January 21, 2016
Central Truth
Many have a profession of faith, but don't have a possession of the Spirit. Christ calls us into a relationship with Him and calls us to build our faith upon Him alone.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)
13 Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy 1 7:13 Some manuscripts For the way is wide and easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
The scariest verses in the Bible that I have ever read are Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus Christ specifically speaks to those who call Him their Lord but don't have a relationship with Him. Jesus responds to them saying, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."
Christ was speaking to me. I was the person who lived for the world during the week, partied all weekend, but was sitting in church on Sunday morning. I said I loved and knew Christ, but I lived my life like a devil.
Jesus, through this passage, taught me that no amount of good works would ever save me. I needed to build my faith upon Him as my solid rock. Believing in Christ should bring about an abiding relationship with Him.
When I looked at my life and I realized that I didn't have a relationship with Christ, everything changed for me. I began to seek Christ for who He is, not what He could do for me. I moved past a superficial routine of attending church on Sundays and into a daily worship of the Savior. Christ called me into a total submission of my life to Him. I finally have a relationship with Jesus that has led me into joy. Choose to join the journey with Christ today. The gate is narrow, but it leads to life.
1. What changes did you see in your life when you began to have a relationship with Christ?
2. In what ways are you behaving like a Christian rather than being a Christ-follower?
3. In what ways are you still tempted to try to earn your salvation?
4. Who can you lovingly share the gospel with today that may say "Lord, Lord," but is not doing the will of the Father?