SOME WILL; SOME WONT!

February 23, 2003 AM

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Sermon Outline

MT 7:21-23

INTRO: The verses I have read from the Sermon On The Mount must be among some of the most devastating words of our Lord. Some would, I am certain, consider these to be very negative words ... turn off words. But Jesus was very up front about the meaning and requirements of kingdom citizenship ... discipleship. He never was vague; He did not hold out false hopes; He meant what He said. There is no doubt that a great many very sincere people would have a practical problem with what Jesus said here. This kind of language would seem to come into conflict with the pervasive and general view of salvation by grace. Implied in this passage are two groups of people. There are those who will enter the kingdom of heaven ... and there are those who will not!

I. NOT EVERY ONE WHO SAYS, LORD, LORD

A. At the judgment day there will be a shock for some folks

1. no doubt the Lord is including the false prophets of whom he spoke

2. but the language of the text is broader in scope that only false prophets

B. He notes that these folks are calling out, Lord, Lord...

1. as He looks toward the ultimate judgment, these are they who cannot enter

2. realizing they cannot enter, they cry out, Lord, Lord

C. I would guess that these have been religious people in life

1. with their mouths they have made some profession

2. they would certainly not want to be known as reprobates, sinners

D. But Jesus gives a critical clue to their spiritual failure

1. they had not done the will of His Father!

2. all of the sincerity and religion in the world cannot take the place of doing Gods will on this earth

3. Lk 6:46 - He is truly our Lord if we do His will; if we do the things He says

4. obedience is the issue here - we cannot escape that fact

5. but those who do the will of the Father will enter into heaven!!

II. NOT EVERY ONE WHO DOES GOOD WORKS

A. Once again, we hear the Lord, Lord

1. the shock of realization? or the pleading of the too late penitent?

2. we are still apparently dealing with religious people

B. Their claims?

1. they have prophesied; they have cast out devils; they have done many wonderful (mighty) works

2. in view of the context, I am reminded of 2 Thes 2:9

C. They claim to have done their things in Jesus name

1. there is no doubt of the importance of His name - Acts 4:12

2. and, certainly, the Lord is glorified by good works which are done by His servants - Mt 5:16 with Eph 2:10

3. but doing something in Jesus name without the proper undergirding of faith and willing obedience is not all there is to ones relationship with the Lord

4. Acts 19:13-16 - a Biblical illustration of this very thing

5. I have no desire to be harsh or uncaring about this, but it is evident that the religious world today is overrun by charlatans, deceivers ... whose interest is in Rolex watches!

D. I never knew you...

1. their confessions, professions have been made in a public way

2. and Jesus responds before all ... He had never acknowledged them ... He had never considered them His

3. 2 Tim 2:19a - be certain of this: Jesus knows who His disciples are!

E. They were workers of iniquity

1. for all of the good works they claimed, they were still workers of iniquity

2. we are not told what specifically what the nature of their iniquity was

3. 2 Tim 2:19b - the nature of the iniquity is immaterial to the point here - whatever lawlessness is in ones life must be abandoned!

4. but those whose lives have been filled with good works and who have departed from iniquity will enter into heaven!!

CLOSE: I have a great concern that many, many sincere religious people will ultimately hear this word from Jesus, Depart! And it will not be because of a lack of sincerity ... or even zeal. It will be because of a simple failure to do the Fathers will...to obey. Or it will be because of a failure to be holy in life. 2 Cor 6:19,20.

Cecil A. Hutson

23 February 2003