Coming of the King: Week 16

Matthew 7:13-29: Obedience to the King

• 7:13 a lobster enters a trap at the wide gate. Once inside, he can only escape by entering the narrow gate (and many do so escape). When you enter at the wide gate, your way becomes rapidly narrower. When you enter at the narrow gate, your way become rapidly wider.
  "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." Proverbs 14:12
• 7:15 In 1 Kings 13, A man of God obeys instructions, but yields to temptation to disobey from a lying prophet.
• 7:16 "by their fruit ye shall know them" - "Even a young man is known by his actions--whether his conduct is pure and upright." Proverbs 20:11
  "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds." James 2:18
  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. Matthew 23:3
• 7:19 "thrown into the fire" - The writer of Hebrews calls Lot righteous, and yet his ministry in Sodom bore no fruit. The angel asks, "haven't you any besides these?" Genesis 19:12-25
• 7:20 "the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth" Ephesians 5:9
  "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Galatians 5:22
• 7:21 "he who does the will of my Father" - "it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life." John 6:39-40 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” Numbers 21:7-9
• 7:22 "did we not prophesy in your name?" - "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible." Matthew 24:24
• 7:24 "and acts on them" - "be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." James 1:22