I am almost to the end of my walk through the Sermon on the Mount, always with the question “Am I” in view. I have found some of the walk more difficult than others, requiring that I stop along the way and consider my heart and mind closely.
Today I am walking in verses 13 through 23. This passage talks about narrow and broad gates and roads, recognizing good and false prophets and trees by their fruits. It ends with what qualifies those who will enter the kingdom of heaven, “the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.” [Vs 21 HCSB]
If I was going to paraphrase this section, I probably would say, “the easy way won’t get you there.”
It is much easier to walk with “the many” who take the wide gate and broad road rather than the narrow gate and difficult road. It is always easier to go with the flow than against it. However, “the many” are heading towards destruction rather than life.
It is also much easier to pretend we are sheep by outward appearance than it is to produce good fruit from a heart that is right with God.
And last, Jesus reminds us that it is not those self-started flashy acts that will earn us a way into the kingdom of heaven. It is “only” those who do the will of the Father that will enter the Kingdom. And that requires surrendering our lives to the One who came to save us.
No, the easy way won’t get you there. I guess my question to consider today is “Am I pursuing the will of the Father for each day?”