Daily Devotional For Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Can you believe we are one day from Thanksgiving and less than a month from Christmas? Wow! We are making our way through the most famous and best sermon ever preached – Jesus’ Sermon On The Mount. You can read this in its entirety in Matthew chapters 5, 6, & 7. We have already covered chapters 5 & 6 and now we are in chapter 7. Where specifically? We are currently reading and applying Jesus’ truth found in Matthew 7:21-29:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. (22) Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ (23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (24) Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. (25) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. (26) Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (27) The rain fell, and the [s]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” (28) When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; (29) for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (NASB).
In Jesus’ day, Jews would use the title “lord” as a title of respect and honor to anyone in politics, the military, including a religious leader such as a Rabbi. Yet, in Matthew 7:21, Jesus uses the term twice. This implies a title of more than just a recognition of human respect or honor. To use this term implies they acknowledge Him as Lord in terms of deity. Jews did not use the term Yahweh or Jehovah because they felt these names or titles were holy and sacred to even speak. Therefore, they used the title “Lord” to address the one true God.
In verse 22, the term, “Your name” is mentioned three times. In the Greek text, they are emphatic and mean an acknowledgement of who Jesus really is. Therefore, Jesus is talking about those who make a profession of faith in Him. These people claim to be followers of Jesus Christ and they state they believe Jesus was God in human flesh. The fact they mention such outstanding works for Christ shows they were energetic and had much fervor in doing religious works. Jesus says, “On that day . . .” What day? Or Which day?
This is a reference to the Second Coming. What is interesting is that in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25:1-13, this parable makes reference to these virgins are shut out of the kingdom as they cried, “Lord, Lord . . .” (Matt. 25:11) to which Jesus says to these 10 virgins, “I do not know you . . .” (Matt. 25:13). What is Matthew having Jesus reference here? The judgment that comes with the return of Jesus Christ.
Pastor and author John MacArthur add some clarity and insight to these words of Jesus:
“That some of the ones Jesus is talking about here are true believers is shown by His saying, `Not everyone’ and `many.’ The same many who entered the wide gate (v. 13) are now at the end of the broad way facing the Judge. For some people, however, the claim, `Lord, Lord’ will be legitimate, because Jesus will have indeed been their ` Lord’ on earth and they will have served Him genuinely.
If Jesus is speaking about the great white throne judgment, many professing believers who are not genuine will already have spent centuries in hell awaiting their final judgment (see Luke 16:23–26; Acts 1:25). Because they were so zealous and active and diligent in religious work—in the Lord’s own name—they are incredulous that they are even standing before Christ to be judged. Even at that time they will address Christ as Lord and speak to Him in desperation with the greatest respect and sincerity.
Their words and their works will seem impressive to them, but their lives will not support the claim of their lips. In Luke 6:46 Jesus said, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” It is not the one who simply claims the Lord, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven who is saved. The issue is obedience to the Word of God. “If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine,” Jesus said in John 8:31. See also John 6:66–69; Matt. 24:13; Col. 1:22–23; 1 Tim. 4:16; Heb. 3:14; 10:38–39; 1 John 2:19.
Salvation and obedience to the will of God are inseparable, as the writer of Hebrews makes clear in Hebrews 5:9, “And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (NASB). See also Rom. 1:5; 6:16; 15:18; 16:19, 26; 1 Pet. 1:2, 22. But such people will hear, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” Why? All their words of respect and honor and all their works of dedication and devotion will be declared empty and worthless. They may have had God’s name in their mouths, but rebellion was in their hearts. When Jesus says, “I never knew you” does not mean He does not know their identity. He does. In the Bible “to know” implies an intimate relationship.
They spent all their lives learning all they could about Jesus, but not cultivating a relationship to Jesus. There is an eternal difference of significance here. “Depart from Me” is the final word that sends them to hell which was prepared by the devil, his demons and such people. This is the point of Revelation 20:15, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (NASB).
Jesus refers to these people as those who “practice lawlessness.” In the New Testament Greek, this is what we call a present participle – which refers to continuous and regular action. These people may claim salvation but they do not possess salvation. There is no genuine repentance and remorse for their sins. In fact, they arrogantly continue in their sins as if God has no problem with their sin. They have nor remorse, thus no repentance, thus no confession, thus no transformation, thus no fruit of righteousness. They may claim Lord with their lips, but He is not Lord in their hearts. Jesus says to them, “We have never had an intimate relationship. Never. Yes, you were in church, but you were not in Me. You trusted your good works, but you did not trust Me as the Lord and Savior of your life.”
A good tree not only can but will bear good fruit, and a life that professes to be Christian, but in no way reflects Christ’s righteousness, has no part in Him. That kind of profession comes from the kind of faith that has no works and is dead (James 2:17). It is the demon faith James refers to (James 2:19), which is orthodox and accurate, but unholy. In the ultimate and most tragic sense such a false profession is to take the Lord’s name in vain.
New Testament scholar G. Campbell Morgan writes this: “The blasphemy of the sanctuary “is far more awful than the blasphemy of the slum” (SourceL G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to Matthew, p. 79).
Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll writes this:
“Such people may be able to recite creeds and pray prayers that call Jesus “Lord, Lord” (7:21), but just because they claim the name of the King doesn’t mean they’re members of the kingdom. Now, we must never forget that we’re saved by grace alone through faith alone. But the faith that saves doesn’t remain alone. By that same grace that saves us, God produces in us fruit of the new birth. Not only do we genuinely know the Lord as an intimate friend, but we also practice righteousness rather than lawlessness. But here’s where we need to be careful. False prophets and professors of fake faith can stage a convincing performance.
They say the right things and may even perform jaw-dropping feats. They can recite orthodox doctrines, exhibit passion and fervency in their deeds, and claim spectacular experiences that clearly seem to be supernatural, such as prophesying, casting out demons, and performing many miracles (Matt. 7:22). Notice that Jesus never says they were actually able to do these things in an authentic way. The false followers only claim to have done these things. However, all these things can be faked; they can also be claimed falsely. In my many years of ministry, I’ve seen both fraudulent and exaggerated claims of supernatural works done by deluded preachers” (Source: Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, Matthew 1-15, Vol. 1A, pp. 136-137).
Jesus is able to see through their fakeness, falseness and fraudulent claims of discipleship. Jesus words to such fakes will be, “I never knew you. You are not Mine. Away into the eternal flames of hell for all eternity.” Though these false people may fool some people, they will never pull the wool over eyes of our Lord.
Questions To Consider
- Why do you think so many people do not see these frauds for what they are?
- These people obviously thought they were on their way to heaven, but they were not. Why do you think so many people think this and on what basis do you think they make this?
- Would Jesus say the fruit in your life matches the claims in your heart? Why or why not? How do you know this for sure without any doubts?
Scripture To Meditate On: Isaiah 2:17, “The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I pray that I never hear these words from You, “Depart from Me. I never knew you.” Lord, I want to know You and the power of Your resurrection in me. I do not want my relationship to You be only in words or stupendous deeds, but in my heart and life. I pledge a life of righteousness, holiness, godliness and doing Your will not mine. I love you, Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly