Matthew 7.13-27
I got an email the other day from the United Nations and the FBI.
Well, that’s who it said it was from
offering they would pay me large sums of money
from sums recovered from corrupt dictators
for the fee of $220 reduced from #520.
It’s easy to see there’s a lot wrong with that offer.
Not just as easy when I get one supposedly from Eircom or my bank
asking for my password details and PIN number.
You have to remember that no reputable authentic organisation
asks you for those details online.
Well, that’s who it said it was from
offering they would pay me large sums of money
from sums recovered from corrupt dictators
for the fee of $220 reduced from #520.
It’s easy to see there’s a lot wrong with that offer.
Not just as easy when I get one supposedly from Eircom or my bank
asking for my password details and PIN number.
You have to remember that no reputable authentic organisation
asks you for those details online.
How do you spot an authentic Christian?
Are our lives truly Christian, Christlike?
Here are some pointers from the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the mount:
Are our lives truly Christian, Christlike?
Here are some pointers from the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the mount:
Authentic Christianity is is focused on Jesus alone. vv 13-14
Jesus said ‘Enter through the narrow gate.
For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction,
and many enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life,
and only a few find it.
For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction,
and many enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life,
and only a few find it.
These days it seems that truth is obtained
by running a poll and going with the majority view
and it’s hard to go against the flow.
by running a poll and going with the majority view
and it’s hard to go against the flow.
Wouldn’t it be tempting to go with the flow, to follow the majority?
When we see people flooding to the shopping centres on a Sunday,
and only a trickle going to church;
when we hear a chat show guest say things
which we believe to be unfaithful or immoral
and the audience gives him warm applause
there’s a chill goes through my spirit.
And then I remember this basic essential thing
that truth is not decided by the number of votes cast for a view
not by the level of applause, or the loudness of a voice,
the authentic truth of God is revealed in Jesus Christ .
When we see people flooding to the shopping centres on a Sunday,
and only a trickle going to church;
when we hear a chat show guest say things
which we believe to be unfaithful or immoral
and the audience gives him warm applause
there’s a chill goes through my spirit.
And then I remember this basic essential thing
that truth is not decided by the number of votes cast for a view
not by the level of applause, or the loudness of a voice,
the authentic truth of God is revealed in Jesus Christ .
Who else can show us who God is?
Who else died on a cross for us? Who else has risen from the dead?
Who else died on a cross for us? Who else has risen from the dead?
Lets be very clear, this is not a claim that Christians are always right
or that everything we have done is always right and superior to non Christians.
or that everything we have done is always right and superior to non Christians.
Michael Green puts it this way
Christianity is not about being very good or very bad or very comfortable,
it is about being in God’s kingdom or staying out.
It is about allegiance to God or rebellion.
It is about being on the road that starts narrow
but opens out into the life of heaven,
or staying on the broad road of our self centredness
until it contracts to a dead halt in final destruction.
We find at the end of the Sermon on the Mount
we are not permitted merely to admire the teaching;
we are challenged to bow to the preacher, to Christ.
Have you entered in? Are you on the road?
Christianity is not about being very good or very bad or very comfortable,
it is about being in God’s kingdom or staying out.
It is about allegiance to God or rebellion.
It is about being on the road that starts narrow
but opens out into the life of heaven,
or staying on the broad road of our self centredness
until it contracts to a dead halt in final destruction.
We find at the end of the Sermon on the Mount
we are not permitted merely to admire the teaching;
we are challenged to bow to the preacher, to Christ.
Have you entered in? Are you on the road?
Maybe you say to yourself
I’ve tried to make the commitment but I am not sure if it has worked
I am not sure if I have gone through the narrow door.
Maybe I am still floating along with all the others.
Or maybe you are a smug Christian.
You have made the commitment, prayed the prayer, sealed the deal.
The next thing Jesus says reassures the uncertain and challenges the smug.
I’ve tried to make the commitment but I am not sure if it has worked
I am not sure if I have gone through the narrow door.
Maybe I am still floating along with all the others.
Or maybe you are a smug Christian.
You have made the commitment, prayed the prayer, sealed the deal.
The next thing Jesus says reassures the uncertain and challenges the smug.
Authentic Christianity is fruitful life with real change. vv 15-20
They say that when candidates are being interviewed for a job
the interview panel are not that much interested
in what you say you will do if appointed.
They are more interested in what you have done where you are already
and even more in how you have done what you have done.
They may take up your references and ask
‘How did that candidate react under stress? How did she cope with failure?
Was he punctual? How did he relate to his fellow workers?
How honest was she? Could she be trusted with money?’
the interview panel are not that much interested
in what you say you will do if appointed.
They are more interested in what you have done where you are already
and even more in how you have done what you have done.
They may take up your references and ask
‘How did that candidate react under stress? How did she cope with failure?
Was he punctual? How did he relate to his fellow workers?
How honest was she? Could she be trusted with money?’
It’s not so different with our lives as Christians.
The evidence is seen in the ‘walk’ more than the ‘talk‘.
The questions are not:
does he come to church or does he hand out Christian leaflets in the street
or does she help with the tea rota in church or play the organ?
The issue of authentic Christianity is not so much about what a Christian does
as about how a Christian does what he or she does:
around the home, out shopping, on the road driving, in the work place,
what fruit is there in that Christian’s life?
Does the Jesus they talk about really make a difference?
Is their church-going backed up by honesty and reliability?
Is there a change for the better in them?
The evidence is seen in the ‘walk’ more than the ‘talk‘.
The questions are not:
does he come to church or does he hand out Christian leaflets in the street
or does she help with the tea rota in church or play the organ?
The issue of authentic Christianity is not so much about what a Christian does
as about how a Christian does what he or she does:
around the home, out shopping, on the road driving, in the work place,
what fruit is there in that Christian’s life?
Does the Jesus they talk about really make a difference?
Is their church-going backed up by honesty and reliability?
Is there a change for the better in them?
Not that we have to be perfect people all in an instant,
but are we becoming more thankful, less grumpy, more positive, less cynical,
more peaceful, less anxious.
When we make a mistake
can it be seen that we are learning from our mistakes,
or are we still putting the blame on other people?
but are we becoming more thankful, less grumpy, more positive, less cynical,
more peaceful, less anxious.
When we make a mistake
can it be seen that we are learning from our mistakes,
or are we still putting the blame on other people?
What is our fruit? What do people get from our lives?
Is it something that will draw people to Jesus or repel them?
Is it something that will draw people to Jesus or repel them?
Jesus warned that there would be false prophets, wolves dressed like sheep
And there would be some bitter, poisonous fruit.
He was talking about religious fakes and frauds.
People who were good talkers but poor walkers,
in religion for the money or the fame or the power or all three.
And there would be some bitter, poisonous fruit.
He was talking about religious fakes and frauds.
People who were good talkers but poor walkers,
in religion for the money or the fame or the power or all three.
When he said: ‘By their fruits ye shall know them;
he was saying that how we live, how we react, how we relate will show
the authenticity or otherwise of Christ in us.
Will there be fruit
that will satisfy the hunger of a passer by and point them to Jesus
fruit that is sweet and refreshing and altogether good for you?
The tragedy about much of what passes for Christianity
is that it will shrivel up in the day of judgement
and be found to be bogus and worthless.
If the fruit is not real, we may take leave to doubt the nature of the roots.
he was saying that how we live, how we react, how we relate will show
the authenticity or otherwise of Christ in us.
Will there be fruit
that will satisfy the hunger of a passer by and point them to Jesus
fruit that is sweet and refreshing and altogether good for you?
The tragedy about much of what passes for Christianity
is that it will shrivel up in the day of judgement
and be found to be bogus and worthless.
If the fruit is not real, we may take leave to doubt the nature of the roots.
It’s the time of year when we do the chore of scrutinising the annual accounts
and doing the statistics for the past year.
How many families, how many under 18, how many baptisms etc.
We are also as a church across Ireland looking at our mission strategy
How far are looking outwards, how are we attracting people?
And if we don’t face those issues
we’ll be finished as a church in a few years time.
and doing the statistics for the past year.
How many families, how many under 18, how many baptisms etc.
We are also as a church across Ireland looking at our mission strategy
How far are looking outwards, how are we attracting people?
And if we don’t face those issues
we’ll be finished as a church in a few years time.
It’s great when we can see evidence in the figures of growth
Increased giving, better attendance and so on.
But it is increasingly my prayer that we may be found to be fruitful
not in the sense that the attendances are up or the offerings are increased
but that we are more like Jesus this year than we were last year
and by his grace we shall be more like him next year than this year.
More like him because more close to him,
deepened in our knowing of him and him knowing us.
Increased giving, better attendance and so on.
But it is increasingly my prayer that we may be found to be fruitful
not in the sense that the attendances are up or the offerings are increased
but that we are more like Jesus this year than we were last year
and by his grace we shall be more like him next year than this year.
More like him because more close to him,
deepened in our knowing of him and him knowing us.
We need to think carefully about Jesus’ warning that on the day of judgement
many supposedly successful Christians will saunter up for their reward.
Look at what we did in your name, Jesus! How amazing!
And Jesus will say in effect ‘Excuse me, but who are you?
You have dared use my name but I don’t know you.’
If we are not rooted In a faith relationship with Jesus
then the fruit we bear will not be fruit of Jesus, fruit of a changing life.
It will be deceptive fruit, disappointing or even deadly.
many supposedly successful Christians will saunter up for their reward.
Look at what we did in your name, Jesus! How amazing!
And Jesus will say in effect ‘Excuse me, but who are you?
You have dared use my name but I don’t know you.’
If we are not rooted In a faith relationship with Jesus
then the fruit we bear will not be fruit of Jesus, fruit of a changing life.
It will be deceptive fruit, disappointing or even deadly.
But if we are rooted in a faith relationship with Jesus Christ
we will produce fruit which more and more
has the taste and fragrance of the Sermon on the Mount:
fruit of a life that hungers and thirsts for righteousness
that is pure in heart, that loves to make peace, that rejoices in persecution
A life that prays deeply and gives generously
that does things in trust of the Father rather than for public approval
Fruit that treasures the things of heaven over the things of earth.
.
Authentic Christianity is through Jesus alone.
Authentic Christian life is fruitful life.
Which leads to the question: How?
And the answer is in Jesus’ closing words here.
It’s all about the foundation.
we will produce fruit which more and more
has the taste and fragrance of the Sermon on the Mount:
fruit of a life that hungers and thirsts for righteousness
that is pure in heart, that loves to make peace, that rejoices in persecution
A life that prays deeply and gives generously
that does things in trust of the Father rather than for public approval
Fruit that treasures the things of heaven over the things of earth.
.
Authentic Christianity is through Jesus alone.
Authentic Christian life is fruitful life.
Which leads to the question: How?
And the answer is in Jesus’ closing words here.
It’s all about the foundation.
Authentic Christianity is based on doing what Jesus says. vv 24-27
When I was a boy I loved to play ‘fight the tide’
building sand castles at the water’s edge
hoping they would be big enough to withstand the incoming waves
and knowing in the end after a lot of fun we would have to give up.
(50 years later my inner small boy still likes doing that.)
In Palestine in Jesus’ time,
there were sandy dried up river beds, water courses.
It was tempting to build there, flat shaded.
In a dry climate there might not have been water in the river for years
So people would build on the flood plain,
not knowing or uncaring of the risk.
building sand castles at the water’s edge
hoping they would be big enough to withstand the incoming waves
and knowing in the end after a lot of fun we would have to give up.
(50 years later my inner small boy still likes doing that.)
In Palestine in Jesus’ time,
there were sandy dried up river beds, water courses.
It was tempting to build there, flat shaded.
In a dry climate there might not have been water in the river for years
So people would build on the flood plain,
not knowing or uncaring of the risk.
Think about those devastating floods in Cork in November.
I often walk past the UCC art gallery which is right beside the river.
I had even been inside and right down to the basemen?
but I never thought, what will happen if the river rises<
And nor it seems did the architect or the planners or the engineers
ask what now looks like a very obvious question.
I only hope and trust that their store room for pictures not on display
will now be at the top of the building and not the bottom.
I often walk past the UCC art gallery which is right beside the river.
I had even been inside and right down to the basemen?
but I never thought, what will happen if the river rises<
And nor it seems did the architect or the planners or the engineers
ask what now looks like a very obvious question.
I only hope and trust that their store room for pictures not on display
will now be at the top of the building and not the bottom.
How many of us will learn the lesson spiritually
not to store precious things in the basement where the flood water will go first?
How many of us are building and will go on building
on the sand of popular opinion rather than the unshakeable teaching of Jesus.
not to store precious things in the basement where the flood water will go first?
How many of us are building and will go on building
on the sand of popular opinion rather than the unshakeable teaching of Jesus.
Authentic Christianity that has a good, solid,. dry, safe foundation
only comes by hearing what Jesus says and doing that.
only comes by hearing what Jesus says and doing that.
It’s not easy.
Think about the beautiful and challenging things
put before us in the Sermon on the Mount.
Being meek, merciful, pure in heart, making peace
rejoicing in persecution,
loving your enemies, praying deeply and giving generously
living your life before the gaze of your heavenly father
rather than being driven by public approval
treasuring the things of heaven over the things of earth.
These things are not easy, they take time and hard work
just as laying foundations down to the rock takes time and hard work
when it would be so much easier to plant a shack on the sand.
Think about the beautiful and challenging things
put before us in the Sermon on the Mount.
Being meek, merciful, pure in heart, making peace
rejoicing in persecution,
loving your enemies, praying deeply and giving generously
living your life before the gaze of your heavenly father
rather than being driven by public approval
treasuring the things of heaven over the things of earth.
These things are not easy, they take time and hard work
just as laying foundations down to the rock takes time and hard work
when it would be so much easier to plant a shack on the sand.
You may hear voices screaming at you:
Don’t be so narrow minded, don’t be so puritanical,
just be like us, do what you feel.
Don’t listen to those voices. Are they bearing the fruit of Jesus?
Are they building in the right place?
How will their lives end?
Don’t be so narrow minded, don’t be so puritanical,
just be like us, do what you feel.
Don’t listen to those voices. Are they bearing the fruit of Jesus?
Are they building in the right place?
How will their lives end?
Authentic Christianity comes
from listening to and doing what Jesus says
from cultivating fruit for the kingdom, from a life that is changing
from entering by the narrow gate, the way that leads to life.
from listening to and doing what Jesus says
from cultivating fruit for the kingdom, from a life that is changing
from entering by the narrow gate, the way that leads to life.
Gracious Father
May our lives be rooted in and resting on Christ alone.
Help us to make the hard choice and ignore popular opinion.
By the power of the Holy Spirit
may our lives be fragrant and fruitful
and authentically Christian.
May our lives be rooted in and resting on Christ alone.
Help us to make the hard choice and ignore popular opinion.
By the power of the Holy Spirit
may our lives be fragrant and fruitful
and authentically Christian.
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