Some of the scariest verses in the Bible are found at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount… “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ - Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT) Jesus made it clear that entrance into His family, His kingdom, His heaven is not based on knowing the right lingo. Speaking Christianese and talking like a church member won’t get us “in.” He also made it clear that it’s not about doing things for Him, as though our works would somehow purchase for us what Jesus already paid for in full on the cross. And it isn’t even about having a particular emotional or miraculous experience. It’s really all about knowing Him. Jesus will say to many, “I never knew you,” meaning, I never knew you by experience in a personal way. You may know about Jesus and even do things in His name. And He certainly knows all about you, through and through. After all, He’s the divine architect of your soul. But do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? Knowing Him is what following Him is all about. It starts and stops there. These verses don’t have to be scary, but they should prompt a heart-check in us to be sure that we’re in the family of God by faith. By Pastor Brandon Cox
Posted on: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 12:06:00 +0000
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