Thursday

Thursday


Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he 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 perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
- Matthew 7:21-23

This passage may be among the most troubling words of Jesus in all the New Testament. At first glance we might be tempted to think that Jesus is simply talking about those who say one thing and do another, i.e. the hypocrites. There are plenty of places in the Gospels where Jesus a great deal to say to the hypocrites. But here Jesus is referring to those who not only say “Lord, Lord”, but who are also serving and ministering in his name.

These individuals are speaking to Jesus with proper respect and they recognize his authority as Lord and Master. They appear to believe the right things about who Jesus is, at least as far as we can tell from their words. To make things even more difficult for us, Jesus tells us that these people are doing good things in his name, and yet, on the last day, Jesus will say to them, “I never knew you. Away from me.”

How is it possible for a person to profess the right things about Jesus and to be serving in his name, and yet have Jesus say, “I never knew you”?

Notice that Jesus does not say, “I used to know you”, he says “I never knew you”. In other words, despite all of their good talk and good deeds, they have no genuine relationship with Christ. There has never been any authentic spiritual connection, it has all been a matter of externals; saying the right things and doing the right things. The key distinction Jesus is making here is not between the obedient and the disobedient, or between good people and the bad people. He is not even contrasting the righteous with the wicked. Jesus is drawing the distinction here (and throughout the entire Sermon on the Mount) between those who have a relationship with him and those who are merely religious.

The problem for the religious people is not in what they say about Jesus or in what they do for Jesus. Their problem is what they think their words and their deeds will get them. They come to Jesus on the last day saying “Lord, Lord, didn’t we do this and didn’t we do that” As if all of their saying and doing will earn them favor with the King. The one who truly has a relationship with the King, the true “kingdom Christian” understands that no amount of words or deeds could possibly gain them favor with the King because he has already given them all they seek! It is with this assurance and freedom that they move out into the world to help establish His Kingdom & His righteousness!

Read this final stanza from Christian Rossetti’s poem “In the Bleak Mid-Winter”

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

The simple truth is that we are poor and we have nothing to offer our King. We have nothing to prove our value or worth. We have nothing with which to buy his love or favor.
 You are poor. You have nothing. You deserve nothing.
 But your King Jesus loves you and has redeemed you with his love! What can you do but give your whole heart to Him!

Jeff Frazier