1. The Life of Christ – Lesson 7
January 2, 2019
Matthew Chapters 5-7
Luke 6:20-49
The Life of Christ – Lesson 7
The Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 7:13-20
“Enter by the narrow gate …”
“You will know them by their fruits …”

2. “Enter through the narrow gate …”, Matthew 7:13-14
Matthew 24:3-14, “many” will …
Be “misled” by false prophets/teachers. Verses 4-5, 11 (2 Peter 2:2)
“Fall away” because of persecution. Verse 9
“Fall away” because they will turn on each other. Verse 10
Have their “love … grow cold.” Verse 12
Simply not endure. Verse 13
Not respond to the preaching of the gospel. Verse14
“Then who can be saved?” – Luke 18:26

3. “Beware of the false prophets …”, Matthew 7:15-20
“Beware” – “pay attention to, be cautious about” (Strong’s) Used in Matthew 6:1 regarding “practicing our righteousness before men.” Pay attention to and be cautious of “false prophets”… and their “teaching” (Matthew 16:12; compare with 1 Timothy 4:1) Is “righteous judgement” required? Matthew 7:1; John 7:24
Matt 16:12 – “Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Luke 21:34 – “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap.”
1 Tim 1:3-4 – “…remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, 4 nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.”
Hebrews 2:1; Titus 1:14;
Positive: 1 Timothy 4:13

4. “Beware of the false prophets …”, Matthew 7:15-20
How “false” (“pseudo,” meaning untrue or erroneous) do you have to be to be a “false teacher” or “false prophet”?
It’s simply one who is “forsaking the right way …” (2 Peter 2:15). Does it matter …
How far one forsakes the right way?
One’s motives in forsaking the right way?
Casting God and His word “behind your back”. 1 Kings 14:9; Nehemiah 9:26

5. “Beware of the false prophets …”, Matthew 7:15-20
What is the relationship between the wide and narrow ways and the warning against false prophets? Who’s enticing all the “many” through the “wide” gate and down the “broad” way? The “many false prophets” Jesus warns about. Matthew 24:11, 24; cf. 2 Timothy 4:1-3 They will bring about the “destruction” (same word used in verse 13) of “many.” 2 Peter 2:1-3 They’ll come through the side door in disguise. Outwardly they look the part of a prophet/teacher of God. Saul versus David

6. “Beware of the false prophets …”, Matthew 7:15-20
What is our responsibility?
“… you will know them by their fruits …”
Look beyond outward appearances to what they are “inwardly.” Verse 15; Matthew 23:25-28
1 Kings 13:14-19 – “18 And he said to him, "I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'" But he lied to him.
1 Thess. 5:21-22 – “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
Rapacious – defined: aggressively greedy or grasping. Excessively grasping or covetous. (Merriam-Webster) given to seizing for plunder or the satisfaction of greed. inordinately greedy; predatory; extortionate: dictionary.com

7. “Beware of the false prophets …”, Matthew 7:15-20
They look like:
“Sheep” – how do they appear? Dangerous?
They are in fact:
“ravening wolves” – “rapacious,” Matthew 10:16; John 10:12; Acts 20:29
Rapacious – defined: aggressively greedy or grasping. Excessively grasping or covetous. (Merriam-Webster) given to seizing for plunder or the satisfaction of greed. inordinately greedy; predatory; extortionate: dictionary.com