STARK CHOICES
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Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you that I can come boldly before you, knowing that I will always find abundant mercy and grace in you.
Read MATTHEW 7:13—20
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Matthew
Matthew 7
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.
Reflect
Think about the reasons you choose to follow different Christian leaders. Do you consider not only what they say but the lives they lead?
Today’s sets of contrasting choices—gates and trees—are uncompromising. Our self-pleasing culture assumes that we have many choices about how we live and behave, but Jesus offers only two. One involves walking as people seeking to live for Jesus. Entering this narrow gate requires intentionality—choosing to follow a particular path with Jesus. It’s unpopular in our me-centered culture. The other, wide gate allows freedom to live as we please, with no restrictions. No wonder many enter through it. The tragedy is that living for yourself ends up entirely missing God and life’s purpose. It’s a destructive choice.
We must be careful about false teaching that fails to make the narrow gate clear. False prophets compromise God’s choices by accommodating the demands of discipleship to an easier path through the wide gate. The gospel must never become too comfortable, allowing people to fit Jesus into their own culture, omitting his demands of repentance and discipleship. Disciples need to discern the fruit of character and actions in their teachers’ lives, like choosing between good and bad trees by the fruit they bear. Not their pious words (v. 21), nor the spiritual signs of driving out demons and performing miracles (v. 22), but whether Jesus knows them! Because charismatic leadership so easily impresses, discernment at this deeper level is an essential spiritual task. When a real relationship with Jesus is missing, they are in great danger of drifting through the wide gate even while appearing as outstanding teachers. What a rebuke they receive (v. 23).
I’ve always been concerned by what I call ‘the Jesus Christ industry,’ where leaders make a living gaining a following by trading on Jesus’ name. Any of us in leadership must heed the warning.
Apply
Do you think we emphasize enough the narrow gate that few enter? Is our challenge about discipleship demanding enough?
Closing prayer
Gracious Lord, by your Spirit, help me to make right choices for you today. Keep me on that road that leads through the narrow gate.
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