Beyond the Weekend

August 2 | Two Ways

August 2, 2021

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:14

Read: Matthew 7:13-29
Listen: 
Matthew 7

TODAY’S MESSAGE

People are stunned sitting on a mountainside listening to Jesus preach. He takes what is familiar and turns it upside down by challenging them to rethink what they already know. Jesus exposes the deep recesses in their hearts where anger, desire and retaliation give new meaning to murder, adultery and revenge. He turns getting blessed for good works backward into being blessed for a heart that’s aware of its sin and surrenders to God. His way of living a blessed life is the opposite of what our world and culture say.

Jesus does a lot of talking in the Sermon on the Mount and covers just about all of life. As he closes his sermon, he calls for action and for those listening to take his words seriously. He uses three two-word pictures: two roads, two trees, and two foundations to emphasize his point.

This week we look at the two roads—one wide and easy to navigate, the other narrow and less traveled. We will see Jesus is calling us not only to be good listeners but committed doers. We can respond in two ways: by (1) picking out the parts we like and leaving the rest or (2) taking everything he says seriously. Jesus wants our total response.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Ask God to reveal where you’ve been picking and choosing only the parts of Jesus’s teaching you want to follow. Choose one of his teachings you’ve ignored or delayed doing, then ask him to help you do it.


NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN

Join us this year as we read through the New Testament.

Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 2.


Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.

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