Against the Grain

Friday, February 9th
Against The Grain
By: Pastor Todd

Matthew 7:13-29

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.

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 recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, 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 recognize them.
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!’

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.

The loud knock at our door startled Diane and me awake at 1am. (This was pre-cell phone days.) “You need to come with us immediately to the guys’ dorm.” When we arrived we found Diane’s younger brother with a huge knot on his head and in considerable confusion.  He had been participating in the “fainting challenge” with his hall buddies and the guy tasked with catching him when he fell- missed the catch.  Rob’s head had struck the floor hard.

When we asked him what in the world he was thinking by participating in such a potentially dangerous activity, we got the classic answer. “Everyone else was doing it.”

I wonder how many things we do, say, wear, eat, or believe simply because we are going along with the crowd? In today’s text, Jesus warns us that just because everyone else is doing it does not make it right.  In fact, if everyone is doing it, that should give us reason enough for skepticism.  Today as you walk out your faith, don’t be surprised if it requires you to go against the grain, not with the crowd.