Matthew 7:21-23

Dear Congregation, our Lord Jesus Christ mentions a day in v22. “On that day...”

This is a day for which all other days were made for.

This is the last great and dreadful day.

This is a day by which all other days must be measured and discerned.

I pray for us dear church, that all of us begins to live in light of this last day.

The riches that you’ve set your heart upon… heavenly riches or earthly riches, who will their value be reckoned “On that day”?

What kind of comfort will the things that you’ve set your heart upon bring you in that day?

Think about the things that you might pursue weekly, desiring and following in your heart certain things...

These things might now appear so important to you, that they take up the whole of your time and thoughts, ask yourself, are they worthy of all this effort?

Will these pursuits matter much “On that day”?

The Majestic Pronouncement.

FIRST. The lack of Sincerity. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven...”.

So after their life is over, the great professing believers on earth present themselves as Christ’s loyal servants

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven

and yet, in their previous life on earth, by their actions they claimed to be under the Lordship of Christ.

When the kingdom of heaven comes in all its fulness,

it will not be people’s profession that counts,

but their profession as shown in the way they live, as to whether they were sincere or not.

We all know people that are w/out Christ, they’re the outsiders.

But it’s those that have come into the fellowship of the church, and have said, “Lord, Lord”!

It those of us that need to examine ourselves lest we be found having a false security!

SECOND. The lack of Submission. “but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”.

O my brothers and sisters, I am speaking to myself as I speak to

every member of this church, and

every member of any other Christian church, and

I implore you to see to it

that you have something more than a mere profession,

for these condemned ones had made an open profession of religion,

yet Christ will say to them, “I never knew you.”

Let’s split a few hairs here. Paul says this to the Christian in .

"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”” ()

Some professing believers have this enslaving fear that comes from disobedience to God’s law.

Unsaved people don’t know the right use of the law.

But by reason of their knowledge of God’s law they see themselves in bondage and begin to fear.

It’s from that fear that many good things come, such as grieving over sin, confession and humiliation, prayers for pardon etc.

So when wicked Pharaoh confessed the “righteousness of God” and “that he and his people had sinned” ().

wicked Pharaoh confessed the “righteousness of God” and “that he and his people had sinned” (). And so did Ahab at the heavy message of God by Elijah (); “he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon him and fasted, and lay in sackcloth.” So Judas, when he saw that Christ was condemned, he repented of his act, being grieved for it, and ashamed to look any man in the face; and also confessed the same before God and men ().

And so did Ahab at the heavy message of God by Elijah (); “he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth upon him and fasted, and lay in sackcloth.”

So Judas, when he saw that Christ was condemned, he repented of his act, being grieved for it, and

ashamed to look any man in the face; and also confessed the same before God and men ().

You could have faith, as Simon Magnus did in . It says that he believed and was baptized

and followed Philip everywhere!

But the Spirit-empowered Apostle Peter said this about this baptized professing believer: "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven. "For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness.”” ()

You could taste of the grace of God and still be damned.

It says of them that fall away in "For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, "who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age,” ()

You could experience good affections like joy!

Just like those that recieved the word upon the rocky soil heard it with joy but fell away when the testing came.

You could have a zeal for God’s glory as Jehu did “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord!” ( says) but then a few verses later

we find that he never departed from the sins of his forefathers. "Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.” ()

You could reverence God’s ministers, as Herod to John the Baptist, "because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing he was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him he would be very perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.” ()

Scripturally you can

profess,

confess,

proclaim,

do signs and wonders,

be baptized,

taste the goodness of God,

have a belief or a kind of faith,

experience joy,

like to hear sermons,

weep over your sins and

still die and go to hell!

SECOND. The lack of Submission. “but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”.

Last week, when Jesus talking about the tree bearing fruit He emphatically made the point

that a person’s deeds show what the person is, and

made emphatically the point that a person’s deeds show what the person is, and he is now saying that words are not the significant thing. It is easy for anyone to profess loyalty, but to practice it is quite another thing. Says stands in contrast to does; words are not enough.

he is now saying that words are not the significant thing.

It is easy for anyone to profess loyalty, but to practice it is quite another thing.

Says (in v21) stands in contrast to does (in v21); words are not enough.

So on this day of the last judgment they discover that,

whatever may have been their previous success in deceiving others, and

perhaps while on earth even themselves,

they cannot fool the Judge.

From the kingdom in its final phase they are excluded.—

The lesson is clear: let everyone examine himself!

What makes introspection important is that there will be many “sayers” who have not been “doers.”

Jesus says they have not practiced the will of “my Father.…”

but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

The Masquerader’s Plea.

This is not salvation by works: the contrast is not between merit and grace,

but between profession and way of life.

If people really trust Christ for salvation, their lives will no longer be self-centered;

that they belong to the good tree will be made manifest by the fruit they bear.

The Masquerader’s Plea.

FIRST. Their words, “Lord Lord” and “…didn’t we prophesy in Your name...”

They had prophesied or preaching in the name of Christ.

This is one of the things to which false professors are very prone; they love to take the chief places in the synagogue.

There is many a true servant of Christ who prefers to be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord,

while many a hypocrite, who would not keep the door on any account,

would very cheerfully occupy the prophet’s chair, and prophesy in Christ’s name.

They address him as “Lord, Lord.”

Trembling with fear they pronounce this title with awe and reverence,

pouring into it far more meaning than they had ever done before the arrival

of this crisis of deepest despair.

"Say to God, “How awe-inspiring are your works! Your enemies will cringe before you because of your great strength.” () "They will lick the dust like a snake; they will come trembling out of their hiding places like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will tremble in the presence of the Lord our God; they will stand in awe of you.” () "and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ()

SECOND. Their works, “…drive out demons…in Your name, and do many miracles...”

Biblically it’s not at all uncommon for someone other than God’s people to do mighty works (see ; ; ; ).

What is required to enter the kingdom is doing God’s will (7:21).

someone other than God’s people to do mighty works (see ; ; ; ). What is required to enter the kingdom is doing God’s will (7:21). Followers of Jesus follow Jesus and his teachings; those who don’t follow Jesus are not followers. The will of God is far more often works of compassion, as in or , than charismatic displays of might.

Followers of Jesus follow Jesus and his teachings;

THIRD. Their warrant, “…in Your Name...”

those who don’t follow Jesus are not followers.

The will of God is far more often works of compassion, as in or ,

than charismatic displays of might.

The deceived place before Jesus on the judgment day what they have done—

notice the triple emphasis: they have prophesied “in your name,” and exorcised “in your name,” and done miracles “in your name.”

They had done many works in Christ’s name.

They were busy night and day; they had a great many irons in the fire.

They seemed as if they could never do too much.

A great part of the charm of it (to them) was that people really thought highly of them.

This kept them diligently at their work.

Yet though it a wonderful life to have many that admire you, but it could be a lost life!

You could be a doer of many wonderful works but at the last be found deficient?

A hat

THIRD. Their warrant, “…in Your Name...”

THIRD. Their warrant, “…in Your Name...”

Three times in our passage, they appeal to the Name of Jesus.

as if genuinely intimate union with Christ had been the conscious source both of their preaching and of their miracle-working power.

They do so as if genuinely intimate union with Christ had been the conscious source

both of their preaching and of their miracle-working power.

The Masquerader’s Punishment.

We may preach with the tongues of men and of angels; yet, if we have not love, it profits us nothing.

We may be even leaders of the church in the noblest and highest capacity; and yet, for all that,

Christ may say to us, at the last, “I never knew you.”

“But, Lord, the world blazed with my fame!” “I never knew you.”

“I gathered thousands round about me.” “I never knew you.”

“Wherever I went, they flocked to listen to my words.” “I never knew you.”

Some of you may say, “Lord, I was a deacon of the church,” or, “I was an elder.

I was accustomed to visit the sick, and to speak to our visitors.

Everybody in the church knew me, and I was held in high reputation”

yet he may say, “I never knew you.

I am an utter stranger to you.

Your name was never familiar to me.

I never knew you; depart from me.”

If you remain without repentance, and without faith,

you may go to the house of prayer till you are on your death bed,

and you may never once have been an inattentive hearer;

but, unless faith comes to you by the hearing of the Word,

and that faith makes you a doer of it, truly, truly, I say unto you, when

the winds shall blow, and

when the winds shall blow, and the floods shall rise, and the rain shall descend, your house shall be proved to have been founded on the sand, and shall be swept away for ever.

the floods shall rise, and

the rain shall descend,

your house shall be proved to have been founded on the sand,

and shall be swept away for ever.

This truth comes close home, and it ought to come close home,

to every one of us who has ever professed to be engaged in Christ’s service.

The Masquerader’s Punishment.

he Masquerader’s Punishment.

FIRST. The Day of punishment. “On that day…Then...” (vv22-23)

What happens on the judgment day is represented under the figure of a dialogue

SECOND. The Declaration of punishment. “Then I will announce...” (v23)

happens on the judgment day is represented under the figure of a dialogue between those who have refused to carry out the will of the Father, on the one hand, and Jesus the Judge, on the other. Even before the verdict is pronounced those about to be doomed realize, as is clear from their words, that it is not going to be in their favor.SECOND. The Declaration of punishment. “Then I will announce...” (v23)

between those who have refused to carry out the will of the Father, on the one hand,

and Jesus the Judge, on the other.

Even before the verdict is pronounced, those about to be doomed realize, as is clear from their words,

and Jesus the Judge, on the other. Even before the verdict is pronounced those about to be doomed realize, as is clear from their words, that it is not going to be in their favor.SECOND. The Declaration of punishment. “Then I will announce...” (v23)

that it is not going to be in their favor.

I think to myself, oh my, this wonderful congregation says such nice things about me and writes these sweet things about me etc.

What good will it avail me if the Almighty’s verdict is not so?

I think, “Will I be as highly honored in that day as I am now?”

Some of you ask me how you can pray for me.

My response is almost always the same.

1.) A closer walk with Jesus

2.) That I’d be the same man at home as I am at our gatherings.

Will there be as much credit given to me for lovingkindness and truthfulness on that day, as much as there is now?

How much tinsel, how much veneer, how much counterfeit is there upon me?

Oh my…brothers and sisters, who among us can submit our position around one another to

such a test as I’m describing

w/out a most solemn questioning and searching of the heart?

Younger people, you young couples, areyou, perhaps,

rejoicing in your youth, and

letting your heart take full liberty in the enjoyment of earthly pleasure.

God forbid that I should deprive you of any real pleasure; but let me ask,

concerning those enjoyments, how will they appear “in that day”?

How will those endure and prevail when God’s Almighty judgement is exercised on that day?

Let me try and explain this “Day” for you by explaining what manner of judgment this will be:

1st. It will be a great and terrifying day. says that some are kept “for the judgment on the great day.”

This day is great and terrifying because of

a. The manner of Christ coming. "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. "Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air...” ()

Here Christ breaks for out of the heavens with a shout!

Which is a word used by armies as the battle cry is given!

You the voice of the Archangel being distinctly heard.

Then the trumpet of God shall sound forth!

By this tremendous blast, sinners will be affrighted out of their graves;

but to the saints, it will carry no more terror, than

the roaring of cannons, when armies of your allies show up to rescue you!

So the manner of His coming is great and dreadful!

So to (b.), is the work that He comes to do.

It is to judge “what people have kept secret” ().

This is what’s going to sever the tares from the wheat, to be sentenced to their everlasting and unchanging abodes.

The heart of man cannot conceive what impressions the voice of Christ, from the throne, will make, both upon believers, and unbelievers.

Imagine Christ upon his glorious throne, surrounded with

myriads and legions of angels,

his royal guard;

and a poor unbeliever trembling at the bar;

There’s an exact scrutiny made into his heart and life;

Then the dreadful sentence given;

and then a plea, “Lord Lord!”;

and then Christ delivering him over to the executioners of eternal vengeance,

and then his delivering him over to the executioners of eternal vengeance, never, never, to see a glimpse of hope or mercy any more.

never, never, to see a glimpse of hope or mercy any more.

The the manner and work He does make it a great and dreadful day!

It’s also, (2ndly) an exact judgment.

Every one of our hearts are going to be placed on the balances.

The name of the Judges is the Searcher of hearts.

"And he told them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. ...” ()

SECOND. The Declaration of punishment. “Then I will announce...” (v23)

In picking out the replacement for Judas, "Then they prayed, “You, Lord, know everyone’s hearts; show which of these two you have chosen” ()

Peter, telling about how God saved the heathen Gentiles, "And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us.” ()

Paul says to the Thessalonians… "For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive. "Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts.” () "No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.” ()

The Judge (In ) has eyes as flames of fire, which pierce to the dividing to the heart and minds.

It’s said in , "I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.”

SECOND. The Declaration of punishment. “Then I will announce...” (v23)

No hypocrite will escape that day.

It’s a great and terrible judgment that is exact and lastly, it’s also (3rdly) final.

It’s a supreme and final judgement from which there is no appeal.

There’s no appeal because comes from the highest and only Lord.

The ultimate determination of true faith is into the word and truth of God, so the ultimate determination of justice is into the judgment of God!

This judgment is supreme and imperial because Christ is the only Soveriegn Potentate ().

This means that once the sentence is passed, its execution is unfailingly going to happen.

In , just after the sentence is pronounced by Christ, it’s immediately announced: "“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”” ()

SECOND. The Declaration of punishment. “Then I will announce...” (v23)

SECOND. The Declaration of punishment. “Then I will announce...” (v23)

Here comes the verdict.

The word “announce” means a public announcement.

This means the doom of those guilty of a false profession will be public.

THIRD. The Denial in the punishment. “I never knew you.”

Of course Christ possess an unlimited knowledge.

He knew the false prophets so thoroughly that that he was so completely justified in condemning them.

There is, however, also a knowledge of the heart, that is, of electing love, acknowledgment, friendship, and fellowship.

"“I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me,” () "But if anyone loves God, he is known by him.” () "Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, bearing this inscription: The Lord knows those who are his, and let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.” ()

FOURTH. The Departure in the punishment. “Depart from Me.” (v23)

But the Lord doesn’t know these false professors of His name!

FOURTH. The Departure in the punishment. “Depart from Me.” (v23)

This means total and utter rejection!

You and your wicked ways will be moved and ushered out of His sight!

FIFTH. The Denunciation in the punishment. “…you lawbreakers.” (v23)

There are no words that can ever fully describe your state of woe if Christ does not know you,

and says that he never did know you.

If you have no acquaintance with the Redeemer,—if in His loving heart

there is no recognition of you,—

if he says, “I never knew you,” ah, then! woe! woe! woe!—a thousand times, woe without hope for you;

because, to be unknown by Him is to be devoid of hope for ever and for ever.

FIFTH. The Denunciation in the punishment. “…you lawbreakers.” (v23)

The description ‘you lawbreakers’ is not necessarily one which the hearers will immediately recognise as true of themselves.

Matthew’s desire is to provoke his readers into the shock of insight that failure to take with utmost seriousness the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon leaves one vulnerable to just this accusation.

Matthew’s desire is to provoke his readers into the shock of insight that

failure to take with utmost seriousness the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon

leaves one vulnerable to just this accusation.

How can our Lord just denounce these who did so much for Him on earth?

After all these guys aren’t murderers or adulterers or anything like that.

Here’s the sharp blade, is that though your outward life be unblamable,

you could still be a Hypocrite at heart.

Hypocrite at heart. Hypocrites are content to hold religious practices outwardly.

Hypocrites are content to hold religious practices outwardly.

It soothes their conscience.

But they never bring their hearts to conform to God’s Word.

Hypocrites profess to love and worship God but fail to exercise love and mercy to others around them.

The first tablet refers to having no other gods, and no idols.

whatever may have been their previous success in deceiving others, and

perhaps while on earth even themselves,

they cannot fool the Judge.

From the kingdom in its final phase they are excluded.—

But on this day of the last judgment they discover that, whatever may have been their previous success in deceiving others, and perhaps while on earth even themselves, they cannot fool the Judge. From the kingdom in its final phase they are excluded.—The lesson is clear: let everyone examine himself! What makes introspection important is that there will be many “sayers” who have not been “doers.” Jesus says they have not practiced the will of “my Father.…”

The lesson is clear: let everyone examine himself!

What makes introspection important is that there will be many “sayers” who have not been “doers.”

Jesus says they have not practiced the will of “my Father.…”