(Transcribed by TurboScribe. Go Unlimited to remove this message.)

Our scripture reading this morning is from Matthew's Gospel, chapter 7, verses 21 through 23. I'll invite you to stand with me as I read that passage of scripture for us as Tom comes. 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.

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? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. This is the word of the Lord.

Well, hello everyone, good to see you today. I did seriously, I'm Tom Macy, a pastor here, and I did consider seriously whether or not to finish off the series of hard sayings or perhaps another direction, and I didn't get any clarity for another direction that I thought would be most helpful for us in this season, but I at the same time, I don't want you to think I'm not aware of the challenges we face, and certainly thank you, Ruth, for addressing that so well in our prayer time. So I'm going to stick with this passage that we've just heard read. 

A pithy saying that I heard many years ago is that the purpose of preaching is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Many of you have heard that. That's not my primary purpose in preaching. 

I think it is a secondary purpose, and it may affect today's message. My primary purpose in preaching is to proclaim the word of God, to declare the glory of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth, and that God's word takes us toward that great mission. Yet as an extension of that, I believe there is truth to this pithy saying, to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. 

Indeed, much comfort and encouragement is needed as every Sunday you come with heavy cares, and you need the comfort of God's truth applied carefully. Often that's more in conversation rather than from the sermon, someone to listen and pray with you and for you, and I hope that will be a part of your experience today if you've come with a particular difficult personal issue. Ultimately, nothing comforts me more, not that my burden is specifically addressed, but though I believe it will be if we unpack scripture faithfully through the years, but nothing comforts me more than the confidence that God's glory is supreme, to keep my eyes on Jesus, and that the gospel of Jesus Christ that we review in song, scripture, prayer, preaching, fellowship is my greatest and ultimate hope. 

But God's word is not just about comfort and reassurance. It's also at times to shake us to the core of our being, to examine ourselves before a holy God, and that's what today's text does. All summer long we've had this series of hard sayings of a kind savior that fits both of these categories of comfort and affliction from God's word, and this is week 11, and it's the last week of the series. 

We skipped one in the middle, and so this is number 10, and it's a doozy. What one preacher called the scariest passage in scripture. 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. 

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 mighty works in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. That's the second time you've heard the text read. 

We need to dig into it. One of the most common questions I've been asked as a pastor over 50 years is about the security of salvation. Can you lose your salvation? Well, depending on your denominational or church background, you may be on one or the other side of that question.

If you come from a Baptist or Presbyterian or Reformed background, you're probably encouraged that you are indeed completely secure. If you're from a Lutheran or Methodist heritage, and that covers, the Methodist heritage covers a whole host of denominations today. Wesleyan, Nazarene, Church of God, Pentecostal groups of all stripes. 

You may have grown up being worried that you could lose your salvation because of the warnings of scripture. Well, I come from a mix of both sides. I grew up with Methodist parents and a Baptist church, so very confused. 

I've unpacked this a little bit for you years ago, but it was a big issue for me. But I'm suggesting to you that that's not really the question Jesus addresses here. Not can I lose my salvation, but a far more important question, do I possess salvation? And to some, Jesus doesn't say, well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master. 

To some he doesn't say that. Rather he says, I never knew you. Depart from me. 

So you have to agree, don't you? This is a hard saying, and we have to take it seriously. So where do we start? Well, first the context of the hard saying. That's my first point. 

This comes near the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5 to 7, the extended kingdom of God ethical teaching of Jesus, including the statement at the end of chapter 5, therefore you must be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. How's that for a hard saying? It didn't make our list, but it's a hard saying. And then Matthew 6.33, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things, referring to the teaching of Matthew 6 primarily, but the whole sermon as well, all these things will be added to you as well. 

So there's comfort in that. And then in chapter 7, Jesus begins to focus on what it means to follow him, what it means not only for kingdom living, which is the primary focus of the sermon, you might say, but also for kingdom entry. Verse 21, to enter the kingdom of heaven. 

That's the language of today's text. And Jesus speaks of this in four contrasts. Verses 13 and 14, there are two gates leading to two distinct roads. 

One is wide and leads to destruction. Many enter through it, it says. Another is narrow and leads to life, and only a few, only a few find it. 

Verses 15 to 20, two trees, different kinds of fruit, good fruit and bad fruit, representing in another metaphor that leads into that sheep and wolves, false prophets. Verses 17 to 20, so every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you'll recognize them by their fruits. This is not about fruit trees, it's about people and the coming judgment. 

And then two claims, verses 21 to 23, two categories of people, that's our text and we'll come back to it. And then finally two houses, verses 24 to 27, one built on the rock, one built on the sand. As Jesus said, the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house. 

The storm is the same for both houses, but one stood firm and one fell. This is not about houses, this is not about storms, it's about people, it's about us. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them, we'll have to unpack that as a hard saying here, and does them will not fall.

Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will fall. And great was the fall of it. Well we've had that illustration acted out in real life, haven't we? The winds and Gary and the floods here locally, the bridge over Hazelville Parkway, less than a mile from where I live, where I have ridden my bike over that bridge more times than I can count. 

But I found out through the flood that it did not have a solid enough foundation to withstand the flood. It did not anticipate the challenge, the reverse flow into Blue Woods Creek from the White River, and it fell. It can't be repaired. 

That bridge has received ultimate judgment as a failed bridge with no future. So we have these four contrasts. Three of them are metaphors, gates, trees, houses.

Each of them represent the binary of salvation and condemnation. There's no third way, and as we focus on verses 21 to 23, don't forget how that is related to the three pairs of metaphors before and after. That's the context of this hard saying.

Secondly let's zoom in for a closer examination of the details of this hard saying. Notice several themes here. What is Jesus saying? Well the first thing he's saying is on closer examination is the day of judgment is coming. 

Just as the two gates lead to two distinct roads, the two distinct destinations, which are what? Destruction and life. Another clear binary, lost or saved, damnation or salvation. Just as the two trees, the one that bears bad fruit, is, verse 19, thrown into the fire. 

Just as the two houses, one stands and one falls. So our text, verse 21, not everyone, not everyone will enter the kingdom of heaven. Now that's a hard saying. 

Not because it's hard to understand. That part's pretty clear. But for many it's hard to accept. 

There's a judgment coming. We live in denial as if we don't have to face God. We redefine God into our image and dispense with this teaching. 

But no matter how much we deny this future judgment, we do have to face God. Verse 22, on that day, the future day of judgment. The day of the Lord is not found, that phrase is not found in this passage, but it's certainly indicated by the language on that day. 

It's found repeatedly in Old and New Testaments and it's about impending judgments over the nations of the world. And as you go through the book of Amos, for example, it talks about judgment on this nation, this nation, this nation, this nation, all the nations around Israel. Israel seems to be okay and then he zeroes in on Israel and Judah.

They don't escape this either. The day of the Lord, judgment over the nations of the world and all the people of the world, accountability to God of each and every person. The language of verse 23, we'll have to unpack that a little bit more in a few minutes, but terrifying words. 

I never knew you. I never knew you. So yes, it's undeniable that ultimate judgment is coming. 

You can't miss it from Scripture declared repeatedly, the prophets Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, Jude. The book of Revelation chapter 20 is the climax of this, the great white throne judgment. The books were opened, all the details of our rebellion against God are recorded, but there's also the book of life in which are recorded the names of those who entered by the narrow gate, whose lives reflect the transforming power of the gospel, those who are in Christ. 

And it says the dead were judged by what was written in the books. And if any one name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Universalism is a very popular teaching today. 

It's growing in popularity. Even some who call themselves evangelical in doctrine are starting to embrace this, but it just doesn't square with Scripture. It doesn't square with the justice of God.

It makes a mockery of the gospel and of Jesus gracious invitation as he said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. There's no room for universalism in that statement. 

So this text makes it clear that the day of judgment is coming. And if you're sure that this warning is not relevant for you, you must consider another part of what Jesus says here, that not only is a day of judgment coming, but profession of religious faith is deceptive. Starting to get personal now.

There are those who believe they are saved, but tragically are not. Now, I want to try to address this sensitively if I can. Of those who have come to me over the years, worried about their salvation, that in many cases I find they just need a clarification of God's grace. 

I don't want to give false assurance. I'd rather leave you in some worry than to give you false assurance. But many times it just seems grace hasn't been understood.

Have I sinned so much that God can't forgive me, especially that one particularly egregious sin I committed as a young person that continually haunts me? Or a past or a continuing pattern of sin in your life? Is there a pattern of sin in your life? If you say no to that, you're deceiving yourself. We all have patterns of sin in our lives. Have I committed the unpardonable sin? We'll go back and listen to Tom Waltz's excellent treatment of that from four weeks ago. 

It's posted online. The last time I preached this text in 2009, as we were going through the Sermon on the Mount back in those days, 17 years ago. Wow.

I mentioned my godly grandfather. I won't give as much detail this time, but my grandpa Ralph Macy on his deathbed was worried about his salvation. And as dad explained it to me, it was one particular thing he had done that he was never at peace about. 

My grandmother had continual sickness. She still lived to 79, so there's questions about that. But Dr. Bills, this is the depression. 

He took bankruptcy. He had no other option. Nobody ever explained to him that bankruptcy teaching is in the Bible.

But he certainly felt bad that he was not able to fulfill responsibility of bills that he had. Forty years earlier, when it was impossible to pay, he was a solid believer in Jesus, lived a godly life to age 85. My view though was that from his denominational background he had a limited grasp of God's grace and what scripture says about our security that there's therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

I don't even think he sinned by taking bankruptcy as I know the details of it, but he felt that he did. So many more relevant texts that encourage us of our security, and I think he and many others just need a better understanding of God's grace and the reality of sin. So when I speak of professional religious faith that's deceptive, I'm not primarily talking about that. 

I'm talking about those who think they're okay, but that Jesus warns they're not okay, and they don't come asking for assurance. They are self-righteous. They have assurance, but it's false assurance. 

How awful. A profession of faith is deceptive, deceiving themselves. Jesus gives three examples here. 

Number one is expressions of religious fervor. You kind of have to focus in on verse 21. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord. 

Now just the repetition of that says to me this is a fervent religious person. Lord, Lord. Not everyone who does that will enter the kingdom of heaven. 

They say it with great fervency and emotion. They have religious experience. They're enthusiastic about that experience.

54 years ago, it's getting bad when all my illustrations are 50 years or more old, but 54 years ago, I was an eminently unqualified youth director for a church in Wellington, Kansas, south of Wichita. A year and a half before we left for seminary. Linda went with me every Sunday down there and sometimes through the week. 

And there was a deacon in the church. Thankfully, I've forgotten his name. A deacon in the church who was famous for his experience.

He'd had an experience. Now I love hearing testimonies. I love our class that we have in the summer of sharing life stories and the impact of the gospel and that. 

So I'm not criticizing that at all, but he had some kind of a unique spiritual experience that he liked to share. And I'm naive as can be, and I was excited to hear it, so I'd heard enough people talk about it that I invited him to share with our high school group to share his experience. And as I listened to his experience, even as immature as I was, I recognized that he had nothing to say that had any connection with God. 

In fact, it sounded like it had some occultic overtones to it. It was some kind of an experience. I don't know what to think of it.

Religious fervor and experience won't gain you an entrance, nor will, number two, affirmation of sound doctrine. This also comes from the words Lord, Lord. The name Lord in the Greek is used very broadly as a term of respect, but it also came to have an exclusive meaning in reference to Jesus Christ as we say Jesus is Lord. 

Prime example, Philippians chapter 2, 10 and 11, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. To the glory of God the Father and the prophecy of Joel 2.32 quoted by Paul in Romans 10.13, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. In that case, Lord is clearly a reference to the name for God. 

And if you truly call on Jesus as Lord to be saved, you'll be saved, but you can say the right name. You can be doctrinally sound and still unsaved, and you can be third active in ministry and not saved. Verse 22, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name and do mighty works in your name? This is impressive, folks.

This is stuff I've never done, prophesying, driving out demons. Well, depending on your definition of prophesying, we won't go to there today, but driving out demons, performing miracles. That doesn't prove they're saved.

Judas went out as one of the twelve to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You can tap into supernatural power and not be saved. You can do impressive things in your own flesh and not be saved. 

None of this gives you entrance into the kingdom of heaven. So those are examples, three examples, in which profession of religious faith is deceptive. And then Jesus adds, disobedience reveals false faith. 

Verse 21, not everyone who says disobedience will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my father. Now that's a little sticky, isn't it? Where's he going with this? This is part of what makes this a hard saying, a hard one to understand, but let's look at it carefully. Be careful you don't misunderstand this because as you move to verse 23, the essential flow of what Jesus is saying is not that you didn't obey, but rather an utter lack of obedience to the one you call Lord is evidence that you don't know.

Key word, key word in the whole text, the number one word in the whole text, that you don't know Jesus. So this is certainly not saying salvation by obedience. Jesus is not contradicting Paul's teaching in Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians, that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, for by grace you've been saved through faith. 

That's not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of works, not of doing, lest anyone should brag about it. It's not our work, but the work of Jesus on the cross that's our salvation. But Jesus is saying that you can cry out, Lord, Lord, all day long, and you can do a lot of religious things and good works, but if the pattern of your life is not submitting, I say pattern, I'm not talking about perfection here, if the pattern of your life is not submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ, it is evidence that you don't know him. 

The evidence of false faith is disobedience to Jesus. The evidence of true faith is obedience to Jesus. But don't confuse cause and effect. 

Don't confuse evidence of and basis for. Obedience never saved anyone, but it will be evidence of your salvation. So, here's the main point in the text. 

The basis for true faith and the security of your salvation is knowing Jesus. Why does Jesus reject the many who go down the broad way? He explains it this way. He says, I never knew you. 

I never knew you. Now, the word know has a quite a wide range in English from casual awareness to facts or casual acquaintance to a person with no real relationship. So, it goes from that extreme to a deep, intimate relationship, such as in marriage, what marriage should be, and a deep, intimate relationship with God, knowing God. 

By the way, great book, Knowing God by J.I. Packer. If you don't have it, get it. This is what we have here in a spiritual sense, knowing God through Jesus Christ as we surrender to his saving grace, drawn by his spirit to Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, atoned for on the cross by Christ, not by anything we do, by faith, being born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 

That's 1 Peter 1, verses 3 and 4. Lord willing, that's where we're going to go this fall to look at 1 Peter, and we'll start with that text. That's our security in knowing Jesus, born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. That's the basis for true faith.

And if it's real, the point here is it leads to obedience. The evidence of salvation, obeying Jesus, the letter of 1 John expresses it so clearly in 1 John 2, 3 to 5. We know that we've come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar. 

The truth is not in him. This is how we know we are in him. Know is used in different ways there, isn't it? One is information that helps us and comforts us.

The other is intimate relationship. Again, this is not talking about perfection. He doesn't say the person who knows me will never ever sin again. 

In fact, one of the...

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