Weekly Message: The proof of kingdom life (Matthew 7:13-29)
By Rev.Katherine
Liu Bruce 1/21/2024
Christian
Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry &
Counseling
Scriptures reading Matthew 7:13-29
Enter
through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads
to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the
road that leads to life and only a few find it. (vv.13-14)Watch out for false
prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious
wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from
thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit
but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad
tree cannot bear goof fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut
down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
(vv.15-20) Not everyone who says to
me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the
will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in
your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I
will tell them plainly, “I never knew you, away from me, you evildoers!”(vv.21-23)Therefore, everyone who hears these words
of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on
the rock. The rain came down, the stream rose and the winds blew and beat
against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the
rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into
practice is like a foolish many who built his house on sand. The rain came
down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house and it
fell with a great crash. (vv.24-27).
When
Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching
because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the
law.(v.29).
Interpretation and implication
In these verses notice the two
ways (vv.13-14), two trees (vv.15-20), two professions (vv.21-23), and two
builders (vv.24-29), the two ways was a common teaching method in Judaism and
Greco-Roman philosophy.
In verse 22 mentions demons. There is only one devil (Satan), but there
are many demons. The demons are those angels who sinned with Satan by following
him when he revolted against God. Some are confined (2Pet.2:4), but many are
active in the world (Matt.12:43-45), they seek to thwart the purposes of God
(Eph.6:11-12); they promote their own system of doctrine (1Tim.4:1); they can
inflict diseases (Matt.9:33) and possess the bodies of men and of animals
(Matt.4:24; Mark5:13)
Rock (v.24) does
not refer to Christ but to His wise Word, the Word that reveals the will of His
Father who is in the heavens. The living and work of the kingdom people must be
founded on the Word of the new King for the accomplishing of the will of the
heavenly Father. This is to enter in through the narrow gate and walk the
constricted way that leads to life.
The rain (v.25)
which descends from the heavens is of God; the rivers, which come from the
earth, are of man; and the winds, which blow from the air, are of Satan. All
these will test the living and work of the kingdom people. The house built on
the rock, a house that does not fall, is like the work that is built with gold,
silver and precious stones, a work that can stand the testing fire
(1Cor.3:12-13).
Sand (v.26)
refers to human concepts and natural ways. If we live and work according to our
human concepts and natural ways, our living and work will be founded on sinking
sand. This is to enter in through the wide gate and walk the broad way that
leads to destruction. The house built on sand, a house that falls, is like the
work that is built with wood, grass, and stubble, a work that will be burned by
the testing fire. However, the builder himself will be saved (1 Cor.3:12-15).
Application
My friends, do you build
your house on Rock (or on Sand)? Do you read the Bible and apply the Word of
God into your daily life? Do you accomplish (or fulfill) the will of God in
your life?
Jesus said, “Not
everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but
only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew
7:21). Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is
like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Rock, refers to the Word that
reveals the will of His Father who is in the heavens. Sand, which refers to
human concepts and natural ways. If we live and work according to our human
concepts and natural ways, our living and work will be founded on sinking sand.
This is to enter in through the wide gate and walk the broad way that leads to
destruction. The living and work of the kingdom people must be founded on the
Word of the new King for the accomplishing of the will of the heavenly Father.
This is to enter in through the narrow gate and walk the constricted way that
leads to life.
A traditional hymn we
sang all the times at Sabbath, “The Solid Rock” inspires us and reminds
us to stand the solid Rock, it says,
1) My hope is built on
nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, all
other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.
2) When darkness veils His
lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace, in every high and stormy gale, my
anchor holds within the veil. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, all other
ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.
3) His oath, His covenant,
His blood support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand, all other
ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.
4) When He shall come with
trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found, dressed in His righteousness
alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. On Christ, the solid Rock, I
stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.
How to stand on solid
Rock? According to Joshua 1:8 says, “Do not let this Book of the law depart from your
mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do
everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”(Joshua
1:8). Christians
must ground in the Word of God as Biblical life principles and final authority
in our daily life. Be aware of false teaching and doctrines, many come to you
in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you
will recognize them. No matter what God’s calling to you, obey it
and trust in God and have faith in God. Be still and know, God still sits on
the throne, judges the nations, and He is in control. His will must prevail and
His promises never fail. Christ has won the battle for us on the cross at
Calvary two thousands years ago. Therefore, my friends, be strong, and meditate
upon the Word of God day and night, and put it into your daily practice, may
the will of God be fulfilled in your life journey.
Bibliography,
Bauer, Walter. A
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature. 3rd Chicago: The University of Chicago press, 2000.
Brown, Robert, Philip
W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New
Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.
Bruce, Katherine L. “weekly
message: God’s restoration to his people-Davidic covenant (Jer.32:40-33:1-26)
Orlando, FL: Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts, 2014.
Friberg,
Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon
of the Greek New Testament.1st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford
Publishing, 2005.
Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.
Strong, James. Strong’s:
the expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 2010.
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