What Jesus REALLY wants you to know - Matthew 7:13-27

Intro

1. Unless they have a Bible handy have them go to the Bible only part of this sermon.  (just have them go to www.followjesusnow.com, then click on "(1) Bible Only for Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount", then click on "(1) Start Here - Matthew 7:13-27"
2. Green text is the Bible and the red text are the answers. 
3. In this Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us how to live in a way that God can bless and that will result in spending eternity with God and not in Hell.
4. We'll start by first skipping to the end of his Sermon to see the ONE thing Jesus wants ABOVE all for us to know.  This one truth will change how we live.  Then we'll go through this greatest sermon ever given.  
5. We use scripture to explain scripture.  (don't rush, make sure they understand each verse and feel comfortable to ask questions)

(A) Matthew 7:13-14  “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it."

1. Read (A) Matthew 7:13-14 (chapter 7 verses 13 through 14).
2. In v13 how many people did Jesus say are going to hell?  Many.
3. In v14 how many people are going to heaven?  Few.
4. In v14 why so few are going to heaven?  Because it's very narrow and difficult to go to heaven.
5. Please read (A1) Luke 13:23-24 quietly or out loud "Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He replied, 24 “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail."  In v24 What type of effort is required to be one of the saved?  Hard work is required.
6. Read (A2) Conclusion:  Do you think this is a good summary of Matthew 7:13-14? --> Take the difficult road to heaven.
7. In this next paragraph Jesus describes the first reason why it's difficult to go to heaven.

(B) Matthew 7:15-20  "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions."

1. Read (B) Matthew 7:15-20.
2. In v15 who are we to watch out for?  False prophets.
3. In v13 and 14, the first paragraph that we read, Jesus said the difficult road and not the easy road is the true road to heaven.  Which road do you think the false prophets will teach as the road to heaven?  The easy and broad road
4. And what will happen to those who take the easy road to heaven?  They end up in hell.
5. In v20 How can we identify false prophets?  By their actions (what they teach and how they live)
6. Read (B1) Galatians 1:6-8 "I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ.  You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News  7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.  8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you."  In v6 what damage did the False Prophets do to these Christians?  Cause then to turn away from God and follow a false Good News. 
7. Read (B2) Galatians 5:4  "For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."  What is the end result of following the false teachings of the false prophets?  To be cut off from Christ!  Fall away from God's grace.
8. Read (B3) Acts 17:11 "And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth."   (1) How did the people of Berea protect themselves from false prophets?  Search the Scriptures day after day to see if they were being taught what the scriptures actually teach. 
9. Read (B4) Conclusion: Do you think this is a good summary of Matthew 7:15-20? --> The road is difficult because others will try to deceive us to take the easy way.  We must know the Bible well enough to watch out for and identify false teachers and false teachings so we won’t be deceived.
10. In this next paragraph Jesus gives the second reason why it's difficult to go to heaven (become a real Christian).  

(C) Matthew 7:21-23  "Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws. "

1. Read (C) Matthew 7:21-23.
2. In v21-23 Jesus is giving us a preview of what will soon happen.  What does Jesus say will happen?  Many who claimed to have Jesus as their Lord will not be allowed into heaven because they did not obey God's commands.
3. In v21 what is the one thing we must do to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?  Actually do the will of God's.  
4. In v22 Why did those people think they were going to heaven?  Because they thought they knew and followed Jesus and that their prophesying, casting out demons and performing miracles in his name was proof. 
5. In v23 who determines who does and who doesn’t get to enter the kingdom of heaven?  Jesus
6. In v23 what is the basis Jesus uses for determining who does and who doesn’t get to go to heaven?  Our relationship with Jesus, whether or not Jesus “knew” them.  Note: The next lesson includes Jesus’ teaching on how to have a relationship with Jesus and be saved.
7. In v23 what action did these self-deceived people do that was the proof that Jesus never knew them?  They broke God's laws.  Note: Obedience is the proof of our salvation, but we can never earn our salvation by obedience.  Jesus' teaching in the next lesson makes this clear.  
8. Read (C1) Luke 6:46 "So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?"  (1) If we call Jesus Lord, what does he require us to do?  Obey him, do what he says.
9. Read (C2) Mark 8:34-37 "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? 37 Is anything worth more than your soul?" (1) In v34 what 3 things MUST we do if we don't want to lose our souls (go to hell)?  Give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.  (2) Do you think that to "Take up our cross" includes us being open about being a Christian even if people will think less of us or persecute us?  Yes.   (3) In v35 how are these 3 requirements summarized?  Giving up our lives and stop living for ourselves.   (4) In v35 who and what are we to give up our lives for?  Jesus and the Good News.  (5) In v35 what does Jesus say will happen to us if we spend our lives SERVING ourselves instead of SERVING Jesus and spreading the Good News?  We will go to hell.  (6) So is this surrender and serving Jesus in Mark 8:34-37 a good summary of what it means to call Jesus Lord, Lord (v21)?  Yes.
10. Read (C3) 1 Kings 8:23 "O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven above or on the earth below. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion."  Who does God keep his covenant with and show unfailing love to?  Those who live with wholehearted devotion to Him. 
11. How can I know if I'm a real Christian and not just fooling myself?  In (C4) are 3 helpful quotes from John MacArthur.  Which one helps you the most?  "(1) The proof of conversion is not a past event, or a past prayer, or past experience. It’s a present righteousness. Ah, it’s not perfection, but it’s direction.  (2) It’s what you do with the Jesus’ words that gives evidence of your spiritual condition. ... What is the evidence of true conversion? What is the evidence of true repentance?  It is a life of obedience, submission to the lordship of Christ. It’s not a profession. It’s not empty words. It’s obedience. ... (3) If you love the truth and you love to obey the truth, even though you fall short, those are the evidences of true conversion."  John MacArthur LINK    ________
12. Read (C5) Conclusion: Do you think this is a good summary of Matthew 7:21-23? --> The road is difficult because we self-deceive ourselves that Jesus is our Lord when we don't serve him.  We must be giving up our lives in service and obedience to Jesus and not self-deceive ourselves in thinking we can buy God off by going to church or some religious activity.

(D) Matthew 7:24-27  "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."

1. Read (D) Matthew 7:24-27.
2. What does the solid rock represent?  Obeying Jesus' teachings.
3. In v24 what are the 2 characteristics of wise people who build their house on Jesus' teachings (the solid rock)?  Listens to Jesus teaching and follows it.
4. In v26 what are the 2 characteristics of foolish people who built their house on sand?  Listens to Jesus teaching but don't obey it.
5. Did both the wise and foolish people experience the Storms of life (rain, floods, strong winds)?  Yes.  Note, these storms include hardship, trials, and God's final judgment.
6. What happened to the wise man in v25 when the storms of life hit him or her?  His house did not collapse.
7. What happened to the foolish man in v27 when the storms of life hit him or her?  His house DID collapse.
8. Is their obedience the only thing that determined how they did in the storm?  Yes.
9. So listening and learning Jesus’ teaching without obeying it results in what?  Destruction.
10. Read (D1) James 1:25 "But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do." NIV  (1) if we want Jesus to bless our lives what 4 things MUST we do?  (1) Look intently into the Bible.  (2) Continue to look intently.  (3) Not forgetting what I learned.  (4) But doing what I learned.  (2) What will happen to me if I don't do these 4 things?  I will not experience God's blessings on my life.
11. Read (D2) Conclusion: Do you think this is a good summary of Matthew 7:24-27? --> Therefore focus on learning and obeying Jesus' teachings so the storms of life and the final judgment won't destroy us.
12. In Review, in these 4 sections that we just covered what are the 4 actions he wants us to do?  Have them review the 4 conclusions that are in bold.
13. Do you want to build your house on the rock and not the sand?  Hopefully yes.
14. Then can you spend 5 - 10 minutes EACH day reading a Bible passage and pick 
15. Read (D3)  "Do you want to build your house on the solid rock which is Jesus teaching?  ____  If yes, then click on "Your Most Important Habit"." 
16. Would you like to meet next week and see how Jesus began this greatest sermon of His? ____

(E) Conclusion

1. Show them how to install use the free "Holy Bible" app (it looks like a brown Bible with the yellow words "Holy Bible") to read and listen to the Gospel of Matthew in the NLT (New Living Translation) version .
2. In the coming week spend as much time as you can listening to and/or reading the Sermon on the Mount.
3. ---If the person is a Christian---
4. If there is time, have them go to www.followjesusnow.net and have them practice teaching the first part of this to you. 
5. Highly recommend that they listen to John MacArthur's sermon "Foundations of Grace, Part 2: The Lordship of Christ" to learn more about this passage.