You Don't Know Me

Introduction

As a teenager growing up in Texas it was a great time for hip hop listeners who grew up in the south. By the time I turned 13, many southern rappers were at place of National acclaim in which I took a lot of pride in considering the mecca of Hip rested, ruled and abided on the coastlines between the star studded power of Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, Snoop Dogg, Big Daddy Kane, Wu Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest to name a few. By the time I got ready to graduate from High School there were a number of southern rappers that had found stardom. One song in particular was You Don’t Know Me, by the southern vocabulist by the name of Clifford Harris also know is T.I.

This song rang through speakers as he emphatically expressed You might see me in the streets but you don’t know me. When you holla when you speak remember you don’t know me. Save all the hatin’ and the plottin, remember you don’t know me. Quit telling people you my patna remember you don’t know me. Yeah you know they call me T.I. but you don’t know me, You be hatin’ and I see why cuz you don’t know me.

I believe if God was to release a single during the time the book of Ezekiel was written His song would have sounded similar. During this time if Israel really know God they would not have built idols and worshipped false gods. Of course we read this from a context of history but what about us in the 21st century. How many idols have we erected, how rebellious as a country have we become. Understand that once God has had enough He has a way of getting our attention.

This is It

There’s no mincing words in Ezekiel Chapter 7. “The end is here! Wherever you look, east, west, north, or south your land is finished”.

Think on this that their rebellion had gotten to a place in which there was no more hope!

Because there is no hope for their sin, because they’ve rebelled at every turn God is done.

It’s similar to a parent, everyone is entitled to make a mistake but eventually a lesson has to be learned.

A friend of mine has a policy in his house, the first time I’ll ask, then I’ll tell you but if I have to make you it’s not going to be pretty.

God is at a place of making things happen, because they have forgotten who is really in control or as my mother would say “y’all don’t think fat meat is greasy”. When my mother let that phrase fly it was showtime and not in a good way.

A God of Promises

Look at the “I Will” statements of God.

I will unleash my anger

I will call you to account

I will turn my eyes away

I will repay

I will pour out my fury

I will give it as plunder to the foreigners

I will bring the most ruthless of nations

I will break down their proud fortresses

I will bring on them the evil they have done to others

I am Lord

Matthew 7:21-23 ““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

We can worship like we’ve been saved. We can talk about the grace and mercy of God, we can help people but if we practice lawlessness we really do not know God.

Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

We can’t lift up our eyes to the hills of idols and expect God to deliver us!

“They will receive no preaching from the priests and no counsel from the leaders. The kind and the prince will stand helpless.”

This is all the cause of rebellion, we have to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. It’s one thing to make a mistake but when we deliberately make it a point to rebel against the God that delivers us time and time again there remains no more help for us.

The key word is helpless, basically God will remove even our basic needs to understand that he is in control. This word helpless means to have a covering over the body. Sometimes God has to strip us down to the bare bones for us to realize that even the things we subconsciously take for granted are gifted by God. It wasn’t until Adam and Eve had sinned did they realize God was not playing with them. Granted we have grace and favor through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ but let us be reminded:

Hebrews 10:26 “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,”

Just like God has promised us grace and everlasting life, He also promises us destruction when we continue to sin when we have the blueprint for Godly living.

It May Seem Harsh

It may seem harsh but honestly it’s not.

Romans 1:20-25 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

So let us understand that they did not have Jesus and God still did not give them an excuse. They knew what God expected and still refused to trust in Him. Going along to get along is never the answer!

God has given us the promise, but if we refuse to acknowledge it we have no choice but to leave our lives in the balance of truly understanding the consequence of knowing that He and He alone is God.

Do you really know Him this morning? I know you read about the God that created the mountains and hung the sun in the sky by uttering words but do you really know Him? I know you’ve heard about a God that send Jesus and fed thousands and helped the blind see and the lame walk but do you really know Him? Understand the same God that can open up the heavens is still the same God that has the power to judge us to and everlasting torment!

Sometimes I need a reminder! Job 38:4-7 ““Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?”

Get to know God

In sickness

In pain

In mistakes

In turmoil

In happiness

In blessings

In love

Don’t let rebellion be the reason you get to know God!