I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well, yes I'm still running
You broke the bonds
And you loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Of my shame
You know I believed it
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
U2 released that song in 1987. The Edge came up with the title after thinking about an old Bob Dylon song “Wild Idiot”. "You'll find out when you reach the top you're on the bottom". Bono wrote the rest of it. I Still haven’t found what I am looking for is a song all about spiritual struggle, a longing for something out of reach; just as Jesus asked the crowds on a mountainside what were they looking for ? What felt so far out of reach? What was going to claim their heart’s allegiance? As there are 2 ways to go Jesus says, one road many travel along or another way a road less travelled. To Jesus the choice couldn’t be any clearer, there are 2 ways to live. To set the scene of this passage then Jesus has been speaking to this crowd on the hillside challenging their most basic assumptions about life and faith and the things that matter most. Jesus asks them what is it they long for? What is it we hunger and thirst for? Or fill their lives with? There are: two ways, two fruits, two claims, two builders. Jesus puts it plainly make your choice, as we read in verses 13-14
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.
Only 2 ways to live Jesus tells the crowd is what it all comes down to, and only one path leads to life, the other path to hell. Jesus back at the beginning of this sermon on the hillside in Matthew 5 told them what was needed, entry through the narrow gate demands an acknowledgement of our poverty of spirit “blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven” We see that entry requires a declaration of our spiritual bankruptcy, our need for Jesus; just like we can’t be partial disciples
Jesus makes an exclusive claim for allegiance, as discipleship to Jesus is absolute or it’s not at all. So you either enter or you don’t. You are on the road to life or you’re walking the road that leads to destruction, clearly it’s decision time. The first gate is wide the road is broad as it accommodates many people and although its well traveled ends in destruction. The other path is narrow – the way in small with relatively few travelers on it just as Jesus has been plain about it many times already , being his disciples isn’t easy, just as poverty of spirit isn’t easy, nor is
prayer easy, nor is righteousness easy . We are exhorted to change our attitudes and priorities to being God centered ,. Again none of it is easy. Without the grace of God and his spirit at work in us, all these things would be out of our reach for us. Of these 2 paths we see that we don’t find the narrow path by appealing to majority opinion, as the majority Jesus tells us are on the path to destruction. The majority say live for now, so enjoy anything you want, Jesus says that’s foolish. These 2 paths have different destinations. The question is are we sure of the one we’re on right now? There are only 2 ways; just like an apple tastes like and apple, or an orange tastes like an orange. It is obvious that what a fruits tastes like shows us what it is. As we read in verse 15-20
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 thornbushes, 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.
Two trees that bear two fruits as Jesus warns us to look hard at what anyone tells us to test out, as there are those who will say things to us that aren’t just right. So test what I say, look at it hard, I encourage you to read your Bible and if what I say doesn’t come from it, tell me. As we see that throughout the ages there have been many false prophets claiming to love Jesus yet their lives and teaching don’t show it. Jesus gives 2 tests to see if someone’s a false prophet, the first test is to do with their teaching whether they teach Jesus as the only way to God, or whether they speak about the whole of the Christian life, or whether they avoid difficult claims and challenges to believers. The second test is by observation how is what they say they believe matched by what they do. In an age where we say everyone has the right to their own opinion, there’s no sense of right or wrong any more, think again the Bible tells us: 2 Ways – 2 Fruits now Jesus says 2 claims. As we read in verses 21-23
21 "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Two groups of people stand before God’s throne, at the day of judgment only one group gains admission to heaven. The other group even though they appeal to what they’d done are still strangers to Jesus, maybe you find a passage like this raises more fears and questions than it does answers. Just like a story about 2 builders. As we read in verses 24-27
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. 25 The 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. 26 But 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. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
This is a familiar story as the only difference between the wise and foolish builder is the degree of obedience chosen: as both build their house, nothing’s wrong with the materials used or the structure. it is the location that distinguishes them. Jesus likens those who hear his words and put them into practice as wise builders. This story gets our attention we can all picture that violent storm we’ve all seen houses torn away by raging waters on the tele. Jesus is more concerned in this story about what foundations both men set their house on. The man who builds his house on the sand his foundations end up shifting. Jesus likens him to someone who hears his words and doesn’t put them into practice. The difference then Jesus tells us is the difference between obedience or disobedience between hearing and doing, which is true for all of us, we’ve all heard Jesus say that right through his sermon. That in his kingdom it’s not those who just listen to him who gain entry it is those who listen and obey. Jesus doesn’t spare his listeners for them it’s decision time the consequences for rejecting him he’s already made plain; just like we’re not spared either, because the crowds that left that mountainside were amazed
28 When 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.
Jesus doesn’t end this sermon with lofty thoughts about human potential or the goodness of the human spirit or even the ingenuity of human progress. Jesus offers two ways: one ends in life – good fruit – entrance into the kingdom of heaven – stability. The other ends in – destruction – bad fruit and fire – exclusion from the kingdom along with evil doers – death and separation from God. We ignore the weight of these blessings and curses at our own eternal peril. The question is are we those who not only hear but apply God’s word to our lives? Will we be like the wise man who built his house on the rock even though the rains came down and the floods rose up his house did not fall
David Hassan @ Tamworth Community Presbyterian Church 7/1/18