Title: Enter Through the Narrow Gate / Matthew 7
After being called by the Lord and becoming a disciple, Matthew became the author of the Gospel, which describes the life, work, and teachings of Jesus Christ, who is the Gospel. Here, as in Chapter 7 and Chapter 6, the characteristics of the life of the saints who became the people of heaven were described. The life of the saints who became the people of heaven is a life that walks on a narrow road, not a wide road that many people walk.
1 “Do not criticize” (1-6)
It is the first life without criticism. Many people see, point out, and criticize the mistakes of others. When he sees the speck in his brother's eye, he points it out, criticizes it, and shouts at him to take it out. However, the life of the saints who became the people of the kingdom of heaven is a life of repentance and repentance at the beam in one's own eye instead of seeing the speck in the brother's eye and pointing out and criticizing it. The life that many people walk is a life of hypocrisy, covering their own faults, but the life of a believer is a life of sincere repentance that reveals one's own faults as they are.
2 “Ask” (7-14)
It is the second life to seek. Many do not ask God, seek and knock. Instead of asking God, knocking, and seeking, he seeks his own means. It's because they don't really trust and depend on God. However, the life of the saints who became the people of the kingdom of heaven is a life of prayer and supplication, looking to the sky first, seeking God, and knocking on God in all things. Prayer is neither meditation nor culture. It is an expression of active and full-fledged faith and trust. It is an active life that seeks, seeks, and knocks with all the heart and body. It is because we believe that the Father of love and compassion in heaven will give good things to the saints who pray and ask for them. And the important characteristics of the prayer that prays to God are ‘reconciliation with brothers’ (Matthew 5:24) and ‘hospitality of others’. ‘Reconciliation’ and ‘hospitality’ are important conditions for prayer.
3 “Those who hear and do” (15-29)
It is the third life of hearing and doing. Many people are good at speaking, good at teaching, and sometimes with powers, but they neither listen nor do they. Many wear sheep's clothing, but they have wolves inside. Many people are trembling with religious hypocrisy, shouting “Lord, Lord”, acting as prophets, and performing miracles and powers, but they commit “illegal” pursuit of their own honor, profit, and pleasure. However, the life of the saints who became the people of the kingdom of heaven is a life of “hearing and doing” the word of the Lord (Revelation 1:3). “Better obedience than sacrifice, and hearing better than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22). A person who lives the life of a saint who “hears and acts” is a wise man who built his house on the rock. Such a person's life does not collapse no matter what winds of tribulation in this world blow, and leads to heaven. Those who live a life that does not fall apart, a life that connects with heaven, is the most blessed person.
The life of the saints who became the people of heaven is a life of walking through narrow gates and narrow paths, not the wide gates and broad paths many people walk. The narrow gate and the narrow way are Jesus Himself (John 10:8, 14:6). The narrow gate and the narrow way lead to life; the broad gate and the broad way lead to destruction. But many go by the wide gate and the wide road, and few go by the narrow gate and the narrow road.