1. Review
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” —Matthew 7:13
The broad way has disastrous consequences in giving people confidence to live a life of sinful compromise rather than radical repentance. It reeks of human wisdom with the premise that we know what’s best for our lives. It leads to destruction.
The narrow way is difficult because it requires self-denial, repentance and acknowledging that we don’t know what’s best for us. This path leads to an abundant life. The premise is that God knows best therefore obedience to His ways are necessary.
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” —Matthew 16:24
Matthew 5 identifies areas of sin we’ll struggle with ranging from immorality to offense and unforgiveness. The message is clear: contend for complete obedience and make no concessions or excuses for sin.
“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” —Matthew 5:48 NKJV
Beloved, I beg you…abstain from fleshly (sin) lusts which war against the soul… —1 Peter 2:11 NKJV
MATTHEW 6 TEACHES US HOW TO
1–Be Charitable (give generously)
2–Be Prayerful (pray constantly)
3–Be Forgiving (be unoffendable)
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” —Matthew 6:33 NKJV
…He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. —Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
2. Don’t Be a Hypocrite
Chapter 7 exposes our tendencies to be judgmental hypocrites in our temptation to compare ourselves to others.
“How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” —Matthew 7:4-5 NLT
Religious leaders of Jesus’s day were all about “appearing” godly on the outside yet being full of sin on the inside. Jesus said this to them:
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.” —Matthew 23:27 NLT
Yet the Bible teaches us to judge in the right way.
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” —John 7:24 NKJV
3. How Then Will We Build 0ur House?
Jesus ends the sermon by calling us to a lifestyle of seeking consistent obedience.
“Whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” —Matthew 7:24-25 NKJV
His point is this: what did we do with His teachings? Did we obey them? Did we put them to practice while building our lives, our families, our friendships and our businesses? There is nothing that can substitute seeking consistent obedience to Jesus.