words of mine and does them will be compared to a wise man who built his house upon the rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and burst against that house yet it did not fall for it had been founded upon the rock and all the ones who hear these words of mine and does not do them will be compared to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and burst against that house and it fell and its fall was great and it came about when Jesus had finished these words the multitudes were amazed at his teaching for he was teaching them as having authority and not as their scribes well finally the truth is out you'll be happy to hear the title of the article is consuming cannabis together could boost the intimacy of your relationship isn't that wonderful smoking up with your significant other might lead to more intimate experiences as a new study this study shows you can tell I'm being sarcastic right but it's a true article

[4:07] I'm being dead serious look it up this study shows that couples who enjoy cannabis together may be more primed for an interaction or meaningful conversation with their partner than involved in intimacy love, caring, or support good news the study involved asking 183 married or cohabitating couples tracked their marijuana use over the course of 30 days researchers found that when couples consumed together they were more likely to have intimate experiences than when they didn't consume I'm not joking now although they haven't talked about the study that people who have smoked marijuana for a long period of time is actually increasing the diagnosis of schizophrenia and violence that's a whole other article why do I bring this up?

[5:07] because it's funny? no I don't know notice how we must do something to be more intimate I mean really when you think about it you do something to get more connected to be more known whether it's talking about marriage within family among church members with your friends you do something to get closer you do this you get closer but from our passage in our relationship with the Lord Jesus it's just the opposite because you're intimately known you do when we come to this part again Matthew's driving force of his gospel is bow down and worship Jesus the Messiah King of Israel today as we close this part of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus will close with this intimately known determined to follow intimately known determined to follow and

[6:18] I believe verse 23 is key to this whole section and we'll look at it in its context but I do want to read it again Jesus is speaking I will declare to them I never knew you depart from me you who do or practice or work lawlessness and so Jesus puts it in a negative and there's reasons why we'll look at it in this context but if you flip it around when you're known by Jesus you work godliness when you're intimately known you're determined to follow I'll put it a different way in phrases to know Jesus is to follow Jesus to follow Jesus shows you're known by Jesus to know Jesus is to follow Jesus to follow Jesus shows you're known by Jesus you see what Jesus is doing here he's flipping things on end towards the end of his sermon on the mount when he knows you you will show that you know him by the way we live our lives longer statement for you to help explain what Jesus means as faith the worshippers of our Messiah

[7:50] King the Lord Jesus we are determined to follow him doing what he says and as we obey it attests to the fact that he intimately knows us as his own Jesus demands wholehearted devotion it's all or nothing for Jesus we must be determined to follow him totally and understand this it's those who have determined to follow him that show they are intimately known by him he knows his own he does which is just a pure act of his mercy and grace our confidence is not in us doing what he says our confidence is in his mercy and the fact that he knows us in the gospel that Jesus that God is a merciful gracious and loving a loving kind

[8:53] God make the right response to Jesus teaching which means we take the narrow way we avoid the bad fruit of false prophets and we build our lives on Jesus words as one writer put it this is true Christianity this is real Christianity this is true discipleship versus a phrase I'll use antinomianism no law lawlessness lawless living there's no middle ground with Jesus it's one or the other obedience to Jesus brings life disobedience brings death true disciples of Christ repent and obey Jesus or have repented and have obeyed Jesus they take his words to heart Jesus demands a response from us today and we're going to talk about this later we're going to talk about how we're going to renew our devotion to him our love for him we'll talk about that before we partake of the elements

[9:57] I'll give you some guidance and direction as we go into the text we'll see how Jesus used three different metaphors to contrast two different responses to him two gates or two ways two trees or fruits and then two foundations how will we respond to his words today notice the first one number one which gate I'll put these in questions which gate which tree which base which authority which gates do you follow look at verse 13 and 14 enter by the narrow gates the spiritual ones take the narrow or hard road the spiritual complacent ones take the easy or wide road or gates for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction the narrow gate is a metaphor for repentance and gospel kingdom living life has two ways the narrow gates or the wide gate the former must be sought one cannot easily perceive the small gate the wide way is obvious one can easily see it it's right in front of you it's popular your best life now more take the wide road because of its ease less take the narrow road few disciples find this gate because true discipleship of the Messiah

[11:55] King actively searches for Jesus for him that's the road that leads to life which is fellowship with God now and in his future kingdom notice verse 14 for the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life the broad way leads to destruction which is separation from God which is hell for the gate is wide in verse 13 again and the way is broad that leads to destruction interesting Jesus actually talks more about hell than anyone else in the Bible and he talks more about hell than anything else of his recorded words the second thing he talks about most is money this path that promise freedom and ease ends in separation from God that's what

[13:03] Jesus says following Jesus is hard and difficult yet one finds out that there is life with God and his kingdom with great joy it is and yet the narrow small road leads to life it does lead to life a relationship with the Lord Jesus himself but it's hard or as John MacArthur says in his book it's hard to believe repenting and trusting Jesus is not easy the gospel is simple but it's not easy it's one thing for something to be simple it's another thing for something to be easy even a child can understand the gospel a four year old can understand the gospel and respond and repent in faith it's hard to believe the gospel the message is simple the action is hard notice how this calls for some deep self evaluation and a resolve once again to follow our Lord it's a renewal that we'll have as followers it's an encouragement to us those who take the easy road are stuck with the horror that it actually leads to horrible destruction those who take the hard difficult road receive life with their father and his great kingdom truly following

[14:38] Jesus is a minority position it puts you in the minority but leads to life may we strive first to enter this narrow gate and then call others to follow us that's what we do we come to our Messiah King we embrace him and then we're on a search and call mission follow Jesus with me if you're here you're not a Christian you're not a disciple of Jesus this is the call for you follow Jesus with me Jim follow Jesus with me let's follow Jesus together it's a call for you to respond if you don't know Christ which way which gates number two which tree verse 15 it starts out beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves it's these false prophets who endanger a disciple's journey they want to further themselves their own interests at the expense of true followers of

[15:54] Jesus and it's also an exhortation a warning to those who say they follow Jesus as well so how can a disciple stay on the straight and narrow path have discernment between true and false prophets notice how they're part of our faith community they appear as harmless sheep but yet they're ravenous wolves they're found to be among us he says but notice as they claim to do things in Jesus name at the end of the day they're lawless they're antinomians their lives display who they are look at what Jesus says in verse 16 you'll know them by their fruits by their behavior by their conduct this is one who does not conform himself to God's revelation of his son the Messiah

[16:56] King their lives or conduct attest to who they really are now we need to define this when we talk about fruit we don't mean the result of people's actions or what's known as consequentialism in other words fruit here he doesn't mean that it's suicide it's not broken families it's not being kicked out of a church it's not being homeless it's not self-hatred it's not self-harm it's not depression it's not loneliness that's not the fruit he's talking about that's not fruit that's the consequences of things that happen in our world it's human actions that bring good or evil consequences it's actual human actions or behavior and it's behavior that displays a heart for christ the messiah king as one who's repented at his arrival matthew chapter 3 verse 12 chapter 4 verse 17 or a heart against christ rejecting him as savior and lord paul unpacks this and i have that there galatians chapter 5 verses 19 through 21 now the deeds of the flesh are evidence immorality impurity sensuality greed he mentions other fruits first corinthians chapter 6 19 through 21 19 through 21 no 9 through 10 thank you he mentions these do not be deceived these will not inherit the kingdom of heaven fornicators adulterers effeminates homosexuals revilers slanders that's the fruit he's talking about that's the bad fruit it's human actions human behavior and notice what jesus says look at again at verse what verse 16 after he says you'll know them by the fruits they don't gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles 17 in the same way every good tree does good fruit grapes and figs are good fruit thorns and thistles are bad trees in other words it's about the nature of the tree what kind of tree are they good tree equals good fruit bad tree equals bad fruit good and bad trees produce notice it says the word do that which corresponds to who they are are i translated that for you in verse 17 18 and 19 they do which means do that's what they do it's their action they'll never do otherwise good tree cannot produce bad fruit jesus says nor can a bad tree do good fruits verse 18 it's totally impossible for a tree to bear fruit contrary to its nature i mean when was the last time you saw apples on an orange tree doesn't happen very often right true disciples of the messiah king good trees repent and obey jesus words good fruits false disciples bad trees do not repent and do not obey jesus words bad fruit they turn away from god and gospel kingdom living if their actions are evil they are

[20:58] evil what happens to trees that are not doing doing good fruit verse 19 every tree that does not do good fruit is cut down and thrown into fire jesus is talking about the last day chapter 7 verse 23 on that day verse 21 verse 22 when he will judge the whole world remember i said that to you earlier jesus says more about hell than anyone else in his teaching these trees will be totally rejected and that's why he repeats that in verse 20 so then you'll know them by their fruits examine one's deeds works or actions because actions speak louder than words what we do reveals who we are how we live our lives Jesus was talking to his disciples remember so they're being called to stay faithful and he was speaking to the crowds will they listen to him and respond in repentant faith obedience to jesus will they bow down and worship jesus the messiah king and notice what he does here in verse 21 when he is still in the same subject which tree verse 21 not 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 from the works of the false prophets to their words to the works of his listeners to their words to them exercising gifts for jesus as opposed to them really knowing jesus or rather jesus not knowing them notice jesus says they will not enter the kingdom of heaven jesus is the father's eschatological judge that's who he is he will judge all of mankind at the end of time that day verse 22 so that means that god dependent affliction broken humble driven christ exalting mercy loving pure living peacemaking upright living in anger lust marriage honesty charity generosity worshiping for the father's approval father seeking people they inherit the kingdom of god that's a short little synopsis from chapter 5 verse 3 to all the way to chapter 7 verse 12 those are the people that have the fruits because that's the fruits that's the way they live do the will of the father of my father so it's not about ministry gifts it's about doing doing the will of the father remember that word that he used in verse 18 19 doing good fruit it's the same word they do good fruit they do the will of the father only those who display true real fruit enter the kingdom not those who practice lawlessness he truly knows his own because they show up by the good fruit so it's not about our words it's about our lives doing the will of the father our true disciple would do what Jesus says it is our way of life no longer self-centered lives but Christ centered lives look at what Jesus says many will say to me on that day the day of judgment when the world will stand before Jesus and these will rat off the gifts that they did for Jesus did we not

[24:58] prophesy in our name the three great works do we not prophesy in our name cast out demons do these miracles works they performed for Jesus is it the evidence of knowing him no is it the evidence of him knowing them no notice this brings or at least it should bring should bring to our mind Judas Iscariot who did all three of those things by the authority of Jesus he was Judas was prophesying the name of Jesus casting out demons and performing many miracles that's Judas true faith a good tree will produce do good fruit which is why

[26:00] Jesus says there in verse 23 and then I will exclaim to them I never knew you though they performed these gifts Jesus never knew them not only did he not accept them as calling him Lord but he renounced them as his disciples the word knew denotes a personal relationship with Jesus friends this is the doctrine of election not omniscience this is not the omniscience of God where God knows this is the doctrine of election God chooses those who are going to be his own God has chosen his own he knows them and they will know him follows intimately known determined to follow but these practice lawlessness there's no real true fruit they do iniquity antinomians are not disciples of Jesus and they lead his disciples down the wide road of sinfulness and disobedience one writer put it like this quote you were never a friend of mine end quote the issue is not if you know

[27:24] Jesus does Jesus know you am I known by the Messiah King what we say are just words do I have a relationship with the Father do I have a relationship with the Son with the Spirit with the Triune God well you might say well I don't know if I'm elective how do I know respond to Jesus that's how you'll know my friend trust Christ come to him respond don't be foolish and say well I don't know if I'm like this or I'm just going to do my own thing what are you doing respond to the gospel trust Christ Jesus is imploring his hearers to come as what I'm doing to you as well a follower of Jesus takes seriously the call to bow down and worship him as Messiah

[28:29] King and that seriousness is shown in the way they live their lives it is that's true gospel kingdom living which gate which tree now which base or foundation which gate which tree which base 724 to 27 which is really the conclusion not just so much of what Jesus had just said immediately but really the whole shebang behold someone on the mount therefore the ones who hear these words of mine and it's the same word Jesus does this on purpose and does them and does what I say will be compared to a wise man

[29:30] I notice how Jesus invited his hearers to obey him to come it's time to submit to Jesus with his rule and reign in your life if you do then you're compared to a wise person whose life is built on Christ did they deny him by their acts no on the contrary his words are our guide he saves us and changes us his words are the model for our lives as we just read together oh I love your law right it's the joy of my heart remember when we read that in Psalm 119 and we do this out of love for him he demands this response from us and we're very willing to give it to him true discipleship hears and wisely does Jesus teaching because she or he is known by the Messiah King a disciple lives under his law the law of Christ a fool won't follow Jesus will hear but not do his teaching she or he will not because they have no intention to follow

[30:37] Jesus because they're not known by Jesus and look at what Jesus says in verse 25 and the rain decided and the floods came and the winds blew and burst against that house yet it did not fall for it had been founded upon the rock friends this is not the storms of life Jesus Jesus is not talking about suffering here Jesus is not talking about difficulties that you face in your life that's not what the rains and the winds and all this that's not what he means in the context this has to do with final judgment judgment is portrayed as a storm one either stands firm at the final judgment or will fall a life that follows the Messiah King is founded on the bedrock of Christ and when judgment comes they stand firm because they're on the rock they're on

[31:45] Jesus a fool does not follow Jesus his house is built on sand when this storm of judgment comes he will fall and his fall will be great she or he comes to total ruin at the judgment because as verse 13 and 14 talked about that's the wide road that leads to destruction one writer put it like this quote houses built on sand collapse utterly under divine judgment but houses built on rock withstand it end quote a true wise disciple acts on the words of their king they bow to him to love him to obey him in love that's what they do a fool will hear

[32:58] Jesus but do nothing he will not respond to the king to bow down and worship full faith and love there's no relationship with him he is not known by the king that's why there's lawlessness do you see what Jesus is doing do you see what he's saying do you see how he's given an exhortation to his disciples but a warning to those who are not following him one writer puts it like this and I quote he is a stupid person who acts in a stupid way end quote thank you Leon Morris I mean he kind of was like right on that this person who builds their house on the sand they don't take seriously the solid foundation of the Messiah King so don't walk away unchanged by Jesus words respond to Jesus today may we as his followers respond may we cultivate these traits in our lives showing that we lovingly obey our master lord messiah and sovereign god

[34:06] Jesus which gate which tree which base which master or authority notice how this ends this part here verse 28 and 29 it says the result literally it's and it came about or it came to pass a formula used by Matthew to end each major discourse by Jesus throughout his gospel chapter 11 13 19 26 when he finished these words the multis were amazed at his teaching why verse 29 for he was teaching them as having authority as a master not like their scribes it overwhelmed them that he spoke of himself as the judge and his words is the standard of his judgment I mean what would you think if I were to do something like that you'd be like who the heck are you right you'd be like get that guy off that stage man stone him or something right

[35:12] I mean you'd be like or he's crazy that guy belongs in a nut house that's what you say about me this is Jesus talking Jesus the authority and his authoritative words unlike the religious leaders the leaders of the day Jesus did not come to abolish the law he is the ultimate interpreter of the law he is the word right John says that but the religious leaders they just quote people blah blah blah blah blah gobble gobble gobble not so Jesus he's the messiah king he demands worship which master are you which authority do you fall under man's authority or the messiah king you see how when you hear those statements when you hear those questions one who's known by Jesus they go yes it's like you smell the sweetness of a candle you say yes I want that but a person wants nothing to do with Jesus who's not known by

[36:21] Jesus they go I don't want that he's not my master I'm my own person right the response that people have these words were directed first and foremost to his disciples so it's an exhortation a call for us that we are determined to follow Jesus our messiah king but it's also called others for you who don't know Jesus you come to him you respond as faith worshippers of our messiah king the lord jesus we are determined to follow him doing what he says and as we obey it attests to the fact that he intimately knows us as his own earlier this week before my study a song came on and I went oh this song connects perfectly with this passage I think I sent it to

[37:22] Ann I sent some of the lyrics to her let me read you the lyrics to this it's called live with abandon listen to these lyrics chasing after this world makes me tired praising my own name leaves me dry there's got to be so much more to life than this a higher calling that I missed I want my life to count every breath I want to live with abandon give you all that I am every part of my heart Jesus I place in your hands I want to live with abandon give you all that I am every part of my heart Jesus I place in your hands I want to live with abandon drop everything and follow you it's only your hands I hold on to there's got to be so much more to life than this a higher calling that I missed I want my life to count every breath I'm not looking back I'm done with that I want to give you all

[38:22] I have I'm not looking back I'm done with that I want to give you all I have I want to live with abandon see this is when you hear those words as a disciple of Christ you're like yeah yeah right it pumps you up yeah I'm going forward I'm moving man and as we come to this time where we think about and we reflect upon the Lord's Supper which is the tangible reminder of the gospel to us this is what it's going to be where we renew our commitment to Christ and to our Lord because look when you look when you think about it when you see the gospel what do you see you're a dirty rotten sinful person aren't you you are and guess what so am I we're just rotten sinners we fail but God acts right we don't base our hope on the way we live we base our hope on the mercy and the grace of God in the

[39:29] Lord Jesus Christ right so we fail God acts but we're going to renew our love for him and our commitment to him as we partake of the Lord's Supper together and by the way if you're here you're visiting or something look if you come from a church of like faith and practice you've been baptized by immersion partake of the Lord's Supper with us you're invited you don't have to if you don't want to but if you want to be a part of that with us you're more than welcome to look if you're not a Christian no you shouldn't be taking this because this is not for you it's a reminder of the gospel to us who've trusted Christ and if you're a Christian and you have something against someone you've not reconciled with another brother or sister or even a non-Christian for that matter we would also advise you first go and reconcile with that brother or sister or non-Christian try to reconcile make things right and then come the next time we partake of the Lord's Supper which will be a good Friday actually we'll do it again we'll partake of the

[40:30] Lord's Supper again but this is for us a tangible reminders of God's grace to us in the gospel and of our devotion to him to our Lord so in a few moments I'm going to have you just take some time between you and the Lord examining your heart admitting that you failed as we fail miserably and yet remind yourself of the mercy grace of God and renewing our commitment to him let's do that now let's take a moment and pray and Lord Jesus we thank you the way that we know that we're known by you is our commitment to live out these traits in our lives we want to live with abandon we want to drop everything and follow you and we pray that as we partake the Lord's supper we're reminded once again of how miserably we fail and yet how amazingly you've conquered our sin you've acted in your mercy and grace thank you

[41:44] Lord Jesus for that and we renew once again our love and our devotion our commitment to you that we will follow you so take this time a few minutes we'll have some time of silence where you can think ponder let these words from Jesus dwell and let your heart ponder these or as David would say meditate think through them speak the gospel to yourself remind God of his promises that he's given to you in the gospel then after a few moments we'll have the guys come forward and they'll pass out the bread but just a few moments of silence you and the Lord let your mind dwell on these things of have to wave Thank you.