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Straight
From The Pulpit
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Pastor Larry Gatlin, So. Oregon
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Hey Strombolis Friends,
Too
many today are looking for an easy way out, an easy way in, or just an easy
way. It accounts for most of the crime and deprivation in our society. God’s
Word lays out some directives that aren’t always easy but when followed we will
be blessed, strengthened, healed and set free.
Freedom is something a whole generation was
looking for and found it in the “Jesus Movement” of the late “60’s” and early
“70’s”. Maybe some of you were a part of that historical move of God.
Coming into Christmas time and the
wonderful celebration of the “Virgin” birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, is an
excellent time to reflect on the freedom that Christ has given us through His,
virgin birth, sinless life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, 40 days and
nights of evidence that He was who He said He was, and His ascension to the
Right hand of the Father.
This month I want to dig into some things
that Jesus spoke to the Disciples, and is recorded for us. Matthew 7 gives us
some interesting insight into what the Kingdom is all about.
Matt 7:7-20
7 "Ask and it will be
given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him
who knocks, the door will be opened.
a)
First we are required to ask. By asking you open the door to
receive.
b)
Second. We must seek. Search the scriptures, pray, and petition
the Lord for what we have need of.
c)
Third we must knock. We must pursue the Lord expecting Him to
answer.
d)
The Amplified version says to, keep on asking, keep on seeking,
keep on knocking, until you see it come to pass.
When I was in Bible school I had to take a
test in my Leadership class. We had 15 characteristics of a good leader that we
had to know. I passed the test. But to this day I only remember one of those 15
points. The reason, because it’s the one that has kept me going through all of
the years I have been a pastor. It is, “Perseverance in the face of discouragement.”
In other words, Keep on asking, seeking, and knocking until you receive
the answer the Lord has for you.
9 "Which of you, if
his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a
fish, will give him a snake? 11 If 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! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to
you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
In this portion we see that the Lord
has and wants to give good gifts to His children. It really shoots a hole in
some of the old theology that has taught us that God is only good when we are
good. No, He’s good all the time. Whether we experience it or not depends on
our focus and what we are expecting. When we focus on Gods goodness we will
expect it. When we focus on the negative and discouragement of this world we’ll
find that and see God in that light.
As an earthly father I always delighted in
giving my kids good gifts. I would never have wrapped a poisonous snake in a
box and given it to my children for Christmas or their birthdays. I always gave
them the best I could. It is because I love them and desire to do good things
for them. I still feel that way; especially about my grand children.
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. 14 But small is the gate
and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Here we see that there are two gates
and two roads. The wide gate opens the door to a wide road that leads to
destruction. T’s the easy road to follow. It will always lead people to desire
that their basic nature and needs be met. But it will also lead to eternal
death. The Lord says, “Many will find this road. It’s self serving, self
gratifying, and selfish, and it always leads to destruction.
The second gate opens the door to the road
that is the narrow road, the one that leads to eternal life in Christ. It is so
narrow that Jesus said that He was the way the truth and the life and no one
could come to the Father except by Him. (Jn. 14:6)
The thing about the narrow road is that to
walk it - you have to stay close to the guide, which is the Holy Spirit and
Gods Word. When you follow the narrow road it may be difficult at times, but it
is always worth it.
15 "Watch out for
false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes
from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good
tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear
bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does
not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you
will recognize them. NIV
There are false prophets around
today. We have to be aware of their presence and never allow them to have an
influence in our lives. False prophets can take many forms. They can come in
the form of false doctrine or theology. They may come in the form of a cult.
Yet some come as an angel of light or as wolves in sheep’s clothing.
If you study sheep you’ll find that they
are willing to follow their Shepard. But a wolf in sheep’s clothing will always
want to have their way and go their own direction. Sheep have flat teeth for
grazing. In fact they will often pull out the grass. That’s why the Shepherd
leads them to green pastures and feeds them good food. But wolves have sharp
teeth for ripping and shredding flesh. They’ll rip at a flock of sheep until
the sheep are torn up. Jesus said, “By their fruit you’ll know them.” Sheep
will produce peaceful and caring fruit. But wolves will produce the fruit of,
trouble, problems, and will only care about themselves.
Every tree must produce good fruit. If not
it will be cut down. If it continues to produce bad fruit it will be cut down.
So we must never allow wolves, false
prophets to creep into the sheep fold, or deception will come in and produce
bad fruit. We must remain true to the
leading of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit and remain on the narrow road that is
the true way.
Let’s celebrate Christmas this year by
honoring Jesus. THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!
Pastor Larry
