Learning From the Best Ever
MATTHEW 7:24-29
Jeremiah Meadows
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. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
MATTHEW 7:15-17
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
MATTHEW 7:18-20
A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
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. 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?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
As a Jewish Rabbi, Jesus taught in a distinctively Jewish way. He presented his hearers with two options to choose from.
Two gates: narrow and wide, as well as two ways: easy and hard
Two trees: healthy and diseased
Two people: those who do the Father’s will, and workers of lawlessness
MATTHEW 7:24-25
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 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.
MATTHEW 7:26-27
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. 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.”
In verses 24-27, Jesus teaches us about two types of builders: the wise man and the foolish man. He does this to ask each of us, “Which one are you?”
MATTHEW 7:24
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
What are the words of Jesus that we must hear?
MATTHEW 5:20
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
MATTHEW 5:21-22
You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
The words of Jesus we must hear: my kingdom is for the truly righteous. It’s not enough to just do more in the flesh; you need a better righteousness. You need a new heart.
What does Jesus tell us we must do?
MATTHEW 22:35-40
And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus tells us that we must:
Love God with all that we are.
Love our neighbor as ourself.
How do we love our neighbor as ourselves?
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.
Truly loving our neighbor as ourselves, treating them how we want to be treated, is hard! None of us do this perfectly.
So what can we do?
MATTHEW 7:24-25
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 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.
We run to Jesus, and build the house of our lives on Him, for He is the rock!
MATTHEW 7:28-29
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Jesus isn’t just a teacher; He is the best teacher. Why? He teaches with authority!
How can Jesus teach like that?
MATTHEW 5:17-18
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Jesus is able to teach with authority because Jesus isn’t just another rabbi, He is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.
Jesus fulfilled the Law by perfectly loving God with all that He is, and perfectly loving his neighbor as Himself.
Jesus fulfilled the Prophets by being the prophesied Messiah who came to deliver his people by laying down his life and being raised on the third day!
Jesus is the best teacher ever because He is God in the flesh. Jesus did not come just to teach us, but to rescue us from sin and death! He came to give us eternal life in his kingdom!
MATTHEW 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Jesus is the righteousness we need to enter the kingdom. He wants to be our soul rest. He wants to teach us how to live forever.
Will you come to Jesus? Will you hear his teaching and learn from Him? Will you trust Him to be everything you need, for this life and for all of eternity?