How to Build Your Life on the Rock, part 5 (a Sermon on the Mount series)

Introduction: The Apex of Jesus’ Teaching

We stand at a pivotal point in our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, the divine blueprint for building your life on the Rock (Matthew 7:24–27). So far, Jesus has laid the groundwork: revealing the path to true blessedness, defining genuine righteousness, teaching us to practice piety in secret, and calling us to serve God alone. Now, as His sermon draws to a close, Jesus synthesizes His profound wisdom into two critical, interconnected life principles:

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are¹ many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:12–14, NASB 2020)

These two powerful directives—how we treat others and where we aim for eternity—are not separate ideas. They hinge entirely on one foundational truth: the Word of God. Our pursuit of eternal life with God finds its tangible expression in how we relate to His children here on earth. Conversely, striving for godly interpersonal relationships is impossible without the guiding light of God’s eternal truth.

Simply put: If you want to live forever with God, you must learn how to get along with His many children.

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I. How Do You Treat Other People Properly? The Golden Rule and Righteous Judgment

Jesus delivers what has become famously known as “The Golden Rule,” stating, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

This isn’t merely good advice; it’s the summation of God’s entire moral law. It means:

• Respect: Placing others on the same level as yourself, refusing to look down on anyone.
• Love: Loving your neighbor as yourself, desiring their good as much as your own.

To practice this, Jesus provides specific instructions:

A. Judge wisely (Matthew 7:1-5)

“Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1)

This doesn’t prohibit all discernment or evaluation (John 7:24 speaks of “righteous judgment”). Rather, it forbids a habitual, condemnatory, and hypocritical judging attitude.

Why?

1. Reciprocal Judgment (Matthew 7:2): You will be judged by the same standard you apply to others.
2. Blind Hypocrisy (Matthew 7:3-5): A judgmental attitude toward others reveals a blindness to our own significant flaws. Jesus’ vivid imagery of a “speck” in another’s eye versus a “log” in our own underscores this point. When we honestly judge ourselves first, we gain both clarity to help others and grace for their imperfections.

This command primarily applies to how we interact with fellow believers.

B. Discern When to Share Truth (Matthew 7:6)

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6)

This command applies to interactions with non-believers, particularly “evil men” who show utter contempt for God’s truth.

• “What is holy” / “Your pearls”: Refers to the precious Word of God, sound wisdom, and spiritual counsel.
• “Dogs and pigs”: Metaphor for those who are hostile, unrepentant, and will profane sacred truth.

In such cases, continuing to offer truth is not only a waste of time and effort but can also lead to hostile attacks. There are times when discernment requires us to withhold profound spiritual truths from those who will only scorn and reject them.

C. Learn God’s Generosity (Matthew 7:7-11)

Sandwiched between the Golden Rule and the Narrow Gate, Jesus offers a powerful invitation to prayer:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

This passage reminds us of God’s boundless generosity. Just as an earthly father, despite his human flaws, knows how to give good gifts, our Heavenly Father is infinitely more willing to “give good things to those who ask Him!” (v. 11).

The Connection: Learning God’s generosity through prayer empowers us to be generous and gracious in our relationships with others. If God is so willing to give to us, how much more should we be willing to “do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6:9-10)? Our experience of God’s giving informs our own.

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II. How Do You Enter the Narrow Gate? The Path to Eternal Life

Jesus now turns to the ultimate destination, challenging His listeners with a stark choice:

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13–14)²

A. The Narrow Gate: The Word of God

The “narrow gate” is none other than the very Word of God itself—the “Law and the Prophets” that Jesus referred to earlier (v. 12).

• The Scriptures: Jesus Himself pointed to the Scriptures as testifying about Him and leading to eternal life (John 5:39).
• Jesus Christ is the Life: Ultimately, Jesus declares, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). The Word of God, fulfilled in Christ, is the sole pathway to eternal life.

This path is narrow and constricted because:

• It Limits Activities: It calls us to refrain from activities contrary to God’s righteousness, to avoid worthless conversations and evil company.
• It Demands Holy Living: Very few are genuinely interested in a life of restriction and holiness; many are discouraged by God’s commands.

B. How to Navigate the Narrow Gate

Given the difficulty of this path, Jesus offers two critical warnings:

1. Beware of False Prophets (Matthew 7:15)

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)

False prophets are teachers who claim to speak God’s Word but cannot produce the fruit of righteousness in their lives. They “say things and do not do them” (Matthew 23:3). These deceivers often present the “wide gate and broad way” through:

• Scripture twisting and misinterpretation.
• Elevating human traditions above the pure Word of God.

They lead people to destruction. The solution is to seek out and cling to preachers who truly teach and preach the Scriptures with integrity.

2. Beware of Superficial Service (Matthew 7:21-23)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” (Matthew 7:21)

False prophets are merely the first example of a broader problem: superficial service, or fake Christianity. Many will boast of their “Christian works” on Judgment Day (“Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name… cast out demons… perform many miracles?”) only to hear the terrifying declaration: “I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:22-23).

Superficial Christianity is when we pursue faith for the benefits (blessings, power, recognition) rather than for the sincere will of God. The solution is to seek the will of God more than the perceived benefits of Christian life (Ephesians 5:15-17).

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Conclusion: The Enduring Word, The Unshakable Life

The entire Law and the Prophets, the very essence of God’s Word, can be summarized in two great commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:38-40).

The Word of God provides the framework for proper relationships and the path to eternal life. When we embrace its two-fold purpose—to guide our interactions with people and to lead us through the narrow gate to God—we are truly building our lives on the Rock.