Decision Time
This morning we are finishing up our Sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount. Like many other sermons you have heard preached over the years, Jesus ends his sermon by laying out a few clear decisions that God is setting before them. So instead of reading the Scripture passage first and then going through the rest of the service this morning we are going to look at the Scripture passages as we go along through the sermon.
The kind of decisions we are looking at this morning are not just any kind of decision. The decisions we are looking at this morning are decision like when I was talking swimming lessons when I younger and I went to the YMCA and went to swimming lessons. Swimming lessons were important to my parents because my mother was a competitive swimmer in her younger years, and because we lived along the Umpqua River with a drift boat tied up in the river at the end of our back yard. My parents wanted to make sure we started learning how to swim if we were going to be on the river. At least those are my assumptions.
Now when I had these swimming lessons the lessons progressed to the point where in order to graduate from the level that we were on we had to get on the diving board, walk out to the end, and jump off in front of the swimming teacher who was treading water below. When I look at that tall diving board now, I do not think it is so tall. But looking down from it right then, it looked like we were jumping off of into this huge abyss. Different people had different approaches to the diving board. Some just got right on top of the board, ran to the end of it and jumped. Others never even got on the board. They were too scared. But many of the people approaching the diving board were like me. They walked out to the end of the board, looked down at the instructor, looked back at the stairs, looked at the other kids. And then they thought about what they were going to do. This is the way I remember my own experience. I remember walking out to the edge of the diving board, and it was like time stood still. And everything went in slow motion. And I stood at the end of the board for what seemed like an eternity. And the instructor was yelling "JUMP" and the kids were yelling "JUUUUUMPPPPP!" And I just stood there. And a time came where I had two choices. Either jump off into the water, or to step back, walk down the diving board, and try another day. I either had the leap and trust, or turn my back and quit. Maybe I would get another opportunity to jump the next day, maybe I would not. But at that moment I had to make a decision. Jump or not jump. Trust or not trust. Have the courage to step forward, or walk away. But I could not ride the fence. I could not just stay at the end of the board forever. I had to make a decision.
I also remember a similar decision. When I liked a girl in high school. I would get out the phone and I would look at the phone. And look at the phone. And look at the phone. Then I would start to dial the number 263….hangup…..263 49….hangup…26….hangup. Over and over. But there came a point where I had to make a decision. Either I call. Or I stop calling. There comes a point where you have to make a decision.
Encountering Jesus creates one of those crossroads moments. Where you either step out or step back. Where you either leap or you crawl back. And at the end of Jesus' sermon it is decision time. And Jesus really confronts us three decisions here, each one of which builds upon the other. Let's look at each of the passages and challenges, and what they are telling us.
Matthew 7:12-14
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because[a] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Decision:
When we listen to Jesus, we must chose between the way of the world and the way of Jesus.
Look carefully at this passage, and see what it says. First, notice how clearly the two ways are being compared. One way is narrow, the other is wide. One leads to destruction. The other leads to life. One is found by many. The other is found by very few.It is obvious that there is a very clear decision in front of any person who lives. Are you going to chose the way of Christ, or the way of the world?
You will notice that the way of the world sounds very attractive. It looks easy. The gate is broad and spacious that leads into it. The crowd is all heading in that direction. You don't have to ask questions. You don't have to think. You really do not have to take responsibility for anything that you are doing. Just go with the flow. Don't stand for anything. Don't believe anything. Just live.
There are a lot of us that live this way. There are a lot of those around us that live this way. But the Scripture is clear, that if one chooses to not become a follower of Jesus destruction is ahead of them. Whether it is on this side of eternity or the next.
You see, it is easy to live our spiritual lives the way many of us have approached credit cards in the past. You get a card. Everybody seems to have one. The interest is low on the cards. As a matter of fact, for 15 months, there are no interest payments. So you spend, spend and spend some more. You are sure you are going to have time to pay the card down. Then it gets out of control. Interest accumulates on your card. Your grace period runs out. Now you owe more than you can seem to pay, and the interest just keeps making it harder and harder to pay off. What seemed easy and comfortable has now become destructive.
Living a life that is not following God is the same way. At first it seems fun and freeing. Sooner or later, either in this life or the next, you will discover that the way you chosen has all of the sudden become difficult. Your sin begins to find you out. You live and live and you wonder what any of it all matters for.
The way of Jesus is the opposite. You choose to offer your life to Jesus, and follow Him. At first it seems challenging and hard, and at times it can even feel a little lonely. But as you grow and as you learn the way of Jesus you find hope and purpose, meaning, spiritual power. All of the sudden things begin to mean something. They matter. And you begin to see value in people and things you never noticed before. It is like you all of the sudden are given new eyes. But you have to choose Jesus over the world. You have to chose the narrow way over the broad way. You have to choose what is right over what is easy. You have to chose the True One over the one who bribes you and sounds to good to be true.
Matthew 7: 15-23
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
Decision: Jesus asks us to choose between false religion and Christ
The first decision we are asked to make is between the way of Jesus and the way of the world. But it is not long before you choose to go the way of Jesus when you find another crossroads standing before you. You have to choose between false religion and the way of Christ. The way of the world is tempting. False religion can be more so.
When I read this passage it is confusing for me at first reading, and I think it was confusing for those who first read it. This talks about Christian leadership, whether it is talking about deacons, trustees, pastors, or leaders in homes or other kinds of Christian leadership. Or at least that is what I first thought. Actually, this passage talks more about followership than it does about leadership. It challenges us about what we look for in leaders, and why we look for it in them. The passage says we will know leaders by their fruit. Ok. That makes sense. Then it talks a lot about what we can look for in false prophets. They say "Lord, Lord". That means that they always have the words that make them sound spiritual. They say that they have told others about Jesus. Cast out demons. Done wonders. In other words, these false prophets can play the religious game well. They can make church life look easy, spectacular, fun. You can find a large church with a good reputation. And yet miss Jesus. You can do your devotions day and night, and yet just be going through the motions. You can be all sorts of religious, and not follow Jesus at all.
God's word says it is those who seek the will of the Father that have true faith. God's word said it is the good fruit that accompanies true faith. Being a follower of Jesus isn't about following some sort of tradition. It is not about impressing everyone with our holiness. It is about being an apprentice of Jesus. It is about living a life where you want to do what he wants you to do, and you start looking more and more like Jesus. You demonstrate more the fruit of the Spirit. You do more of the will of the Father.
Don't be deceived. Being religious does not make you a Christian. Being a believer is about a relationship, not about religious traditions. Don't mistake having a saving relationship with Christ with belonging to a church you feel good about, being a good American. Religion can't save you. Only Jesus can.
24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." 28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Decision: Jesus asks us to move from simple agreement with him to faithful action
I want you to look at this Bible passage again. As you look at it. I want you to notice how similar the wise and the foolish man are. They both build houses. They both experience rain, flood, and wind. In other words, both their lives can be a little stormy. The only difference between them was that one of them built their house on the rock, and one of them built a house on the sound. The only difference is the foundation. I also want you to notice something else that is similar. They both heard the message. What is the difference? What is the foundation? The wise person put their faith into action.
You see, there is this idea out there that a life of faith is really about agreeing with the right ideas. It is about having the right ideas about Jesus. About life. About what is true. About what is right. About what is wrong. That true faith is about having the right philosophy and right worldview.
The truth is, true faith is lived faith. Love is not just a good idea. It is an action. Truth is not an idea. It is something you live. Believing means that you not only agree with a truth, but that you base your life in trust of that truth.
Jesus did not come to earth to establish a fan club. Jesus came to earth to make disciples. Believers so committed to the way of Jesus that they have chosen to make themselves apprentices of Jesus. Learning what Jesus teaches. Doing what Jesus asks. Going where Jesus asks. Listening---YES. But living what we know the best we can.
It is fun to see this kind of faith in you as a church. When you go beyond the call of duty to offer support to Barbara Allen at the death of Pastor Fred Allen. When you check in on your fellow church members. When you offer words of encouragement to one another when you are discouraged. When you chose to take the step to do the Back Yard Mission Project. Daily decisions to act. To care. To live a life of worship of Christ instead of just showing up to worship on Sunday morning.
And this is good news. Because it means that Christianity is more than a religion. It is a movement of God is the world where he can use you and I in our everyday lives to make extraordinary differences in one another's lives. Our faith is a shelter in a time of storm because we are used to listening to our Lord and acting, and that habit God uses to bring us help and hope.
Yet, I sense many of us are at a time of decision in our lives.
Maybe you are a person that has come to church most of your life, or considered yourself a Christian most of your life. But your faith makes no difference in your life. If that is the case I encourage you to come forward this morning and pray about that. You can pray with me, or you can pray on your own.
Maybe you are a person that has put more faith in religious activity that you have in a relationship with Christ. Maybe your traditions have become more important to you than living in love and grace and hope. Maybe you have come to church most of your life, but you have never committed your life to serving Jesus and knowing Jesus. I urge you, this morning, to have the strength and the courage to come forward in our invitation, and commit to trusting that Christ died and rose again for YOU so that you can follow Him.
Or maybe you have been keeping God at a safe distance in your life. And today you are standing at a crossroads. You have been going down the broad path, but you have the opportunity this morning once again to pass through the narrow gate. To trust Christ for the first time. To say Jesus, I want you to be my savior, my master, and my friend. Do you need to do that? Do you have the courage to do that? I hope you do.
You stand at that diving board. We are crying out for you to jump in the water. Jesus is waiting in the waters of faith to catch you. Will you jump my friends? Will you jump?
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