“The Making of Three Choices!” Matthew 7:13-27

“Life is a sum of all your choices.”

Each of us are faced with decisions or choices on a daily basis; yet, none are more important than the three areas of choice Jesus gives in out text…

to better nail down these three key areas of choice given in Matthew 7 Purpose: to better nail down these three key areas of choice given in Matthew 7

I We Must Choose a WAY (vv 13- 14)

The point is: people are never at a standstill.

I We Must Choose a WAY (vv 13- 14) A. The Gates

The wide gate have many passing through it with little or no effort… The narrow gate takes a definite and decisive act…

I We Must Choose a WAY (vv 13- 14) A. The Gates B. The Ways

Luke 9:62 “…No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” 10

I We Must Choose a WAY (vv 13- 14) A. The Gates B. The Ways C. The Destinies

“I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” John 10:10 “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” 12

I We Must Choose a WAY (vv 13- 14) A. The Gates B. The Ways C. The Destinies D. The Number of Travelers

II We Must Choose an AUTHOR- ITY (VV 15-23) A. We Are Warned of False Pro- phets B. We Are Left to Chance

“You shall know the Truth and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 “You shall know the Truth and the truth shall make you free.” 15

II We Must Choose an AUTHOR- ITY (VV 15-21) A. We Are Warned of False Pro- phets B. We Are Left to Chance C. We Must Do the Father’s Will

Matthew 7:21-23 “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. 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?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” 17

III We Must Choose a FOUNDA- TION (VV 24-27) A. Every Person is a Builder B. Every Builder Will be Tested

Film maker Walt Disney was ruthless in cutting anything that got in the way of a story’s pacing. Ward Kimball, one of the animators for Snow White recalls working 240 days on a 4 ½ minute sequence in which the dwarfs made soup for Snow White… Disney thought it was funny, but decided the scene stopped the flow of the picture, so out it went.

“Give me a slow quarterback with fast decisions and we’ll beat most teams around; give me a fast quarterback with that decisive ability and we’ll beat them all.”

Conclusion and Summary …Which way will we choose? We must choose one of two ways. What will we choose as our authority? Will it be God’s Word? And what foundation will we choose upon which to build our life?...

Galatians 6:7-9 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” 22