Day 23 of 49
Choices
In the latter part of the Sermon on the Mount we find pairs.
Treasure on earth vs treasure in heaven
Two masters, one loved the other hated
Narrow and wide gate
Good and bad fruit
A house on a rock and a house in the sand
We have a temporary citizenship here on earth, but our true home is in heaven. The two kingdoms are diametrically opposed. And we are called to live in this world by the rules of the Kingdom of God. We are to respond to hurt with forgiveness, not revenge. We are to yield our own desires in order to extend mercy and grace to another. We are to pray for and bless those that hate us. To be great, we need to become a lowly servant.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Mt 7:13–14.
Jesus described two gates. One has an easy path because we can follow our own desires. The gate is wide and spacious…again because it allows us to follow our own desires. It promises an easy life with all we could want, but it leads to ultimate destruction.
The other gate is narrow, because Jesus is the gate (John 10:7). The way is harder. Jesus died on the cross to give us access. The path requires self denial and picking up our cross to follow Jesus (Mt 16:24). But at the end is a glorious celebration with all of heaven joining in.
Jesus began the sermon with a list of character qualities for the citizens of the Kingdom of God. Then he explained what that looks like in the world in which we live.
Kingdom of God citizens live righteous lives, well…we jump over to the easy road sometimes, but we have a God who is ready and willing to forgive us and set us back on the narrow path.
Kingdom of God citizens care for other people, even those we don’t like…again, sometimes we don’t love as we should, but God is ready to forgive, and he can open the door to restoration to the one we hurt.
Kingdom of God citizens seek to know the Lord better. Time in the Word, communicating with God, fellowship with other believers, worshipping the Lord…all take time. That time well spent enables and encourages us to remain on the narrow path.
Jesus concludes his sermon with two houses.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Mt 7:24–27.
Remember the song we sang in Sunday school as kids…”and the house on the sand went splat!”
Norm just returned from the canyon lands out west. One has to be careful about rain, because the narrow slot canyons can quickly become a raging torrent even with a smaller rain.
This is similar to a wadi, it is a narrow piece of land between hills. When it rains, the water gushes and the sand beneath it turns to mush. No one builds a house in a wadi.
Notice that the rain, floods and winds raged on both houses. We won’t avoid struggles, but we’ll be able to weather the storms.
Jesus concluded his sermon with a choice. We have the same choice today. Will we listen and obey the Word of God? Or will we let the Word tickle our ears, but set it aside to pursue our own ways?
Lord, thank you for opening the door that allows us to pursue your way. Help us to see quickly when we have jumped the fence to get to an easier path. Show us ways that we can encourage one another as we walk the road together.
TRICIA LATHROP 