Terrifying Truth

“Not everyone saying to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father”   Matthew 7:21

Does – In case you thought you knew Jesus’ words, I would like to challenge you to read His statements again – exactly for what they say.  Set aside the preacher’s application, the theologian’s argument and the Sunday school teacher’s feelings.  Read it as it is.  Jesus was one very scary prophet.

First, notice that He addresses those who claim that He is their Lord.  This passage is not for the rebellious pagans or the defiant backsliders.  This is for you and me, the ones who do the right religious things and hold our heads up in church.  This is for the morally correct, the ones with causes and the altruistic.  They come to Jesus with His name on their lips.  “Didn’t we do all those good things for You?” they query.  “Sure, we did.  We saw all the things that needed to be done and we did them.  We are good people, God.”

With chilling regard, Jesus says, “No, I never knew you.”  How is that possible?  How can it be that we could heal and preach and do all kinds of humanitarian works and not get into the kingdom?  The answer is startlingly clear.  “You did great things, but they were not what God asked you to do.”  You see, Jesus suggests that it is not what you do, but rather why you do it that matters.  Give your body to be burned.  Send all your money to the poor.  Sacrifice yourself for the church.  It’s all for nothing – unless what you do is precisely what God asks of you.

This slaps all our programs and posturing in the face.  Good counts for nothing!  The most important question in the whole universe is this:  What does God want me to do?  The verb is continuous present.  Do what God is asking moment-by-moment.  Jesus can say this because He lived it.  Every moment in the Father’s will:  that is the goal of life. 

Contrary to human opinion, your life is not about results.  What you accomplish doesn’t make one bit of difference in the eternal scheme of things, if your accomplishments are not in alignment with God’s desires for your life.  We’re not talking about the general plan.  We’re talking about God’s specifics, just for you.  And, by the way, your failures, encountered in the process of doing God’s will, are more important to the eternal plan than any great, good thing you or anyone else ever did without God’s commission.

What is God telling you?  If you don’t know, you better find out.  “Lord, Lord!” is not going to make it.