In these three passages, Jesus gives us a few questions to test our hearts: Did my decision to follow Jesus cost anything? Did my decision to follow Jesus change my life? And finally, Is my decision to follow Jesus standing up in the trials of life?

This message was preached in 1977 when Dr. Wiersbe was the Senior Pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago, IL. 

For more information about the preaching and writing ministry of Warren Wiersbe, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wiersbe.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The Warren Wiersbe Sermon Podcast is owned and managed by Scriptex, Inc, which Dr. Warren Wiersbe founded to manage all of his content. All rights reserved.

Verses Cited

Matthew 7:13

Matthew 7:14

Matthew 7:15

Matthew 7:16

Matthew 7:17

Matthew 7:18

Matthew 7:19

Matthew 7:20

Matthew 7:21

Matthew 7:22

Matthew 7:23

Matthew 7:24

Matthew 7:25

Matthew 7:26

Matthew 7:27

Matthew 7:28

Matthew 7:29

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. “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. 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?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ “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. 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. 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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”