Preached at Cornerstone Church in Cascade, IA on September 28, 2014.

Turn with me to Matthew 7:24-29. Today we are winding down the Sermon on the Mount. and we are examining the closing words of Jesus as he wraps up the sermon. As I stated a few weeks ago, we have been walking through the Sermon on the Mount since January 5th. We have soaked in the Words of Jesus. We have meditated on them, and rolled them around in our mouth. At times they have been sweet and at times that have been bitter, but no matter what they have been medicine to our souls.

I want to, once again, invite you to turn back with me and look at the teachings of Jesus that we have drenched ourselves with over the last 9 months. In this sermons Jesus has taught us about the characteristics of the Kingdom, Living as salt and light in this tasteless and dark world, Christ the fulfillment of the law, the issues of anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, the radical love of Christ that pours form our heart onto even our enemies, giving to the needy, God glorifying prayer, fasting for the reward of God's, laying up treasures in Heaven, battling anxiety with God's sovereignty, grace soaked judgment, the good and wonderful gifts of God, the narrow gate of salvation which is Christ alone, the war against false teaching, and eternal treasure of knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. This sermon is overflowing with relevant teaching. There sermon is comprehensive in its scope and covers every area of your life, from eating food to world missions, and everything in between. So how does Jesus wrap it up? Lets read our text and fine out.

• Matthew 7:24-28 – “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes."
  
  

In this section, Jesus is giving us a simple word picture for a massive truth. Lets gaze at the picture a little bit more. In Jesus’ object lesson there are two builders who each built a house. These two houses were recognized as houses. Meaning, they looked and smelled like a house. Each builder constructed walls, added a roof, put in a door, and added some windows. These builders knew what a house looked like and they built accordingly, and to the naked eye, each house looked identifcal.

The one thing different about these apparently similar houses is what was underneath them, specifically, there foundation? One house was built upon sand and the other was built upon a rock. Everyone here knows how important a foundation is. It is what gives the house strength; the higher the building the deeper the foundation must go.

Currently, there is a building being built in Los Angeles that will be the tallest building west of the Mississippi. This structure will be 73 stories tall and reach 1,100 feet high. In order to have a building this tall that was able to withstand the earthquakes of southern California they had to construct a massive concrete foundation. According to USA today More than 2,100 truckloads of concrete were poured continuously for more than 18 hours. This totaled 21,200 cubic yards of concrete weighing 82 million pounds when dried. Why was this necessary? So it wouldn’t fall over. Therefore, before building up, they had to dig down. They had to dig and dig and dig and dig. This was a lot of work. It took time. It took effort. It took discipline. It took sacrifice, but it was necessary.

Imagine if they would have not dug down before building up. Imagine if 73 stores towering 1,100 feet were built up hastily without counting the cost and sacrifice of digging deep. Shortcuts were made and walls leaned up against each other so as to find their strength not from the foundation but from themselves. Imagine if it was simply a house of cards built upon the beaches of California. Everyone knows what would happen. They next storm or earthquake that would come, would cause everyone to gather not to watch it display it’s strength and withstand the storm, but to watch it crumble. Seems foolish doesn’t it? That is because it is. However, what Jesus is speaking about is far more foolish then what I just described.

For these two builders and these two buildings represent those who hear the word and do it and those who hear the word and ignore it. Jesus has just spent three chapters of Matthew speaking eternal truths into the lives of these listeners and he closes his sermon with a warning. He says if you have sat here and listened to me and you walk away and don't implement this into your life, you are a fool. Why can Jesus say that?

Authority of Jesus

I think the answer lies in verse 28 and 29. The crowds that sat on the side of the Mountain picked up on something fundamentally significant.

• Matthew 7:28-29 – “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes."
  
  

Jesus spoke with authority. An authority that left the crowds in awe of His words. Astonished by what he said and how he said it. The word for authority in the Greek is exousia. Which means the power of choice, liberty to do as one pleases, the right or privilege. This is the type of authority that a King or ruler or judge. When Jesus was speaking it wasn't that he was charismatic or charming. He didn't have a silver tongue like Obama or Reagan. He was speaking as if he wrote the book of our existence, and that is because He did.

• Colossians 1:16 – “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. “
  
  

The man who stood on the side of that mountain was not just a carpenter’s son, he was not just a teacher, he is not just a prophet he is God the Creator. Everything was created through Him and for Him. The dirt in which he stood upon, was made by Him and for him. This is where it gets good. Not only is everything made through Jesus, but it is made through him through the Word. Listen to this.

• John 1:1 - “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not an thing made that was made.”
  
  

All things that exist were made through Jesus, the Word. We have a God who speaks. He could have used any means to create, but he chose to create you me, everything by Words. Strong words powerful words.

• Hebrews 1:1-3 – “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”
  
  

The Word of his power upholds the Universe. Isn't that wild? The Universe doesn't fly apart. Why? Because Jesus says so, that's why. And now “in these last days” Jesus has become flesh and dwells among sinful man and speaks face to face with us. This is amazing. The God of the Universe steps down from his throne and converses with us. And Jesus looks them in the eyes and says, if you don't trust my words enough to implement them into your life than you are a fool. And I can't argue with him.

We are Fools

The question is, are you a fool? Do you trust in the Word of Christ? Is your life built upon the rock of God's Word, or are you just fooling yourself?

• James 1:22 – But be doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving yourselves.”
  
  

How many of you are deceived? How many of you are blind to the reality that you are not saved; that you do not know Jesus; that your religion is hypocrisy? How many of you have built a shell of a Christian life, that looks and smells like Christianity, but in reality, you are just like a pharisee, and are actually a white washed tomb? But you say, I have faith. Isn't that what it means to be a Christian? Faith?

Absolutely, and amen! There is no doubt that the Bible is crystal clear that it is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. But we want to see evidence of your faith.

• James 2:14-20 - “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? “
  
  

This is so crucial for us to get. To have faith is not academic. To have faith is to say I trust you with my life. You tell me to stay married. I stay married. You tell me to pray for your name to be hallowed. I pray for your name to be hallowed. You tell me that you are the fulfillment of the law, then I stop trying to fulfill the law. A life of faith is dripping with obedience. This is real faith. This is a living faith, so do you have it or not?

Storms and THE STORM

• Matthew 7:27 - “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
  
  

Jesus doesn't say if the storms come, he says “and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against the house.” The storms and THE STORM is coming. They are inescapable.

Lets first talk about the storms. How do you know if your Christian life is built on the rock of hearing and doing God's Word, or on sand? The answer is the storms. The storms of this life are the test of your faith. God sends trials and tribulations into your life to test the strength of your faith in His Words. To see if you really trust what he says.

• James 1:2 - “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
  
  

It is easy to have faith, when you are coasting. When there is no wind in your life to beat against your windows, faith is simple. But it is harder to have faith in God and the Words of Christ when your child is killed. Or when your spouse says they don't love you. Or when you are fired from your job and you have no clue how you are going to feed your family. Or when you get a call from the doctor and they tell you that you have cancer. This is when you will know where you built your house. Sand or on the unchanging Word of Christ?

Jesus tells us plainly that in this life we will have tribulations. It is guaranteed, What isn't guaranteed is that you will make it through. Only those who hear the words of God and build their lives upon the Words of God will weather the storm.

Having said that, there is a Greater Storm that is coming. We talked about it last week. There is no rainbow after this storm, for it is the storm of God's wrath that comes at the end of the age. When this day comes, it is too late, for your house is built. The question is, will you be standing in the presence of God or will you be swept into the lake of fire?

Once again, I am struck by the love of Christ in his final words to us. They are words of warning. Proclaiming to us words of life. We have no excuse. We have heard the words of Jesus. He has warned us of the narrow and hard way, they need to know Jesus, the need to hear his Words and build our entire lives upon them. Not just on Sunday mornings, but every moment of our lives. We must be like Peter who proclaimed,

• John 6:68 - “Lord to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
  
  

What is Your Life Built Upon?

So the question is simple, today as you sit here in this room, are you a fool or or you wise? Underneath the facade of Christianity is their sand or the rock of Jesus Christ and the Word of His power? Do you trust this book? Do you eat this book? Do you treasure this book? For they are all the Words of Christ.

Jesus words today is a call to dig and to examine. Dig around your life and look to see what is underneath the house you have built for you life. When you do, you may find sand. You may find that your Christianity is based on tradition of man, culture, the American dream, a false Gospel. If this is what you find, you will need to tear down your house and start all over.

So how? How do you get this type of faith? How do you get a faith that is alive? A faith that is able to weather storms. A faith that is unshakable?

• Hebrews 12:1-2 - “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.“
  
  

This faith does not come from within. It comes from God. It is a supernatural gift of God's amazing grace. It is a precious gift.

• Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is a gift of God, so that no one may boast.
  
  

So how do we receive this gift? We ask. God give me this gift. God give me the ability to see you and your son as trustworthy. Help my unbelief. Increase my faith. If you tried to build your faith apart from God, then your faith is just sand. You must let Christ be the founder of your faith. If you do, you will stand, you will persevere, you will live.

Preached at Cornerstone Church in Cascade, IA on September 21, 2014

Turn with me to Matthew 7:21-23. Today, as always, we have a lot to cover, so I am going to move quickly into our text and get right to work.

• Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'
  
  

There is nothing more dreadful then to hear Jesus say to you, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” For when Jesus says these words to you your fate is sealed and your destiny of torment begins, and there are no second chances. The question I want to start with is why? Why does Jesus say such harsh things? Why does He employ what people would call scare tactics to build His Kingdom?

As some of you have been learning through our Wednesday night Bible Study, the answer to this question is because Jesus loves you. Jesus loves you enough to tell you the truth in hopes He will never have to look you in the eyes on the Day of Judgment and send you to Hell.

For some of you today, I want you to see this as your intervention. This is God sitting you down and rebuking you so as to break the chains of your addiction to yourself and your sins.

On that Day

The first thing that I want to draw your attention to are the three little words in verse 22, “On that Day.” What day is Jesus referring to? Jesus is speaking of the Day of Judgment. It is a day like no other day that will ever exist. It is the most joyous and simultaneously frightening day that will ever exist. Here is a window into that day.

• Revelation 20:11-18 – “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
  
  

Some day you and I will stand in a sea of billions of faces before an Awesome God. A God who is so great that earth and sky fleas from his presence. And he will look at each one of us and judge us. He will declare to us whether we are guilty or not guilty. All existence flows to that moment. It is our destiny. It is coming whether you believe it or not. Every minute that passes bring us closer to this awesome day of the Lord.

Record of Your Sin

One this day, something amazing will happen. There will be a division of the people; a separation; a filtering. Books will be opened and these books will bring everything to light. For they will tell the Universe of everything you have ever done. And it will be the evidence that stands against you demanding your eternal punishment for your sins.

These books will be a record of your life. Every lie you have ever told, every penny you have hidden from the IRS, every lustful thought that has crossed your mind, every time you said the Lord’s name in vain, everything in these books. All of it will be exposed, and the evidence of our sins and the debt of our transgressions against an infinitely Holy God will be overwhelming. These books will be a record of our debt that we owe our infinitely Holy Creator. For they will be full proof that we deserve Hell. There is no other day like this day. The weight of this day is suffocating.

Another Book

But, there is “another book.” This book is different. It is unique. It is a small book. The name of this book is the “Book of Life.” When this book is opened all you see are names. Names like Able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the rest of the prophets. One by one as these names are read off from the Book of Life these people are asked to stand off to the side. They separated from the sea of faces. One by one the names are read…Steven, Peter, Mary, Timothy, Clement, Augustine, John Wycliffe, John Huss, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Charles Wesley, Dietrich Bonhoffer, CS Lewis, John Stott. With each name, your heart beats faster. Eventually you hear names of people you knew on this earth and you watch them step out of line. And the pages of this book continue to turn, and then you hear the one of saddest sounds in Heaven, the closing of the Book of the Book of life. Your name was not called. You continue to stand with the masses. This is the moment that Jesus is speaking towards in Matthew 7:22

• Matthew 7:22 – “On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'”
  
  

In the congregation of the damned will stand people who believe they are Christians, but they are not. There will be church goers, Sunday school teachers, small group leaders, missionaries, pastors, and priests. Each one convinced that they were destined for eternal glory in the presence of God, but instead their fate was eternal torment side by side with Satan. Does this text not frighten you?

For how could these people not know that they weren't saved? How could these people be duped? How could they spend a lifetime living and breathing religion, and not get to Heaven? Jesus tells us that these people spoke for God, cast our demons, performed miracles. These are the people here on earth that we would say qualify for sainthood. Yet they are cast out of the presence of God into the lake of fire. How could this happen?

I Never Knew You

Jesus tells us plainly in verse 23 why they were dammed, “I never knew you.” What an amazing statement, “I never knew you.” There destiny hung on Jesus knowing them. This was not the only time Jesus said something like this. The night before Jesus died he prayed this in the ears of his disciples.

• John 17:3 – “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. “
  
  

These people who are standing amidst the dammed are saying, “What about all this stuff I did? We did this for you, and this is how you repay me? Doesn’t my work count for anything? I was baptized, I took communion, confirmed, married, never divorced. I was the scripture reader. I was the first to church and the last to leave. Does that mean anything to you?” Jesus’ response is a deafening “No. It counts for nothing.” Jesus is telling them it is not about religious work, it is about an intimate relationship with me.

Other than Jesus, no one on this planet understood this reality more than Paul. I love how Jesus used Paul. Turn with me to Philippians 3:4-11

• Philippians 3:4-11 – “ If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
  
  

Paul was way “better” then all of you. He followed all the rules, all the traditions, dotted every “I” and crossed every “t”. He was the cream of the crop. He would put the Pope to shame. But Paul’s eyes were opened and he saw that it was all garbage. That it was worthless. For he realized that life is not about what you do, it is about who you know.

• Philippians 3:8-9 – “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—“
  
  

It was not about what Paul did. It was about who Paul knew. Knowing Christ was they key.

Did you know that the “Book of Life” that we read about in Revelation 20 is actually the abbreviated title of this book? Revelation 21:27 gives us the longer name.

• Revelation 21:27 – “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.”
  
  

The Book of Life is actually the Lamb’s Book of Life. It is his. The Lamb owns the book. It is his book. However, this is still not the full title of the book. In Revelation 13:7-8 God is revealing the last days of earth as we know it, and specifically he is talking about a false prophet who is called the first beast. As I read this don’t get caught up int the end times prophecy. That is another sermon. Remember we are talking about the Lamb’s Book of Life.

• Revelation 13:7-8 – “and all who dwell on earth will worship it [the first beast], everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.“
  
  

The full name of the book of life is actually “The Book of Life of the Lamb Who was Slain” That is the name of the book. The names of people who are in “The Book of Life of the Lamb who was Slain” are the ones that do not go to Hell. So who is this Lamb that was slain? Obviously this answer is Jesus. Listen to what John the Baptist says when he first recognizes Jesus as the Christ.

• John 1:29 – “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!“
  
  

So what does this mean. It means that the narrow way that leads to eternal life that we read about in Matthew 7:14 is not based on your ability to earn your way into God's presence. It is not based upon your religious activities. It is not based upon what Church you go to. It is based upon Christ being slain for you. Only Christ can take away you sin, take away the record of your debt.

Knowing

So this leaves us with a question, how do we get in the book? Jesus tells us. He must know us. What does it mean for Jesus know you? First, it is clear that name dropping is not proof of Jesus knowing you.

• Matthew 7:22 – “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 
  
  

Isn't this proof that they knew Jesus and Jesus knew them? No it is not. Let me ask you a question, what is the difference between knowing algebra and knowing your wife. Knowing algebra is head knowledge, knowing your wife is oneness. Yes, you know her factually, but you know her so much more than that. You know her intimately. It is actually a common way in which the Bible speaks about sex between a husband and wife.

• Matthew 1:24-25 – “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son.”
  
  

This is the same Greek word that Jesus uses, ginōskō. Same word. Jesus is not talking about head knowledge here, because he of course knows them factually. He is God. He created them. What Jesus is talking about is knowing relationally; knowing intimately, lovingly. Knowing them in a way that knits their souls together, joins them, weds to them. This is what Jesus means when he says, “I never knew you.” He means you were never in my love, you were just going through the motions.

Being a follower of Jesus is not about rules, it is not about traditions, it is not about sacraments, it is about love. God’s love for you and your love for Him. Period.

If you want to find your name in the Book of Life of the Lamb Who Was Slain than you need to stop committing adultery with this world and cleave to the Bridegroom of Jesus Christ. Just as we sang earlier, your heart must cry our, “I am yours and you are mine.” For this is they way to avoid that most dreadful words ever to be spoken.

What About Lawlessness

This leaves us with one final question: What about lawlessness? What about doing the work of my father in heaven that we read about in verse 21? This is so crucial to understand. The work of God that he desires is a work that flows out of knowing Jesus. Works are a product of being in an abiding relationship with Jesus. They are fruit.

• Matthew 7:17 - “So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit..”
  
  

We cannot afford to get these things out of order. If we put work before knowing Jesus we go to Hell. We become the people who Jesus is speaking about.

Conclusion

Does Jesus know you? Does Jesus know you as his bride? Does he know you intimately? Or are you just kidding yourself? Hard questions, but eternally important questions.

Preached at Cornerstone Church in Cascade, IA on September 14, 2014

Turn with me to Matthew 7:13-20. Today we are going to examine what I believe to be one of the most important admonishments, or warnings, in the entire Bible. It has to do with the war that wages between deception and truth. So let us get right to work and read and then equip ourselves for the battle.

• Matthew 7:13-20 – “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. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. 15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
  
  

Today, God willing, I desire to cover three things. First, I want to unpack what Jesus means by the the narrow and wide way. Second, I want to look at the role that false prophets play in this. And third, how can we equip ourselves to steer clear of these false prophets. First let us look a the narrow way.

The Narrow Way

In verse 13 Jesus commands us to enter by the narrow way. What is the narrow way? The answer to this should be obvious to us. The narrow way is Jesus Christ. Jesus explicitly tells us this in John 14:6.

• John 14:6 - “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
  
  

You cannot be any clearer than that. Jesus proclaims that he is the way to the Father. In fact, he not only proclaims he is the way, but he proclaims that he is the only way. Jesus' claim is exclusive. He is the only option on the table. In Acts 4:12 Peter proclaims the same message.

• Acts 4:12 - “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
  
  

Once again, exclusive. No other name. Not Muhammad, not Gandhi, not Buddha, not yourself. No other name. If you want to get into heaven it is only on the back of Jesus Christ. The entire Bible points to this truth. Many times you hear people claim that Christians are closed minded. When it comes to the Gospel, they are absolutely right. We are the most closed minded people you will find. Jesus is the only answer to the sin problem. He is the only person who can pay the price for our sins. This is one reason why Jesus calls the way to God the narrow way, for it is singular. All paths do not lead to God, only the path of narrow path of Jesus Christ.

However there is another way that Jesus is the narrow way, and it is the means by which you walk through the door. In order to be saved by Jesus you must lay down your life. You must surrender completely to Jesus. You must love him with all your heat, soul, mind and strength. He must be your greatest treasure. Him must your all in all. This is why Jesus not only proclaims that the way is narrow, but that it is hard. For the hardest thing for a us to do is to let go and trust in Christ to be our savior and our Lord.

On Wednesday nights we are going through a study named Radical by David Platt. In that study we are being forced to examine some of the hardest passages in the Bible. These are text that we we tend to ignore because they make us feel uncomfortable. Listen to some of these text.

• Luke 9:23-24 - “And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  “
  
  
• Luke 14:26-27 - “"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
  
  

These are difficult text. Jesus is telling us that in order to receive the gift of eternal life through Christ, we must let go of everything, including our own lives. We must die to self, before we live towards God. This is the hardest thing you will ever be asked to do. To lay everything down at the feet of Jesus and say it is all yours. Your family, your money, your stuff, your dreams, your health, your life, everything. You stand before Jesus fully surrendered. To be a follower of Jesus this must be your heart.

This is why Jesus says in verse 14, few find it. Very few people will have a faith in Christ that rises to that magnitude. Very few people will have the chains broken that enslave them to the sin this world. Therefore, very few people will walk on the narrow way, but instead will take the easy way out, the wide gate.

The Wide Way

Many people instead of renouncing all that that they have to follow Jesus will instead try to sit the fence. Instead of being all in with Jesus, they will only be half in, or 75% in, in 99% in, but not all the way. Renouncing all that they have is just too uncomfortable, it is too extreme. They want to hang on to the world, whether it be their stuff, ambition, money, relationships, dreams, reputation, tradition, you name it. Those things are just to hard to sacrifice. Therefore what they do is trust Jesus some, but also trust in themselves or something else.

This is what Jesus calls the wide way. It is the easy way. The comfortable way. The worldly way. The popular way. And this way is full of people. In fact it is everyone else that is not on the narrow way. You see, there are only two groups of people, those on the narrow way and those on the wide way. The question that I pose to you today, is what path are you walking on? And it is the most important question that you will be asked.

Because those who are on the wide way, the easy way, the popular way, they are on the road to Hell. These people are selling their soul to the devil to gain the world. As I said last week, they are playing Russian roulette with their eternity. For Jesus plainly says that those who are on the wide way is condemned to destruction. So what does this have to do with false prophets?

The Wide Gate of False Prophets

It has everything to do with false prophets, for false prophets stand at the intersection of the narrow and wide way and point you to Hell. For false prophets do not speak for God, they speak for Satan. They are Satan's mouthpiece and sow seeds of lies into your life, hoping to draw you away from the narrow way of Jesus Christ.

Now I want you to understand something. The false prophets that Jesus is speaking of are not false prophets like those in the old testament who claimed to predict the future and worshiped the false God Baal. The false prophets that Jesus is speaking of are those whom we would more readily call false teachers.

And I think you would agree with me that the world is replete with false prophets claiming to have some special life changing knowledge. Some of them are easily recognizable like Muhammad, Joseph Smith, or David Koresh, but most of them are subtle. Jesus, in fact, tells us that they will be subtle. He tells us that these false prophets are wolves in sheep clothing. Meaning that they look and smell like a sheep, but inwardly they are the opposite of a sheep, they are sheep killers. This is a common strategy of Satan.

• 2 Corinthians 11:14 - “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.“
  
  

This is something we must be on guard against. Our enemy does not play fair. It is not in his nature to play fair. He is the father of lies. He is deceptive. Very rarely does he attack head on, he is always lurking in the shadows, whispering in your ear, luring you away from Jesus, and this is exactly what he does with false prophets.

And this moment in American History, it seems to me that we are at an all time high when it comes to false prophets, and they are not just in the 2:00 a.m time slots on AM radio, but they are in Churches all over the Country. It seems they have infiltrated the institution of the Church. Listen to this text.

• 2 Timothy 4:3-4 - “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, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
  
  

Doesn't this sound a lot like the wide and easy way that leads to destruction? Preachers who tickle the ears of the congregation, telling jokes and witty stories, hoping that the people who leave that day think more highly of the preacher than the grace of God. However, this is not something new. Listen to what Paul tells the Church in Ephesus at the time of his departure.

• Acts 20:28-31 - “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert,“
  
  

Paul was familiar with Satan's strategy. He knew that Satan does not leave the Body of Christ unopposed. He knew that the Father of Lies would send his false prophets and false teachers into the midst of the Church and sow seeds of deception. And Satan still does it today. No Church is immune to the false teaching of Satan, not even Cornerstone. There may be wolves among us as we speak. Holding up signs that attempt to draw you away from the narrow way of Jesus Christ. So they question becomes, how do we know who is a true teacher and who is a false teacher or prophet.

How Do We Determine Who is a False Prophet

• Matthew 7:15-20 – “You will recognize them by their fruits.”
  
  

We don't recognize false prophets by there profession, their titles, their clothing, or their charisma, but by their fruits. What does this mean?

When you are born again, we become a new creation. Everything changes. The old has gone and the new has come. This change takes place in your heart and it manifests itself outwardly. Instead of being self-focused, we are Fhrist focused. Instead of pursuing our glory, we pursue God's Glory. Instead of loving ourselves, we love God and we love others. All of these things can be called Christian fruit. It is the evidence that Christ lives within us.

If we see things that look and sound like Christ, then that is evidence that the Spirit of Christ compels them. If we see things that are worldly , self-centered, sinful, then this should give us pause and we should beware of those people. In evaluating false prophets we should look for two things: words and actions.

First words. When someone is attempting to persuade you of something, you must ask yourself is this what the Bible says. Listen to what Paul warns the Church in Galatia in regards to the Gospel.

• Galatians 1:6-11 - “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.“
  
  

What was this different Gospel that people were teaching? It was the false Gospel of Jesus plus works equals salvation. Instead of preaching Jesus alone as the way to God, they preached that Jesus needs our help. This is not the narrow way that Jesus taught, it is the wide way the required enough room for two people to walk side by side. Their gospel didn't match the Gospel we see in the Bible, therefore they were false prophets. This is just one example, there can be other ways. The question we must constantly ask ourselves is, is this what the Bible says.

Now in order to to answer that question, we must know what is in the Bible. We need to study that authentic in order to recognize the counterfeit. If you don't know what the words of Jesus are, then you are in the dark when it comes to watching out for false teaching. You are susceptible of being taken down by a wolf.

The second way we judge a false prophet is by their works. Do they walk the walk? As I stated earlier, if someone is a true follower of Jesus, it means that Jesus lives in them and compels them to live like Him. If they have been forgiven, they should forgive. If they have been given grace, they should give grace. If they have been loved, they should love. If Jesus is their greatest treasure, then our lives should reflect this. Jesus mission is their mission. Jesus' purposes s their purposes. If those things are absent, then this should be red flags to us in determining if we should listen to them or not.

And as I said to begin my message, this may be the most important admonition that we could here. For we are a weak people. We tend to follow whatever new fad is. We read whatever new book comes out. We get promote every “Christian” movie that is released. We cannot afford to do this, we must be discerning as to what bread we eat, the living bread of Jesus or the rotten bread of this world.

Preached at Cornerstone Church in Cascade, IA on September 7, 2012

Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 7:7-11. We have been walking through the Sermon on the Mount now since January 5th, eight months. That is a long time. Granted we have taken a couple breaks along the way, but nonetheless, this has been more of a marathon than a sprint.

As we reflect on this, I want each of you to ask this question, “What seems to feed your soul better, rushing through the Bible or soaking in it?” For me, it is hands down soaking in it. The more I push into the word of God, the more it seems to push into my heart. It is amazing.

With this in mind, I want each of you to consider this as you read your Bible daily. Don’t rush through the meal, savor it. Be willing to read a verse, close your eyes, and dwell upon the implications, the power, and the truth of these words. Think about other verses that may be connected, use a cross-reference. Many of you use the ESV translation and have study Bible. Those bibles have a cross-reference that will direct you to other verses that are similar or relevant. I encourage you to take time to do so, you will not be disappointed.

Today, we are going to examine a passage that I believe will mean a great deal more to you if you have labored through the last eight months with us. We have spent week after week at the feet of Jesus listening to how to live life as a child of God. In a way it is overwhelming. It leads us to say, how can we possibly become what Jesus requires?

This text we will look at today will be like finding a cold stream after a long journey through a thick forest. It will quench the thirst that Jesus has created throughout the Sermon on the Mount. It reminds me of Isaiah 55:1

• Isaiah 55:1 – “"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters”
  
  

Today we find ourselves at those waters. So with that said, let us read our text, pray for the Spirit of God to wash over us, and drink deeply from God's Word.

• Matthew 7:7-11 - "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13 "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. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
  
  

As I stated, we have labored over the Sermon on the Mount for eight months. Take a moment and flip back to chapter 5 and skim what Jesus has covered. Just take a look at the headings in your Bible: the beatitudes, salt and light, a righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees, anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, loving your enemies, giving to the needy, prayer, fasting, finances, anxiety, and dealing with the sin of others. Talk about an exhaustive list. To those who say that Bible is not relevant, they have obviously never read it. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount basically covers all of life.

However, in doing so, He sets the bar substantially high. In fact, some would argue that he sets the bar out of reach. Verses like Matthew 5:48 do not help.

• Matthew 5:48 – “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
  
  

The standard of God is perfection. If that is the case, what hope do we have? For we know that this is an impossible standard. No one is perfect.

And this is what Jesus has been leading us to throughout the Sermon on the Mount. He wants us to listen to His Words and come to one singular conclusion, I can’t do it. Jesus wants us to come to the realization that we cannot reach the bar of Holiness that is required by a Holy God. He wants us to reach the end of ourselves.

This begs the question, why can’t we achieve God’s standards? Why can’t we be good enough for God? Why can't we make ourselves not get angry, not lust, not get divorces, not get anxious, love our enemies, help to poor for the right reason, pray for the right things? Because, apart from Jesus, we are dead in our trespasses and sins. Apart from Jesus, nothing good dwells in us. Apart from Jesus, we are sinners. Apart from Jesus, we are spiritually bankrupt and have no capacity to live in accordance to His will. This is why we can't be perfect. This is why we fall short of God's way to live.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is leading us through the wilderness of our sinfulness and is creating a hunger and thirst for a righteousness that is outside ourselves. And this is when he brings us to the satisfying waters of God’s grace.

Jesus’ solution to the problem is to ask, seek and knock. Jesus tells us if ask, seek, and knock, we will receive, find, and it will be opened. So let’s start with who are we asking?

Who do we ask?

Take a look at verse 11.

• Matthew 7:11 – “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
  
  

When we reach the end of ourselves, Jesus tells us to turn to our Father. God is the solution to the problem. In order for us to live in accordance to God’s will, we need God’s Grace, and this is exactly how God has designed the world. This is how God designed you, to live dependent upon Him. Not just on Sunday mornings, but in every single moment of our lives. This is why we call God, not only our Father, but also our Lord. He is to be the master of our lives. In the morning, throughout the day, at night, in our jobs, in our hobbies, in our relationships, in our joys, and in our struggles. God is to be God in your life.

Now, I want to be clear about something. God is not everyone’s Father. In fact, very few people are on this planet are God's children. And I want us to understand that sitting in these chairs today does not make God your Father. Taking communion today, does not make God your Father. Being religious does not make God your Father. There is only one way that God will be your father, and that is through adoption into his family through the blood of Jesus. Therefore to drink from the waters of God's grace, you must come to the fountain of Jesus Christ. Listen to what Jesus proclaims in John 7:37-39.

• John 7:37-39 – “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
  
  

So the question I pose to you today is are you thirsty? Has your soul been longing to be satisfied? If so, then stop going to the dry and empty wells of this world and drink from the fountain of Jesus Christ. Do not miss this moment. Do not let the Gospel be proclaimed to you today, and chose to walk on by the gate of Jesus. The stakes are too high. For not only is Jesus what your heart desires, but if you fail to see the treasure that is Jesus the consequence is dire.

• Matthew 7:13-14 - "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. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
  
  If you chose to not accept Christ your fate is sealed. Your destiny is destruction. This destruction is not annihilation, it is eternal punishment. When you choose to walk past the narrow gate of Jesus and continue to live your life like the rest of the World you are playing Russian roulette with your soul, for their may not be a tomorrow. So I beg of you to come to the waters of Jesus and drink.
  
  

What do we receive?

If today, you do see the treasure that is Christ and repent of your sin and place your faith in Christ alone for you salvation, you are adopted into God's family. You are his son, You are his daughter, and for the first time, these words of Mathew 7 are meant for you. So let us ask, what do we, God's children, receive if we ask, seek, and knock on our father's door?

• Matthew 7:11 – “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
  
  

God will give us good things. What a simple, but absolutely wonderful truth. When we ask God, Our Father, what he gives us is good. Now here is the question, do you believe this? Do you believe that God gives his children good things? Really? What about cancer? What about poverty? What about a loved one dieing? What about persecution for being a Christian? Are these things good? No, they are not, they are all consequences of the brokenness of this world, and they are substantially terrible. But Jesus is not talking about these things, for they are insignificant compared to the good things of an infinite and sovereign Father. Turn with me to Romans 8

• Romans 8:28-39 - “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
  
  

Oh there is so much in here that is overwhelming good. First, if you love God, all things work together for good. That means your trial and tribulation is working for your good. As we have said before, if you are God's child, then God is 100% for you.

Second, no matter what life throws at you, if God foreknew you, he predestined you; if he predestined you, he called you; if he called you, he justified you; if he justified you, he will glorify you! This is an unbreakable chain. This means that no matter what is going on in our life, it is a light momentary affliction compared the the eternal weight of glory that is waiting for us. Our darkest days are but a grain of sand on the beach of God's eternal goodness that he will lavish upon us for all eternity.

Third, God loves us. Not with a wishy washy love, but with an unbreakable love. A love that is more powerful than anything that we may be experiencing. When the world is crashing down around you, who stands by your side and whispers I love you? The Sovereign and Almighty God of the Universe. If the infinitely powerful, holy and awesome God, our Father, loves us, then we can weather any storm of life.

So what do we receive when we ask, seek and knock? We receive the good gift of the amazing riches of God's forever grace, and it flows to us through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is the fountainhead of the good things of God. And the water of God is sweeter than any water that has ever touched your lips, and if we pursue it we will be satisfied.

River of Love that Flows Through Us

But we are not done. There is still more. Is this where God's gifts end? Are we a reservoir of God's grace? Are our hearts to be a damn collecting God's love? No.

• Matthew 7:12 - “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
  
  

The good gifts of God that pour into our lives, must pour out onto others. The grace of God must flow to others the same way it flowed to us, unconditionally. Listen to how all these verses that we looked at today are connected. What does Paul say is Romans 8:36?

• Romans 8:36 - “As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
  
  

The good gifts of God's love drove Paul to love others in the same way Christ did. He was willing to risk everything, including his life for the sake of the elect. Listen to what Jesus says in John 7:38.

• John 7:38 - “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
  
  

Jesus does not describe the grace of God as stale pond of water, it is a fountain that burst from your heart and rivers pour out of your life and soak everyone that comes in contact with you.

So how would I summarize what Jesus is telling us in these verse today? God is saying, when you are empty of yourself, and you come to me through my son, I will lavish you with unending rivers of my grace, so not only will you be blessed, but you will bless others. What an amazing God that we have.