Written by: Christine Gore – Church Army

Matthew 7 v 6
“Don’t give holy things to dogs, and don’t throw your pearls before pigs. Pigs will only trample on them, and dogs will turn to attack you.”

Notes
Not so long ago there was a craze for radio stations to have a “Shock Jock” - a DJ who deliberately set out to offend the listeners. Jesus wasn’t averse to using shock tactics Himself, as we can see from today’s reading! What is this apparently offensive verse about, and how does it follow on from what He had just been teaching about being non-judgemental? 

We need to understand the Jewish background before we can begin to get to grips with what Jesus was saying. To call anyone a pig or a dog was highly derogatory for they were ritually “unclean” animals. Dogs scavenged around the city rubbish dumps, and pigs spent their days covered in mud or worse! “Holy things” were those things set apart for a sacred purpose, and pearls were valuable precious stones (see Matthew 13 v 45-46). It’s unthinkable that a priest would feed any dog something offered as a sacrifice, or a merchant throw precious pearls into a pigpen – what would be the point? The pigs wouldn’t eat them; they would only trample them underfoot. 

So what was Jesus really talking about here? He was, in fact, speaking of the gospel. This precious and holy thing is not to be repeatedly offered to those who deliberately and obstinately deny it. It’s a pointless exercise and so we are to cut our losses. We do not do this lightly, but only when it is perfectly clear that they want nothing more to do with the gospel and reject it with vicious contempt. 

As Christians we are not to be judgemental, but we are to be discriminating. We are called to share the gospel with others, but we cannot force people to accept it. It’s their decision if they reject it and we must sadly accept that.

Prayer
Lord God, please give us:
Courage to share Your precious gospel with others,
Perseverance to keep going when they don’t want to know,
Faithfulness in prayer for their salvation,
And great wisdom to discern if it’s time to let go. Amen

Matthew 7 v 7-11
“Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
“If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him!”

Notes
Have you seen the film “Bruce Almighty”? Jim Carrey is allowed to play God for two weeks and, needless to say, he spends his first week answering all his own prayers. But then he realises that he has to deal with everybody else’s too! He is inundated by millions of prayers and his solution is to say “Yes” to them all – granting everybody everything they prayed for. Surprisingly, the result is not happy people but mayhem!

If we interpret these verses in Matthew to mean that whatever we pray for God will give us – then we are in for a disappointment. Thankfully God is wiser than Jim Carrey! So what do they teach us? First, they encourage us to persevere in prayer – text God, phone Him up, turn up in person at His door – don’t give up! Keep praying, for He will hear you. 

Secondly, if human parents know what their children need and freely give it to them – how much more will our loving and faithful heavenly Father give “good things” to those who ask Him. Ah, but there’s the rub - good things – not everything. Prayer is not akin to waving a magic wand and having all of our wishes granted. Prayer is about us coming in humble dependence on God, seeking His will, as we ask Him for the things we need - both materially and spiritually. It’s also about having faith in Him to answer “yes” or “no” to our prayers – or even: “You’re going to have to trust me on this one.”

What things have you prayed about seemingly to no avail? Bring them to God again, confident that He hears. Are there any things that you haven’t dared to pray about? God knows your needs and will give good things to those who ask.

Prayer
Father God, I don’t know how prayer works – I just know it does!
Thank you that I can bring anything in prayer to You – my praises and my petitions.
Thank you that You hear my prayers and answer them.
Help me to humbly seek Your will in all things. Amen

Matthew 7 v 12
“Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.”

Notes
I’ve noticed quite a few Christians wearing WWJD bracelets. WWJD stands for “What Would Jesus Do?” and it’s there as a reminder to bring Jesus into all of our decision making. It’s a deceptively simple question to ask, but frequently not an easy one to answer! However, today’s reading gives us a great starting point, i.e. by asking, “How would I want to be treated in this situation?” 

Jesus says that this “golden rule” summarises all of the Old Testament teaching, which elsewhere we are told can also be summarised by the second greatest commandment, namely “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” (Galatians 5 v 14). It’s not always apparent what the neighbour-loving thing is, but treating someone as you would like to be treated yourself is an important place to start. I say start because we are all different and we mustn’t presume that we know what is best for other people. To do that with any certainty we have to know them well – so we have to listen to others, and understand them, before we try and stand in their shoes. God also needs to be brought into the equation – for we need His wisdom and insight in the way that we are to treat others. Consequently we need to be prayerfully listening to Him as well as to others.

So often self-advantage governs how we treat one another – imagine what a difference this golden rule would make if everyone in your place of study, work or even your church practised it! This may sound like an impossibility – but it can begin with one person and that could be you! Today prayerfully look out for opportunities to put this golden rule into practice – wherever you find yourself. Then reflect on the difference it made to all involved. 

Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to see people through your eyes and to treat them as I would like to be treated. Today may I make a difference to those around me - remembering that each person is known and loved by You – whatever I might think of them. Amen

Matthew 7 v 13-14
“Enter through the narrow gate. The gate is wide and the road is wide that leads to hell, and many people enter through that gate. But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to true life. Only a few people find that road.”

Notes
The rest of Matthew 7 acts as a conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount, and its theme is what it means to be a genuine follower of Jesus. It is made up of a series of contrasting pictures, and today the contrast is between the narrow and the wide road and which is the true way to God. 

Many of you will have seen the films or read the book of “The Lord of the Rings”. The second film finished with the two Hobbit heroes, Frodo and Sam, setting off on the last part of their journey to Mordor. It had been a journey fraught with danger along a hard and tortuous path. Sometimes you wonder why they didn’t choose to take the more obvious route, but if they had they would never had completed their quest and saved their world from the evil that threatened to destroy it. The hard way was the only way.

Jesus challenged those who wanted to follow Him by telling them that there are no shortcuts to God. Many might tell you that there are easier ways, but they are wrong. The way to life – to God – is demanding, for it requires a steadfast commitment to the radical discipleship spelt out in the Sermon on the Mount. Being a follower of Jesus was never going to be comfortable, not when we are called to follow in the footsteps of a suffering servant. So why bother? Because you’re worth it! And because knowing God is the most wonderful thing ever! Do we really value the things that come easy? 

In John’s Gospel, Jesus said: “I am the door, and the person who enters through me will be saved … I came to give life – life in all its fullness” (John 10 v 9-10). 

Prayer exercise
Write down what you find particularly difficult or challenging about following Jesus. Now ask God to give you the grace and strength to keep you walking His way. Go back to your list at the end of the week – and note anything that you feel God has spoken to you about over the week.

Matthew 7 v 15-20
“Be careful of false prophets. They come to you looking gentle like sheep, but they are really dangerous like wolves. You will know these people by what they do. Grapes don’t come from thorn-bushes, and figs don’t come from thorny weeds. In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. In the same way, you will know these false prophets by what they do.”

Notes
I’m not a great reader of biographies but I do like to watch TV documentaries - that was until recently. For now it has become popular to dish the dirt (real or imagined) on the great figures of history – “You thought that Gandhi was a saint, but our research has shown that really he was a hamster-eating, wife-beating, cross-dressing Nazi”! I have no doubt that our heroes were greatly flawed – they were human after all - but does that mean we should devalue the admirable things they did? 

Nevertheless, Jesus warned His followers to look out for people who were not what they appeared. False prophets have dogged the people of God through out their history – and still do. These are religious people who claim to speak for God – but although they profess to have and proclaim the truth, their lives show that they do not in fact follow the truth. “Watch out,” says Jesus, “for these people are dangerous and destructive.” 

So how do we spot false prophets? Some pointers: Does their character and conduct show the fruit of the Holy Spirit or a sinful spirit (Galatians 5 v 16-23)? What about what they say? Does their message match up with Scripture? Who does their message draw attention to - themselves or God? What is the effect of their teaching on others? Does it promote ungodliness and disunity in the church, or does it produce faith, love and godliness? 

In one sense, Christian believers are all “prophets” – God’s spokespeople – for once it’s known that we are believers, others will listen to our words and read our lives to learn of God. Are we false prophets? What do our character; conduct, message, motives and influence reveal about who we truly are and who really owns our heart and minds? 

Prayer
Holy God, You know we are flawed human beings and that we let you down each day. We’re so sorry that we do, please forgive us. Thank you that Your love for us never wavers and help us to be people who reflect that love, by the power of your Spirit. Amen

Matthew 7 v 21-23
“Not all those who say that I am their Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. The only people who will enter the kingdom of heaven are those who do what my Father in heaven wants. On the last day many people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, we spoke for you, and through you we forced out demons and did many miracles.’ Then I will tell them clearly, ‘Get away from me, you who do evil. I never knew you.’”

Notes
Today’s reading carries on the theme of spotting genuine and false disciples. I find the translation in “The Message” really helpful: 

“Knowing the correct password – saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance – isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience – doing what my Father wills. I can see it now – at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’” 

Jesus the “Shock Jock” was back in action!

Today we seem to be witnessing a revival in the cult of the celebrity (cleverly portrayed in the film “Chicago”). We are so impressed by people who are in the media spotlight. But Jesus will not judge people by what they do or say but by their obedience to the will of God. For even those who apparently work miracles can be evil frauds! 

As I write this, Cameron Stout has won “Big Brother 4” on Britain’s Channel 4 - another person to add to the celebrity pantheon! The striking thing about Cameron is that he is a Christian who became a celebrity. How many of us would be willing to live in the spotlight like he did for nine weeks? And how many of us would come out with our integrity as a believer still intact after those weeks of intense media and peer pressure? The challenge to us all is, in the reality show that is our own life, are we proved to be frauds or genuine when it comes to doing the will of God? 

Prayer exercise 
At the end of today prayerfully look back over all that has happened. Be honest with yourself – where have you done God’s will and where has it been solely what you wanted? Where are you not sure? Write a note to God telling Him what you’ve discovered about yourself and Him through today’s study and exercise.

Matthew 7 v 24-29
“Everyone who hears my words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. It rained hard, the floods came and the winds blew and hit that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock. Everyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. It rained hard, the floods came and the winds blew and hit that house, and it fell with a big crash.”
When Jesus finished saying these things, the people were amazed at his teaching, because he did not teach like their teachers of the law. He taught like a person who had authority.

Notes
I spent my summer holiday this year up in Northumberland. It has the most amazing castles and beaches, and one in particular sticks out in my mind. Bamburgh Castle had humble beginnings, but it is now huge. Built on a hill, it has dominated the surrounding countryside, including the beach beside it, for 1,400 years! It amused me no end to see numerous children making their replica castles on the beach – some were quite impressive, but none lasted longer than the arrival of the next tide.

As a finale to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told a story about a wise man and a fool. Both built a house – both looked impressive, until the tide turns. Oops! The fool forgot the foundations and his house had nothing to hold onto when the storm hit. “You are like that fool,” says Jesus, “if you hear my words and even approve of them, but don’t put them into practice or obey them.”

“The Message” puts it this way:

“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on.”

So, the choice is yours – having looked at all that Jesus has taught, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you are prepared to build your life upon them. If not, then what in your life are you going to hold onto when life’s storms hit? Are you sure that it will hold? 

The crowds who heard Jesus were gobsmacked. They had never heard anyone teach with such authority. Why did Jesus have such authority? Because He was already living all that He taught. Here was the genuine article, a man who did God’s will in all things.

A prayerful response
Faithful One, so unchanging.
Ageless One, You’re my rock of peace.
Lord of all I depend on You.
I call out to You again and again.
I call out to You again and again.
You are my rock in times of trouble.
You lift me up when I fall down.
All through the storm Your love is the anchor.
My hope is in you alone.

Danny Daniels © Mercy Publishing/Kingsway’s Thankyou Music 1989


word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes