Texts: Matthew 7:7-14

XXX

“A Tall Order”

30 July 06

We have come in our study of Matthew to the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. Hereafter we shall have some admonition and application and the preaching moment will have drawn to a close. A very natural response to this sermon with its high subject matter--for the theme of the sermon we must recall is the fulfillment of the second tablet of divine law summed up with the words “And you shall love your neighbor as yourself“--is an intimidated response, “Who could ever manage such a thing?!” A suitable reply is found elsewhere, in Mat 19:25-6 And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" And looking upon them Jesus said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." I conclude this because there is no realm that I know of where we can ask, seek and knock (vv7 & 8) and be guaranteed of success outside of the spiritual realm where we ask God for good things--that is, spiritual and enduring things. That is where we seek answers to spiritual questions (such as how to discern what is holy, or to distinguish between swine and dogs) and where the answer is as available and as immediate as a knock on the door! Jesus has every right to expect great, high things of us because for God’s obedient children the means are there at hand. God has promised. He empowers us to do His will!

Now before I move on to exposition of the text, I want to make a few observations. First, we are going to explore one of the most cited verses of the entire Scripture: verse 12 Therefore whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” This last phrase, for this is the Law and the Prophets is best understood to mean--do this and you will have been obedient, for this is the ultimate fulfillment of what God commands us through the Scriptures. The Law and the Prophets is shorthand for Scripture. So, my second observation is that this verse is often cited without either its immediate context (its occurrence in the Sermon on the Mount and all that that teaching entails) or it proper setting in biblical revelation. It is treated then as little different from an adage, or wise saying, from some classical sage--either Greek, or Eastern. The Golden Rule, which is derived from Jesus’ summary statement, should never be reduced to such a prosaic understanding. This is God speaking to man! The Therefore with which the verse begins may serve to remind us that this is part of the conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount. So we may briefly note that it sums up many things: the beatitudes which describe those who keep God’s law, it portrays such people as salt and light and as intensely righteous, and it notes their schooling in anger management, sexual purity and intimate faithfulness that is part of being a Christian disciple. The sermon also describes Christians as those who’ve surrendered retaliation and chosen to put on mercy like our Father in heaven. Truly converted people play to an audience of One and, as a consequence, they give alms and pray privately--that is, sincerely as to God and not for religious display-and they fast joyfully. So, Jesus is inviting us into the circle of those who put God first by living before Him and for heaven in everything. They have been so mastered by God, so tamed, that they are not anxious. They do not find fault easily, nor condemn others but walk in a godly discernment. They are wise though the world counts them foolish.

Yes, the bar is high; but as I said, it is doable because God is in the business of making all things possible. This is the substance of verses 7 & 8. With verse 9 we are led into a gently, homey illustration. We may note that there is some resemblance perhaps between an Eastern loaf of bread and a stone, and between a fish and a serpent. But however imperfect a human father’s love, he will not be cruel enough to substitute one for the other on such an elementary level--when we move to the psychological, or emotional levels we find some awful substitutions inflicted on children by dysfunctional parents. This is, however another topic. The point Jesus appears to be making is that while all human relationships are necessarily flawed this needn’t hinder the ordinary expression of love and nurture. However, much is expressed in the curt phrase, If you then, being evil. Here is incidentally exposed to view the chasm between our heavenly Father’s love and perfection of being and our own flawed loves and imperfection. Here is expressed the essential doctrine, by implication, of the Father’s and, by extension, the Son’s sinless-ness, too. We are evil in nature, God is not. Yes, we being evil still know how to give good gifts, but God who is morally pure gives truly good, and pure gifts to those who ask. God would never give less than the best, never offer a stone for bread. Indeed, when it comes to bread, God even gives true bread, the bread of life come down from heaven in the form of His Son whose flesh is for the life of the world. Our Father knows how to give good gifts and all His gifts to us are just that, good. Even troubles and afflictions, we learn, are ultimately good for us--though we may doubt that sincerely at the time. But to claim Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. is to acknowledge this truth. And, it is necessary to point this out, we, in being like Him are to rise to that same standard of goodness--asking God for the how and why.

So what is it that we wish men to do to us? Is it not the very good that we have been discussing? And isn’t this same standard of goodness to be the rule of our conduct towards others? It is indeed. We are to endeavor to bless others as God has blessed us. But why do we fall so woefully short of this standard? Could it be that we err frequently by thinking more of our claims on others than on our obligations to them? Christ teaches here that they are to be one--pull down those expectations and lift up our obligations until they are balanced, even, the same. This is the law of the kingdom and the duty of every one who claims to be Christ’s subjects. Rom 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. While that is not the common meaning of love these days, it is a meaning that sums up Christ’s meaning here.

Now we may begin to advance an interpretation of Mat 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.” Here we learn that to enter by the narrow gate is to limit our petitions to the One who is able to bestow them. And who is that? It is God in Christ. No one comes to the Father except by Me. Pray to Him therefore. I wonder if we professing Christians pray as we ought? Do we pray with mouth and heart? Do we pray to be less worldly? Do we earnestly wish to be so? Do we pray that our infatuation with this present reality should be diminished? Do we desire as a good thing the lessening of our pleasure here and now to obtain greater joys there and then? Have I the degree of hunger and thirst after righteousness that pertains to the narrow way? Or am I too easily seduced, or satisfied with the broad, middle go along, get along worldly path? Do I pray to be more devout, more pious and purer? Are these the good that I seek? Do I stumble into prayer half-asleep at the dying embers of my day, or scramble through them to get to the business that really interests me, my work, my trade, my business? Or have I worn out trousers, or carpet anywhere in my house with fierce prayer, or caused the walls to wail with my godly quest? Now this is the asking of the narrow way.

Now there is also the seeking of the narrow way, the condition of effort in seeking. Jesus doesn’t seem to cater to mere wishes. Thousands of supplications go up for spiritual blessings and a huge proportion seem unanswered. Some pray, “Lead us not into temptation. . .”and proceed to fling themselves into temptation, and to go through the very thick of the fire of it for the measly satisfactions it provides--guilt and consequence besides. Others ask for growth in grace, or truth and then do absolutely nothing to promote that growth--and sometimes do the opposite! All such prayer is necessarily vain, un-responded to. It is grossly hypocritical. Seeking entails effort and effort involves follow-up and follow through.

And, finally, there is the knocking, or the persistence entailed and entering the narrow way, and enduring the difficulties of that way. Some explain their prayer experience as a delay when it would be better be seen as the beginning of a long task. When you commit to Christ, you commit for the long haul and that is best said repeatedly at the beginning. Be persistent even in expressing the holy desires listed above! Eternal life is a gift, but the building of Christian character is the result of patient, continuous, well-directed efforts of appropriation and use of the gift received of grace. Faith and forgiveness included. How long do you think it must take to clear up our hearts, full of rubbish and evil, and to build instead a temple to the Holy Spirit? We must ,as Abraham Lincoln said, “Keep pegging away” at the duties of the Christian life continuously if we hope to grow in grace. Success in the spiritual realm is very like success elsewhere--those who pursue profit, or fame, or knowledge with eagerness and tenacity can turn these same drives in a godly direction with comparable results. If we gave the kingdom even as much as we give the world, the kingdom could not be contained, it would grow so rapidly some would call it an explosion. And we would be stronger and growing Christians.

I have been speaking as to those who are saved, to those who are committed, there may be some this morning who have yet to enter in at the narrow gate. For you the images presented today must appear in a somewhat different order. If you are undecided, I would have you know that Christ even now is standing at the door of your heart. He is knocking there, asking to coming in, seeking to acquaint you with Himself. You should heed the knocking and invite Him in. Then your life will begin. Then it will be your turn to ask. Ask Him to fill you up with the treasures of His love. Seek, actively search for the rich provision He has laid up for you for the journey--as He has for all of us. And, then, you take up the knocking. Knock on the door after door that you shall come to, and walk through into the opportunity each provides until at last you arrive at your heavenly destination. Home at last. That journey begins for you today! Not a moment too soon and not a minute too late. Invite Him and be welcome.

Amen.