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Show I NEVER KNEW YOU Matthew 7: 21-23' jolly!" We are busy hanging ligh,getting beyond black Friday, shopping for things, planning our j oumeys, putting up trees. decorating everywhere, "'Tis the season to be jolly!" Is it really? I wonder how many of us have forgotten the real reason "'Tis the season to be for the season? How many of us have taken the Christ out of Christmas and replaced it with an unknown X? Jesus said that if we to own Him in this world, are ashamed He would not own us before His father in heave. So listen at the saddening words of this text, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? have cast out devils? And in And in thy name thy name done And then will I profess many wonderful works? 1 depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7: 21-23) What is the problem? First, the problem is words without deeds. unto them, 1 never Someone has well paved with good man but one knew you: intentions. Jesus talks of a who heard the never talent aid that the road to hell is s command, promised to do it got around no to doing it. The one with nothing. acted, "Well-done, thy doubt meant well but did Jesus told those who and faithful servant. He did not say, "well intended," "well-said," "well-planned." "well good thought." We are not saved to sit and do nothing. God saved us to get busy about Kingdom business. Jesus Himself stated at 12 years old saying, "I must be about my Father's business." Not that we are saved by goods works but if we are saved we will do good works. 1 read in James 1: 22 that we are not just hearers but doers of the Word. does not make it so. to have asked in a to be Saying it President Abraham is said bitter debate, "How many 2 legs would a sheep have if you say that the tail is a leg? One of his cabinet members responded, "If you say that the tail is a leg, then the sheep would have five legs." Mr Lincoln explained, "No, to just say the tail is a leg does not make it so." To say you have been born again, man. does not change your old You have to believe and and put on the new. man pull to a new off the old Y ou have to do something. said, "I never knew you." Second, the problem is that without doing Jesus deceive ourselves. Far too many of us think ourselves to be something that we are not. we Others claim to be Claiming to be a does not make it something that we believer, so. a deacon, Jesus told a a are not. preacher story about ten virgins with their lamps waiting for the bridegroom to come. When the bridegroom delayed in coming, they all fell asleep. When the bridegroom was announced, they all woke up to trim their lamps. Five had enough oil and were ready but five were not. The five that 3 ready had deceived themselves thinking they were ready. (Matthew 25) were not into The Master called the deceived "foolish." Jesus said, "I never knew you." Third, the problem is many are running the wrong direction. We are striving to be popular. We are on the broad road with the bright lights. crowd. We are in the seeking the one who will scratch ears. We are bamboozled by We our in are itching false doctrine. Can I remind you that no matter how fast you run, you will never wind going in the wrong direction. The score was California 7 and Tech 6 in the Rose bowl game. The California linebacker grabbed the football and Georgia with all he had. The crowd got excited and from the stands cheered him on. Finally, he ran goal line and the officials gave two points---to Georgia Tech. For the line backer was running in the wrong direction. His team lost the game. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the cross the 4 father except by me." I tell you no matter how fast or hard you run, you will not win unless you running with Jesus. "I've been running with Jesus a long time, and I believe I will run on and see what the end is going to be." Finally, there will come a day of reckoning are and I don't want to hear Jesus say, "I never knew you. Jesus will not only review our " behavior bur even the idle our motives. He will consider thoughts of our minds. He knows every grunt and groan. He knows the wheat from the tares, the good fish from the bad. He will separate us from each other. The saddest things that you could hear would be 'I NEVER KNEW YOU." 5 |
