Deceiving Ourselves

Introduction:

In August 2009, Amanda and I came to California for the first time. I had an interview with my first church out of seminary in Livermore, CA. We came in for 72 hours to meet with the search team and the church staff.

While we were here, they suggested we take a few hours and go to San Francisco. Go to the Warf and see the sights. It was august and everyone suggested that we bring jackets. It’s August, we didn’t think we needed Jackets. That was absolutely the coldest I’ve ever been in my life.

Now I have to set the scene here because otherwise it may not make sense. This was the days before smart phones and google maps and Waze. We printed our directors off the computer like savages.

We wanted to do 2 things. We wanted to eat clam chowder out of a sourdough bread bowl and we wanted to see the Golden Gate bridge.

So after hitting the Warf, we walked along the Embarcadero. And then we saw it. It was a magnificent bridge. With high towers. I could see what the big deal about it was. We took so many pictures standing in front of that bridge. Me by myself. Amanda by herself. Then we had a stranger take a picture of us both. Our evening trip into SF had been a success.

I remember as we were driving back to Livermore, I think it was Amanda who looked at me and said, I thought the Golden Gate bridge was red. Always quick to give a bad explanation I said, “Maybe it’s the way the sun hits it.”

Needless to say, what we thought was a successful trip was really us and 1,000 pictures in front of the Oakland San Francisco Bay bridge. The old one.

We were so certain that we were in the right place but turns out we were wrong.

Now in the grand scheme of life, this wasn’t a life altering miscalculation. We eventually moved out to California and have been to the Golden Gate bridge many times.

But what about those miscalculations in life that are the matter of life and death and heaven and hell.

Transition to the Text: Turn with me in your Bibles toMatthew 7:21-23. Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount as instructions for living in the kingdom of God. Jesus changed what it meant to be a true believer and opened it up to more than just the Jewish people. He changed how his people understood the law and especially about what it means to have a relationship with God.

For the Jewish people back then, and Christians today, perhaps the Sermon on the Mount can be summed up like this...

Introduce:

Authentic Principle: Make sure you’re really saved.

Read:

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

21 “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. 22 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?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Authentic Principle: Make sure you’re really saved.

Transition: I probably don’t need to tell you that this is not a question that you want to answer on your death bed. And it’s certainly not one you want figure out when you stand before Jesus.

What will we say? Well, the first thing we need to understand is...

1. Our words don’t tell our whole story (Matthew 7:21)

Explanation: Jesus says these incredibly haunting words, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” What Jesus is trying to say here is that words are cheap. Now the background of this passage (the whole sermon on the mount) is in the context of cultural Judaism. For most of those listening to Jesus they were probably Jewish. If you were born Jewish, you were considered religiously Jewish. If your dad and mom were Jewish, you were Jewish and you may have had the false idea that this was enough.

But through the OT, it was always revealed that cultural identity did not equate to salvation or even protection from your enemies. But over time, the Jewish people began to think of themselves as right with God and take a relationship with Him for granted, without actually knowing God. They thought that so long as they didn’t worship idols. Kept the sabbath. Went to the temple for the festivals and attended synagogues. Maybe they prayed throughout the day.

Jesus, I think was changing the idea of religion to show that it had a lot to do with your relationship with God. Some have gone so far as to say that religion is bad and we should just have a relationship with Jesus. I understand where they are coming from here, and I think it’s in response to some of what Jesus is talking about.

However, religion isn’t bad. Earlier Jesus even said that:

Matthew 5:17–19 ESV

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Religion is meaningless and useless apart from the relationship which is exactly the condemnation that Jesus levied against the Pharisees. They were great at giving lip-service to God, but deep down they didn’t actually know Him.

If words don’t make you a Christian, what does?

Jesus continues: “but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Again, this is somewhat difficult because this makes it seem like Jesus is saying you are saved by works. And this is used by many to argue just that. But is that what He’s saying? What is the will of the Father?

It would be incorrect or incomplete to assume that Jesus is saying that the Father’s will is for you to keep the OT law. Though, to say we are just free from all of the law’s obligations would be misleading as well. There is an action that is required, but the question is what is that action?

There is really only place where Jesus defines the “will of His Father” and it comes not in Matthew, but in John 6:40 “40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.””

Because of this, the Will of the Father is that you have a relationship with Jesus.

So much of Matthew’s Gospel is about what it takes to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And even as Jesus speaks of the Law, he will further define what the law was meant to do.

And how do you enter into the Kingdom of God? Through a relationship with Jesus.

Entrance into the kingdom of God is then dependent upon loving God and loving other people. It’s about authentic relationships.

You can’t enter by magic words. You can’t memorize the words to say.

It’s not about the words, but about the heart behind them.

Illustration: There have been times in my life where I have told people what they wanted to hear.

I’ve sat in job interviews and told people that my biggest weakness is being a perfectionist, when the truth is my biggest weakness is procrastination.

When I’ve been asked my honest opinion about something, I have sometimes been too nice and other times been too brutal.

I haven’t been completely honest with people to keep from hurting them. And I’ve withheld the truth to keep from hurting myself.

And I’ve had all of these things happen to me as well.

Words are cheap. Words won’t get you into heaven. The real question is what do you really believe?

Application: Do you love Jesus? It’s one thing to say you do, but does your heart match those words.

One of the ways I like to test this is asking myself, if I could have eternity in heaven without Jesus would I be ok with that?

So often when it comes to asking what people think about heaven, they can’t wait to see lost loved ones. They are hoping that all dogs really do go to heaven so they will get to see their childhood pet.

But what about Jesus? Is he someone you’ll eventually get to in heaven? Or is he your first stop?

The will of Jesus’ Father, who He also calls “Our Father” is that we know Jesus. And by knowing Jesus, we’ll have eternal life in His name.

Now, if there are still any doubts that Jesus might be saying that it’s works that get into your good grace, look what He says next.

Matthew 7:22 ESV

22 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?’

This means that...

2. Empty actions devoid of a changed heart mean nothing. (Matthew 7:22)

Explanation: Jesus says that there will be people in the Last days who will try to justify themselves by pointing to the things that they did.

They will point to times they prophesied in His name. They will point to times they cast out demons in His name. They will point to mighty works they did in Jesus’ name!

What’s scary is that Jesus says, it’s not just a few people....it will be many.

For those early listens of Jesus, they needed to know the truth. What would save these people listening to the Sermon on the Mount was not being Jewish or a child of Abraham. It wasn’t going to temple or Synagogue. It wasn’t being able to memorize the Scriptures. It wasn’t even being a good person.

And the same thing is true of Christians today.

1. Checking the box on the census that says you’re a Christian does not make you a Christian.

2. Going to church does not make you a Christian.

3. Teaching Sunday school does not make you a Christian.

4. Being a deacon who serves faithfully does not make you a Christian.

5. Being a pastor who preaches powerful sermons does not make you a Christian?

Why? Because none of those things saves us.

And that’s exactly what Jesus is saying.

Words are not enough.

There is a reason why many love the phrase, “actions speak louder than words.” Because many can talk a good game without having any reason substance behind them.

But even actions are not enough.

It is a matter of the heart.

You can say you are a Christian all day long, but that doesn’t necessarily make it true.

When it comes to your words about Jesus, do those words, “I am a Christian” match your actions? And do your actions match your heart.

Illustration:

I grew up in Church. I was baptized when I was 10. But I don’t think I truly understood what it meant to be a Christian. I memorized a bunch of Sunday school answers to questions, and I bought a T-Shirt that said, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel.” On top of making sure I went to the Youth Group. I thought that’s what you did.

It wasn’t until I was 21 that I really began my relationship with Jesus. For 11 years I walked with a false sense of my own salvation.

Application: We talk a lot about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus, but how often do we talk about our relationship with Jesus in terms of the things that we do or don’t do? How often do we talk about our relationship with Jesus in terms of what we know? Bible knowledge and facts.

When is the last time we just sat and enjoyed time with Jesus in prayer? In song? In His word?

A relationship with Jesus is not a “fake it till you make it situation.” It starts with a relationship with Jesus.

But that’s what makes Christianity different. Because it’s not about what you do, but it’s about knowing Jesus.

Think about it, every other religion feels like you have to earn favor with God first.

Jesus invites you to come as you are into an abundant life relationship with Him.

We’re invited belong before we look the part. Before we know the lingo. But know that it’s only through Jesus.

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Now there is something else going on here…why would Jesus say this in the first place?

He wants to warn us so that this won’t be describing us because...

3. We will all one day stand before Jesus. (Matthew 7:23)

Explanation: Inherent in Jesus’ words here is the reality that one day we will be given a chance to say “Lord, Lord.” And that there is a possibility that we could have lived our entire lives having deceived ourselves into thinking that we were going to heaven. When the reality is “He never knew us.”

Paul talked about this as well

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Now, some might say that this passage teaches us that you can lose your salvation, but Jesus doesn’t say I don’t know you anymore. He says, “I never knew you” in the first place.

Now we need stop here for a second. My fear is that you might wrongly assume that Jesus is talking about you. Many people spend their lives in fear of rejection. They’ve been rejected by people and just feel like the final blow would be standing before Jesus and He rejects us.

That’s not what’s going on here. And I know that, because so much of the Bible is pushing us towards confidence.

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

And Jesus encourages that humble.

Luke 18:10–14 ESV

10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The humble sinner is welcomed because it’s not about our works, but about our heart. So, what’s really going on in Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21-23?

Jesus regularly condemns self-righteousness. Those who essentially see Jesus as lucky to have them on the team.

Illustration: A lot of people say that the bay area is one of the hardest places in the country to be a pastor and a Christian for that matter.

But I think one of the great joys of serving in the bay area is 1) There are lots of people here who don’t know Jesus and 2) the bay area has lost a lot of its “cultural Christianity.”

While there are certainly some challenges ministering in a post-Christian society, at least people here, if they aren’t Christians, will tell you.

I’m not sure you would get that type of honesty in some other parts of the country. Some of the hardest people to share the Gospel with are those who think they already have it.

And that’s exactly who Jesus is talking to…people who think they don’t need Him.

Application: We live in a self-sufficient world where people believe in themselves and their ability to overcome by shear willpower.

But Jesus wants people that are desperate for Him and who know that they can do nothing on their own.

He wants to remind us that apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Now let’s think about that day that we will all stand before Jesus.

For the arrogant and self-righteous, that will be a day of great fear.

But for the humble, it will be like coming home. It will not be a time when we stand not before a judge but before a friend. A friend who will embrace us and welcome us into His eternal glory.

Jesus wants us to be confident in this. For many of us, Matthew 7:21 is a reminder of what’s to come.

But it’s like Paul said, don’t take your salvation for granted. Make sure.

Philippians 2:12 ESV

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Today we can ask a very important question:

Response: Are you confident in your relationship with Jesus?

Summation:

Authentic Principle: Make SURE you’re really SAVED.

1. Our WORDS don’t tell our WHOLE story (Matthew 7:21)

2. EMPTY actions devoid of a CHANGED heart mean nothing. (Matthew 7:22)

3. We WILL all one day stand before JESUS. (Matthew 7:23)

Closing Illustration:

Have you ever had that feeling where something just felt right?

You had a peace about things.

Maybe it was when you knew that you were going on your last first date.

Maybe it was walking on to that college campus and touring 5 others, and you knew this was where you were supposed to be.

Or after searching and rejection you finally walk into a job that is right.

This is how I think about a relationship with God.

My guess is you won’t have to dig very deep to know if you are saved. It’s something that you just know. Because it just feels right.

Jesus doesn’t want you to doubt. He wants you to be sure that you have a relationship with Him. But that starts with asking the question.

I’ll ask again are you confident in your relationship with Jesus?

If you aren’t. May today be the day you surrender to His love.

Let’s pray.

Week 35 of 2021-2022 Sermon Series: Inauthentic: False Security

Authentic Principle: Make SURE you’re really SAVED.

1. Our WORDS don’t tell our WHOLE story (Matthew 7:21)

2. EMPTY actions devoid of a CHANGED heart mean nothing. (Matthew 7:22)

3. We WILL all one day stand before JESUS. (Matthew 7:23)

Response: Are you CONFIDENT in your relationship with JESUS?

Opening Discussion: How can you know that you are really saved? What are the marks of a true Christian?

Sermon:

What does Jesus say will mark out a true believer?

What evidence do the people give that they have done that? Why do you think that their works are insufficient?

What is the Father’s will for His people?

Why is it so important that we don’t mistake Jesus’ requirements for works?

What is significant about Jesus not only dismissing people who thought they were following Him, but also declaring that he never knew them in the first place?

Application:

How does this passage make you feel about your relationship with God?

What does it mean to do “the will of the Father?”

How can we keep in balance the call to be confident in our relationship with God while still making sure that we’re actually saved?

How can it be possible to do things in Jesus name and not actually have a relationship with Him?

Whenever we do something we think is for Jesus, how can we make sure that our heart is right?

Read Philippians 2:12. What does this passage add our understand of what Jesus was saying in Matthew 7:21-23?

Are you confident in your relationship with Jesus?