Matthew 7:13-14The Message
Being and Doing
13-14 “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
When given the chance, I will argue to no end that much of life’s success boils down to one simple maxim: do the real thing and stop doing fake alternatives.
DOING THE “REAL THINGS” NOT THE “FAKE ALTERNATIVES”
Knowing the “differences” always begins by our daring to ask ourselves:
“How would I do this, if doing it well and good were all that mattered?”
“How would I do this, if convenience made all the difference in doing it well?”
“How would I do this, if I had all the time in the world to draft the best plan?”
“How would I do this, if I had a matter of a few hours to draft the best plan?”
“How would I do this, if this situation was life or death and I need a plan now?”
Do I still do the absolute best that I can or do I start looking for “shortcuts”?
Do I throw all caution into the tornadic whirlwinds of inconceivable change?
The Easy Way or The Hard Way?
The High Road or the Low Road?
The Paved Road over the Mountains or the Rained out, Rutted out Dirt Path?
Which will get me to the place I want to be? I need to be? – with the least risk?
How desirous, am I to going all out to get there, risking life, limb and liberty?
Which will get me to the one single place which Jehovah God requires me to be?
My asking each of us these poignant questions this soon in the New Year ….
Now, in answering them, you might object: “You don’t have enough time. You have two jobs, kids and responsibilities – Doing it well sounds too daunting.”
This is okay.
The point of this thought experiment is not to deny that obstacles to living into the Christian life under the all watchful eyes and presence of God do fully exist.
Rather it is an effort to open your eyes, in this moment, to begin thinking about how connected to God or distracted from God, to stop and consider the road you are on, the road you need to be on, the road which Jehovah God requires of you.
Rather, it’s to start with the best plan and make accommodations as needed.
The “Christian life” never remains an easy one.
The “Christian life” is never going to stop happening.
Sometimes, our “Christian life” is absolutely going to spiral out of our control.
Apathy and Complacency become a threat, what results is usually much closer to not the ideal than if you simply start with something that feels easy enough.
The Good News is this:
JEHOVAH GOD IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL!
As we seek out our God, as we meditate daily (do we meditate daily?) about our immersing ourselves in our life journey with Jesus, the Way, I so fervently pray that we find that Rabbi Jesus offers to each of us lots of helpful guidelines for us.
Our Scripture for today from Matthew 7:13-14, comes at the end of his “Sermon on the Mount,” which is like a guidebook for everyday living in God’s kingdom.
Sometimes this style of living is called “the Christian counter-culture.”
That’s because the God-honoring lifestyle of following Jesus often goes against popular opinion – In other words, reality check – we take the road less traveled.
Taking the narrow road doesn’t mean we are narrow-minded or we just prefer to go against what “everyone else is doing.”
It means, simply, we do what we do because God calls us to do what is right.
Jesus indicates that many people want to follow an “anything goes” lifestyle.
But in that kind of world people tend to be selfish, uninhibited, putting their own desires ahead of everything else, and lots of other people will get hurt.
Eventually that kind of life leads to self-destruction, so, in the end, it hurts the selfish individual too.
How many lives, marriages, families, communities, and societies have been harmed, even destroyed because people have insisted on going their own way?
Rabbi Jesus calls us to choose which way we will walk
…..“the seldom taken high risk, straight and narrow gate … that leads to life.”
….”the easiest path with least amount of risk and the least level of resistance” which will inevitably lead us down the pathway to our inevitable destruction.
In John 10:7 he calls himself “the gate.”
He alone opens the way to life—now and for eternity!
“Outside” the Presence of Jehovah God ….
FIRST:
Ask yourself the easy, easier and the easiest questions.
Ask yourself the hard, harder and hardest questions.
THEN ULTIMATELY – IN THE PRESENCE OF JEHOVAH GOD ….
Ask yourself the “easy, easier and the easiest” questions.
Ask yourself the hard, harder and hardest” questions.
Now contemplate ….
Choose this day where your heart and soul genuinely rest ….
Self …. Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
I’m on the right way.
Jehovah God …. Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
I’m on the right way.
WALK ON THE PATH THAT SERVES YOU BEST!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Most Merciful God, You are invisible to us, Your salvation is opaque to us, and Your grace is an enduring mystery. Who is it who can actually plumb the depths of Your wonders? Who has seen Your face and yet lived? Lord, let me comprehend You. Help me to understand the astonishing depths of Your love and grace. Forgive us, Lord, for wanting to go our own “easy, easier, an easiest” way. Have your way with us; mold us and remake us, guiding us to do what is right in all we do. Help me to continue to grow up into this infinite affection, that I may walk upon Your pathway to life, that I may serve you and your neighbors more, and become “more” pleasing to You. Amen.
Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum
Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 