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The Narrow Way of Discipleship

November 28, 2021 Speaker: Kit Johnson Series: Sermon on the Mount

Topic: Expository Passage: Matthew 7:12–14

Introduction

(Read Text) A few weeks ago when we were in chapter 6, I joked in my introduction about preaching two sermons for the price of one because we covered two distinct sections on forgiveness and fasting that didn’t much of any similarity. And we’re going to do the same thing today because there’s not central theme that unites v. 12 to vv. 13–14.

In fact, v. 12 concludes the body of the Sermon, and there a major shift of direction beginning with v. 13. 5:17–7:12 explains the true righteousness that Jesus demands of his disciples, and 7:13–27 close the Sermon with three appeals to respond to Jesus’ words.

Therefore, today we are covering two very distinct sections. But I’m confident that we can give both sections their due and still get out of here in good time. So, be excited that you are getting another bargain this morning—two sermons for attending one service. First, v. 12 simply commands us to…

I.  Love your neighbor (v. 12).

Of course, we know this verse as the Golden Rule. It’s one of the most famous ethical principles ever given across many religions and worldviews. Most of us have known it for years, our parents quoted it to us, and we’ve quoted it to others. But you may have never considered its place in the Sermon and how that affects what Jesus means.

Notice that v. 12 ends by saying, “This is the Law and the Prophets.” This conclusion recalls the introduction to the Sermon’s body in 5:17–20. In v. 17, Jesus boldly claims that he is the fulfillment of the “Law and the Prophets.” And then he boldly adds in v. 20 that he demands of his disciples a “righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees.”

5:21–7:11 then describes this higher righteousness, and I think we would all agree on this end of our study that Jesus has demanded a lot, a righteousness only possible through his divine grace.

Now at the end of the body, 7:12 pulls together everything Jesus has said into a simple but weighty rule of life by which we can identify the true righteousness he demands in our day-to-day decisions.

As such the Golden Rule is not merely a cute proverb or a wise rule of thumb. No, it is a key summary of the conduct Jesus expects from his disciples. It’s a command that we must obey.

With this in mind, let’s talk about the standard Jesus sets. He says, “treat people the same way you want them to treat you.” Let’s be honest and say that this is not how we naturally think. Our natural impulse is, “Treat people the same way they treat you.”

We all like mercy when I’ve been wronged, but when someone wrongs me, I suddenly become a lover of justice. But remember what Jesus said in 5:38–42. This text raises some complex issues that we discussed a couple months ago. But at its core, it condemns our natural desire for vengeance when we are wronged. Instead, we must be gracious and generous even toward those who hurt us.

And the Golden Rule reaffirms this spirit. Jesus is calling us to replace vengeance with grace and generosity. Don’t let your marriage fall into the trap of playing tit for tat where you are tracking all your spouse’s wrongs and making sure he or she pays. The same goes for other relationships. Don’t play childish games where you hold grudges, point fingers, and complain, “He started it.” Instead, rise above it, be gracious, and “treat people the same way you want to be treated.”

One reason this is such a useful standard is because we all love ourselves, and we are all very good at looking out for ourselves, right? We spend our whole lives from the moment we are born taking care of ourselves. Therefore, we know how we want to be treated.

Ephesians 5:28–29 apply the Golden Rule and our natural love of self to marriage, “So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also doesthe church.”

Despite what psychologists claim, no one really has a problem with loving himself enough. We don’t always apply that it well, but we all have plenty of self-love. So, Ephesians 5 commands husbands to love their wives the same way, and the Golden Rule extends it to all people.

So, consider the fact that we all “nourish and cherish” ourselves. We don’t forget about our own prosperity and comfort or halfheartedly pursue them. We are deeply invested in them, and we aggressively pursue what we think will make us happy. And Jesus says that exactly how you should care for your spouse, neighbor, coworker, and family member. Aggressively pursue their good.

This raises an interesting tidbit about the Golden Rule. Specifically, other Jewish rabbis and even pagan philosophers had taught various forms of the Golden Rule before Jesus preached this Sermon. For example, Rabbi Hillel had said, “What is hateful to you, do not do to anyone else. This is the whole law; all the rest is commentary.” So, Jesus didn’t invent the idea of using self-love as a standard for how we treat others.

However, what is different is that Hillel’s rule merely prohibits harming others. Don’t steal, slander, or abuse them. That’s good, but it’s not that difficult. Afterall, even if I hate someone it’s not all that difficult to simply avoid doing them harm. However, Jesus takes the principle to a much higher level. It’s not enough simply to refrain from punching my enemy. Jesus commands me to pursue his good, to care for his needs.

When you really begin to ponder what that means, it’s a high standard. I need to love people, care for people, forgive them for their offenses, and provide for their needs. And not just that, I must do so to the degree that I want others to love me. That is a weighty standard.

But that’s not all. Notice the arena of the command. Jesus says we must treat people this way, “in everything.” We ought to understand this phrase in light of what Jesus said in 5:43–47. Jesus says that there is no glory in loving a friend. Even the pagans do that. We must go further. We must love our enemies, pray for enemies, and be generous to them just as our heavenly Father is to his enemies. And the Golden Rule says the same thing. We must treat everyone, including our enemies, as we want to be treated.

Yes, we talked this summer about the fact that this doesn’t mean that we hand our goods over to a thief, that we never exercise tough love, or that we don’t defend ourselves. As well, we can’t fix every problem. We have to prioritize some people over others.

But the standard is still incredibly high. Jesus demands that we develop generous, gracious hearts that aggressively pursue the good of all people, even the ungrateful, bitter jerk, determined to do you harm.

I recognize that this is hard! Even most secular people agree that the Golden Rule is a great standard we should all pursue. Our society talks all the time about being generous and praises people who are.

But for as much as people talk about love and mercy, very few people have any genuine interest in living up to the standard Jesus sets in the Sermon. They fiercely guard their turf, slander their enemies, and bite at anyone who ticks them off or hurts them. We do not live by the Golden Rule.

As Jesus will say in vv. 13–14, the way of discipleship is truly narrow and difficult. It’s not just because the gospel is offensive; it’s because Jesus demands a righteousness that the unbeliever has no interest in pursuing.

However, because of the new life we enjoy in Christ, we can pursue it. If you are in Christ, you can treat people the way you want to be treated. So, don’t view this rule as unattainable, cute little concept. No, take it heart believing that you can live this way in the power of Christ.

Finally, Jesus concludes v. 12 by saying of the Golden Rule, “This is the Law and the Prophets.” The idea is the same as several other NT statements. God’s fundamental demand is that we love God with all our hearts and love our neighbor as ourselves. Everything else simply defines how we truly fulfill these commands.

And 7:12 sets up the Golden Rule as a key standard for evaluating genuine love. If I love people the way God desires, I will treat them as I want to be treated, and I will fulfill the whole Law.

And we all live out this standard toward each other in the church, we can create a beautiful community of peace and love that blesses everyone. I’m so thankful for how so many of you exemplify this verse in how you love one another. We all benefit as we all pursue this standard.

But we can always do better. Imagine how every bit of strife and every hole in our care would evaporate if we all consistently lived this verse. And the same goes for your marriage, your family, and every other relationship.

So, by God’s grace and the resurrection power of Jesus, commit to live this verse. Do not filter your conduct fundamentally through the grid of what serves me best; instead, run all your conduct through the filter of love. “Treat people the same way you want them to treat you.” As you do, you will fulfill the heart of the Law and honor your Savior.

That’s sermon #1. Love your neighbor. Sermon #2 comes from vv. 13–14 where Jesus urges us to…

II.  Follow Christ on the narrow road of discipleship (vv. 13–14).

This is the first of 3 paragraphs which close the Sermon by urging us to respond positively to the call of discipleship throughout the Sermon. All 3 paragraphs teach that there are only two choices—the way of discipleship which leads to eternal joy and the way of rebellion which leads to judgment.

As such, Jesus is primarily calling those who are not saved to be born again and follow him, but he is also encouraging those who are already saved to stick to the path and never stray no matter how hard it gets and no matter what temptations Satan puts in front of us.

The first plea is found in vv. 13–14, which contrasts two gates and two ways. First, v. 13 describes…

The Wide Gate: I should mention that you may be struggling to imagine the picture Jesus is drawing. Some believe Jesus is picturing two roads that end either at the gates of heaven or of hell. But I believe Jesus is thinking of two gates at the trailhead.

So, imagine you are standing outside a large fence or a large wall. There are two gates through the wall that open to two paths. These gates represent the choice of whether to embrace Christ through the gospel or to reject him.

And your choice determines the course of your life. You can’t choose the narrow gate, jump over to the wide, easy path, and then hop back over at death. You either follow the path of discipleship or the path of worldliness. And finally, this choice determines your eternal destiny. One path ends in glory, and the other ends in eternal destruction.

Something else we must not miss is that there are only two gates, and Jesus assumes that all people will choose one gate or the other. As such, this is not a contrast between something too exclusive like legalism vs. grace or monotheism vs. polytheism because none of these include all people.

No, the contrast is between the way of faith in and submission to Christ, and the way of rebellion against Christ and confidence in self. Yes, there are many religions and worldviews scattered throughout the world, but any worldview or religion that does not bow to Scripture is a worldview in rebellion. Jesus is clear that there are only two ways. You either trust him or you reject him.

Therefore, this is a great passage to use the next time you share the gospel with someone, and they begin talking about how there’s value in all religions or they claim that all roads eventually lead to God. Jesus could not be clearer that these assertions are wrong. There are only two choices. You either believe on Christ, or you don’t. And every religion or philosophy that rejects the gospel as revealed in Scripture is false and ends in destruction. With this in mind, let’s talk about the wide gate. Jesus highlights 3 characteristics of this way. First, it is…

Popular: Jesus describes this gate as “wide” and “broad,” and he adds “there are many who enter through it.” Jesus says that most people will follow this path. We all know that peer pressure is a powerful force. If everyone is going a certain way, we assume it’s right. So, we just follow the crowd.

And that’s how most people evaluate ultimate truth. They believe what is popular and serves their interests. But I like how D. A. Carson summarizes one of Jesus’ main points, “Democratic decisions do not determine truth and righteousness in the kingdom.” Popular does not equal true. 2nd

Easy: Jesus doesn’t say this explicitly, but most believe that the concept of “wide” includes the idea of “accommodating,” “easy,” or “inviting.” For example, if you are driving through heavy, congested traffic, and you see an alternate route that is wide open, with plenty of room, it’s very inviting and it makes for a much easier drive than if you have to fight traffic.

As well, “narrow” in v. 14 comes from a root that typically describes affliction or persecution. Since v. 14 says that the narrow way is hard, we should assume that v. 13 means to say that the wide way is easy.

So, if you are standing outside this wall looking at the two gates, the wide gate clearly looks more appealing. Everyone is going that way, and there is plenty of room for you. Therefore, most people choose this gate.

They make spiritual choices that appeal to their desires. Maybe they are attracted to respect that comes from legalistic rules. Maybe they are attracted to the idea that I am my own boss, and I can make up my own truth and rules. Maybe they want to fit in and gain respect. There can be many reasons people reject Christ and choose the popular, easy way. But in the end, none of them are worth it, because the 3rd characteristic of the wide gate is…

Leads to Destruction: Jesus doesn’t give any specifics, but in the context of Matthew, “destruction” clearly refers to eternal destruction in hell. So, this gate starts out looking attractive. It’s wide, and there is plenty of room for an easy journey.

But all of it is nothing but a deceptive lie to hides the destination. The ease of the journey is not worth the final cost. And everyone who chooses the wide gate will be horrified when they find themselves bound under the wrath of God for all eternity.

Maybe you have been invited to receive Christ many times, but for various reasons you keep clinging to the wide gate. Jesus couldn’t be clearer. It’s not worth it. If you refuse to repent and follow the road of discipleship, you are choosing a path that ends in eternal destruction. So, please, repent and be saved today. Choose the way of life through the narrow gate.

The Narrow Gate (v. 14): In contrast to the wide gate, the narrow gate is…

Unpopular: Jesus says that it is “small.” By the time we reach glory, there will be vast multitudes in heaven from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. But in almost every age and place, Christ’s true disciples are easily outnumbered by those who reject him.

None of this means that we shouldn’t zealously desire and work for the salvation of all people. But we should always remember that the desire to make Christianity the majority, culture shaping view is a fool’s errand. The path of discipleship will generally be a lonely path. 2nd

Difficult: Remember that “narrow” in v. 14 comes from a root that typically describes affliction or persecution. So, v. 14 clearly says that the narrow way is hard. Jesus never hid from this reality. He warns his disciples time after time that following him will be costly and lead to ostracism and pain.

It’s good that he does so, because the sooner we accept the fact that our reward is in glory and not in this life, the sooner we will be content with the cost of discipleship. We need to put out of our minds and out of our gospel presentations the idea that you can be a godly Christian and enjoy an easy road of discipleship. Life in the Spirit is full of joy and blessing, but it will be hard. But that’s okay, because the 3rd characteristic is…

Leads to Life: Of course, this is a reference to heaven, and the Bible is clear that it will be glorious and worth every sacrifice.

So, this is a silly illustration, but I think of the narrow way as something like driving to Ironwood. You head out in the desert, and there’s not much there, and then you get off the interstate, and your GPS tells you to head down a dirt road. You look it and think, “That road looks rough, and it can’t possibly go anywhere significant. Then you start driving, and about 3 miles in, when your brain has rattled to mush, you really get nervous, “Where in the world am I going? Then finally, out of the blue, the camp opens up, and you are in a great place.

Similarly, the gate to the road of discipleship does not prepare you for the glory of the destination. The road is lonely, rough, and blah, but the destination is unimaginably glorious and worth the hike.

Conclusion

So, if you have never been saved, v. 13 begins with Jesus’ command for you. “Enter through the narrow gate.” Yes, the road is hard, and Jesus doesn’t pretend like it is anything else. But it will be worth it all when you see Jesus. So, please repent of your sin, submit your heart and mind to the truth claims of Scripture, and believe on Christ for salvation. Make the wise choice and be saved.

And if you are saved, be encouraged to keep going forward. Don’t be intimidated or discouraged by the long, hard road ahead. Just keep going step after step striving by God’s grace to honor his Word and obey his will. And do so by faith seeing the destination at the end and anticipating the eternal joy that will be yours.

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