Introduction:

This is the time when Jesus presenting Himself to Israel and wanted Israel to know that the majority would not go into the kingdom because the majority do not want to go the right gate that leads to the kingdom.

In this passage, since the majority would not go through the right gate that leads to the kingdom but would rather go through a gate that leads them to eternal destruction, so the Lord Jesus wanted His disciples to know that the entrance to the kingdom is through a very narrow gate, which specifically through Him.

I – Narrow way, strait Gate – v.13a; v.14a

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Let’s talk about the way into the kingdom that is through a small, narrow gate.

Our subject is the entrance into the kingdom.

The way into the kingdom is the same way into heaven and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.

John 10:9 “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Notice, Jesus said “I am the way” (the only way), and Jesus did not say “I am a way” (one of many various ways)

Jesus is declaring to the nation Israel that in order for someone to get into the kingdom, the Israelites must go through faith in Jesus Christ. Likewise, today all sinners who wanted to go to heaven, they must go through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus called it a narrow way because there is no other way to have life. It is narrow and small way because it is the only way and it is the God’s way.

Religious denomination and some false teachers present to people various ways:

1. Some say, church membership is the way

2. Some say, church ordinance is the way

3. Some say, good works is the way

4. Some say, endurance unto the end is the way

5. Some say, ten commandment is the way

6. Some say, water baptism is the way

7. Some say, to speak in unknown tongue is the mark of salvation

8. Some say, to preach the Word of God is the way

9. Some say, by being prayerful is the way

Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

The right entrance to the kingdom is the narrow and strait way into life. That is the same way how to go to heaven.

II – Broad way, Wide Gate – v.13b

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Let's talk about the way to eternal destruction that is through a wide, broad gate.

The world should be aware of the truth that all kinds of works, all kinds of religion, all kinds of lifestyles and all kinds of individuals will go to eternal destruction because they would not place their faith in the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who died, buried, and risen from the dead.

People were condemned not by not following Jesus but by not believing on Jesus – John 3:18

John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

III – Majority will go to the way to destruction and few will go to the way to life – v.13-14

Let's talk about the majority of the people will go to destruction and only a few will go into the kingdom.

Possibly we may ask why are there so few who find the narrow way to life? The reason is because people do not want to rely on Jesus Christ to be saved, they do not embrace the truth that just believing or trusting the finished work of redemption of Christ will give them assurance of salvation. Rather, they believe that it is not easy to go to heaven, because they do not see themselves fulfilling all what God wanted them to do, besides they knew that they are still sinning every day.

The pride of man does not want to admit that his own righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

The self-righteous, moral, educated, arrogant religious world will not humble itself to rely on the blood of Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:24-25 “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”

I Peter 1:18-19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; ¹⁹But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Colossians 1:20 “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

IV – Majority will go to the way to destruction by following the false teaching of false teachers – v.15-20

Matthew 7:15-20 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ¹⁶Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ²⁰Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

Let’s talk about the majority of the people who will go to destruction because they will follow the false religious teaching of false teaches who present other ways to be right with God other than through faith in Jesus Christ.

We notice in our passage a very important eschatological emphasis which describes that the actual kingdom approaches false teachers and false prophets will increase. It was prophetically said that false teaches and false teachers will multiply deceiving people with their false doctrines.

In verse 15 it says about these false teachers as ravening wolves who come to anyone in sheep’s clothing. We live in a time when the literal wolf is protected more than the sheep.

In verse 15, these religious wolves “come to you in sheep’s clothing” means they look like they are right with God.

In verse 17 says “neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” this mean that these religious wolves are religious teachers and religious leaders but their doctrine is corrupt.

In verse 15, “Beware false prophets,…inwardly they are ravening wolves” which mean inwardly they are out to devour people and not lead them into a saving knowledge and right spiritual relationship with God. I have seen and even meet some of the many wolves. These religious wolves have an outward appearance wearing clean and neat garments, they have a sweet gentle spirit but they deny the deity of Christ, and they deny that faith on Christ work of redemption is enough to save sinners, they deny that Jesus in the only way to be saved, or to get someone to heaven.

They declare and preach to convince people that it is partly faith in Jesus Christ and partly their works that save them. They teach with the doctrine about faith plus works. Accordingly, they teach that faith is not sufficient because if Christ died for our sins therefore, we need to do works to be saved.

Alarming that as we near the end of this age, this religious wolves in sheep’s clothing will increase more and more until the establishment of the millennial kingdom of Christ.

A. Recognition of a false prophet – v.16a; verse 20

Matthew 7:16a, 20 “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ²⁰Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

We can be able to recognize a false prophet by the fruit.

This verse tells us that we are to make judgments about people. Jesus says “ye shall know them”

We have to inspect fruits. We need to be a fruit inspector means we are to make judgments about fruit.

B. Real good fruit – v.16b-v. 18

Matthew 7:16b-18 “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.”

Jesus said that good fruit cannot come from bad trees.

It is questionable for it is impossible for a false religious teacher to point someone to a true faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus gives a question in verse 16 “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”

There is no person under the religious false teacher who love God’s Word, who love sound doctrine and really finding some way on their own relationship with Jesus Christ.

Look what Jesus said in verse 17 “but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” And in verse 18 “neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” This mean that the fruit produced by bad teachers is bad. This Behind the scenes is immorality and evil and corruption.

C. Reaping of a bad tree – v.19

Matthew 7:19 “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Jesus is saying that every bad tree will be cut down and throw into the fire. Jesus said “hewn down” means God will wipe out every false teacher, God will chop them these religious wolves to pieces as God’s punishment.

Jesus said “cast into the fire” means God will send every one of these false teaches to everlasting torment in everlasting fire in hell.

IV – Majority who claim they are going into God's kingdom really will not – v.21-23

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

With regards to verse 21 “kingdom of heaven” we see here the contextual of a dispensational kingdom. Jesus primarily comes to this earth to establish His kingdom, but Jesus the Jewish Messianic King was rejected and crucified by Israel. So, Jesus was talking here with His disciples about the coming Messianic Kingdom to be established. The Millennial reign of Christ.

Every believer in Christ will be raptured (I Thessalonians 4:14 “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” This means that every person who placed his faith in Jesus Christ, saved by grace through faith in the Church Age will go to heaven in the moment and twinkling of an eye (I Corinthians 15:51-52 “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Now, there will be no chance for the unbeliever of today's Church Age to say things described by Jesus on verse 21-23. However, when Jesus is about to establish and reign in His millennial kingdom, that is after the rapture, after the tribulation and after the Armageddon, all will appear before Him to determine who will enter in the 1,000 years kingdom of Christ.

Note that this is the first time Jesus explicitly calls God His Father in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus said, “will of my faither” But the clear doctrine of salvation is in verse 21 “but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

The question now, what is the will then of Jesus Father in heaven that someone needed to do?

John 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

In addition, Obedience to the faith is very important to God. God saves us by faith, not by works; but after He has saved us, He wants to talk to us about our works, about our obedience to Him. I hear many people talk about believing in Jesus, then they live like the Devil and seem to be serving him. My friend, saving faith makes you obedient to Jesus Christ.

Notice in verse 22 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” Here we see many who claim all of the good religious deeds they have done in the name of Jesus.

Hypocrites Who Used This Excellent Mode of Speech. What sort of people were they who said “Lord, Lord,” and yet the Master says of them, that not every one of them shall enter into the kingdom of heaven? Well, I think He refers to a considerable number of people, and I will seek them out. I wonder whether I shall find any in this congregation. Help me, my brethren, by your own self-examination to discover these people.

In addition to the fact that there are false teachers, so is it certain that there are false professors. There never was a time in the church of God in which all were Christians who professed to be so. The church did not come into being until after His ascension and the coming of the Spirit, and Jesus had selected twelve choice spirits to be nearest to His person, and to act, as it were, the prime ministers of His kingdom; yet there was a devil amongst the twelve, a devil in the church of which Jesus was pastor. Judas, the treasurer of the apostles, was also a son of perdition. Therefore, let us put ourselves at this time into the attitude of self-examination.

Jesus will say to these religious people who were unsaved and will not enter the kingdom in verse 23 “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” In spite of what good works they have performed in the name of Jesus, the Lord say “depart from Me, I never knew you.”

We therefore conclude that the only way into the kingdom or the only way to heaven is to know Jesus Christ, and the only way to know Christ is to believe on Him. (The genuine faith has true repentance from sins. A true believer of Christ repents from all his sins and was forgiven by God.

John 3:15-18 “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ¹⁸He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ³⁶He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

The genuine faith that saves has true repentance from sins. A true believer of Christ repents from all his sins and believes on the gospel of Jesus Christ.