The Final Lessons of the Sermon
- Here's a big hitter to start off Chapter 7: don't judge others. Unless of course you want to be judged yourself. Jesus describes it symbolically: don't try to remove a speck from someone else's eye when you've got an entire log in yours.
- It's kind of a hilarious image if you think about it.
- Another big no-no is giving what is holy to the dogs. Not actual dogs—he means those who are not worthy of what's holy. Jesus compares it to throwing pearls at swine. Again, not actual pearls or actual swine. Jesus just likes metaphors.
- But he reminds us that if we ever need anything, all we have to do is ask, seek, or knock. "Father in heaven give[s] good things to those who ask him!" (7:11).
- And of course, we can't forget the beloved golden rule: "Do to others as you would have them do to you" (7:12).
- Next up, Jesus talks about the wide and easy road to destruction. To avoid it, we must take the narrow and hard road. You know, the one less traveled by.
- Jesus warns about false prophets who are like wolves in sheep's clothing. How can we tell who they are? By their fruit, of course: "In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit" (7:17).
- And let's not fool ourselves about who gets into heaven. Jesus makes it very clear that those who don't do the will of God pretty much don't stand a chance.
- How does Jesus explain this? Through the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders.
- Jesus finally concludes his sermon, and everyone thinks he's all sorts of amazing.