Daily Devotional For Monday, November 25, 2024

Well today is Monday and you have a whole new week in the Lord to focus on building His kingdom while you are doing other items on your “To Do” list. This may include work or school or both or if you are retired, to get some projects done. If you have been reading these devotionals, you know that we are making our way through the most famous and best sermon ever – Jesus’ Sermon On The Mount. You can read this in its entirety in Matthew chapters 5, 6, & 7. We have finished looking at Matthew chapters 5 & 6. We are slowly getting our way to the end of chapter 7. Today, we come to some of the most fearful words of Jesus in the Gospels. They are found in Matthew 7:21-29:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. (22) Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ (23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (24) “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and [b]acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. (25) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. (26) Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (27) The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” (28) When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; (29) for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (NASB).

Yes, this is a final lengthy passage and we will break it down into smaller bites for us to digest. In these words of Jesus, He is still calling people from following false prophets, from taking the broad road or gate to go through the narrow gate. First, Jesus says that salvation has to be sought and found.  Why? No one stumbles into salvation. Second, Jesus reminds us that that the narrow gate is not the path the world prefers. The world’s way is to be indulgent, broad and easy. Third, going through the narrow gate means we go through it alone – naked – exposed before God with nothing to attempt to hide. We take no possessions, no works, no pride and especially no self-righteousness. Fourth, In Luke’s version of this in Luke 13:24, Luke lets us know that we must enter the narrow gate with penitence, remorse, and brokenness of heart. And fifth, false prophets must be identified and avoided at all costs to escape destruction. 

And then as we enter this passage in Matthew, Jesus tells us why many people choose the broad gate and not the narrow gate of salvation. It is due to self-deception. New Testament scholar J. C. Ryle writes this:

“The Lord Jesus winds up the Sermon on the Mount by a passage of heart-piercing application. He turns from false prophets to false professors, from unsound teachers to unsound hearers” (Source: J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospel: St. Matthew, pp. 69-70).

We can be deceived by false prophets about salvation and also by ourselves. As sinners, we have sinful motives, biases, pride, and we want the Gospel on our terms. Pastor and author John MacArthur says Jesus refers to two types of self-deception: 

“Verbal (Matthew 7:21-23) – those who say but do not do and intellectual (Matthew 7:24-27) – those who hear but do not do” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament  Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 474).

In Matthew 7:21-29, Jesus is not speaking to heretics, apostates, pagans, atheists, agnostics or irreligious people. He is speaking to people who are devoutly religious – people who are deluded thinking they are on the way to heaven but in reality, on the way to hell. Depending on which poll you read and trust, it is estimated in surveys that over 50% of Americans claim they are born-again Christians. Based on what Jesus says here, it is doubtful they are. It is doubtful if 50% of the people who attend church are genuine born-again disciples of Jesus Christ. Discipleship is not based on church attendance, not on serving in the church, not on how much you tithe, but on how much your life and character mirrors Jesus Christ. 

So why are so many people deceived into taking the broad gate rather than the narrow gate (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament  Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 475-477).

1. Many people who claim to be born-again and even some who are born-again accept a false doctrine about salvation. 
1. Many people have been told that all they need to do is “walk an aisle, or raise their hand, or say a prayer without doubting what Jesus has done for them on the cross. Maybe they were told not to doubt or question the truthfulness and integrity of Scripture. 
2. But for salvation to be genuine, it cannot occur without or apart from the convicting work of the Holy Spirit and the evidence of fruit from a consistent and continual impact from God’s Word. To His disciples, Jesus said this to them in John 8:31, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, `If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine’” (NASB). 
3. We are in no position to assure someone of their salvation because we are not God. The Apostle Paul talks about this in Romans 8:14-16,  “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (15) For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received [b]a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (16) The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God” *NASB).
4. The Apostle Peter writes that one’s calling and choosing are made secure by an increase in the qualities of fruitfulness. This demonstrates genuine salvation and helps to eliminate doubts. Take your Bible and read  2 Peter 1:3-11.
5. Even Jesus said that some people appear saved but they are not. Look at Matthew 13:20-22, “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; (21) yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. (22) And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (NASB).

On Tuesday we will look at reasons 2-6 for people’s self-deception about salvation.

Questions To Consider

1. It is time to do some self-examination. Are you broken over your sin today and repentant from it or do you just make excuses for it, or rationalize it, or even tell others, but there is no visible change? If so, what might this tell you and why?
2. Read the first reason for self-deception again. How does this speak to you the most and why?
3. The Bible is clear that fruitfulness is one proof of salvation, but we have to be careful even about this. Why?
4. If you did not, please take your Bible and read 2 Peter 1:3-11. What does this say to you about salvation and why?

Scripture To Meditate On: Luke 6:46, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (NASB).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I need to take more seriously my sin, its consequences on my life, others, my relationship to you and how it may affect unbelievers in not receiving the Gospel. Lord, I want to be broken over my sin. I want to be repentant of my sin. I do not want to just be aware but beware of the dangers of even just mentioning them to others without changing from them. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly