WEBVTT

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 Tonight we're looking at Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 through 20.

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 I think it'll be up, it may be up on the screen, but it is on page 812 if you're looking in one of the pew Bibles.

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 We're looking at Jesus' Sermon on the Mount this summer.

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 We are wrapping it up over the next couple weeks. It's starting to come to its conclusion.

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 And this is really the beginning of the conclusion of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.

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 What we're looking at tonight.

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 And then next week we'll look at the rest of the conclusion.

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 And then the following week we'll finish by looking at the reaction of the crowds.

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 So, Luke, sorry, Matthew. Matthew chapter 7, starting at verse 13.

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 These are Jesus' words to his disciples and to the crowds.

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 Enter by the narrow gate.

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 For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction.

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 And those who enter by it are many.

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 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life.

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 And those who find it are few.

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 Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing.

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 But inwardly are ravenous wolves.

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 You will recognize them by their fruits.

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 Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?

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 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit.

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 But the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

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 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit.

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 Nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

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

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 Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits.

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 A long time ago, the poet wrote,

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 Two roads diverged here in a wood.

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 I took the one less traveled by.

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 And it has made all the difference.

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 Many times in life, you come to a crossroads.

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 And there are only two ways to go.

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 You can propose.

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 Or you can break up.

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 You can take the job offer.

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 Or you can reject it.

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 You can sign on the dotted line and buy the car.

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 Or you can pass on the offer.

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 You can choose to pack up and move.

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 Or you can choose to stay here in New Haven.

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 And you can't do both.

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 You can only do one or the other.

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 Now, many of us do all that we can to avoid these kinds of either-or decisions.

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 My generation, some people call us the millennials, whatever you want to call us,

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 were notorious for postponing commitment.

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 Wanting to keep all our options perpetually open.

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 At least wanting to keep the door open to future course corrections

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 if we decide we want to change and move a different way.

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 Not get locked into something that we can't get out of.

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 Now, in some areas of life, there can be good reasons for this.

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 And the technology available to us today allows us to consider some options

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 that were just simply not possible 50 or 100 years ago.

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 Like chatting on Skype or calling into work from halfway across the country.

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 But in the passage we're looking at tonight,

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 Jesus challenges our avoidance of commitment.

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 He says, spiritually speaking, no one is truly neutral.

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 No one is just uncommitted.

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 You can't have it both ways at once.

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 Jesus says there are ultimately two ways to live.

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 You can live in the kingdom of Jesus,

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 as he's described it in the Sermon on the Mount.

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 Or you can live in the kingdoms of this fallen world.

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 And you can't be loyal to both kingdoms at the same time.

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 You know, in the ancient world, there was no such thing as dual citizenship.

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 Because if you were loyal to one kingdom,

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 that meant you could not be

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 completely loyal to another kingdom at the same time.

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 And if you wanted to become a citizen of a new kingdom,

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 you had to leave behind your old citizenship.

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 Jesus gives several contrasts in this passage.

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 The narrow gate that few people enter versus the wide gate that many enter.

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 The easy way that leads to destruction versus the hard way that leads to life.

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 The healthy tree that bears good fruit versus the diseased or sick tree that bears bad fruit.

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 The false prophet, a wolf in sheep's clothing versus the true prophet,

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 a sheep who follows the good shepherd.

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 And all of these are either or contrasts.

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 Now, as we've seen this summer, if you've been coming here,

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 the Sermon on the Mount is a description of life in Jesus' kingdom of grace.

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 Jesus came into this world to call out a people,

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 to belong to God,

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 and to form them into a kingdom

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 unlike anything that this world has ever seen or known.

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 And the Sermon on the Mount describes what life looks like

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 when Jesus has called us and brought us into God's kingdom

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 by his grace,

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 by his mercy,

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 by his love that has drawn us in.

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 And the Sermon on the Mount describes

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 the life that we're meant to live.

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 It's a life characterized by humility.

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 Jesus starts by saying,

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 blessed are the poor in spirit.

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 It's the first thing he says.

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 The people who recognize that we have nothing before God,

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 that we're desperately needy,

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 and that only God in his mercy

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 can save us and rescue us.

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 It's a life characterized by humility.

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 It's a life characterized by being different from the world,

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 being salt and light

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 in the midst of a decaying and corrupt world.

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 And Jesus says,

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 probably the world will misunderstand you

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 and dislike you

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 and maybe even persecute you.

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 But Jesus says,

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 even when that happens,

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 you are called to love your enemies

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 and do good to those who hate you.

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 Because that's the kind of behavior

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 that reflects my kingdom.

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 So it's a life characterized by humility,

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 by distinctiveness from the world,

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 by intimate trust in God the Father.

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 We see this especially in chapter 6 of Matthew,

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 the middle of the Sermon on the Mount.

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 And it's, as we saw last week,

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 a life characterized by careful discernment,

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 but not self-righteous judgment.

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 Now, many people have responded

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 to the Sermon on the Mount

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 by admiring the ethical ideal

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 that is presented here.

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 You know, many people,

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 even people throughout the world,

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 not simply Christians,

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 but many other people have said,

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 the Sermon on the Mount

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 is the most beautiful piece

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 of ethical teaching ever.

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 Gandhi greatly admired it

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 and was deeply moved by it.

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 But Jesus said,

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 you know,

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 the response I'm looking for

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 is not just to admire

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 my teaching from a distance,

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 sort of like looking

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 at a beautiful sunset.

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 You say,

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 wow, isn't that nice?

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 And you sort of sit

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 and bask in it

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 and enjoy it for a little while.

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 And then you go on with your life

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 and you feel a little more peaceful.

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 Right?

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 But Jesus says,

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 no,

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 I'm not calling you

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 to admire it from a distance.

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 I'm calling you to enter in

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 and to become a citizen of my kingdom

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 and leave behind your former loyalties

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 and become loyal to me

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 above everything else.

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 And in the conclusion

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 of the Sermon on the Mount,

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 which we're starting to look at tonight,

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 Jesus presses the point home.

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 He insists on a decision,

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 a response.

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 He says,

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 I'm not just giving this to you

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 to be like a beautiful sunset

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 that you can look at

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 and walk away

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 and feel a little more peaceful

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 and then sort of goes away

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 after a couple days.

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 But I'm calling you

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 to a whole new life,

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 a whole new kingdom.

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 So he says two things tonight.

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 First, he says,

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 enter by the narrow gate.

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 Verse 13 and 14.

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 If you go to New York City

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 and you want to ride in the subway,

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 you have to enter through a turnstile

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 at almost every station.

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 And only one person at a time can fit.

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 Right?

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 And I don't know if you've ever tried to,

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 once I was in New York

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 and I was coming back

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 from flying somewhere else

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 and I had a big suitcase.

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 And I was trying to get this suitcase

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 through the turnstile

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 of the New York City subway

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 and it got caught.

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 It was trouble.

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 I had to figure out

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 how to maneuver it around.

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 But the point is,

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 you can only go one at a time

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 through the gate

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 into the subway.

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 It's the same thing

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 if you go to a Yankees game.

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 I'm even using a Yankees example.

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 I'm a Red Sox fan,

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 but I'll give you

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 the Yankees example, okay?

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 Even if you go to Yankee Stadium,

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 you can't just blend into the crowd

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 and sort of slide in.

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 You have to hand in your ticket

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 to the guard,

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 the ticket person, right?

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 Whatever you call them.

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 I don't know what you call them.

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 Anyway, it's the same thing

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 you go on a plane, right?

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 You've got to go through security.

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 And there's lots of things

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 that they will not let you bring

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 through security.

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 Jesus says,

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 the way to enter the kingdom of God

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 is through a narrow gate.

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 You can't enter anonymously.

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 You can't just slide in

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 as part of the crowd

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 and have nobody see you.

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 You can't just sort of slip in

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 and be hidden

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 and just make it in

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 somehow like that.

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 Jesus says,

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 you don't get in automatically.

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 You don't get in by walking

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 into a church building.

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 You don't get in by being born

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 into a Christian family.

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 You enter through personally

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 trusting in Jesus.

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 Jesus is the gatekeeper.

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 He's the gate, actually.

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 You enter by going through Him.

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 It's the only way in.

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 You enter by realizing that one day

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 every one of us will face God's judgment.

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 And what we need more than anything else

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 is to be right with God.

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 And the way that that can happen

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 is by trusting Jesus

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 and by accepting what He's done.

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 And when you enter the kingdom of God

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 by trusting Jesus,

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 you must leave some other things behind.

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 They won't fit with you

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 into the kingdom of God.

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 They don't belong in the kingdom of God.

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 Jesus talks about some of these things.

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 He says,

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 entering the narrow gate

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 means leaving behind

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 other people's opinions

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 and our attachments

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 to what other people think of us.

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 It means leaving behind

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 our attachment to worldly possessions.

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 Jesus talked to a rich young man

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 later in the Gospels.

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 And Jesus said,

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 there's one thing that you're missing.

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 Sell what you have

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 and follow me.

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 And the man walked away very sad.

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 And we never hear of him again.

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 Because he was more attached

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 to his possessions

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 than to Jesus.

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 This week I was talking with someone

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 from Eritrea,

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 which is a country in eastern Africa.

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 And he's someone who's considering

00:11:52.740 --> 00:11:55.379
 becoming a follower of Jesus Christ

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 and identifying himself as a Christian.

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 And he said,

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 I know Christians

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 back in my country

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 who were physically tortured.

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 They were put in metal storage containers

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 in the middle of the desert

00:12:08.899 --> 00:12:11.120
 when it was 100 degrees.

00:12:13.659 --> 00:12:15.579
 He knows that becoming a Christian

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 is a very serious matter,

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 even a dangerous matter.

00:12:21.379 --> 00:12:23.100
 He knows that it's not something

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 to be taken lightly,

00:12:24.620 --> 00:12:25.899
 to identify himself

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 as a follower of Christ.

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 You know, sometimes I think

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 in the United States

00:12:32.139 --> 00:12:33.159
 or in parts of the world

00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:35.799
 where Christians aren't going through

00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:37.259
 intense physical persecution,

00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:38.399
 we can forget this.

00:12:39.179 --> 00:12:40.319
 But Jesus reminds us

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 his way is a hard way.

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 Whether that means

00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:46.100
 facing physical persecution

00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:47.860
 from an oppressive government,

00:12:48.079 --> 00:12:49.699
 or whether it means

00:12:49.699 --> 00:12:50.460
 living in the midst

00:12:50.460 --> 00:12:52.079
 of worldly wealth and privilege

00:12:52.079 --> 00:12:54.019
 and not becoming entangled

00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:55.179
 and drawn into it,

00:12:55.179 --> 00:12:58.019
 or living as salt and light

00:12:58.019 --> 00:12:59.799
 in a nominally Christian culture

00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:01.039
 where lots of people

00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:02.079
 are talking the talk,

00:13:02.319 --> 00:13:03.359
 but not many people

00:13:03.359 --> 00:13:04.339
 are walking the walk.

00:13:04.959 --> 00:13:05.399
 Jesus said,

00:13:05.639 --> 00:13:06.559
 whatever situation

00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:08.079
 you find yourself in,

00:13:09.739 --> 00:13:10.519
 following me

00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:11.959
 is a hard way.

00:13:13.739 --> 00:13:14.799
 Dietrich Bonhoeffer

00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:15.500
 put it this way,

00:13:16.439 --> 00:13:18.099
 referring to other things

00:13:18.099 --> 00:13:18.759
 Jesus has taught

00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:19.639
 in the Sermon on the Mount.

00:13:19.719 --> 00:13:20.000
 He says,

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:21.719
 to testify to the truth

00:13:21.719 --> 00:13:22.839
 as it is in Jesus,

00:13:22.840 --> 00:13:24.740
 and at the same time

00:13:24.740 --> 00:13:26.160
 to love the enemies

00:13:26.160 --> 00:13:27.120
 of that truth

00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:28.840
 with the infinite love

00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:29.639
 of Jesus Christ

00:13:29.639 --> 00:13:31.000
 is indeed a narrow way.

00:13:31.780 --> 00:13:33.019
 To believe the promise

00:13:33.019 --> 00:13:33.540
 of Jesus

00:13:33.540 --> 00:13:34.759
 that his followers

00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:36.040
 will inherit the earth

00:13:36.040 --> 00:13:37.820
 and at the same time

00:13:37.820 --> 00:13:39.340
 preferring to be wronged

00:13:39.340 --> 00:13:40.740
 than to do wrong ourselves

00:13:40.740 --> 00:13:42.600
 is indeed a narrow way.

00:13:43.420 --> 00:13:44.780
 Or to see the weakness

00:13:44.780 --> 00:13:46.000
 and the wrong

00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:46.860
 in other people

00:13:46.860 --> 00:13:48.300
 and at the same time

00:13:48.300 --> 00:13:48.980
 to refrain

00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:50.300
 from judging them

00:13:50.299 --> 00:13:51.240
 and writing them off

00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:53.279
 is indeed a narrow way.

00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:56.479
 The way is unutterably hard

00:13:56.479 --> 00:13:57.699
 and at every moment

00:13:57.699 --> 00:13:58.579
 we are in danger

00:13:58.579 --> 00:14:00.139
 of straying from it.

00:14:01.139 --> 00:14:02.039
 As we've studied

00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:02.859
 the Sermon on the Mount

00:14:02.859 --> 00:14:03.319
 this summer,

00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:03.899
 I've been struck

00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:05.359
 by how challenging

00:14:05.359 --> 00:14:07.419
 Jesus' demands are.

00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:10.639
 It's hard

00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:12.079
 what he calls us to.

00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:14.939
 It's extremely hard.

00:14:17.639 --> 00:14:18.699
 And Jesus doesn't

00:14:18.700 --> 00:14:20.140
 try to hide that fact.

00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:20.620
 You know,

00:14:20.680 --> 00:14:21.660
 sometimes my tendency

00:14:21.660 --> 00:14:23.120
 is to sort of downplay that

00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:25.200
 and to emphasize

00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:28.840
 encouraging,

00:14:29.140 --> 00:14:29.500
 kind,

00:14:29.640 --> 00:14:30.000
 nice,

00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:31.500
 soft things.

00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:32.180
 And Jesus says,

00:14:32.259 --> 00:14:32.920
 no, actually,

00:14:33.259 --> 00:14:34.740
 it's important

00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:35.400
 that you know

00:14:35.400 --> 00:14:36.660
 that the way

00:14:36.660 --> 00:14:37.400
 I am calling you

00:14:37.400 --> 00:14:37.780
 to walk

00:14:37.780 --> 00:14:38.540
 is a hard way.

00:14:38.940 --> 00:14:40.180
 But he also says

00:14:40.180 --> 00:14:41.220
 it's a way

00:14:41.220 --> 00:14:42.460
 that is worth it.

00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:43.620
 He says

00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:44.040
 it's a way

00:14:44.040 --> 00:14:44.660
 that leads

00:14:44.660 --> 00:14:45.920
 to life.

00:14:46.620 --> 00:14:47.820
 To eternal life.

00:14:48.700 --> 00:14:49.240
 And he says

00:14:49.240 --> 00:14:50.040
 the other way

00:14:50.040 --> 00:14:52.360
 it leads

00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:53.020
 to destruction.

00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:57.100
 So Dietrich Bonhoeffer

00:14:57.100 --> 00:14:57.920
 goes on to say this.

00:14:57.960 --> 00:14:58.240
 He says

00:14:58.240 --> 00:14:58.640
 if we

00:14:58.640 --> 00:15:01.240
 walking the narrow way,

00:15:01.340 --> 00:15:02.120
 if we behold

00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:02.980
 Jesus Christ,

00:15:03.060 --> 00:15:03.680
 if we look

00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:04.780
 to Jesus Christ

00:15:04.780 --> 00:15:06.000
 going on before us

00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:06.800
 step by step,

00:15:07.400 --> 00:15:08.120
 we will not

00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:08.680
 go astray.

00:15:09.660 --> 00:15:10.160
 He says

00:15:10.160 --> 00:15:10.840
 if we worry

00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:12.220
 about all the dangers

00:15:12.220 --> 00:15:12.960
 that beset us,

00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:13.700
 if we gaze

00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:14.620
 at the road

00:15:14.620 --> 00:15:17.419
 instead of

00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:17.919
 at him

00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:18.759
 who goes before,

00:15:18.899 --> 00:15:19.580
 we are already

00:15:19.580 --> 00:15:20.899
 straying from the path.

00:15:21.700 --> 00:15:22.279
 For Jesus

00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:23.500
 is himself

00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:24.399
 the way.

00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:26.620
 He and he alone

00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:28.919
 is our journey's end.

00:15:30.019 --> 00:15:31.200
 And when we know that,

00:15:31.659 --> 00:15:32.440
 we are able

00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:33.039
 to proceed

00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:34.299
 along the narrow way,

00:15:34.779 --> 00:15:35.700
 through the gate

00:15:35.700 --> 00:15:36.419
 of the cross

00:15:36.419 --> 00:15:37.879
 and on to eternal life.

00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:40.179
 He's saying

00:15:40.179 --> 00:15:41.679
 the way is hard.

00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:43.659
 But Jesus Christ

00:15:43.659 --> 00:15:44.759
 has gone before us.

00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:46.399
 And Jesus has walked

00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:47.679
 this hard way.

00:15:47.980 --> 00:15:49.059
 And he walked it

00:15:49.059 --> 00:15:49.639
 all the way

00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:50.159
 to the cross.

00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:50.939
 He lived a life

00:15:50.939 --> 00:15:52.179
 of faithful trust

00:15:52.179 --> 00:15:53.379
 and obedience to God

00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:54.159
 all the way

00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:54.759
 to the end.

00:15:55.379 --> 00:15:56.620
 He walked a harder way.

00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:57.779
 He blazed

00:15:57.779 --> 00:15:58.559
 the trail

00:15:58.559 --> 00:15:59.480
 where there was

00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:00.539
 no trail before.

00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:04.639
 And all that we do

00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:06.460
 is walk behind him.

00:16:06.460 --> 00:16:09.240
 And Bonhoeffer says

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:10.139
 just look to him.

00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:12.019
 Because he's the way.

00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:13.660
 And he's

00:16:13.660 --> 00:16:14.900
 eternal life.

00:16:15.560 --> 00:16:16.519
 He's the destination

00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:18.200
 that we're going for.

00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:19.780
 And the one

00:16:19.780 --> 00:16:20.740
 that makes it all worth it.

00:16:22.060 --> 00:16:22.820
 So that's the first thing

00:16:22.820 --> 00:16:23.259
 Jesus says.

00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:24.720
 Enter by the narrow gate.

00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:25.920
 Second thing,

00:16:26.920 --> 00:16:27.900
 he says beware

00:16:27.900 --> 00:16:29.680
 of false prophets.

00:16:29.980 --> 00:16:31.240
 Verse 15 through 20.

00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:33.620
 Now the basic problem

00:16:33.620 --> 00:16:35.320
 with false prophets

00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:37.160
 false teachers

00:16:37.160 --> 00:16:39.580
 or false leaders

00:16:39.580 --> 00:16:43.460
 is that they don't

00:16:43.460 --> 00:16:44.220
 tell you about

00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:45.120
 the narrow gate

00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:47.140
 and they don't walk

00:16:47.140 --> 00:16:48.480
 in the hard way.

00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:50.260
 Jesus says

00:16:50.260 --> 00:16:51.660
 they come in sheep's clothing.

00:16:51.800 --> 00:16:52.320
 In other words,

00:16:52.400 --> 00:16:52.940
 they appear

00:16:52.940 --> 00:16:54.080
 and claim to be

00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:55.820
 Christian teachers

00:16:55.820 --> 00:16:57.280
 following Jesus,

00:16:57.420 --> 00:16:58.020
 the good shepherd.

00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:59.400
 But in reality,

00:16:59.520 --> 00:16:59.840
 he says,

00:16:59.880 --> 00:17:00.580
 on the inside,

00:17:00.700 --> 00:17:01.820
 they're ravenous wolves.

00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:03.920
 They're not serving Christ

00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:05.139
 and advancing his kingdom,

00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:06.019
 but ultimately,

00:17:06.180 --> 00:17:06.559
 they're serving

00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:07.980
 their own interests

00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:09.059
 and building

00:17:09.059 --> 00:17:10.299
 a different kingdom.

00:17:10.879 --> 00:17:11.399
 And Jesus says,

00:17:11.480 --> 00:17:12.119
 be careful.

00:17:12.700 --> 00:17:13.200
 False prophets

00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:13.899
 are dangerous

00:17:13.899 --> 00:17:15.879
 because they're deceptive.

00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:17.480
 So he says,

00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:17.839
 first,

00:17:17.980 --> 00:17:19.119
 they don't tell you

00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:20.500
 about the narrow gate.

00:17:21.859 --> 00:17:22.960
 The Old Testament

00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:24.399
 talks quite a bit

00:17:24.399 --> 00:17:25.420
 about false prophets,

00:17:26.180 --> 00:17:26.960
 especially if you read

00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:27.779
 the book of Jeremiah.

00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:28.720
 Jeremiah was dealing

00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:29.940
 with a lot of false prophets

00:17:29.940 --> 00:17:30.659
 in his day.

00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:32.660
 And in his day,

00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:33.680
 the people of Jerusalem

00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:35.120
 had walked away from God.

00:17:35.820 --> 00:17:38.380
 They were committed to idols.

00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:42.120
 They were perpetuating injustice

00:17:42.120 --> 00:17:43.320
 in their society.

00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:45.820
 They were disobeying God's commands.

00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:46.779
 And the false prophets

00:17:46.779 --> 00:17:48.259
 in that day basically said,

00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:50.080
 everything's just going

00:17:50.080 --> 00:17:51.019
 to be all right.

00:17:53.300 --> 00:17:54.259
 Don't worry.

00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.019
 Peace, peace.

00:17:57.700 --> 00:17:59.340
 Nothing bad will happen to you.

00:17:59.339 --> 00:18:01.119
 God will protect you.

00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:02.939
 And Jeremiah said,

00:18:03.179 --> 00:18:05.480
 that's a false comfort.

00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:07.639
 The false prophets

00:18:07.639 --> 00:18:08.159
 are saying,

00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:09.539
 peace, peace.

00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:11.139
 But there isn't any peace.

00:18:14.339 --> 00:18:16.059
 They're trying to sweep reality

00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:16.879
 under the rug.

00:18:17.659 --> 00:18:18.339
 He says, look,

00:18:18.419 --> 00:18:20.240
 you're following idols.

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:22.059
 You're mistreating each other.

00:18:22.159 --> 00:18:23.339
 You're oppressing the poor.

00:18:24.379 --> 00:18:26.399
 You're disobeying God's commands.

00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:28.279
 You're ignoring his word.

00:18:29.339 --> 00:18:31.119
 It's not okay.

00:18:31.659 --> 00:18:33.659
 Everything's not going to be okay for you.

00:18:35.819 --> 00:18:38.079
 And all those nice sounding words

00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:39.019
 won't help you

00:18:39.019 --> 00:18:40.199
 when God's judgment

00:18:40.199 --> 00:18:41.559
 comes to visit you one day.

00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:45.599
 And they'll disappear really fast.

00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:48.599
 And it happened.

00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:50.299
 People were taken away

00:18:50.299 --> 00:18:52.439
 into exile in Babylon.

00:18:52.859 --> 00:18:53.839
 Their city was conquered

00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:54.539
 and destroyed.

00:18:54.539 --> 00:18:56.700
 And then after they were taken

00:18:56.700 --> 00:18:57.200
 to Babylon,

00:18:57.379 --> 00:18:58.579
 there were some more false prophets.

00:18:58.700 --> 00:19:00.119
 And those other false prophets said,

00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:01.099
 oh, you know what?

00:19:01.139 --> 00:19:02.399
 This isn't going to last very long.

00:19:02.460 --> 00:19:03.659
 God's going to bring you home soon.

00:19:04.700 --> 00:19:05.940
 He's going to fix it all

00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:07.680
 and life will be easy for you again

00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:08.539
 and you can go home.

00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:09.740
 And Jeremiah said,

00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:10.180
 oh no,

00:19:10.539 --> 00:19:12.819
 that's not what God's doing here.

00:19:13.539 --> 00:19:15.159
 You're going to be here for 70 years.

00:19:15.420 --> 00:19:16.920
 It's going to be a long time.

00:19:17.399 --> 00:19:18.859
 It's going to be a long road

00:19:18.859 --> 00:19:20.759
 because God has a lot to teach you.

00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:23.420
 But God also has good plans for you

00:19:23.420 --> 00:19:24.660
 even while you're in exile.

00:19:26.460 --> 00:19:27.259
 You see,

00:19:27.339 --> 00:19:28.920
 the problem with false prophets

00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:31.700
 is not just that they sometimes

00:19:31.700 --> 00:19:33.920
 tell things that are outright lies.

00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:36.240
 It's that they don't tell the whole truth.

00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:40.339
 A false prophet might only talk about

00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:41.680
 God's love

00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:43.859
 and never about God's holiness

00:19:43.859 --> 00:19:45.240
 or God's righteous judgment.

00:19:46.019 --> 00:19:48.079
 Or they might be always comforting

00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:49.059
 and reassuring.

00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:51.399
 But always vague

00:19:51.399 --> 00:19:54.099
 and never clear about anything.

00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:56.599
 But by never mentioning

00:19:56.599 --> 00:19:57.960
 some parts of God's truth,

00:19:58.079 --> 00:19:59.319
 they distort the whole picture.

00:20:00.399 --> 00:20:01.759
 They give false comforts

00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:02.559
 and false hopes

00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.639
 that aren't rooted in God's character

00:20:04.639 --> 00:20:05.359
 and God's will.

00:20:07.159 --> 00:20:08.000
 And the New Testament

00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:09.299
 is also full of warnings

00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:10.379
 against false prophets.

00:20:10.579 --> 00:20:12.059
 Paul said in Acts 20,

00:20:13.539 --> 00:20:13.919
 he said,

00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:14.819
 after I leave,

00:20:14.899 --> 00:20:16.039
 there will be fierce wolves

00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:17.179
 who will come in among you,

00:20:17.179 --> 00:20:18.940
 not sparing the flock.

00:20:19.619 --> 00:20:20.519
 People will arise

00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:21.859
 speaking twisted things

00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:23.740
 to draw away the disciples after them.

00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:24.019
 He says,

00:20:24.099 --> 00:20:24.259
 therefore,

00:20:24.359 --> 00:20:24.899
 be alert.

00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:26.559
 Beware.

00:20:27.740 --> 00:20:28.879
 Don't be deceived.

00:20:31.059 --> 00:20:31.759
 False prophets

00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:32.419
 don't tell you

00:20:32.419 --> 00:20:33.299
 about the narrow gate.

00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:34.619
 They say,

00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:35.220
 you can go on

00:20:35.220 --> 00:20:36.299
 doing whatever you want to do

00:20:36.299 --> 00:20:37.579
 and everything will be all right.

00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:40.019
 And Jesus says,

00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:40.500
 beware

00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:42.460
 because that teaching

00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:44.859
 will only harm you

00:20:44.859 --> 00:20:45.440
 in the end.

00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:47.559
 Second,

00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:48.220
 Jesus says,

00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:49.059
 these false prophets

00:20:49.059 --> 00:20:50.500
 don't walk the hard way.

00:20:51.539 --> 00:20:52.599
 He says twice,

00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:53.900
 verse 16 and verse 20,

00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:54.180
 he says,

00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:55.339
 you'll recognize them

00:20:55.339 --> 00:20:56.559
 by their fruits.

00:20:57.660 --> 00:20:58.299
 You might say,

00:20:58.299 --> 00:20:58.940
 what does that mean?

00:20:59.559 --> 00:21:00.680
 What are the fruits

00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:02.359
 that we should look for?

00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:02.539
 Well,

00:21:02.579 --> 00:21:03.140
 there are three,

00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:04.140
 at least.

00:21:05.140 --> 00:21:05.820
 First,

00:21:06.180 --> 00:21:06.680
 character.

00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:08.820
 Galatians chapter 5

00:21:08.820 --> 00:21:09.280
 talks about

00:21:09.280 --> 00:21:10.680
 the fruit of the Spirit.

00:21:11.660 --> 00:21:12.160
 Love,

00:21:12.820 --> 00:21:13.259
 joy,

00:21:13.840 --> 00:21:14.259
 peace,

00:21:14.840 --> 00:21:15.300
 patience,

00:21:15.860 --> 00:21:16.200
 kindness,

00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:17.280
 goodness,

00:21:17.940 --> 00:21:18.560
 faithfulness,

00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:19.480
 gentleness,

00:21:20.040 --> 00:21:20.660
 self-control.

00:21:21.600 --> 00:21:22.500
 That's the character

00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:23.740
 of Jesus Christ himself.

00:21:24.180 --> 00:21:25.200
 And it's the mark

00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:26.540
 of a true believer

00:21:26.540 --> 00:21:27.980
 and a faithful

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:28.800
 Christian teacher.

00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:30.460
 Jesus says,

00:21:30.539 --> 00:21:31.180
 false prophets

00:21:31.180 --> 00:21:33.119
 might look good

00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:33.980
 on the outside,

00:21:34.619 --> 00:21:35.960
 but on the inside,

00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:37.799
 they're divisive,

00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:39.339
 they're angry

00:21:39.339 --> 00:21:39.899
 and bitter,

00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:41.619
 they're selfish.

00:21:44.819 --> 00:21:45.899
 They might show

00:21:45.899 --> 00:21:46.639
 favoritism,

00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:49.519
 they might abuse

00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:50.899
 the message of forgiveness

00:21:50.899 --> 00:21:52.000
 into license.

00:21:53.399 --> 00:21:54.099
 They might

00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:56.500
 make themselves

00:21:56.500 --> 00:21:57.059
 the center

00:21:57.059 --> 00:21:58.740
 instead of making

00:21:58.740 --> 00:21:59.680
 Jesus the center.

00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:02.319
 So,

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:02.900
 their character

00:22:02.900 --> 00:22:04.660
 is the first aspect.

00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:05.000
 Second,

00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:05.740
 their words.

00:22:06.299 --> 00:22:06.700
 Jesus says,

00:22:06.900 --> 00:22:07.500
 every healthy tree

00:22:07.500 --> 00:22:08.279
 bears good fruit,

00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:08.579
 every,

00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:10.039
 the diseased tree

00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:10.980
 bears bad fruit.

00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:12.519
 And later on

00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:13.519
 in Matthew chapter 12,

00:22:13.620 --> 00:22:14.799
 Jesus uses the same image

00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:15.900
 of a tree and its fruit

00:22:15.900 --> 00:22:17.279
 to talk about our heart

00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.279
 and our words.

00:22:18.380 --> 00:22:18.620
 He said,

00:22:18.680 --> 00:22:19.259
 out of the abundance

00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:19.940
 of the heart,

00:22:20.620 --> 00:22:21.559
 the mouth speaks.

00:22:23.120 --> 00:22:23.579
 And so,

00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:25.099
 a part of how we

00:22:25.099 --> 00:22:26.099
 can tell,

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:26.880
 a part of how we can

00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:27.480
 beware

00:22:27.480 --> 00:22:28.960
 of false prophets

00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:30.660
 is by listening

00:22:30.660 --> 00:22:31.220
 carefully

00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:32.740
 to people's words.

00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:34.480
 Looking at their character,

00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:36.059
 listening to their words.

00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:37.220
 Do their words

00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:37.960
 line up with what

00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:38.759
 Jesus says

00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:40.319
 or not?

00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:42.539
 One of the marks

00:22:42.539 --> 00:22:43.579
 of a faithful teacher

00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:44.740
 is their words

00:22:44.740 --> 00:22:45.759
 align with the words

00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:46.200
 of Jesus.

00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:47.519
 So,

00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:47.980
 character,

00:22:48.339 --> 00:22:48.700
 words,

00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:49.920
 and third influence.

00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:51.900
 Paul said in

00:22:51.900 --> 00:22:52.779
 2 Timothy,

00:22:52.920 --> 00:22:53.160
 he says,

00:22:53.220 --> 00:22:53.900
 false teaching

00:22:53.900 --> 00:22:54.820
 eats its way

00:22:54.820 --> 00:22:56.320
 like gangrene,

00:22:57.080 --> 00:22:58.920
 like an infection.

00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:00.740
 He says,

00:23:00.820 --> 00:23:02.040
 it promotes ungodliness,

00:23:02.220 --> 00:23:03.519
 it causes bitter divisions,

00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:05.420
 and upsets people's faith.

00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:07.660
 But true doctrine

00:23:07.660 --> 00:23:09.840
 is healthy teaching.

00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:11.980
 It produces godliness,

00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:13.660
 it promotes unity,

00:23:13.660 --> 00:23:15.320
 and it strengthens

00:23:15.320 --> 00:23:17.040
 the faith of God's people.

00:23:18.040 --> 00:23:18.800
 In Acts,

00:23:18.860 --> 00:23:19.100
 it says,

00:23:19.099 --> 00:23:19.619
 many times

00:23:19.619 --> 00:23:20.679
 the word of the Lord

00:23:20.679 --> 00:23:22.359
 grew and multiplied.

00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:23.919
 It spread out,

00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:25.799
 and it went deep

00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:26.599
 and bore fruit

00:23:26.599 --> 00:23:27.779
 for God's glory.

00:23:27.919 --> 00:23:28.059
 So,

00:23:28.159 --> 00:23:28.539
 character,

00:23:28.959 --> 00:23:29.379
 teaching,

00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:30.099
 influence.

00:23:30.159 --> 00:23:31.779
 Those are three fruits

00:23:31.779 --> 00:23:33.240
 that we can look at,

00:23:34.119 --> 00:23:34.959
 three aspects

00:23:34.959 --> 00:23:35.459
 of the fruit

00:23:35.459 --> 00:23:36.399
 that Jesus is talking

00:23:36.399 --> 00:23:36.939
 about here.

00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:37.939
 So,

00:23:38.419 --> 00:23:38.879
 let me

00:23:38.879 --> 00:23:40.659
 conclude by saying,

00:23:40.719 --> 00:23:41.419
 how do we apply

00:23:41.419 --> 00:23:42.039
 this teaching?

00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:42.599
 First,

00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:46.399
 Jesus is saying,

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.099
 be discerning.

00:23:48.899 --> 00:23:49.779
 There are some

00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:51.680
 preachers and teachers

00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:53.279
 on TV,

00:23:54.099 --> 00:23:54.879
 on the internet,

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:55.899
 in churches,

00:23:56.740 --> 00:23:57.980
 writing popular books,

00:23:57.980 --> 00:24:00.099
 who don't measure

00:24:00.099 --> 00:24:01.119
 up to these standards

00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:02.639
 in their character,

00:24:03.059 --> 00:24:04.220
 in their words,

00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:05.639
 and in their influence.

00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:07.200
 And Jesus says,

00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:08.819
 be careful.

00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:11.460
 They can be deceptive

00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:12.460
 because they have

00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:13.240
 good appearances.

00:24:14.539 --> 00:24:15.039
 They might be

00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:16.360
 a wonderful public speaker.

00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:17.799
 They might

00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:19.519
 have an attractive

00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:20.279
 personality.

00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:21.059
 They might be

00:24:21.059 --> 00:24:22.299
 handsome or beautiful.

00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:24.900
 But Jesus says,

00:24:25.220 --> 00:24:26.019
 look at their character,

00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:27.500
 look at their words,

00:24:27.880 --> 00:24:28.740
 look at their influence,

00:24:28.819 --> 00:24:29.519
 be discerning.

00:24:29.980 --> 00:24:30.819
 Don't immediately

00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:32.039
 attach yourself

00:24:32.039 --> 00:24:33.380
 to someone

00:24:33.380 --> 00:24:33.940
 who claims

00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:34.420
 to be

00:24:34.420 --> 00:24:35.519
 a Christian teacher

00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:35.860
 without

00:24:35.860 --> 00:24:37.200
 looking carefully

00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:38.160
 at those things.

00:24:40.340 --> 00:24:41.000
 Jesus says,

00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:41.700
 don't be naive.

00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:44.380
 You can't assume

00:24:44.380 --> 00:24:45.279
 that just because

00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:46.160
 somebody says,

00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:46.900
 I'm a Christian

00:24:46.900 --> 00:24:48.440
 and I love Jesus,

00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:51.819
 that they're

00:24:51.819 --> 00:24:52.980
 a true follower

00:24:52.980 --> 00:24:53.660
 of Christ.

00:24:54.660 --> 00:24:55.019
 He says,

00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:55.599
 be careful.

00:24:58.400 --> 00:24:59.000
 Second,

00:24:59.339 --> 00:25:00.039
 be patient.

00:25:01.180 --> 00:25:02.240
 The danger

00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:03.039
 here,

00:25:03.819 --> 00:25:04.740
 for some of us

00:25:04.740 --> 00:25:05.240
 at least,

00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:06.640
 is that you may

00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:07.200
 be tempted

00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:08.380
 to respond

00:25:08.380 --> 00:25:09.140
 to this passage

00:25:09.140 --> 00:25:09.920
 by becoming

00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:12.080
 extremely suspicious

00:25:12.080 --> 00:25:13.640
 and excessively

00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:14.140
 critical

00:25:14.140 --> 00:25:15.480
 of everyone,

00:25:15.819 --> 00:25:16.580
 probably everyone

00:25:16.580 --> 00:25:17.440
 except yourself.

00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:21.900
 And you're

00:25:21.900 --> 00:25:22.440
 always looking

00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:23.100
 for a reason

00:25:23.100 --> 00:25:23.920
 to decide

00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:25.059
 that someone

00:25:25.059 --> 00:25:26.039
 is a false teacher

00:25:26.039 --> 00:25:27.500
 or a fake Christian

00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:29.059
 and write them off.

00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:44.619
 Do you

00:25:46.759 --> 00:25:48.899
 find

00:25:48.899 --> 00:25:49.720
 a question

00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:50.399
 O Snoop

00:25:50.399 --> 00:25:50.919
 with

00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:52.440
 her

00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:53.000
 help

00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:54.220
 her

00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:54.379
 and

00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:55.659
 she

00:25:55.659 --> 00:25:55.940
 will

00:25:55.940 --> 00:25:56.519
 get

00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:56.940
 her