Download Grace Church Study Guide Leader Notes Matthew 7:13

Grace Church Study Guide Leader Notes
Matthew 7:13-14
Week of February 12, 2012
Getting Started…
What is a unique experience that you have had the opportunity to do, that few others have been able to
experience themselves?
Describe a time when you desperately wanted to fit in and what happened?
What You See…
Read Matthew 7:13-14
Who is Jesus speaking to, and what does He mean when He says, “Enter through the narrow gate”?
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus is speaking to the multitudes of people (mainly those
who were living in the Galilee area. They were following him because of the miracles He had preformed,
and His teaching.
“Enter through the narrow gate”: We can draw some conclusions out of this very simple statement.
Number one, you must enter. This is an imperative. It's not going to happen by accident. It's not going to
happen apart from a commitment and a decision on your part. It is an absolute command given by Jesus
Christ, “Enter the narrow gate.” The gospel itself is a command, repent and believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ. The gospel always comes as a command to be obeyed or disobeyed. It is not enough to listen to
preaching about the narrow gate. It is not enough to study the narrow gate, to admire the structure of the
narrow gate, to admire the wisdom of gospel means. It must be entered and the world is full of people
who admire the gospel, they admire, if you will, the narrow gate, they admire the work of Christ on the
cross and even admire the work accomplished in His conquering death and His resurrection, and they
admire the ethics of Jesus and they admire the virtues of Jesus and a lot of those things. But hell is going
to be literally filled with people who admired Jesus, who admired His teaching and His ethics and who
may be particularly admired the Sermon on the Mount.
But a gate serves two purposes. It lets in and it shuts out. Those who do not enter are then eternally
barred from the Kingdom of God. Like in the parable of Jesus in Matthew 25 and verse 10, for once the
wedding feast begins, the door was shut. You must enter. You must go beyond the admiration of the
gospel. You must go beyond being fascinated with the work of Jesus Christ and admiring Him, you must
enter the gate of salvation through faith in Him.
And let's take it a little further. You must enter this gate, there's only one narrow gate. You must enter
this gate. It is a definite gate. It is the narrow gate. The Old Testament talks about ways that seem right
to a man that are the ways of death. Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to
the Father but by Me.” Jesus says, “I am the Door, if any man tries to come in any other way, he is a thief
and a robber.” In Acts 4:12 it says, “There is no salvation in any other name, for there's no other name
under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” There's only one way to be saved, there's
only one person who is the Savior and faith in that person is required for salvation. (John MacArthur)
What are the “road to destruction” and the “road to life” that Jesus is talking about in this passage?
Some thoughts: Destruction for the sinner does not result in annihilation or extinction. In other words
"destruction" is not the loss of being, but of well-being! The gospel promises everlasting life for him who
believes. The failure to possess this life will involve the utter ruin of those that perish.
Jesus is not giving many paths. His command is "either...or"! There is a choice between two ways and
only one leads to eternal life, while the other leads to eternal death. This picture of Two Ways as alluded
to is not a new thought restricted to the NT, for this same truth is emphasized in several Old Testament
passages...
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants. (Deut
30:19)
As Joshua neared the fulfillment of his job on earth, he presented Israel once again with the choice:
“"And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you
will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of
the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
(Joshua 24:15)
You shall also say to this people, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and
the way of death (Jeremiah 21:8).
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:6)
On Mount Carmel the prophet Elijah asked the people of Israel,
How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow
him, but if Baal, follow him." But (Note this dramatic contrast surely reflecting their sin hardened
hearts!) the people did not answer him a word. (1Kings 18:21)
John MacArthur has an interesting note writing that...
Both the broad and the narrow ways point to the good life, to salvation, heaven, God, the kingdom,
and blessing-but only the narrow way actually leads to those. There is nothing here to indicate that
the broad way is marked “Hell.” The point our Lord is making is that it is marked “Heaven” but
does not lead there. That is the great lie of all the false religions of human achievement. The two very
different destinations of the two ways are made clear by the Lord (cf. Jer 21:8). The broad … leads
to destruction, whereas only the narrow … leads to life. Every religion except Christianity, the only
religion of divine accomplishment, follows the same spiritual way and leads to the same spiritual end,
to hell. There are many of those roads, and most of them are attractive, appealing, and crowded with
travelers. But not a single one leads where it promises; and not a single one fails to lead where Jesus
says it leads-to destruction. (MacArthur, J: Matthew 1-7 Macarthur New Testament Commentary
Chicago: Moody Press)
Read Luke 13:22-27 and John 10:7-9
What additional insights do you observe when comparing them with Matthew 7:13-14?
Answers will vary.
What You Think…
Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 7:13-14 brings to mind Proverbs 14:12 which says, “There is a way that appears to
be right, but in the end it leads to death.” Why does that road (that leads to destruction) appear to be so right to
so many people?
Read Ephesians 2:1-3.
How might you live and think differently knowing that “many” people are on the road to destruction (friends,
relatives, neighbors, or co-workers)?
Answers will vary. One response: People would have more concern for the lost; praying for them more
earnestly, and being more intentional in how they would present the Gospel at every opportunity.
How do you answer someone who says, “I don’t believe that a loving God would send anyone to hell”?
Answers will vary. One response: God doesn’t send anyone to hell, he gives everyone a choice (free will)
to accept or reject the Gospel. It is the individual who decides. Also, a good example of free will would
be from Genesis chapters 1 and 2.
The essence of the “salvation” (narrow road) is being saved from our sins. Apart from faith in Christ, what are
common ways people (and other religions) seek to “find God” or hope to experience heaven?
Answers will vary. One response: There are two common faulty responses to finding a way to weigh
themselves on the scales of God’s law and be declared, “Not guilty.”
One is trying to BE GOOD ENOUGH:
One is to CHANGE or MODIFY the God’s Law:
To be declared “not guilty.”
To be declared “not guilty.”
(Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Jehovah Wit-
(Unreligious, Humanist, Tribal and New
ness, & Mormons are based on this belief
Age are based on this idea that man is not
that man can achieve self-righteousness)
accountable to God but can be god.)
What is the broad-road appeal of these theories?
Answers will vary. One response: The essence of this broad road is to pursue “good works” and literal
“self-righteousness” so that you are not guilty before God. But can anyone truly be “good enough” to be
declared righteous before God? It is a works based theory, based on the belief that this is what God will
accept and be pleased with.
See Romans 3:20-24
The essence of this broad road for people is to position oneself as “above the law,” somehow not
accountable to God, and therefore not guilty before God. We cannot change God’s law to suit our
personal preferences.
Read the following verses, and describe what is required to experience salvation on the “narrow road.”
Romans 3:28
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not
by works, so that no one can boast.
I John 1: 9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.
Romans 3:22
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe
Acts 3:19 & Acts 20:21
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out I have declared to both Jews and Greeks
that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
If you know that you have entered through the “narrow gate” what has God been prompting you regarding:
Lifestyle choices, devotion to Bible study/application, deeper prayer life, sharing your faith, or any other areas?
Answers will vary.
What You Do…
Make a list of people who you know who are on the “broad road” and begin praying every day that God would
begin to soften each person’s (on your list) heart to the Gospel, and that God would give you the opportunity to
share the Gospel with them this week.
This week, memorize Matthew 7:13-14, and write down how this passage has impacted you on a daily basis as
it relates to those on the broad road. Share with your group next week what the Lord revealed to you.