Matthew 7
This devotional is written by Guy Gumuchian.
Matthew 7
Judging others
7 ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 ‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 ‘Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Ask, seek, knock
7 ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 ‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The narrow and wide gates
13 ‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and false prophets
15 ‘Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them.
True and false disciples
21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” 23 Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
The wise and foolish builders
24 ‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.’
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
7 ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 ‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 ‘Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Ask, seek, knock
7 ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 ‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The narrow and wide gates
13 ‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and false prophets
15 ‘Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them.
True and false disciples
21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” 23 Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
The wise and foolish builders
24 ‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.’
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Reflection
Matthew’s gospel is his personal testimony of how his and our lives can be transformed by the Words of Jesus. Our Messiah who is the only ‘gate’ to the promised kingdom of God .
Whenever I read this passage of Matthew 7, I am reminded of how I was many years ago, lonely, lost, broken, confused, clueless and unable to find the way of my salvation.
The lamp of Jesus started lighting my heart just after my 55th birthday. This happened when I was invited to join a ‘Life Course’ at Saint Mary’s, where I experienced for the first time the presence of the Holy Spirit without knowing it but I saw Him working around me and ready to reach out for my heart.
What follows is my newly found “happy life built daily with every word” of Christ’s.
Meeting daily with the Holy Spirit helps me meditating on Scriptures and receiving his revelations to build a new life full of hope, faith, relationships and love.
Here in chapter 7, our Rabbi teaches us five ways of offering and committing our lives to God:
1- Seeking and opening His door.
2- Producing good fruits.
3- Believing and accepting willingly his authority.
4- Building our new life on his rock solid love.
5- Committing faithfully to Him until his return.
How can we sincerely do it in a world lacking so much in love, purpose and wisdom?
Are we really alone without any help at all? (Do you remember how I used to be?)
No! Jesus is the name, the Spirit to change and transform you and me into His ”being” . His every word applies to our lives. This is the purpose of Matthew’s gospel. This is my purpose in finding my identity in my Saviour. And this is the best and safest way to live now!
My journey ahead is still long and perilous, but this time I am NOT ALONE. I have learnt to turn to Jesus for everything , asking, seeking, opening the door. He is the everlasting lamp for my feet and the light of my path.
Will you please join me in prayer and be consciously opening yourselves to the Holy Spirit. Asking and receiving Him. Bringing Him glory by truthfully committing and matching your new act of faith with your newly found life. Amen.
Whenever I read this passage of Matthew 7, I am reminded of how I was many years ago, lonely, lost, broken, confused, clueless and unable to find the way of my salvation.
The lamp of Jesus started lighting my heart just after my 55th birthday. This happened when I was invited to join a ‘Life Course’ at Saint Mary’s, where I experienced for the first time the presence of the Holy Spirit without knowing it but I saw Him working around me and ready to reach out for my heart.
What follows is my newly found “happy life built daily with every word” of Christ’s.
Meeting daily with the Holy Spirit helps me meditating on Scriptures and receiving his revelations to build a new life full of hope, faith, relationships and love.
Here in chapter 7, our Rabbi teaches us five ways of offering and committing our lives to God:
1- Seeking and opening His door.
2- Producing good fruits.
3- Believing and accepting willingly his authority.
4- Building our new life on his rock solid love.
5- Committing faithfully to Him until his return.
How can we sincerely do it in a world lacking so much in love, purpose and wisdom?
Are we really alone without any help at all? (Do you remember how I used to be?)
No! Jesus is the name, the Spirit to change and transform you and me into His ”being” . His every word applies to our lives. This is the purpose of Matthew’s gospel. This is my purpose in finding my identity in my Saviour. And this is the best and safest way to live now!
My journey ahead is still long and perilous, but this time I am NOT ALONE. I have learnt to turn to Jesus for everything , asking, seeking, opening the door. He is the everlasting lamp for my feet and the light of my path.
Will you please join me in prayer and be consciously opening yourselves to the Holy Spirit. Asking and receiving Him. Bringing Him glory by truthfully committing and matching your new act of faith with your newly found life. Amen.
Posted in New Testament in a year 2024
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