Job 14-16 | Acts 9:22-43

“Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord…” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you…” Matthew 7:21-23

The opening verse of this devotion gives a sobering warning. There will be people who know Jesus and even use the right language—“Lord, Lord”—but Jesus does not know them. They will reason, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?” But Jesus responds, “I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:22-23). How does this make sense?

Jesus explains why in Matthew 7:24-26. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

We often hear this passage taught that the rock is Christ. While there are parts of Scripture that remind us that Jesus is our rock, this, however, is not what Jesus’s teaching is calling our attention to. Jesus is saying that if we build our life upon His words by putting them into practice, we are building our life upon a firm foundation. The evidence of knowing Jesus and being truly known by Him is that we hear His words and they become evident and practiced in our life—in our obedience. In contrast, the one who does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

For both foundations, Jesus notes, “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house.” Jesus was not talking about “if” the storms come but “when” they come. We can be certain that adversity will come into our lives, but for those of us who have built our life upon Christ by being obedient to His words, we have a solid foundation. Hence, obedience to God’s Word and putting it into practice is what Jesus is calling us to do.

James exhorts, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Going to church does not mean that we know Jesus, and listening to sermons does not mean we are saved; rather, applying the teachings and building our life upon the rock of Christ reveals that we are resting on a saving relationship with Jesus.

PRAYER

Gracious Jesus, I want to know You and be known by You. Help me to not just listen to Your Word thinking that I am “safe” but truly apply them into my life. Thank You, Lord.