The Bridge Church
Upside Down Kingdom - Take the Narrow Road
November 10, 2024
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
Sunday 9:15 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
1. Genuine salvation begins with conversion
The wide road leads to eternal destruction.
The narrow road leads to eternal life.
2. Genuine salvation produces a fruitful life
False teachers communicate only what people want to hear.
False teachers claim to be speaking on God's behalf.
3. Genuine salvation results in authentic relationship
Everyone will spend forever somewhere.
Do you know Christ?
Do you know Christ?
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
Dig Deeper:
1. Have you ever tried to get through a narrow space? If so, describe the experience.
2. Read Matthew 7:13. Why does Jesus use gates to illustrate what he is trying to convey?
3. Read Proverbs 14:12. How does this passage relate to Matthew 7:13? What is a way that may seem “right” to people? How does it end in “death”?
4. Have you ever heard someone say, “there are many ways to heaven”? Why is this a popular viewpoint? Why isn’t it accurate?
5. What is the action step in Matthew 7:13. Who takes that action?
6. Read Matthew 7:14. Unpack this verse. Why is the road difficult? Why does Jesus say that “few find it”?
7. How would this statement be “upside down” to the original hearers? How is it “upside down” in our culture?
8. Read John 10:9. What does it mean to “go out and find pasture”? What other passages come to mind that use sheep and a shepherd to help us understand about our relationship with Jesus?
9. Read Matthew 7:15. What do you think of when you image a “false prophet”? What might a false prophet look like in our culture today?
10. Are false prophets easy to identify? How are they dangerous and deceptive? Why do people listen to them?
11. How do we recognize a false teacher? Provide examples.
12. Read Matthew 7:16-20. If you’ve ever planted something - have you ever had a bad tree produce good fruit or a good tree produce bad fruit?
13. How does Matthew 7:16-20 also relate to what we “plant” in our own habits, our thoughts, our actions?
14. Read 2 Timothy 4:3-4. How do false teachers claim to be speaking on God’s behalf?
15. Does 2 Timothy 4:3-4 describe our time? Does it also describe times before now?
16. Read Matthew 7:21. What does it mean to do “the will of my Father”?
17. Read Matthew 7:22. What does “on that day” referring to? Discuss the words and actions described in this passage. Is this alarming to you? Why or why not?
18. Read Matthew 7:23. Why would Jesus say this; why wouldn’t He know them?
19. Read 1 Timothy 2:3-5. Does God want everyone to have a relationship with Him?
20. What is one take away from this sermon that you can intentionally live out this week? Share with others what that is and when you plan to do it!
Live It Out:
Everyone will spend forever somewhere. Do you know Christ?
It is not enough to:
· Try to be a good person.
· To be a good church attender.
· Just know about God.
You need a real relationship with Jesus, and He offers it freely. Genuine salvation…
1. Begins with a conversion. Have you responded to the gospel and devoted yourself to following Jesus? You might believe you have too much sin or a past to be a devoted follower of Jesus. We all have a sin problem – Jesus carried our sin to the cross and paid for it with His life! If you have never responded to the gospel, you can do that right now! Call upon the name of Jesus for salvation and say, “I believe!”.
2. Produces a fruitful life. Look up passages that talk about what a fruitful life looks like. Write down what they are and how they are produced. We are to be fruit inspectors – with ourselves and with those who are false teachers. If you, or anyone you are listening to, is adding to the gospel, or taking away or cutting out parts of the Bible, acknowledge it. Spend time with God, turning away from these false ideas and asking Him to do a work in your life.
3. Results in an authentic relationship. It’s not simply admiring Jesus. It’s not whether you believe that a God exists. Real faith is authentically following Jesus with everything. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? If so, what does it look like at this moment? Just like other relationships you have, what can you do to grow your relationship with Him? Spend time with Him, sharing with Him that you want to follow Him in every way, and asking how you can do just that.
1. Have you ever tried to get through a narrow space? If so, describe the experience.
2. Read Matthew 7:13. Why does Jesus use gates to illustrate what he is trying to convey?
3. Read Proverbs 14:12. How does this passage relate to Matthew 7:13? What is a way that may seem “right” to people? How does it end in “death”?
4. Have you ever heard someone say, “there are many ways to heaven”? Why is this a popular viewpoint? Why isn’t it accurate?
5. What is the action step in Matthew 7:13. Who takes that action?
6. Read Matthew 7:14. Unpack this verse. Why is the road difficult? Why does Jesus say that “few find it”?
7. How would this statement be “upside down” to the original hearers? How is it “upside down” in our culture?
8. Read John 10:9. What does it mean to “go out and find pasture”? What other passages come to mind that use sheep and a shepherd to help us understand about our relationship with Jesus?
9. Read Matthew 7:15. What do you think of when you image a “false prophet”? What might a false prophet look like in our culture today?
10. Are false prophets easy to identify? How are they dangerous and deceptive? Why do people listen to them?
11. How do we recognize a false teacher? Provide examples.
12. Read Matthew 7:16-20. If you’ve ever planted something - have you ever had a bad tree produce good fruit or a good tree produce bad fruit?
13. How does Matthew 7:16-20 also relate to what we “plant” in our own habits, our thoughts, our actions?
14. Read 2 Timothy 4:3-4. How do false teachers claim to be speaking on God’s behalf?
15. Does 2 Timothy 4:3-4 describe our time? Does it also describe times before now?
16. Read Matthew 7:21. What does it mean to do “the will of my Father”?
17. Read Matthew 7:22. What does “on that day” referring to? Discuss the words and actions described in this passage. Is this alarming to you? Why or why not?
18. Read Matthew 7:23. Why would Jesus say this; why wouldn’t He know them?
19. Read 1 Timothy 2:3-5. Does God want everyone to have a relationship with Him?
20. What is one take away from this sermon that you can intentionally live out this week? Share with others what that is and when you plan to do it!
Live It Out:
Everyone will spend forever somewhere. Do you know Christ?
It is not enough to:
· Try to be a good person.
· To be a good church attender.
· Just know about God.
You need a real relationship with Jesus, and He offers it freely. Genuine salvation…
1. Begins with a conversion. Have you responded to the gospel and devoted yourself to following Jesus? You might believe you have too much sin or a past to be a devoted follower of Jesus. We all have a sin problem – Jesus carried our sin to the cross and paid for it with His life! If you have never responded to the gospel, you can do that right now! Call upon the name of Jesus for salvation and say, “I believe!”.
2. Produces a fruitful life. Look up passages that talk about what a fruitful life looks like. Write down what they are and how they are produced. We are to be fruit inspectors – with ourselves and with those who are false teachers. If you, or anyone you are listening to, is adding to the gospel, or taking away or cutting out parts of the Bible, acknowledge it. Spend time with God, turning away from these false ideas and asking Him to do a work in your life.
3. Results in an authentic relationship. It’s not simply admiring Jesus. It’s not whether you believe that a God exists. Real faith is authentically following Jesus with everything. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? If so, what does it look like at this moment? Just like other relationships you have, what can you do to grow your relationship with Him? Spend time with Him, sharing with Him that you want to follow Him in every way, and asking how you can do just that.
Reading Plan:
Monday: Matthew 7:13, Proverbs 14:12
Tuesday: Matthew 7:14; John 10:9
Wednesday: Matthew 7:15-20
Thursday: 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Friday: Matthew 7:21-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-5
Monday: Matthew 7:13, Proverbs 14:12
Tuesday: Matthew 7:14; John 10:9
Wednesday: Matthew 7:15-20
Thursday: 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Friday: Matthew 7:21-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-5