The Two Ways (vv. 13-14)

The two ways illustrate the start of the life of faith;

Matthew 7:13 – 14 (ESV) 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

• Did your profession of faith in Christ cost you anything? If not, then it was not a true profession. Many people who “trust” Jesus Christ never leave the broad road with its appetites and associations. They have an easy Christianity that makes no demands on them. Yet Jesus said that the narrow way was hard. We cannot walk on two roads, in two different directions, at the same time. The two ways tell us to examine the cost of our profession. Have we paid a price to profess faith in Christ?
  

The Two Trees (vv. 15-20)

• The two trees illustrate the growth/results of the life of faith here and now. The fruit always indicate what type of life we’re living.

Matthew 7:15 – 23 (NLT) – 15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.

18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.

19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

• Did my decision for Christ change my life? These show that true faith in Christ changes the life and produces fruit for God’s glory. Good fruit comes from a good tree, but bad fruit comes from a bad tree. The tree that produces rotten fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:20).The two trees tell us to investigate whether our lives have really changed. Are there godly fruits from our lives?
  

The Two Worshippers (Luke 18:9-14)

9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:

10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.

11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!

12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’

14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

The Two Houses (vv. 15-20).

Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)

24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.

25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.

26 But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.

27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

• The foundation in this parable is obedience to God’s Word—obedience that is an evidence of true faith (James 2:14ff). The two men in this story had much in common. Both had desires to build a house. Both built houses that looked good and sturdy. But when the judgment came (the storm), one of the houses collapsed. What was the difference? Not the mere external looks, to be sure.
  

The difference was in the foundation: The successful builder “dug deep” (Luke 6:48) and set his house on a solid foundation. And the two houses remind us that true faith in Christ will last, not only in the storms of life, but also in the final judgment.

Main Theme: 

Humility and true repentance are essential for salvation, and outward displays of righteousness are meaningless without genuine inward transformation. Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.

Key Points:

• The Power of the Name of Jesus: The sermon begins by emphasizing that salvation is found only through the name of Jesus (Acts 4:12). No other religious figure offers this gift.
  
• Two Houses Parable (Matthew 7:24-27): The parable of the two houses illustrates the importance of building one’s life on a solid foundation, which is Jesus Christ. Those who hear and follow Jesus’ teachings are like the wise man who built his house on rock, while those who ignore them are like the foolish man who built on sand. This parable emphasizes the importance of putting faith into action.
  
• Two Paths in Life: The sermon highlights the recurring theme of two paths in Matthew 7 – two roads, two gates, two trees, two houses. These represent the choice between following Christ and following any other path, regardless of what it’s called.
  
• Job’s Story: The example of Job is used to illustrate how even righteous people can question God’s ways. Ultimately, salvation is about what God says, not what we say, and we cannot create our own path to heaven.
  
• Two Men in the Temple Parable (Luke 18:9-14): The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector contrasts two approaches to prayer and God. The Pharisee, focused on his own perceived righteousness, boasts about his actions. The tax collector, humbled by his sin, simply asks for mercy. Jesus makes it clear that the tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified.
  
• Horizontal and Vertical Relationships: The sermon connects how we treat others (horizontally) with our relationship with God (vertically). True love for God must be reflected in love for our neighbors.

Conclusion:

The sermon concludes with a call to humility, repentance, and introspection. It emphasizes the importance of confessing our sins (1 John 1:9) and allowing God to search our hearts (Psalm 139). True salvation comes through recognizing our need for God’s mercy and grace, not through self-righteousness or outward displays of piety.

Scripture References:

• Acts 4:12
• Matthew 7:24-27
• Luke 18:9-14
• 1 John 1:9
• Psalm 139 (implied)
• Psalm 51 (implied)
• Luke 19 (mentioned – Zacchaeus)
• Luke 16 (mentioned – Rich Young Ruler)
• Matthew 5, 6, and 7 (Sermon on the Mount)