Yesterday, we wrapped up the Sermon on the mount series and as Jesus nears the end, he becomes very practical because Kingdom life is not a theory. It shows up in relationships, in prayer, in integrity, in forgiveness, in peace-making, in daily trust etc. Jesus gives us three pictures, three warnings and three invitations for us to decide , how we want to live our lives.
First: Two Gates
He says there is a narrow gate and a wide gate. One is easy to enter, popular, crowded, and comfortable until you realize where it leads. The other is narrow because it requires surrender. It’s not narrow because Jesus is cruel but because pride doesn’t fit through it, self rule doesn’t fit through it and Secret sin doesn’t fit through it but there is guaranteed life on the other side.
Second: Two Trees
Jesus says you can recognize a tree by its fruit. Not by its leaves. Not by its religious vocabulary. Not by its church attendance. Fruit is what grows out of your life over time. Jesus is not calling you to fake the fruit. He is calling you to bring Him the root. Because if the root is healed, the fruit will change. If you’ve been seeing fruit like bitterness, compromise, anger, hidden lust, constant fear, prayerlessness, division, control; Run to Jesus. He is not here to shame you but he is here to save you.
Remind yourself that Jesus isn’t after polished leaves, He’s after healed roots.You can staple fruit to a dead tree, but you can’t fool the Gardener.
Third: Two Foundations
Finally, Jesus says there are two builders who look the same from the outside. They both heard His words. They both built a house. They both had a life. The difference wasn’t what they heard but it was what they did. Storms come to both houses. Pressure comes. Loss comes. Temptation comes. Suffering comes. And in that moment, your foundation is revealed. Jesus says the wise person is not the one who heard the sermon and nodded. The wise person is the one who heard and obeyed and built their life on the rock.
The Word you don’t practice becomes the sand you stand on. The house didn’t fall because of the storm; it fell because of the sand.
Choose the narrow gate.
Bring the diseased root to Jesus.
Build your life on the Christ the solid rock.
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