When We Pray: Remember Our Broken World

Matthew 7:21-23

Welcome, deacon/elder nomination form reminder, PSA on giving and differences today

Some instructions on the fast and goals for 2026

Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 7

The last installment of “When we pray” next week we begin our series in 1 Corinthians. Please read the book this week to prepare your heart

Read the text

Pray

Surrounding context on Matthew/Sermon on the Mount

We are allowing the content of the sermon on the mount to inform our prayers remembering who our heavenly father is who cares for us, who we are in our need for him, and how desperately our lost world needs him.

Main Idea: When we pray remember many are lost

Illustration: Knowing someone personally (John Piper) his favorite meal is spaghetti and he eats grape nuts every morning.

3 reminders to stir a passion in us to pray for lost people

Remember many people are lost (7:21)

Explain:

Look up at verse 13 in chapter 7. This is the beginning of a larger thought flow in the teaching from Jesus that moves from the narrow gate, to fruit trees, to a harrowing reality of many not entering the kingdom who thought they would.

The narrow gate reminds us, those who believe there are many ways to be saved are lost. Salvation is by faith alone, in christ alone by his grace alone which is a narrow statement that leaves little room.

Peter says in Acts 4:12 “12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” true salvation is narrow so many are lost

In verses 15-20 we see a contrast between a tree exemplifying good fruit and one with bad fruit. False prophets will show bad fruit revealing they are indeed a bad tree which will be revealed in the last day.

I once heard someone say, “we certainly can’t judge someone’s heart but you can inspect the fruit” which just means God is the ultimate judge and redemption is internal but we can get a pretty good idea of someone’s life trajectory by what we see in their life.

Verse 21-23 then explains what will happen to those who have entered the broad gate or are a bad tree, or have built their house on the sand as he says in the following section.

A few observations regarding verse 21 that are important

The kingdom of heaven is a pursuable reality now (6:33) but will be fully instituted at Christ’s return

Many will call upon God or Jesus in various ways in this life but that doesn’t mean they are true followers of Christ

Only the one who does “the will of the Father” will enter. What is that?

John 6:40 “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life,

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;”

Illustrate: My wife being directionally challenged

Apply: Are you doing the will of the father? Who are the people in your life who may think they are good to go with their eternity but in reality haven’t stepped into the will of God for their life? Maybe it’s you? Maybe its others around you? Lostness is all around us

2. Remember works do not save anyone (7:22)

Explain:

“on that day” instantly gives us a picture of eternity. Matthew will later use the same wording to talk about the coming day of the Lord in Matthew 24. So we are talking about the final judgement throne entering into eternity

Again here there are those that will say “Lord, Lord” implying a prevailing upon God without understanding or submitting to God’s plan and purposes through Christ

Look at what these individuals will point to as reasons for their admittance into glory:

Prophecy in your name

Cast out demons in your name

Do many mighty works in your name

There are many in this life who will pursue spiritual things but do not understand the person behind the practice

It’s interesting to me how Jesus has just talked about good fruit and bad fruit but immediately reminds us its not the fruit or works themselves that save but the personal relationship with Christ.

When we see lost people in our lives, often we are tempted to look for extreme cases of drug addiction, rampant sexual sin, or idolatry in pursuit of wealth etc. but this text reminds us it can also be the religiously zealous who do not personally know Christ.

Don’t confuse spirituality or even “doing a lot for the kingdom” with belief and Lordship of Christ in someone’s life.

Look at this passage in Romans 10:1–4 “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

In other words, zeal for God is worth nothing if its not within the parameters of true knowledge and submission to God’s righteousness which is found in Christ alone. Paul makes clear these individuals who have a zeal for God are not saved.

There are many people in our lives in different Christian denominations, religious groups, or various commitment levels to faith. Remember that zeal for God according to Paul is not the litmus test but Christ as our righteousness.

Illustrate: Paying for salvation with works instead of faith is like using the wrong currency in a foreign country

Apply: Do you place your trust in outward manifestions? Spiritual activity? The Bible is clear your works cannot save you

We need to allow ourselves to be rocked with the weightiness of many who believe they are saved are on a current trajectory towards eternal damnation according to this passage

3. Remember salvation comes through knowing Christ (7:23)

Explain:

Jesus here makes a statement to these individuals and lets break down the three parts:

The first thing he says is “I never knew you” which immediately reminds us the call of discipleship is to follow Christ in a personal relationship where we know him and he knows us.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this statement means Jesus doesn’t know nonbelievers before they call on his name. He intricately knows and loves you today even if you have not put your trust and faith in him. This is a “knowing” that is defined by “doing the will of my father” which is a Lordship, obedience, Christ’s righteousness is mine kind of knowing.

The second thing he says is “depart from me” which this passage doesn’t expressly state that this is a condemnation to eternal hell but passages like Revelation 20:15 remind us “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Church planting passion and missional intention comes from verses like that which remind us that the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is the only means for salvation.

The third thing he says is that these individuals are “workers of lawlessness” which again these are individuals with religious intentions and spiritual motions that Jesus unequivocally calls “workers of lawlessness”

1 John 3:4 tells us that those who practice sin are workers of lawlessness. So we should clearly understand from the Bible that anyone who has not expressly put their hope and trust in Jesus Christ with a personal relationship with him is standing as a “worker of lawlessness” before the judgement throne of Christ.

Illustrate: In order to win the game, you must play by the rules and God makes them.

Apply: Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ today? If not, I implore you to confess, believe and pray today. If you want to talk with someone from our church about salvation, you can scan the QR code on the screen right now and it will walk you through a few prompts to start a conversation with someone from our church regarding salvation in Christ alone.

With these 3 principles in mind, I want to ask you to reflect on the implications for our world and those around us:

Write down 3 lost people you are praying for right now. Who are they? What is stopping them from meeting Jesus?

How are you going to pray for that person? Daily? Weekly?

Have you articulated the Gospel to them? Life Death Resurrection and his love and call to place our trust in him

For our Beavercreek family Pastor Bill is

Please continue to use the prayer prompts on our church social media this week. Calling Gospel Heights to our fast. More info on our slack channel for that

Move into communion 1 Corinthians 11