We invite you to take your copy of God's Word and turn to the Gospel according to Matthew chapter 7.
! We are bringing our study of the Sermon on the Mount to a close this week and Lord willing, next.
And today's text is Matthew chapter 7, verses 13 through 20.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are believers in the truth, we are lovers of the truth, and we should be proclaimers of the truth.
But in our age, if you want to find yourself unliked very quickly, dare to claim that you believe in a truth that deserves the belief of all people.
Denounce the idea that you can have your truth and I can have my truth.
Claim that there is such a thing as the truth, and you will be called narrow or arrogant.
Pluralistic relativism is antithetical to the truth.
It stands in opposition to it, but it does not and it cannot work in the world.
If what is right and pure and praiseworthy is not defined by truth, then it will be defined by power.
And in our day, those with the power seem to be those who are the loudest at declaring their truth.
Now at this point in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has concluded his teaching about his kingdom ethic.
And he has made bold, absolute truth claims.
He has been striking and clear about what citizens of the kingdom of heaven look like and act like.
At the very end of chapter 7, Matthew declares,
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
for he was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes.
In verse 13, Jesus, having concluded his teaching on his kingdom ethic,
presses an invitation to enter into that kingdom.
And he does not leave space for pluralistic relativism in matters concerning his kingdom.
So let's look together at Matthew chapter 7, verse 13 through 20.
Beloved, let me remind you that this is God's word to us, written for his glory and our good.
We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
Enter by the narrow gate.
For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction,
and those who enter by it are many.
For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life,
and those who find it are few.
Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
You will recognize them by their fruits.
Our grapes gather from thorn bushes or figs from thistles,
so every healthy tree bears good fruit,
but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits.
Now there are two exhortations in this text.
The first is found at the beginning of verse 13.
Jesus says,
Enter by the narrow gate.
And then gives reason why this should be the way for us.
The second is a warning to stay away from those who would keep you from entering by the narrow gate.
And it's found in verse 15,
where Jesus says,
Beware of false prophets.
So, enter and beware.
We assert as a church that access into the kingdom of God
is a thing that is granted to us by God.
Jesus is recorded in John chapter 6, verse 44,
saying,
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,
and I will raise him up on the last day.
We are saved by grace alone.
But this reality does not preclude our action.
We are to enter and to beware.
And this is a binary decision.
It's either one or the other.
There are only two options presented for us in our text this morning.
You cannot have God and everlasting life on your terms.
You must have him and it on his terms.
Notice that Jesus says there are two gates,
two ways,
two destinations,
two people,
only two.
My prayer for you this morning,
and has been across this past week,
is that you will be careful to consider
which gate you have entered by,
which way you are in,
which destination your way leads to,
and which people you belong to.
There are only two choices.
Let's consider first the narrow gate,
the difficult way,
the destination called life,
and the few.
Jesus is the narrow gate.
This is the absolute truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If one is to be reconciled to God the Father,
we must come through God the Son.
There is no other way.
Jesus said of himself in John chapter 14 and verse 6,
I am the way,
and the truth,
and the life.
Not a way,
a truth,
a life.
The way,
the truth,
and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
The Apostle Paul said something similar
in 1 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 5,
For there is one God,
and there is one mediator between God and man,
one who stands in the gap between us and God,
the man Christ, Jesus.
Jesus is the only way.
If this seems too narrow to you,
then you think far too much of yourself.
Those who have placed saving faith in Jesus Christ
have been humbled by the wretchedness of their sin
before a most holy God.
They have felt the weight of their rebellion
against God's good word
and are thankful that there is a way at all.
Praise God that there is a gate,
that it exists,
a way to God exists
for those who have rebelled wickedly against Him.
And that gate is Jesus Christ,
the way,
the truth,
and the life.
And our text tells us
that this narrow gate
leads us into a difficult way.
Jesus is not unclear
about the nature of the Christian life.
If you desire ease and comfort in this life,
there is a broad way for you.
But if you seek the coming kingdom
and the life found there,
the way will be difficult.
Jesus said in Matthew 16,
verse 24 and verse 25,
If anyone would come after me,
let him deny himself
and take up his cross
and follow me.
For whoever would save his life,
broad way,
will lose it in his destruction.
But whoever loses his life,
difficult way,
for my sake,
will find it.
Where did Jesus go
when He carried His cross?
Did He take it to a place of ease and comfort?
No.
He went to a place called Golgotha
to die.
And He invites us to follow Him
in doing the same.
to deny ourselves.
To put to death by the power of the Spirit
sin in our lives.
To suffer for the glory of His name.
It should be normative
that disciples of Jesus Christ
will suffer as He suffered.
Listen to the words of Jesus
recorded in John 15,
verses 18-20.
Here He said to His apostles
and to us this morning,
If the world hates you,
know that it has hated Me
before it hated you.
If you were of the world,
the world would love you
as its own.
But because you are not of the world,
but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you.
Remember the word
that I said to you,
A servant is not greater
than his master.
If they persecuted Me,
they will also persecute you.
If they kept My word,
they will also keep yours.
But we far too often live
as if we're greater
than our master.
That Jesus' suffering and death
has set us up
for a life of comfort
and of ease.
And we should ask ourselves
if we're in the difficult way
or if we're in the easy way.
If we've entered by the narrow gate
to the difficult way.
Or if we've gone to the broad gate
to the broad and easy way.
We can see an example
of this kind of suffering
in following Jesus
found in the life of Paul
in Acts chapter 14.
The story of Paul being stoned
at Lystra.
Verses 19 through 22.
Luke records for us,
But Jews came from Antioch
and Iconium,
and having persuaded the crowds,
they stoned Paul
and dragged him out of the city
supposing he was dead.
They stoned him to the point
that they thought he was dead,
and they took his body outside
to rot.
But when the disciples
gathered about him,
he rose up and entered
into the city.
And on the next day,
he went on with Barnabas
to Derbe.
When they had preached
the gospel to that city
and had made many disciples,
they returned to Lystra
and to Iconium
and to Antioch.
Back to the place
where everybody had heard
about the suffering
he had experienced
for the gospel.
And verse 22 says,
Strengthening the souls
of the disciples,
encouraging them
to continue in the faith.
And here's the peculiar part
of this text,
to us,
I think.
And saying
that through many tribulations
we must enter
the kingdom of God.
How is it that Paul
encouraged them
to continue in the faith
and told them
that through many tribulations
we must enter
the kingdom of God?
Wouldn't it be better
for Paul to tell them
to not worry?
That everything
is going to get better?
That having Jesus
in your life
improves the temporal existence
that you have now?
No.
This would not be the way
that these people
should be encouraged
because this is not the way
of the kingdom.
It is a difficult way.
It's not an easy way.
But he's able
to encourage them
with the promise
of the kingdom.
He's able to say to them,
yes, you suffer now
because you're a disciple
of Jesus Christ.
But later,
we look to the promise
of the future reward.
Remember the words
of Jesus in Matthew 16, 25,
which I read to you
just a moment ago.
Whoever loses his life
for my sake
will find it.
Find it.
The community group
that I lead
has been praying
for the work
of some brothers
and sisters in Pakistan
who have seen
an imam come to faith
in Jesus Christ.
Praise the Lord.
But this morning,
we received word
that his wife,
his children,
and three others
are now in Christ
because of his witness.
But also,
that he's been
kicked out of the mosque,
his Bible taken from him,
his children kicked out
of school,
and he has been hospitalized
from a beating,
a stoning.
How does one bear up
under such a thing?
By looking to the promise.
So this man knows
that it's better
for him to suffer now
and have a heavenly reward
that Jesus is more precious
than anything this world
would have to offer,
that he would gladly,
for the glory of God,
have such things happen
to his family.
Those who have Jesus
need nothing else.
Those who have tasted
and seen that the Lord is good
do not need the comfort
and ease of this world
and can look with hopeful expectation
to the life beyond this life.
Here's a closing word from Jesus
on the difficult way
found in Luke chapter 14
beginning in verse 27
and following.
He says,
Whoever does not
bear his own cross
and come after me
cannot be
my disciple.
So,
what does it mean
for us
to pick up our cross,
to die to ourselves,
to suffer for the sake
of the name?
This is a thing
that should be counted.
And too many of us
grew up in churches
that taught us
a cheap grace gospel.
That did not tell us
that what Jesus demands
of us
is our all.
We were sold
an improper bill.
So,
he says,
count the cost.
Listen to what he says
in verse 28
and following.
For which of you
desiring to build a tower
does not first sit down
and count the cost,
whether he has enough
to complete it?
Otherwise,
when he has laid a foundation,
is not able to finish,
all who see it
will begin to mock him,
saying,
this man began
to build a tower
and was not able
to finish.
How foolish a thing.
Or what king,
going out to encounter
another king in war,
will not sit down first
and deliberate
whether he is able
with 10,000
to meet him
who comes against him
with 20,000.
So,
if you are to enter
by the narrow gate,
you do so
at great cost.
And you must
consider this.
If you are to follow
Jesus Christ,
it will cost you
everything.
Are you willing
to give everything
to follow
Jesus Christ?
I can tell you
that everything
we have to give
in the work
of following Jesus
is a trifling cost.
It is a nothing cost
compared to the riches
that are ours
in Christ.
If you have
experienced
the living God
and the personal
work of Jesus Christ,
if you have beheld
him,
it is an easy
trade
to make,
to give away
everything
for the sake
of his name.
So,
Jesus is
the narrow gate
and he leads
into a difficult
way
whose destination
is called
life.
The destination
of this difficult
way is called
life.
Now
and
forever.
It is a quality
of life
in the soul
of man
that those
of this world
do not
and cannot
understand.
why would
this man
in Pakistan
trade the
favor of
his community,
his job,
possibly his
very life
to follow
this Jesus?
Because
he has
been changed
from death
to life.
Because he
has this
quality
of life
in his soul
knowing
his creator
that we
give up
everything
for it.
This is
the life
that David
speaks of
in Psalm
17
verse 15
where he
writes,
As for me
I shall
behold
your face
in righteousness.
When I
awake I
shall be
satisfied
with your
likeness.
Those who
are in
Christ
have his
presence,
his power
and his
provision
and this
is good.
And it
will be
the great
blessing
of heaven
forevermore.
Do you
know the
life
everlasting
for us
is that
we get
more
of our
Savior?
That we
get to
bask in
his glory
forever
and ever
and ever?
You can
imagine a
heaven without
the glory
of God?
You have
a wrong
view of
heaven.
If you
would have
all the
blessings
of heaven
apart from
God,
then you
don't love
God.
He is the
center of
all that is
happening
in the
forever
of our
living.
Jesus
said in
John 14
verses 2
and 3,
in my
Father's
house are
many
rooms.
If it
were not
so,
would I
have told
you that
I go
to prepare
a place
for you?
And if
I go
and prepare
a place
for you,
I will
come again
and do
what?
Take us
to a
place
where we're
just going
to be
happy
and play
and there's
going to be
streets of
gold and
all of these
things are
going to
be wonderful,
those things
are going
to be
wonderful,
those things
are going
to be
true,
but what
does he
say?
And take
you to
myself,
that where
I am,
you may
be also.
There's the
great blessing
of life
now and
life forever
more.
Being with
the triune
God is
the high
promise
of heaven.
And beloved,
we experience
that in
part now.
The baggage
of our
flesh and
the sin
of the
world,
the coming
kingdom is
being made
real and
alive in
us who
have placed
our faith
in Jesus
Christ.
The narrow
gate leads
to a
difficult
way whose
destination
is life
now and
forever
more.
There's
also a
people who
Jesus here
calls the
few.
The few.
Some will
say,
well that
seems so
exclusive.
And how
can I
know if
I am
the few?
What about
people in
the world
who have
not heard
this message?
Not heard
of Jesus?
Jesus.
Once again,
you may
think too
much of
yourself.
You may
think too
much of
humankind.
God has
proved himself
gracious and
merciful in
saving even
one sinner.
If God
came and
simply saved
a single
human in
fallen history,
he would
show himself
to be far
and above
gracious and
merciful.
We could
ever expect
of him.
Listen to
Jesus'
answer to
a very
similar
question.
This idea
of, well
that seems
a scoofer,
how can I
know if I'm
the few?
In Luke
chapter 13
verse 23
and 24,
someone said
to him,
Luke records,
Lord will
those who
are saved
be few?
And I
love Jesus'
answer to
this.
He doesn't
go, well
let's talk
about the
number.
He says
to this
person,
strive to
enter through
the narrow
door.
For many
I tell you
will seek
to enter
and will
not be
able.
Strive.
That's the
answer.
God is
gracious and
merciful.
God has
made a
way.
Strive to
enter by
that way.
Strive.
Seek the
way.
Be counted
amongst the
few.
And allow
me to
expound upon
the grace
and mercy
of our
God from
the book
of Revelation.
So as we
maybe grapple
a little
with this
idea of
few and
many,
find this
a comfort.
John's
vision of
heaven.
Revelation
chapter 7
verse 9
and following
John says
after this I
looked and
behold a
great multitude
that no one
could number
from every
nation,
from all
tribes and
peoples and
languages,
standing before
the throne and
before the
Lamb clothed
in white
robes with
palm branches
in their
hands and
crying out
with a loud
voice,
salvation belongs
to our God
who sits on
the throne
and to the
Lamb.
There's a
great multitude
gathered in
heaven.
And so I
don't know.
I think that
Jesus is using
this language
to press us
to strive,
right?
To help us
to look around
at all the
ways that
people are
going in the
world and
see that as
the broad
and not the
narrow.
And to seek
to enter by
the narrow
gate.
And there are
many cries
against this
teaching.
The exclusivity
of the
gospel.
It says
that people
must come
to God
by Christ.
It goes
something like,
how can a
loving God
wants to
answer with,
well,
there's many
ways.
We're to
seek our
way.
We're to
find our
way.
Many
contemporaries
of our day
say things
like this.
Our answer
to such
objection
should be,
oh,
but there
is a
way.
Praise God.
It's a
single way,
but there
is a
way.
And we
should go
and share
that way
with everyone
everywhere.
I've received
this objection,
somebody
rejecting the
gospel,
when I'm
sharing the
gospel with
them.
And that's
what I've
said.
I've simply
said,
but I'm
telling you
the way.
And you
have to
understand.
And people
who are not
followers of
Christ should
have great
sympathy for
Christians
because we're
simply being
consistent if
we try to
convert people
to follow
Jesus,
who said,
I'm the
way,
the truth,
and the
life.
We are
the worst
of hypocrites.
If we
believe that
to be true,
we don't
tell people
that good
news.
Paul says
in Romans
chapter 10,
verse 14
and following,
how then
will they
call on him
in whom
they have
not
believed?
It's rhetorical.
They can't.
And how
are they to
believe in
him of whom
they have
never heard?
Again,
rhetorical.
They can't.
And how
are they to
hear without
someone
preaching?
They can't.
The word of
God has to
come to
people to
believe in
Christ.
And how
are they to
preach unless
they are
sent?
They can't.
as it is
written,
how beautiful
are the feet
of those
who preach
the good
news.
But they
have not
all obeyed
the gospel
for Isaiah
says,
Lord,
who has
believed
what he
has heard
from us?
And then
verse 17
says,
so faith
comes from
hearing,
and hearing
through the
word of
Christ.
Jesus Christ
is the way,
the truth,
and the life.
He's the
narrow way,
leads to a
difficult path,
path,
whose
destination
is life.
Now let's
consider the
wide gate,
the easy
way,
the destination
called
destruction,
and the
many.
We can do
this a bit
more briefly
because we're
talking about
everything else
that I haven't
mentioned
already.
Recall
that all
throughout the
Sermon on
the Mount,
Jesus has
not been
speaking against
a godlessness
that denies
the existence
of a god.
His original
audience are not
people who
denied that
there was
a god,
but rather
a godlessness
that worshipped
the right god,
but in the
wrong way.
He is
specifically
going after
the Phariseeism
of his day.
and I
would suggest
to you
the pluralistic
relativism
of our
day.
He is
teaching us
that there
are countless
wrong ways
to worship
the right
god,
as well as
countless
wrong ways
to worship
the wrong.
The destination
sign over the
difficult way
over the
difficult way
says heaven.
We enter the
narrow gate
over the
difficult way
says destination
heaven.
The destination
sign over the
easy way
does not
say hell,
but also
says heaven.
heaven.
Jesus makes
it clear
that if we
do not
enter the
difficult way
by the
narrow gate,
that we
will be
deceived into
thinking that
we are
headed to
life,
but that we
are in
actuality
headed to
destruction.
The one
who reigns
over the
broad and
easy path,
Satan
himself
puts up
that destination
sign.
Oh,
there are
many ways
to heaven.
It could
look like
this or
this.
And the
end is
destruction.
Proverbs
14.12
says there
is a way
that seems
right to
a man,
but its
end is
the way
to death.
I'm so
thankful
that God
has humbled
me and
helped me
to know
that there
is nothing
good within
me and I
must look
without me.
I must
look to
Christ.
I must
find the
answer to
the way
of life
from him,
not from
myself.
Now,
I would
like to
illustrate
the
broad
path
for you
with a
reading from
the
Pilgrim's
Progress.
So,
I hope you
got a
bulletin in
your hands.
You can
flip it
over.
You're
going to
see a
lot of
stuff on
the back
of it.
As I
said in
the welcome,
this is a
book that
everybody should
read.
You can
find modern
English versions
of it if
this language
is scary
to you.
It was
written by
a man named
John Bunyan,
the pastor,
in 1678.
He began
the writing
of this
work while
he was in
prison.
He was
on the
difficult
way.
He was
in prison
for preaching
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ.
He wasn't
sanctioned by
the state
to be a
preacher,
but he did
it anyway
because for
him to be
sanctioned by
the state
he would
have to
not
preach
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ.
In fact,
when he was
thrown in
prison he
would stand
out in the
courtyard and
preach and
people would
gather around
the prison
walls to
hear John
Bunyan
preach.
And so
they put
him in a
cellar.
A dank
dungeness
part of
the prison.
And he
had with
him a
Bible and
he had a
copy of
in his
day the
version of
Fox's Book
of Martyrs
in his
day.
These were
the two
things that
were a
comfort to
him in
that place.
And he
began to
write the
story that
we call
The Pilgrim's
Progress which
is about the
journey of
a man named
Christian and
later his
wife whose
name is
Christiana.
Where we
are in
the story
he's come
through a
narrow gate
it's called
in the story
the Wicker
Gate.
It's a
wooden gate
that he's
come through.
He's carrying
this burden
of sin on
his back and
he goes to
the cross
where the
burden falls
off.
He's given
some things
in the process
of that.
One of them
we're going to
see in our
reading is a
cloak that's
given to him
to cover his
nakedness.
He's clothed
in Christ.
And he
meets two
characters as
he's traveling
on his way
to what Bunyan
calls the
celestial city
and you'll
see them
call it
Mount Zion
here in
our text.
So we
begin.
He,
this is
Christian,
espied two
men come
tumbling over
the wall on
the left hand
of the narrow
way.
So they
didn't come
by the narrow
gate.
They've come
tumbling over
the wall
and they
made up
a pace
to him.
The name
of the one
was formalist.
That's a person
who keeps
very carefully
the law.
And the name
of the other
was hypocrisy.
One who says
they do but
in actuality
don't.
Formalist
and hypocrisy.
So as I
said,
they drew up
unto him
who thus
entered with
them into
discourse.
They started
talking.
That's what
that means.
Gentlemen,
whence came
you and
whither go
you?
We were
born in
the land
of vain
glory and
are going
for praise
to Mount
Zion.
Why came
you not
in at the
gate which
standeth at
the beginning
of the way?
Know you
not that it
is written
that he
that cometh
not in
by the
door but
climbeth up
some other
way the
same as
a thief
and a
robber?
They said
that to go
to the
gate for
entrance was
by all
their
countrymen
counted
too far
about
and that
therefore
their usual
way was
to make
a shortcut
of it
and to
climb over
the wall
as they
had done.
Will it
not be
counted
a trespass
against the
lord of
the city
whither we
are bound
thus to
violate
his revealed
will?
They told
him that
as for
that
he needed
not to
trouble
his head
thereabout
for what
they did
they had
custom
for
and could
produce
if need
were
testimony
that
would
witness
it
for
more
than
a
thousand
years.
At this
point do we
know what
Bunyan is
talking about?
He's talking
about Roman
Catholicism.
He's talking
about religious
practice.
And hear this
for yourself
this morning
if you're
asking the
question
have I
gone through
the narrow
gate
place
saving
faith
in the
personal
work of
Jesus
Christ
or am I
merely going
through the
religious
rites?
Coming here
does not
save your
soul
brothers and
sisters
placing faith
in Jesus
Christ
for the
salvation
of your
soul
is what
saves
your
soul.
So we
have
for more
than a
thousand
years
this is
the way
that people
have been
getting
into the
ways
what they
say
but
said
Christian
will
your
practice
stand
a
trial
at
law?
They
told him
that
custom
being of
so long
standing
as above
a thousand
years
would
doubtless
now be
admitted
as a
thing
legal
by any
impartial
judge
and
besides
said
they
if we
get
into
the
way
what's
the
matter
which
way
we
get
in
if we
are
in
we
are
in
thou
art
but
in
the
way
who
as
we
perceive
came
in
at
the
gate
we
are
also
in
the
way
that
came
tumbling
!
where
in
now
is
thy
condition
better
than
ours
and
this
is
the
question
of
pluralistic
relativism
right
and the
answer
Jesus
is saying
you must
worship
the right
God
and you
must
worship
him
rightly
no one
can come
to the
father
but by
me
right
Christian
says
I walk
by the
rule
of my
master
you
walk
by
the
rude
working
of
your
fancies
you
are
counted
thieves
already
by the
Lord
of
the
way
therefore
I
doubt
you
will
not
be
found
true
men
at
the
end
of
the
way
you
come
in
by
yourselves
without
his
direction
and
shall
go
out
by
yourselves
without
his
mercy
Christian's
a
not a
weenie
guy
to
this
they
made
him
but
little
answer
only
they
bid
him
to
look
to
that
these
two
men
told
Christian
that
as
to
laws
and
ordinances
they
doubted
not
but
they
should
be
as
conscientiously
do
them
as
he
therefore
said
they
we
see
not
wherein
thou
differest
from
us
but
by
the
coat
that
is
on
thy
back
which
was
as
we
trow
given
thee
by
some
of
thy
neighbors
to
hide
the
shame
of
thy
nakedness
so
they're
saying
is
we
keep
the
law
just
as
you
keep
the
law
the
only
difference
between
us
and
you
is
you're
wearing
this
coat
which
we
understand
from a
reading
of the
pilgrimage
progress
is the
righteousness
of
Christ
and
Christian
says
by
laws
and
ordinances
you
will
not
be
saved
since
you
came
not
in
by
the
door
and
they
have
a
little
more
interchange
and
shortly
they
come
in
the
story
to
a
hill
!
difficult
and
the
narrow
path
goes
straight
up
the
hill
called
difficult
and
at
this
point
Christian
leaves
his
fellow
travelers
behind
because
they
find
alternate
paths
that
go
around
the
hill
and
they
perceive
that
they
meet
back
up
on
the
other
side
one
takes
a
path
called
danger
and
gets
lost
in
a
wood
the
other
takes
a
path
called
destruction
where
he
dies
so
Bunyan
very
beautifully
illustrates
this
for us
religion
is the
broad
easy
way
through
Christ
that we
are
saved
and it's
because of
the nature
of the
broad
and easy
way
Jesus
exhorts
us to
beware
of false
prophets
beware
of the
people
that
would
lead
you
to
the
broad
and
easy
way
be
cautious
of
these
people
he
says
that
they
are
outwardly
in
sheep's
clothing
they
look
like
a
brother
or
a
sister
but
inwardly
ravenous
wolves
like
they're
seeking
your
destruction
and he
tells us
how we're
to
recognize
these
false
prophets
were to
recognize
them
by
their
fruits
and he
asks
them
rhetorical
questions
grapes
gathered
from
thorn bushes
of course
not
or figs
from
thistles
of course
not
so
every
healthy
tree
bears
good
fruit
but
the
diseased
tree
bears
bad
fruit
right
healthy
tree
can't
bear
bad
fruit
diseased
tree
can't
bear
good
fruit
right
duh
!
and
beloved
I
wish
that
it
was
just
easy
and
simple
to
identify
the
false
prophets
but
it's
not
so
easy
we
must
be
examining
!
and
careful
we
must
watch
right
we
must
examine
fruit
and
I
want
to
give
you
just
three
quick
like
outline
ways
to
examine
the
fruit
of
teachers
of
our
day
to
consider
whether
or
not
we
should
be
listening
to
them
please
don't
make
me
the
one
that
has
to
always
sort
out
false
prophets
for
you
I
don't
have
nearly
enough
time
to
tell
you
all
the
people
you
should
avoid
first
we
should
examine
their
character
Ephesians
chapter 2
and
verse
10
Paul
writes
for
we
are
his
workmanship
created
in
Christ
Jesus
for
good
works
we
should
walk
in
them
we
are
not
saved
by
our
works
we
are
saved
by
the
righteousness
of
Christ
but
he
having
given
us
the
Holy
Spirit
now
intends
to
work
good
works
in
us
so
the
evidence
the way
that we
can
examine
someone
from
the
outside
to
see
if
they
are
in
fact
producing
good
fruit
things
that
are
consistent
with
the
scripture
I
fear
that
in
our
day
most
of
the
they
are
very
distant
very
aloof
they
are
backstage
they
come
out
they
go
backstage
again
they
are
shuttled
out
a
side
door
no
one
can
really
know
these
men
and
really
examine
their
fruit
and
this
is
a
troubling
thing
I
believe
in
our
day
and
I'm
not
saying
that
every
pastor
of
a
large
church
is
a
false
prophet
so
don't
hear
that
but
it's
troubling
if
spiritual
leaders
don't
have
a
tight
group
of
people
around
them
that
are
helping
them
walk
examining
questioning
holding
them
accountable
right
we
are
known
as
Christians
by
our
fruit
Jesus
says
in
John
15
8
by
this
my
father
is
glorified
that
you
bear
much
fruits
this
is
a
fruit
of
righteousness
right
putting
to death
sin
putting
on
good
works
and
so
prove
to
be
my
disciples
right
how is
it
that
we
show
that
we
have
faith
we
show
that
we
have
faith
by
our
works
James
tells
us
so
examine
the
character
of
the
teachers
in
your
life
encourage
others
to
examine
the
character
of
the
teachers
in
their
life
examine
my
character
please
secondly
we need
to look
to
the
doctrine
we need
to look
to the
doctrine
of
those
teachers
in our
midst
Paul
writes
to
Timothy
in
2 Timothy
chapter 4
beginning
in
verse 1
I charge
you in
the
presence
of
God
and
of
Christ
Jesus
who
is
to
judge
the
living
and
the
dead
and
by
his
appearing
and
his
kingdom
preach
the
word
this
text
66
books
Old
and
New
Testament
be
ready
in
season
and
out
of
season
and
as
a
note
Timothy
only
had
the
Old
Testament
at
that
point
that's
the
word
he's
referring
to
specifically
those
39
first
books
preach
the
word
be ready
in
season
and
out
of
season
reprove
rebuke
and exhort
with complete
patience
and teaching
why
why is he
instructing
Timothy
to do
this
first
three
says
for
the
time
is
coming
when
people
will
not
endure
sound
teaching
but
having
itching
ears
they
will
accumulate
for
themselves
teachers
to
suit
their
own
passions
and
they
will
turn
away
from
listening
to
the
truth
and
they
will
wander
off
into
myths
right
the
time
is
here
when
people
don't
want
to
hear
the
truth
of
God
they
want
a
broad
and
easy
way
and
so
they
gather
!
who
will
tell
them
exactly
what
they
want
to
hear
and
so
many
teachers
and
I
think
with
good
intentions
although
I
think
I'm
tired
of
making
excuses
for
these
people
with
good
intentions
will
tell
people
what
they
want
to
hear
they
think
they're
leading
people
to
Christ
and
I
would
suggest
that
more
often
than
not
they're
making
people
twice
a
child
of
hell
it's
very
dangerous
that we
lead
people
to
think
they're
following
the
risen
Christ
and
they're
not
they're
following
a
Jesus
of
our
invention
preach
the
word
everything
we do
need to
be
text
driven
informed
we
cannot
step
outside
this
book
A.W.
Pink
was a
19th
century
British
theologian
said
this
this is
pretty
scathing
any
preacher
who
rejects
God's
law
who
denies
repentance
to be
a
condition
of
salvation
who
assures
the
giddy
and
godless
that
they
are
loved
by
God
who
declares
saving
faith
is
nothing
more
than
an
act
of
the
will
which
every
person
has
the
power
to
perform
is
a
false
prophet
and
should
be
shunned
as
a
deadly
plague
I
agree
J.C.
Ryle
and this
is a
another
19th
century
British
pastor
and
theologian
who's
on the
front of
your
bulletin
said
false
doctrine
and
heresy
are
even
worse
than
schism
and
he's
saying
than
dividing
from
a
fellowship
of
believers
false
doctrine
and
heresy
are
even
worse
than
schism
if
people
separate
themselves
from
teaching
that
is
positively
false
and
unscriptural
they
ought to
be
praised
rather
than
reproved
in
such
cases
separation
is a
virtue
and
not
a
sin
for
the
good
of
people
beloved
we
need
to
be
warning
others
away
from
the
false
teaching
of
our
day
for
the
sake
of
time
I
will
not
list
people
in
our
area
for
you
that
we
should
we
need
to
pray
for
these
men
that
they
would
come
to
a
realization
of
the
truth
for
some
of
them
maybe
that
their
souls
would
be
saved
and
we
need
to
help
people
we
need
to
lead
people
to
the
narrow
gate
in
the
difficult
way
so
that
they
can
have
life
and
life
everlasting
we
also
need
to
look
at
these
men's
followers
these
men's
followers
how
do
people's
lives
orient
always
have
access
to
the
man
but
how
is
it
that
people
are
living
in
relation
to
his
leadership
Peter
writes
in
2
Peter
chapter
2
verse
1
and
2
the
false
prophets
also
arose
among
the
people
just
as
there
will
be
false
teachers
among
you
we
shouldn't
be
surprised
by
this
who
will
secretly
bring
in
destructive
heresies
even
denying
the
master
who
bought
them
bringing
upon
themselves
swift
!
We
live
in
a
day
where
people
claim
to be
followers
of
Jesus
Christ
and
live
as
followers
of
Satan
absolutely
mock
the
gospel
of
Jesus
Christ
we
must
be
so
very
careful
as
we
beware
Jesus
warns
us
beware
of
the
false
prophets
beloved
there is
much
at stake
here
much
at stake
here
the glory
of our
God
and the
eternal
souls
of
people
I
know
that
every
time
I
talk
about
false
teaching
in our
area
you
get a
little
angsty
about
it
right
why
because
I'm
making
a
truth
claim
that's
absolute
and
you
are
conditioned
to
think
of
that
as
narrow
and
arrogant
you're
conditioned
to
do
it
how
could
you
possibly
say
how
can
you
know
because
the
text
says
it
it's
not
my
authority
it's
God's
authority
that
says
such
things
we
have
to
be
emboldened
we
have
to
contend
for
the
truth
because
the
glory
of
our
God
and
the
eternal
souls
of
people
which are
intrinsically
tied
together
are
at
stake
so
this
morning
is
a
final
application
be
sure
that
you
have
entered
by
the
narrow
gate
you've
placed
saving
faith
in
Jesus
Christ
that
your
righteousness
is
in
him
that
you're
on
the
difficult
way
that
you're
headed
to
a
destination
called
life
and
that
you
are
counted
amongst
!
the
few
and
you
find
that
this
is
true
of
yourself
contend
for
the
absolute
claims
of
the
Bible
Jesus
says
enter
by
the
narrow
gate
for
the
gate
is
wide
and
the
way
is
easy
that
leads
to
destruction
and
those
who
enter
by
it
are
many
for
the
gate
is
narrow
and
the
way
is
hard
that
leads
to
life
and
those
who
find
it
are
few
let's
pray
together
to
those