Well, I invite you to turn this morning to Matthew chapter 7. We are concluding, very close to concluding the Sermon on the Mount. There are two sermons left, and this week we come to verses 21 through 23 of Matthew chapter 7, found on page 965. I'm going to read at verse 13 to the end of the chapter to set the context. so we have made our way through the sermon on the mount and come to a very challenging section today but i trust you will see very important to what jesus is doing so let's give our attention this morning to the holy word of the lord 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 i want you to notice that contrast there between the many and the few for the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few 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 thorn bushes or figs from thistles so every healthy tree bears good fruit but the diseased tree bears bad fruit 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 now our text 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 mighty works in your name and then I will declare to them I never knew you depart from me you workers of lawlessness 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 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 and when jesus finished these sayings the crowds were more literally blown out of their minds at his teaching for he was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes let's give may the lord bless today the hearing of his word well I read this passage the other night at the dinner table and my daughter said in front of the whole family dad that may be the scariest passage in the bible and I said I agree I feel the great weight of this text today coming and preaching this as a pastor did you hear what was just said did you did you take it in not everyone who says to me lord lord shall enter the kingdom and then he looks to the last day it's the context the very last day on that last day on that day many again think of the few and the many from the narrow gate and wide gate many are going to be shocked that they're not entering. This comes with questions, doesn't it? I'm going to take you through the difficulty of this, but stay with me because there is a good conclusion to this. But if you check out halfway, you're going to miss it. So don't go to sleep, okay? All right. This comes with questions. What are we looking at? And why? And what is Jesus intending to accomplish? You have to stand back from this weighty text like this and really let and listen to Jesus speak on his own terms here. How do we do it without presuppositions? And how do we remove the baggage of this? What is the great temptation in a text like this is to do what we've talked about in the Sermon on the Mount earlier, way at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, is explain it away so that by the time we're done, nobody really knows what it means or nobody ever thinks it applies to them. So that it has no impact on those who hear it. That is not what happened that day. Did you read the end of this? They were astonished at what he said. Nobody had ever said that to them. In other words, Jesus is saying this so that all would hear. And was he saying it so that all would think, well, that doesn't apply to me. Is that what he's doing? You've got to really get to what he's doing here, don't you? That would kind of be the very thing he's condemning, isn't it? Saying something and not listening to it or not doing it. No, I want us for a bit to feel really uncomfortable today. If you're a visitor, you're going to probably feel even more uncomfortable. I want you to feel it as the multitudes felt it when it came at them. They had never heard anyone say something like that to them. And you could ask the question, what did the people think was going to happen when they die? What did they think was going to happen to them? What was in their minds and what was in their heads? It's an interesting question, depending, I suppose, on what part of the crowd you're from and what background you have and whether you're in the covenant or not. There's something about experiencing here for a minute what they felt when they heard that said. With the goal that something would be done about this. I mean, that's got to be the goal, right? Jesus is not just saying this with no point of application. He's saying it to bring things to a solution and to a conclusion. I want it to trouble all of us here enough as it troubled me this week to ensure that we've listened to Jesus and that we're confident this is not describing us. Absolutely. And that's the question again. What is Jesus' intention in a passage like this? Jesus is surely and indeed challenging His followers to examine where they stand in relation to Him and whether they've entered his kingdom. Have they? Have we? His goal is to create true followers, sincere followers. So we need to consider what we're up against today. We need to consider for a minute what we're up against. Let me say, I have come to love passages like this. These are the kind of passages that everyone wants to run away from. These are the kind of passages everyone wants to avoid. Probably I would suggest this is maybe one of the most avoided passages in the Bible. But I want to say step up to the plate. I'm tired of the soft Christianity that never deals with this kind of stuff. Tackle its claims head on. Listen to what's being said to you. why not step up to the plate why not deal with what he's saying why not work to draw a conclusion on the matter isn't that good isn't that what he's after we're looking at this in three points today who doesn't very simple if you're taking notes who does not enter the kingdom why they do not enter the kingdom and how all people should enter the kingdom that's the way i've sort of tried to break it down to help you we'll begin with this who does not enter jesus begins as he has been doing in the sermon on the mount by providing a shocking statement and it is indeed shocking a blunt statement and then he elaborates and explains it for people to draw a conclusion He hits hard. He swings hard here. I want you to notice that here at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, when it says in verse 28, that so when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished, blown out of their minds, for they had never heard teaching like this. What does that mean? It means they never heard teaching that searched them. They never heard teaching that got in their hearts. They never heard teaching that pressed them into the kingdom. the scribes were heady. It would be like a lecture. Jesus is doing something entirely different. He's reaching deep into their hearts and their lives. And that's uncomfortable. That's the narrow way of ministry. The broad way is easy. You can go get the broad stuff all day long. You can go get the tolerance stuff all day long. But here we are at the end of the sermon, probably the most sobering thing he has said up to date. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven. Now before we unpack that, I've tried to show you Jesus has to be read in context as all the Bible does, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. These are not disconnected themes. The theme of judgment has been the sort of overarching theme of the seventh chapter. and everything being under the all-seeing eye of the lord but jesus has been taking the sermon now to a conclusion he's moving to a conclusion he's moving to a a grand conclusion to draw a response out of all this remember jesus is not just want his teaching admired jesus does not just want it praised he wants to draw a conclusion so that people are making a decision about it the great call of the sermon was enter the narrow gate for broad is the gate and wide is the way that the path that leads to destruction and many are on that but narrow is the way and difficult is the path that leads to life and a few find it jesus is still working with this this is still very much on his mind he has on his mind the few and the many is Jesus just a fatalist here is Jesus just saying these things as if there's no answer I've pressed you a few times on this that people hear this like that man that came up to Jesus and asked the question are there few who are going to enter the kingdom and you can hear it in Jesus' response essentially he said stop it, you enter, you strive to enter right now don't play that game well he showed us this last time and he showed us that standing in the way of the narrow path to the narrow gate are all this all this activity of false prophets who are pointing the other way go over here go over here go to the go to the wide path go to the wide gate with all the ideologies and all the ideas because everything about jesus's message was narrow he's the only way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through him that's as narrow and constricting and he explained how to spot the false prophets you see how concerned jesus was here he's he's he's actually concerned to keep people from this path so he's talking about the fruits of the false prophets he's exposing them we went into great depth, I think, in that, and looked at that. But now it's as if he moves back to us. So he presented the gates, he presented the paths, he presented the way, and then he showed us the great obstacles to that, all the false messages, and now he comes, circles back to us, calling us to think about this, and to think about where we are in relation to all this. If there are false prophets then there are false followers jeremiah said that the prophets prophesy lies the priests rule by their own authority my people love it so if we can complete the picture here we have the narrow path where it leads but what about the wide path and what about those on it we're not what what's what i try to make the case in the sermon on the mount is that it's not a sermon really for the world this is a sermon for those followers of the lord we are in the inner circle here we're looking at people near the kingdom walking close to the kingdom like the man jesus spoke to when he was considering the law and he said well done you're almost in the kingdom i always thought was one of the most troubling statements here's a shocking statement today not everyone who says to me lord lord shall enter the kingdom they're saying they're followers it's a the word in the original here is a present active They're saying they are followers. And then he says, but it does not mean that they will enter in the future. He's looking at the last day, the future. The first thing we're struck with here is the Lord, Lord. Many will say, verse 22, on that day to me, Lord, Lord, have we not? I'll come back to that. Let me break it down just a little bit. It's meant to be purposely shocking. Jesus is being shocking here. It's meant to trouble. It's meant to rile people up. It's meant to awaken people out of their stupor. Anyone, as it has been noticed, anyone who doesn't say Lord, Lord will never enter the kingdom. Those who say it will enter the kingdom. But not all who say it will enter the kingdom. In fact, many on the last day will say, Lord, Lord. What are we looking at? People who've made a profession of faith. people who know that jesus is lord think about all that emphasis today jesus is lord they've confessed him they have enough theological knowledge to confess him as lord it's interesting that jesus duplicates lord lord here isn't it twice so it said twice there's sort of an emotional aspect to it i think that's captured where one of the two things we always talk about that we always feel our intention the doctrinal aspect the people who are too precise here that's he captures both ditches here if you will the the precisionist the doctrinalist who are precisionists who rely on strict orthodoxy then jesus says lord lord by addressing the enthusiast the guy who's just here for the praise music jesus covers the whole realm of emotions and followings really with this then on the last day this is what they rehearse lord we prophesied in your name we cast out demons in your name we did all these wonders in your name isn't it something they can point to all their active involvement in the kingdom jesus chose prophesying casting out demons that's an interesting choice remember when the disciples came back they said we're not going to believe this even the demons we cast them out they were subject to us said no no no rejoice your name's written in heaven judas must have cast out demons wow many will say his name and will point to their involvements i was a preacher I was an elder I was a deacon I was in the Christian school board I was a good member of the community I never knew you now what am I supposed to do with that what are you supposed to do with that see the challenge of this let me make you all very uncomfortable here do you think everyone at north coast church right now saying it's going to enter the kingdom do you think everyone at new life is going to enter the kingdom do you think everyone at crossroads is going to enter the kingdom and you're all very nervous do you think everyone at the escondido urc is going to enter the kingdom. Jesus had all kinds of followers. Pharisees. Rulers. Head turners. People who wanted a sign. Oh yeah, Jesus has riled up everyone on purpose. Notice how astonished they seem? Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom. Many on that day are going to come to me. They're going to be astonished because they did all these things. Jesus was not shy on this point. Matthew builds on this. He gives a whole parable. At that time, the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in their jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, the cry rang out, here's the bridegroom, come out to meet him. Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, give us some of your oil, our lamps are going out. No, they replied. There may not be enough for both of us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves. But while they were on their way to buy oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet and the door was shut. Later the others came out. Lord, Lord, they said, open the door for us. They're at the gate. He replied, truly I tell you, I don't know you. The same thing. Therefore keep watch, for you do not know the day nor the hour. now have i done my job have i made you all feel what they felt that day i hope so that was the goal that's the intention for what end you could avoid something like this and never think about it in your life do you think that's good for you step up to the plate have some courage can you know is he saying these things so that you can't know is that what he's saying is it really that we're just going through this life we we do the church thing and then we get to the end and maybe we'll find out we're not getting in is that what he's saying is that what he's trying to accomplish what are we looking at i think you have to say we're looking at the self-deceived there's no spiritual life in them this is so important there's no worry about any of this you tell them the importance of worship it rolls off you tell them the law and the gospel it doesn't matter it doesn't do a thing sure they profess faith they love the emotional aspect there's nothing on the inside no real commitment to what jesus has said here there's no faith now this is where i want to help you today there's a direct example of this played out in scripture now as they were eating jesus said assuredly i say to say to you one of you will betray me and jesus didn't immediately take away their fear did he he wanted them to wrestle with that he wanted them to struggle with that for a minute here's what we read then they were all exceedingly sorrowful each one of them began to say, Lord, is it I? Could it be me? Lord, I'm not literally the one, am I? You hear in that deep, heart-wrenching concern about their loyalty to him. When they heard, one of you will betray me, the disciples heard that. What if they had heard? There will be some of you who don't enter. How do you think they would have responded? Deeply burdened. Deeply burdened. Because they knew they could betray him. That's why they're asking. They knew they had the ability to fail. They loved their Lord. They didn't want to betray Him. That would be the worst thing in the world, to not be with their Lord. when they heard it they were absolutely crushed Jesus did this at times when the multitudes walked away from him he looked at them at one point remember and he said do you also want to go away what was their response no way where would we go you have the words of eternal life they love him what burdens the true follower what burdens someone who has a spirit the idea that they would ever be separated from their savior but one of you will betray me who didn't care he is entirely offset in all the narratives Judas and Judas who is the one betraying him rabbis that I I don't think I'm wrong in that tone there was nothing in that heart he cast out demons there's a fundamental difference twice Jesus says not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter but he who what does the will of my father in heaven notice what it's juxtaposed with verse 23 I will declare to them I never knew you depart from me you who do what practice lawlessness there it's filled out for you there it is take the whole sermon on the mouth you have heard the will of god your righteousness think of what he said right at the beginning your righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and the pharisees to enter the kingdom of god what jesus has been calling them to is not the hypocritical showy false religion that was so predominant in israel he was calling them to come to him for life and to hear that word and believe the gospel he was proclaiming. And Jesus was explaining in the Sermon on the Mount what the new creation looks like and the people whom he is redeeming. Summarily, since he dealt with the law, that we love the Lord our God and we love our neighbor. That's the beginning of the Christian life. That's what is fulfilled. You think about it in glory that we get to do that in perfection. the self-deceived say it but it doesn't mean a thing there's not a care in the world their connection to all this is only external not by internal circumcision of the heart when Jesus gave the Beatitudes in Luke he gave four blessings four blessings blessed are you poor blessed are you who hunger blessed are you who weep Blessed are you when men hate you. He's describing his people. Do you know what that's followed up with immediately after? Four woes. Woe to you who are rich. You've received your consolation. Woe to you who are full. You shall have hunger. Woe to you who laugh now. For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you. for so their fathers did to the false of the false prophets. That's who he's talking about. Not a true believer. As you face it head on, you see what Jesus is doing here. It's healthy to test whether you be in the faith. Indeed, scriptures call us to do that. But where does it lead us? Outside of ourselves. Who has loved you? what have you received what grace in your lives what mercy when jesus said all this in luke he said blessed are you it's a beautiful verse beloved blessed are you i assign you to the kingdom just as i sign you a kingdom just as my father bestowed one on me that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom do you remember what jesus did right after they all said is it i he gave them the supper and he fed them with his body and blood. And Judas is out. He didn't care about the supper. He didn't care about the word. He didn't care about his Lord. Where does it lead us? Why is Jesus saying this to the multitudes? Here's the good news. He's not saying this as an end in and of itself. There's a day of judgment coming. Why is Jesus doing this? He's already called the masses to enter through what gate? The narrow gate. Right now. Enter right now. It's as if He turns around and He says, so where are you? He wants people to ask whether they've entered so that they're not on the wide path. That's the goal of this, you see? That they would turn off the narrow path that they're on. Living in wickedness, living in shame, and not coming to him. When you hear that, many, many will say on that day, Lord, Lord, what does that do to you? You could say, well, it's hopeless for me. That's not faith. Come today. you could say i'm living in terrible sin right now and i can't get out repent and believe the gospel come today but you should say praise god for his steadfast love for he has loved me from the beginning and i will not be anywhere else lord to you i come for you have the words of life and i believe jesus is not saying these hard things to leave people condemned it's not the goal but it's the great call in matthew come to me from the gate all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you the rest. Enter the gate. I will give you rest today from all your sin, all your burden. Think of the man I talked about. He's carrying this and I didn't tell you what he did. He's carrying this. Come, come today. You will be my new creature. You will be blessed by me. It's time. Therefore, as we anticipate next time, everyone then, therefore, who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Don't harden your hearts. Take seriously what it means to follow. He has, and he's recreating us as new creatures, which the Sermon on the Mount is showing, it's time to build the house on the rock. It's time to step up to the plate and have some courage and come to Christ. See? You don't have to wait to find out whether you're going to enter the kingdom of heaven on that day. The very first words of the gospel ministry of Jesus were repent and believe the gospel for the kingdom of heaven has arrived. Enter it. Right now. That's good news. And you all know, like we sung out, You sought the Lord, but you knew that he was the one that came to seek and to save that which is lost. That's why you're here. Where else would you be? Where else are you going to go? No, Jesus is not scaring us to death. Jesus is dealing with your greatest fears, beloved. That's what he's doing. He's addressing your greatest fear in this life. and steering you to the narrow path comforting you that when you've entered in him you have peace and joy that's what he says in the resurrection truly truly i tell you unless you change and become like a little child you will never enter the kingdom of heaven that's matthew come to him as a child believe this gospel rest in him and he sets you on a path that leads to life amen heavenly father thank you for your mercies to us and for your grace and thank you for opening to us as we're about to sing the gates of righteousness so that we may enter in it really is a celebration of psalm 118 what you do for your sheep you open to them the gates of righteousness through the one who has been rejected that we might have life and that we might have it abundantly thank you for confronting our fears thank you for taking us through something difficult that we might walk now through the of righteousness entering in and walk right through to eternal life there's anyone here oh lord who's not entered and is as hard as a pharisee soft in their heart today and may they come hear our prayer in jesus name amen