“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matt: 7:21-23)
Christ’s words at the end of his “Sermon on the Mount” are one of those texts that always arrests our attention. How can men walk in the power of the Spirit so that they can perform miracles and not be known by Jesus? Even more, how can they drive our demons and be considered evildoers?
With Good Friday upon us I am reminded of Judas. He walked with Jesus for three years. He kept company with the apostles. When he was sent out with the twelve to heal and cast out demons there is no indication that he was unable to perform miracles. And yet, we are told that even as he traveled with Jesus and his disciples he stole money from time to time from the group’s traveling fund and eventually betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Apparently, we can spend time in the presence of Jesus, fellowship with believers, and even see and do amazing things without truly turning out hearts to the Savior.
Judas was a double-minded man who had not fully made a decision to follow Jesus. All indications are that he loved money and with that “idol” usually come the idols of power and status. Perhaps he joined the mission believing that Jesus would establish himself as King of Israel and with his ties to the crown would come the financial perks, power, and standing he desired. Each year he followed Jesus that vision seemed to slip away as he watched Jesus reject the power that circumstances offered him from time to time. There were moments when the crowds wanted to declare him King and yet Jesus would slip away. It’s possible that Judas began to resent Jesus or even feel betrayed as if Jesus were not making good on the bargain for political power that Judas had imagined. In the end, whether to force Jesus to take power or simply wanting to make something out of this “failing enterprise,” Judas betrayed the King of Glory.
He had certainly called Jesus “Lord” and had apparently cast out demons and healed the sick in the name of Jesus but his heart was far from the one who would die for him. In the end, he did not love Jesus and could not be counted as one of His. Of course, there is a warning for all of us in this final stanza of the Sermon and in the story of Judas.
We can do amazing things in our own strength and with our own God-given talents. We can even use the powerful name of Jesus to drive out demons and, perhaps, even to heal the sick. We can stand on stages before thousands and call them all to faith and repentance. We can ask others to give their hearts to Jesus when we have not yet given ours.
It’s possible to follow Jesus simply for personal gain without loving the one who died for us. Any leader has followers who love him, will sacrifice for him, and have the same vision burning in their hearts that the leader possesses. At the same time others serve simply for the perks of power or fame. In the end, they have no loyalty and will give themselves to the next highest bidder. I believe those are the ones to whom Jesus will say, “ I never knew you.”
Sometimes, like the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation, I need to be reminded to return to my first love and to stir my heart for Jesus once again. This seems to be the perfect time of year for that. Without becoming too introspective or self-focused it is still worthwhile to scan our own hearts from time to time to check our motives for following Jesus and to see if any idols have been silently erected in our hearts without us even noticing.
At Passover, Jewish mothers have the task of clearing every suggestion of leaven out of their homes and the father of the house is to double check to make sure that not even one crumb remains. Leaven symbolizes sin and so perhaps at this time of year we might do our own house cleaning checking for leaven in our own hearts – divided loyalties, serving simply out of self-interest, maintaining the appearance of respectability, or simply out of habit after years church going.
Is anything crowding out Jesus or muddying the waters of our love and loyalty to Him? If so clean it out. Rekindle the fires of love and appreciation for the one who hung on a cross fore each of us and get back to serving the King of Kings. It’s not enough that we do amazing things. We must do those things out of love for the one who first loved us. Be blessed this Easter!
