Bible Chapter: Matthew 7
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
This is Matthew’s final chapter on the Sermon on the Mount.
Believers are encouraged to persevere in their prayer life. We are to ask, seek and knock. This literally means to keep on asking, seeking and knocking. There have been teachings that say we should pray once and then expect it to happen. They said that to pray more than once was a lack of faith. But, Jesus taught that we are to continue persevering in prayer till the answer comes.
Jesus taught that the way to eternal life is very narrow. The majority will reject it and rush down the wide and popular road to destruction. Modern culture is showing the reality of this teaching. Sadly, even many who call themselves Christian are running down the popular road with the crowd. Jesus said that the wide road leads to destruction. Life is found only by those who follow His narrow path. Many in the modern church world are compromising eternal truth in order to be more accepted and not have to deal with the persecution and ridicule that comes from the majority. Those who follow the popular path will sadly some day hear Jesus say, “Depart from me, I never knew you”.
Jesus also talked about the foundation for life. It is a guarantee that there will be hard storms in life. Strong storms require a strong foundation so that the structure has something solid to connect to. Building codes in places where they generally have storms and difficult weather situations are much stricter. They are necessary to prevent the collapse of buildings when the extreme weather arrives. People must have a foundation in Jesus and be well connected to HIM to survive the storms of life.
The last two verses of this chapter are probably often ignored. They stood out to me as an illustration of the power of Jesus. The crowd was amazed at His teaching. He showed them he had genuine authority. He wasn’t like the religious leaders they were used to who simply went through the routines of religion. Jesus was the real thing. He knew what He was talking about and His teaching touched them where they lived.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Jesus said that a tree is known by the fruit it produces. An apple tree doesn’t produce bananas because the tree is “apple” from the inside out. It has the genetics of apples and can only produce apples. If the tree is properly nourished and pruned it will produce good fruit. Our spiritual lives are the same. First of all we must die to self and be made new and alive by the salvation Jesus paid for on the cross. This changes our spiritual genetics. We must be nourished and pruned spiritually by the Word of God. Then we will produce good fruit that has eternity in it.
Jesus also talked about those who do God’s will. This requires me to seek His truth and get close to Him so that I can hear from God. Then I will be more able to follow His will for life.
3. How can I help someone?
I can help people by a better understanding of what Jesus taught regarding judging. There is a proper balance of identifying what is happening in a person’s life without being condemning. I must remember that I can’t expect unbelievers to act like believers. I can also help them by having genuine spiritual fruit growing in my life. They will be blessed. I think of the old hymn we used to sing, “Make Me A Blessing”.
