Mind Meld of A Different Kind

MATTHEW 7:21-23

“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.’

Solid miss

I was teaching a class to future pastors and had given a final assignment of preaching a sermon on a text from one of four different New Testament books. One student shared the NT text they were using as their Scripture and then proceeded to preach a message based completely out of the book of Genesis. The sermon content itself was good, the delivery was fine, and the message was true, it just did not line up with the text or the assignment. The student gave a good sermon, but received a bad grade because they did not follow the directions and preach from the assigned text.

It seems as if Jesus is telling us to be sure we know what the assignment is before we go off and begin serving. Service that is good, solid and even beneficial to others may not be God’s will for my life. God may call me to something different. Before I can serve I need to know what God’s will is. Skipping this vital step makes me an independent contractor, instead of a servant of Christ.

Lord, show me your will for my life today that I may live in obedience to what you want me to do. I do not want to do anything that is not centered in your will. - Dan Jones

Living toward the high standard

Jesus is serious about me making what he teaches the defining factor in my life; very serious. He’s gracious and patient, kind and open to receive anyone who comes to him. And he’s very clear about his purpose for all this – bringing every person into the experience of the Father’s will.

The location of this warning makes it clear that Jesus intends his teaching, especially in this sermon, to be the expression of God’s laws that we follow. Trouble is, his teaching sets an extremely high standard for obedience. So high, in fact, that I am always falling short of it.

If Jesus were a critical perfectionist I’d be sunk. There is no way I’ll enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The way Jesus handled his slow-to-get-it disciples and those sinners who came to him gives me hope. Still he doesn’t pussyfoot around his demand that following him will radically alter everything about me.

I think understanding the contrast between doing religious things and experiencing a changed life is the key to Jesus’ words. Prophesying, casting out demons, and miracles don’t impress him like they impress us. Measuring my experience of God by religious activity, no matter how good and no matter how many others think me spiritual, will only distract me from Jesus’ true intention for me.

Commitment to things like a pure heart, resolving anger, clean thoughts, forgiveness, loving enemies and the like; this sets me on the path toward the Kingdom of Heaven.

Final Judge, grant me your powerful grace to live fully open to you and what you want to make of me. – Mike Leamon