Matthew 7:1-29

 

The Heart of Genuine Faith: An Introduction

 

When Jesus spoke these Beatitudes to the crowd on the hillside, or "beautiful attitudes" as we call them, the people were eager to hear His message. He taught like no one before, clearly showing the ways of the kingdom and inviting everyone to experience it. Looking back to that time when His disciples walked with Him, we might say, "It would have been so wonderful to be there, to hear Jesus speak firsthand, and to see Him perform miracles." It would have been so wonderful to look upon His face! If you've ever had thoughts like these, I encourage you to take these beautiful words to heart and treasure them. God has a feast for us in His words. He wants us to see Him through His Word and to fellowship with Him in worship and prayer.

 

The Christian pastor and author A.W. Tozer once said, “We can have as much of God as we want.” That may sound too good to be true, but upon careful thought, I believe it is true. Why? Because God does not hold back anything good from us, and the most precious thing we could ask for is more of His character and presence in our lives. What keeps us from experiencing God's presence in our lives? Unforgiveness, bitterness, and anger toward others. These are some of the issues Jesus has already addressed as He gets to the core of the matter—our hearts. In this study, Jesus continues to focus on our heart issues with the goal of drawing us closer to Himself.

 

One of the most damaging things to a person’s self-esteem is criticism. Have you ever been on the receiving end of harsh, judgmental comments? Criticism can be devastating to a person’s spirit. I remember being a young adult in my early twenties, just starting to preach and teach the Word of God. An influential person in my life, after hearing me preach a few times, told me I should give up preaching because I was no good at it. Those words devastated me at the time! Someone who faces that kind of judgment can react in two ways: either they completely give up on their dreams of ministry, or they respond by working harder at whatever God is calling them to do. I told myself, if I’m not good at communicating the Word of God, I’ll work diligently to improve so I have something meaningful and uplifting to share. Occasionally, those words come back to remind me not to rest on my past lessons or acquired wisdom but to answer God’s call and do everything I can to go into the world and preach the good news to those willing to listen. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had advice about being cautious in how we judge others.

 

Judging Others: Discernment vs. Criticism

 

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ²For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ³“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. ⁶“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces (Matthew 7:1-6).

 

Jesus uses the imagery of a "plank" and a "speck." Why is it so much easier for us to spot the tiny flaw in someone else while ignoring the massive one in ourselves?

 

The word 'judge' (v.7) comes from the Greek 'krino,' which is also the root of 'critic.' Its basic meaning is to separate, but it can also refer to judging in a courtroom or discerning truth from falsehood. Discerning truth from falsehood is something we are meant to do and is vital to our spiritual growth and discipleship. Therefore, Jesus is not saying that we should never make judgments, as He explains in verse 6: “Do not give dogs what is sacred.” We are not supposed to ignore errors. Paul the apostle instructed his protege, Timothy, not to lay hands on anyone hastily (1 Timothy 5:22). This means not giving leadership authority to emerging leaders too quickly, but instead assessing their character. All of this requires leaders to make judgment calls about people. So, what is Jesus really saying when He tells us not to judge? Just as fruit on a branch goes through different stages before it is ready to be picked and eaten, being a disciple of Christ means we should judge our brothers and sisters with generous grace rather than criticize them at every stage of their growth. We should give them room to grow in grace, remembering that the Master will judge us by the same measure we have used in our own lives.

 

You cannot go far as a disciple if you cannot judge where people are coming from, but in your judgment, be careful not to judge based only on appearances. Some of God's most outstanding leaders have grown up in difficult circumstances and had little of this world's resources or encouragement. As you grow as a disciple of the Lord Jesus, focus your judgment first on yourself. Remove the beam from your own eye so you can see clearly to remove the speck from another's eye. Be attentive to the Holy Spirit's correction as He prompts changes in your thoughts and actions. New believers should focus on developing their own character before speaking into others' lives or leading in God’s church. I still shudder to think where I would be today if I had listened to that influential person who advised me to give up teaching God’s Word.

 

The Power of Persistent Prayer: Ask, Seek, and Knock

 

⁷“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ⁹“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰If he asks for a fish, will you give him a snake? ¹¹If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹²So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:7-12).

 

The Lord now shifts His focus to providing insight and encouragement for prevailing prayer. The verbs He uses escalate in intensity, starting with asking the Father and then moving a step further by adding action to our requests—seeking the answer. Many people passively wait for the answer to arrive in the mail, and while God sometimes responds that way, we should actively seek opportunities for Him to answer our prayers. Sometimes, that means pursuing a better job or starting a business. Difficulties can be God’s way of teaching us new lessons. The third level of intensity involves accompanying our seeking with knocking—essentially pounding on the door—adding passion to our prayers. In the original Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, asking, seeking, and knocking are all in the present imperative, which means we are to keep asking, seeking, and knocking continually. Jesus assumes that those seeking Him on the hillsides that day are good fathers. He appeals to their desire to give good things to their children, stating that it is foolish to think that the Heavenly Father would do less. He asks, How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those He loves?

 

The Gospel writer, Luke, goes further in his account of Jesus’ teaching here. He adds a mini parable to give us an example of what the Lord is talking about:

 

Lessons from the Parable of the Friend at Midnight

 

Passion, desire, and persistence in what you ask for will bring results in prayer. The concept of faithful persistence is so vital to the Lord that He shared a parable to encourage us to persevere in prayer despite any obstacles. What happens when there seems to be no answer, and it looks as if your prayers of faith are being overlooked? Here’s the Parable of the Friend at Midnight:

 

⁵Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, ⁶because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ ⁷“Then the one inside answers, ‘Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.’ ⁸I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs (Luke 11:5-8; emphasis added).

 

In the passage of Scripture above, we see the story of a traveler who arrived at his friend's house in the middle of the night. During the summer months in the Middle East, travelers often journeyed late to avoid the daytime heat. The traveler was on a journey and decided to stay the rest of the night with a friend as he passed through a particular town. With no email or phone in those days, his friend was not expecting him and had no bread to feed him. It was a sacred obligation to offer hospitality by providing food and a place to sleep. What should the house owner do? Not having any bread to offer his friend was a significant embarrassment. He thought of a friend who might get up and give him some bread, so he went to wake him and ask. It was common in the Middle East at that time for entire families to sleep together in the same room. Even today, in some Asian countries, this remains a common practice.

 

In 1976, I traveled with a friend across Europe, through the Middle East, and into Asia. In a town we passed through, we couldn't find any regular hotels, so when we asked, we were invited to stay where many other Asian travelers were staying that night. It was already 10:00 P.M., and we were tired from a journey on a rickety bus over mountain ranges. It seemed very inexpensive until we saw the room. It was large, with about twenty others sleeping on the floor, covered by a thick carpet or mat. We were shocked to find we would be sleeping in the same room with many others already on the floor. It was a communal sleeping area. There was no furniture except a wood-fired stove in the center to keep us warm. Sharing a room with about twenty others was quite an experience!

 

To Westerners, it might seem unusual that many people sleep together in the same room, but in the Middle East and Asia, this is common. Jesus describes a man waking after midnight, with his whole family asleep nearby. Helping him would require him to get up quietly in the dark, avoid disturbing his children, find a lamp, light it, and then fetch bread, likely waking the entire household. Imagine him whispering to his friend through a window, hoping the friend understands why he can't get up to give him bread. His response was, “My children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything” (Luke 11:7). That seemed like a final answer, but the story did not end there.

 

William Barclay, in his commentary, states:

 

In the East, no one would knock on a shut door unless the need was imperative. In the morning, the door was opened and remained open all day, as there was little privacy; if it was shut, it was a definite sign that the friend did not wish to be disturbed. But the seeking house owner was not deterred. Instead, he kept knocking.[1]

 

In sharing this parable, why do you think Jesus included a man who was reluctant to get up and help his friend? What do you think Jesus was trying to show with this character's actions and how he responded to his friend?

 

Andrew Murray, author of the book With Christ in the School of Prayer, makes an excellent observation about this passage.

 

What a profound heavenly mystery persevering prayer is! The God who has promised and who longs to give the blessing holds it back. It is a matter of such deep importance to Him that His friends on earth should know and fully trust their rich Friend in heaven! Because of this, He trains them in the school of delayed answers to find out how their perseverance really does prevail. They can wield mighty power in heaven if they simply set themselves to it![2]

 

The focus is on the word 'boldness' in Luke 18:8 in the New International Version (NIV) or 'importunity' in the King James Version (KJV). The Greek word Anaideia is translated as 'boldness' in the NIV. This Greek word literally means “without shame.” The Key Word Study Bible explains that it means: “Shamelessness, unabashedness, audacity. The term describes the brazen persistence shown in the pursuit of something, an insistence marked by rudeness and a lack of shame.”

 

The King James Version translates Anaideia with the English word “importunate.” Webster’s New World Dictionary says that importunate means: “urgent or persistent in asking or demanding; refusing to be denied; annoyingly urgent or persistent, troublesome.”

 

Looking at the Greek meaning of Anaideia (shameless audacity), how does this change your view of God? Do you feel you can be "shamelessly persistent" with Him, or do you feel you are "bothering" Him?

 

There is a faith and persistence that will not let go of God until one receives what they need. This describes a faith that pleases God. Indeed, the point of the parable is that the man went from asking to seeking and, in his urgent need, kept knocking on the door and wouldn’t let his friend fall back asleep until he got the bread he needed. What Jesus is saying in this passage is that if a cranky friend can be persuaded to get up and give his friend some bread through shameless, brazen persistence, how much more will God, who longs to feed and clothe His people when they ask Him? This story is given to encourage us to persevere in prayer and not give up. If persistence and shameless audacity can bring one’s needs before a man who was angry at being inconvenienced, how much more will God do for us? God is infinitely kind, willing, and ready to do good to us. Our Father is not angry at our persistence but longs for us to learn how to overcome by persevering in prayer.

 

The Golden Rule: A New Standard for Relationships

 

Jesus continues to discuss persistence and faith in prayer by emphasizing the golden rule that should guide every believer: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). This teaching was unlike anything heard before that day on the hillside. Jesus' statement has been called "The capstone of the whole discourse," as it presented an entirely new perspective on life. Previously, the saying was always expressed negatively. The great Jewish Rabbi Hillel (110 BCE-10 CE) said, “What is hateful to yourself, do to no other; that is the whole Law, and the rest is commentary.” There is the Golden Rule in its negative form, but Jesus introduces a whole new approach to how believers should act. Before the Sermon on the Mount, the standard teaching was not to do things to others that we wouldn't want them to do to us, but Jesus rephrases it positively: "Do to others what you would have them do to you." Some might think that doing nothing is enough to please God, but Jesus teaches that we should actively take steps to impact society.

 

Choosing the Way: The Narrow Gate vs. The Broad Road

 

¹³“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matthew 7:13-14).

 

People make decisions about life every day. However, choosing to live by indulging our flesh, our sinful desires, and doing what seems right to us is, in Jesus' eyes, a wide gate and a broad road that many follow. Instead, the Lord wants us to take the difficult path—the one that leads to life and eternity. Jesus illustrates this with a picture of a man entering a busy city through a large, easy-to-find gate, then walking along a broad main avenue. The broad road is so wide that it can fit any idea about who you are or where you're headed. You can carry anything on your shoulders, and you won't even need to unload your baggage to get through the gate. That way requires no effort or change of heart, because all are accepted. Sadly, it leads to destruction, and many are walking along that main avenue. Many of us remember times in our lives when we entered through a gate that led to giving in to passions and sinful actions or attitudes, which we now regret and that have taken a toll on our character, our inner man.

 

Jesus also spoke about a narrow gate, a path that is difficult to find and requires effort, as well as the need to shed lethargy and passivity to seek the way with our whole heart. Few discover and walk the narrow road. Alexander Maclaren compared the first two Beatitudes to the side posts of this narrow gate (Matthew 5:3-4). One side's post represents the awareness of one's spiritual bankruptcy, while the other signifies the call for sorrow over sin. When we enter through the narrow gate, the path to eternal life remains narrow and challenging, demanding that we die daily to selfishness; however, it is also the path on which the Holy Spirit transforms us. The true fruit of the Spirit's work in us will only be visible on that final day when we stand before the Lord of Glory, for we “graduate” into eternity with the inner character that God has shaped within us.

 

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them (Matthew 7:15-20).

 

Jesus warns of "wolves in sheep’s clothing." In our digital age of social media and 24/7 news, what "fruit" should we look for to distinguish a true teacher from a false one?

 

Many need to see how false prophets speak their messages every day. We are all aware of those who spend five minutes teaching and twenty minutes on how we should give our finances to them. The false prophet appears genuine on the outside but talks little, if at all, about repentance and faith in Christ. These false prophets of our time often spread their lies and deception through the media. With the repeal of the Smith-Mundt Act in 2013, propaganda is now lawful to be propagated to the American public. The false prophets appear on today's news programs, presenting a false reality and dismissing anything related to God’s kingdom. The news outlets are owned at the board level by spiritual Babylon and promote false narratives, seeking to advance a world system controlled by evil spirits working through people behind the scenes.

 

Believers in Christ need to be discerning about what the main TV news and entertainment channels promote. May God give us discernment to recognize the fruit of laws and initiatives being promoted. We need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes: “To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn” (Isaiah 8:20). With so much deception in the world today, more than ever, we should be diligent in searching the Scriptures daily.

 

²¹“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23).

 

There will always be people around us who act Christian but do not have God's life and Spirit active in their lives. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They look like true believers and even seem to walk in power and authority, but lack the fruit of the Spirit. They will say the right things, though when you ask them specific questions about the Christian faith, they avoid clear answers about where they stand on specific sins of the flesh. Some are deceived into thinking they’re going to heaven because of their actions, but Christ is the Door of the Sheepfold, and He knows if we truly believe and trust in Him. One of the most terrifying things that can happen to a person is to think they will go to heaven when they die only to hear the Master say, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (v. 23). Someone can look the part, speak the right words, but never truly come into a right relationship with the King of Heaven. May you never be disappointed on that day when this age of evil comes to a close.

 

The Solid Foundation: Building Your Life on the Rock

 

²⁴“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” ²⁸When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹ because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law (Matthew 7:24-29).

 

We all face "storms" (v. 25). Describe a time a storm hit your life. What did that storm reveal about the foundation you were building on at the time?

 

The Lord concludes this excellent message by highlighting how a true believer lives, warning us about the foundation of faith. Is the way you live based on the firm foundation of Christ's life flowing through you, or is it built on the shifting sands of your own thoughts about how to live? The key is to put into practice what you hear from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus's words are real treasures that will lead you to eternity with Him in His Kingdom. They should not be taken lightly, but written on the tablet of your heart, the inner part of us that makes decisions.

 

Life Application: Putting it into Practice

 

1. The "Plank" Audit This week, before you offer a critique of a family member, coworker, or church leader, stop and ask the Holy Spirit: "Is there a 'plank' in my eye regarding this same issue?" Commit to praying for that person’s growth rather than pointing out their flaw.

 

2. The Midnight Knock Identify one "locked door" in your life—a situation that seems impossible or a prayer that has gone unanswered. Commit to "shameless persistence" for the next 7 days, asking God specifically for the "bread" (the provision) you need.

 

3. Building on the Rock Information without transformation is just "sand." Pick one specific command from the Sermon on the Mount (e.g., loving enemies, giving in secret, or not worrying) and intentionally practice it at least once before the next meeting.

 

My prayer is that each of us who hears these words will not let them slip away, but will let them bring about change in our values and in how we live.

 

Keith Thomas

 

Website: www.groupbiblestudy.com

 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keiththomas7/videos

 

Email: keiththomas@groupbiblestudy.com