Where Are You Headed?

Matthew 7:13-20

Thank you for all your support. It’s kind of appropriate mom died around this time of year. She absolutely loved Easter and the celebration of Jesus. She also loved to run. So, if she had been healthy enough, she would have participated in the Memorial Marathon. She didn’t get to finish that race, but thankfully, she finished the race of life well!

If you will, please open your Bibles to Matthew 7. Believe it or not, we are getting to the end of the Sermon on the Mount after four years. This sermon is one of two remaining, and I want you to really pay attention as Jesus brings his most famous sermon to a close. To refresh your minds, up until this point, Jesus informed his audience about life within the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom that is vastly different from any earthly kingdom. From the beginning, he spoke on how his kingdom blessings are upon the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers. Furthermore, he contrasted faithful obedience within his kingdom and the world. He showed them his high standards as he touched on issues like murder, adultery, and divorce. And he emphasized the importance of the heart when it comes to living out godly disciplines such as giving, prayer, and fasting. He touched on a wide array of topics and now he brings his audience, which includes you and I, to a crossroads. He wants us to consider everything he has taught us up to this point in hopes we will choose the right road in life.

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

Jesus opened by saying, “Enter through the narrow gate.” This is plainly the first step towards the right path. Jesus called for active movement. He doesn’t call people to simply admire or respect the narrow gate; he calls us to enter through it. He is clear on this command. What may not be as clear is what (or who) he’s referring to. Yet, thankfully for us, we have the full counsel of God’s Word, so we don’t have to search too far for context. For instance, in John 10, Jesus claims, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10:9-10). Jesus doesn’t leave us guessing. Salvation and abundant life come through him; whereas destruction awaits those who follow the path of the thief, who we know as Satan.

Jesus gives two options, and we see this trend through the reading. There are two gates, two roads, two types of prophets, two types of fruit, and two types of disciples. We live in a world of endless options but, in reality, all those options boil down to two, and, really, it’s always been this way.

It was that way in the Garden of Eden. It was that way when Moses spoke to his people before they entered the Promised Land. He told them, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him” (Deut. 30:19-20). After Joshua succeeded Moses, he echoed the same mindset when he urged the people to choose for themselves who they would serve, foreign gods or the Lord (Joshua 24:15). The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed, “I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death” (Jeremiah 21:8). Throughout Scripture there is this dichotomy. Jesus does not veer from this contrast of life and death. He does, however, add some interesting descriptives of the two paths. One is broad and many enter through it. The other is narrow and few find it.

Is Jesus claiming the path to life is exclusive and limited? I don’t think so. The path to life is exclusive in that people must enter through Jesus, but it is by no means limited to any certain type of person. There’s no cap limit either.  Life is available to everyone.

The reason it’s narrow and few find it is because it will cost you everything. Jesus calls us to die to our prideful desires. He calls us to take up our crosses and follow him daily, even if it means sacrificing our most prized relationships. You remember what Jesus once told a large crowd. He said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even their own life – such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). That’s intense! Jesus used a little bit of hyperbole to communicate – followers of Jesus are to prioritize him above every relationship. If that’s not enough to keep you off the narrow path, Jesus promised the world will hate you if you follow him, given the ways of the world are completely counter to Jesus’s ways (John 15:19). The world is about pride and lust and boasting, and as long as you go with the flow, there’s not much pushback. But if you start swimming against cultural streams, you better believe resistance is coming. Whenever you suit up against Satan, you know he’s bringing the full court press.

Now it’s easier to see why the path is narrow and few try it. Like good health or good relationships or good finances or anything else good in life, sacrifice is required! But that’s okay! Jesus is worth it. He is true abundance. Moreover, he tells us we can take heart when the troubles of the world come upon us since he has overcome the world in every imaginable way.

So, based on what we have explored thus far, do you have a better idea of what path you’re on? Do you know if you’re on the path to life or death? Are you experiencing some healthy residence or are you gliding along in life at the same pace as all those around you? If you gain nothing else this morning, it’s a huge win if you can accurately answer this question: “Where ya headed?”

You think it would be an easy task, yet, at times, it is hard to distinguish which path we’re on. This is why it’s always important to stop and take inventory of where we’ve been. In other words, is it imperative for us to evaluate our past actions. You’ve heard the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I think this saying is accurate. The Bible teaches words without actions equates to a dead faith. Therefore, if you look through the rearview mirror and think about the consistency of your words and actions as of late, you should get an idea of where you’re headed.

Going deeper, think about what your heart has been filled with. The destructive road is also paved with the fruits of the flesh found throughout the Bible. One of the more exhaustive lists can be found in Galatians 5. It reveals the path of death is full of impurity, idolatry, hostility, jealousy, outburst of anger, selfishness, and the like. This path is full of flashing billboards and road signs that lead people towards pride and sinful cravings.

Finally, getting to the crux of the matter, if you really want to know where you’re headed, you ought to ask yourself, “Where’s Jesus in my life? Is he in the driver’s seat, the passenger seat, or anywhere to be found?” Ultimately, the biggest determining factor in knowing which direction you are headed begins and ends with Jesus, for he is the only one who leads to true life. His beloved disciple put it this way, “Whoever has the Son (Jesus) has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

By God’s grace, I realized the power of this truth when I was young and if you don’t mind, I want to share a little bit about my faith journey, in hopes that it will help you better recognize the path to death and life.

I’ve been so blessed to grow up in a family with a rich, spiritual heritage. All my life I have been a part of a church body, and I have seen my parents live out genuine faith. However, my faith really didn’t blossom until the summer after my eighth-grade year. That summer I went to Fall’s Creek, a Baptist church camp near Davis. It’s a lot like Kids Across America in that there were all kinds of fun outdoor adventures during the day, and then there were evening worship services in a big outdoor pavilion known as the tabernacle. One night in the tabernacle I heard a preacher share the gospel like I had never heard before. I heard him say, “Jesus loves you no matter what. You don’t have to earn it.” His words struck a chord because I had been looking for validation and love through performance, mainly through sports. I also heard him say, “Jesus is true abundance.” That truth hit me between the eyes as well. I had been looking for pleasure in everything and everyone apart from Jesus and naturally my pursuits never brought lasting fulfillment. As a result, that night I told Jesus to take the wheel, so to speak. I accepted his free gift. I felt a heavy burden lifted. It was a moment of bliss where everything made sense.

Then I entered my freshman year, and with it came Mr. Thompson’s class. Mr. Thompson was my history teacher, the best teacher I have ever had. He knew how to bring history to life. And amazingly he was caring enough to take his students to historical sites each year, be it Washington DC, or places like Spain and Italy, where I was fortunate enough to go. I still truly admire the man.

That said, Mr. Thompson is an agnostic/atheist, or at least he was. He would come into class periodically and raise some unsettling questions like: “How can you explain all the contradictions in the Bible? How do you explain the miracles? How did Joshua hold up his hands and keep the sun from setting? How can you say Jesus is the only way? If you were born in India, wouldn’t there be a great chance you would be a Hindu?” I was dumbfounded. He raised a lot of good questions, which led me to a crossroads. I had accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord, but I had never really explored whether he was a legit savior or the only lord.

Consequently, I went on a journey and read books like Mere Christianity, Jesus Among Other God, A Case for Christ, which is a book about Lee Strobel, a journalist who set out to disprove Christianity at one time. I didn’t necessarily seek to disprove Christianity, but I definitely desired to be as objective as possible in pursuing truth. So, I learned about the major religions and the paths they offer. I explored the lives of Mohammed, Buddha, and Krishna and tried to understand their views on salvation and right living. Furthermore, I compared their lives to Jesus and eventually found out, Jesus is no ordinary prophet. I was reminded of his miraculous birth and his sinless life, which is unlike the prophet Abraham or Moses or Mohammed or Siddhartha. To my knowledge, these men never claimed to be sinless.

Buddha did seek to lead people to an enlightened path and Mohammed claimed to be the messenger of God, but no other major religious figure claimed to be the end-all, be-all like Jesus, and for good reason. Most people get up in arms when they hear such talk. That’s why some Jewish leaders got in Jesus’s face after he said he and the father are one. They told Jesus, “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). Jesus did claim to be God! And I believe he can back it up.

When I first started to explore the faith, I was overwhelmed by the fact Jesus fulfilled over three hundred prophecies, including how and where the Messiah would be born, what miracles he would perform, and how he would die. I learned how everything in Christianity hinges on the resurrection of Jesus. And to cap it off, I learned Jesus claimed to be the way – not a way – the way! All in all, I learned everyone has to do something with Jesus. Either he is who he says he is, or he’s not. We can’t simply say he’s a good teacher considering his claims. He’s either a liar, a lunatic, or he truly is the Lord, as C.S. Lewis so cleverly put it.

What do you say? You heard my view. What category do you put Jesus into? Do you believe he is the gate and road to life? If you don’t see him as the way, I do want to encourage you to keep exploring. Truth is truth, so if you keep searching, truth will eventually light your path.

Let’s move on to the next section and review more ways to stay on track. 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:15-20).

Just as there is a true and a false way. There are true and false prophets who will seek to lead us down a path. Here Jesus highlighted false prophets, as did most of the New Testament writers, and he compared them to wolves in sheep’s clothing – an analogy that doesn’t need much explaining. Some teachers back then appeared adorable and innocent on the outside, but on the inside, they were filled with harmful intentions. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with the same threats today, and sadly these threats seem to be more prevalent given how connected our world is via the internet. That’s why Jesus’s words still ring out loud and clear, “Watch out!” Beware of false prophets. Otherwise, you will be devoured.

This statement begs the question, “How do you know if someone is a false prophet?” Most false teachers don’t have name tags. They aren’t prancing around with pitchforks, right? Usually they are very likable, sincere, and charismatic. How are we supposed to discern who’s genuine?

To follow the other metaphor presented, it appears we should become fruit inspectors. “By their fruit you will recognize them.” We are called to examine the fruit. We are called to make judgments on what we see. I’m not talking about the judgmental condemnation Jesus spoke against earlier. I’m talking about discernment. Instead of taking everything at face value, it’s imperative we evaluate messengers and their messages by continually asking questions. “What fruits are being produced in their lives – fruits of the flesh or fruits of the Spirit?” This applies to all people since everyone is preaching something to us in one way or another. We must examine the fruit closely.

Last year Alicia Silverstone shared a video of herself biting into an unfamiliar fruit in London. It looked like an edible cherry tomato, but it turned out to be a Jerusalem cherry - a toxic fruit. She failed to closely examine what she consumed. Rather than scanning the fruit with a phone app similar to Seek, she just hoped for the best.

Now, when it comes to false messages, the Seek app won’t do you much good, but you have something even better. It’s called the Bible, and it will help you examine what’s healthy or toxic. That’s what the Bereans used to stay on track. Listen to how they responded to the teachings of Paul, “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).

At this point in history, these Jews didn’t have the book of 2 Timothy, yet they knew well before Paul penned the words in 2 Timothy 3:16, that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” In other words, they knew Scripture ultimately reveals the right path, it shows us when we get off the path, how to get back on it, and how to stay on the path. Essentially, the Bible is our GPS. If we don’t have it or know it, we will inevitably get pulled off course. If you don’t know anything, everything makes sense, right? Examine the Scriptures like the Berean Jews. It will help you to test fruit…and the spirits.

Apparently, in the apostle John’s day, many lies were being spread about the incarnation of Jesus. Folks were saying Jesus never actually came to earth in the flesh. In response, John wrote, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). John had to be cracking up. He didn’t even need Scripture to confirm Jesus came in the flesh. He physically lived with him for 3 years.

I don’t hear many people denying the incarnation of Jesus. However, I do hear a lot of other false teachings. I hear teachers downplay the inherent sinfulness of humanity as Pastor Mike alluded during Easter. Additionally, I’m hearing more and more about the concept of manifesting. If you’re unfamiliar, the philosophy revolves around the idea that a person can determine their own destiny through visualization and positive thoughts. Proponents of the philosophy encourage people to visualize themselves succeeding. “Visualize the job promotion and it will be yours!” There’s no doubt positive thinking can enhance our lives, nonetheless, I think manifesting takes it too far. First off, it’s centered on self-reliance and not on God. Secondly, the main focus seems to be on personal interests and gratification. It’s about me getting a new car or a new house or whatever. My question is, why don’t we hear people manifesting food for the hungry or justice for the mistreated? When we examine Scripture, we see God wants us to trust in him and not ourselves. He wants us to look out for the interest of others. Therefore, despite the attractiveness of manifesting, it does not lead people to the right path…nor does the prosperity gospel.

This is a doctrine most of us are familiar with. We hear teachers continually associate Christian living with health, wealth, and prosperity. They present the idea that all will be well with your health or your finances if you have enough faith or if you give enough money.

Essentially these false teachers project a faith free of suffering, which is bonkers considering how most faithful believers in the Bible suffered. Really, it’s no wonder young people are leaving the faith. It’s no wonder many fail to properly cope with suffering. They’ve been sold a comfortable, consumeristic Christianity. They haven’t been taught to count the cost of surrender, or to see the fruit in suffering as Paul did, or especially as Jesus did! “Watch out,” Jesus said. There’s a right and a wrong path and many false teachers will try to lead you astray. This is even more reason for us to examine the fruit – to study the character of those around us.

Also, it’s all the more reason for us to evaluate ourselves since we are just as likely to lead ourselves astray, as those around us. Considering the OKC bombing anniversary, I was thinking the other day, “How did Timothy McVeigh get so off track, to the point of bombing a building?” Based on my limited research, it appears he was led astray by his own twisted thinking and by false teachers. A journalist named Lou Michel was able to do about 60 hours of interviews with McVeigh while he served time in a Colorado federal prison. In the interviews, Lou was able to learn about the unaddressed bitterness that piled up in McVeigh’s life, starting when he was a kid. For instance, he was called Noodle McVeigh given how skinny he was. Understandably his feelings led him down a path many people take – the path of revenge. And, sadly, rather than finding security in God; he found his security in guns.

McVeigh was also heavily influenced by false teachers and extremists. He read extremist materials like The Turner Diaries and followed the likes of those who were involved in the Waco Standoff in 1993. He is quoted saying, “Waco started this war (referring to war with the federal government). Hopefully Oklahoma would end it.”

How did McVeigh get off track? It didn’t happen overnight. Over time his natural feelings and the false teachings he embraced directed him to a place he probably never would have imagined as a young child.

McVeigh’s story enhances what Jesus preached…BEWARE of false prophets, including yourself because here’s truth…you and I are no different from Timothy McVeigh. I know that sounds weird; however, there’s no getting around it. Jesus said murder starts in the heart as hate, which we are all susceptible to. As a result, if we let hate fester in our hearts like Timothy, that hate is going to overflow into our actions in some form or fashion. Moreover, your moral compass will be thrown out of whack. McVeigh actually thought he was doing the right thing. He thought he was on the right path because he had no remorse. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” That’s exactly where hate led Timothy.

Folks, you don’t have to choose the wide, destructive path.  You can choose the path of life and love. God overcome hate with love. And the Bible tells us, his love covers over hate and all other sins. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been headed toward destruction. God offers you an onramp to life by his love.

As we close, I want to give you an opportunity to get on that path. I want to give you an opportunity to embrace his love…as my mom did. God’s love transformed her life. And he can do the same for you. He can redirect away from death to abundant living.

Don’t just take my word for it. Listen to my mom as she describes God’s love to her granddaughter.