Sermon – True and False Disciples Revealed
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.”
Introduction. Matthew 7 contains one of the most shocking statements from Jesus about true and false disciples. True disciples are both known by Jesus and belong to Jesus. Each of us desires to belong, to be known and loved. To be known by God means more than just His awareness of you; it signifies a deep, intimate, personal relationship, involving being chosen, loved, and adopted as His child, with God knowing your innermost being, past, present, and future, offering security and comfort in His unwavering care, distinct from general awareness. It's a state of belonging, where God initiates the connection through faith in Jesus Christ, making you His own. Our verse today is a part of the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5-7, Jesus shares his core teaching on living in God's Kingdom. Life in the kingdom requires a radical vision of righteousness that focuses on our inner attitudes, love, and grace, not just keeping external rules. Jesus challenged His followers to become "salt and light" in a hostile world, not by power or force but through humility, forgiveness, loving enemies, and trusting God over material wealth, all culminating in the call to build life on His words, like a wise builder.
After sharing key teachings on the Beatitudes, Jesus pronounced blessings for the poor in spirit, meek, merciful, peacemakers, and even the persecuted and defined the character of kingdom citizens. Jesus knew that his audience struggled under the weight of the Law, so showed them and us how to fulfill the Law. Jesus elevated the importance of God’s Law and emphasized the spirit behind the Law. Not only should we not murder our fellowman, but don't be angry with them; not just "don't commit adultery," but "don't lust"; and yet the most radical was to "love your enemies" instead of hating them.
Righteous Living should reflect our inner heart. Our righteous living should be demonstrated by our true devotion to God and our fellowman as we give, pray and fast. The people were use to hypocrisy and religious public displays without the love of God. Following Jesus required more.
Jesus called his followers to trust in God and serve Him. He warned against serving money and material things, urging his followers to seek God's kingdom and trust Him to provide. Jesus gave them a blueprint for a life transformed by God's grace, showing what true righteousness looks like—a heart focused on God, filled with compassion, integrity, and radical love, even for enemies, leading to a stable life built on Jesus' teachings.
Matthew 7 summarizes Jesus's teaching on righteous living, focusing on not judging hypocritically, practicing discernment (not casting pearls to dogs), persistent prayer ("Ask, Seek, Knock"), the Golden Rule, choosing the narrow path to life, identifying false prophets by their fruits, and building one's life on a solid foundation (wise vs. foolish builders). Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount, by emphasizing righteous actions over mere words. Following Jesus means choosing the narrow gate to life over the wide one to destruction and building your life (like a house) on the solid rock of Jesus's teachings, not on sand. He concludes his teaching with what it means to be a true disciple. Only those who do God's will, will know God and be known of Him. Not everyone who calls Jesus "Lord," will enter the kingdom.
In essence, Matthew 7 calls for internal examination, sincere prayer, loving action, wise discernment, and obedience to God's word to live a life that truly honors Him. The verse "depart from me, I never knew you" is found in Matthew 7:23, where Jesus warns that not everyone who claims to follow Him will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of God.
In this passage, Jesus explains that on Judgment Day, many who performed religious acts (like prophesying or casting out demons in His name) will be told, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness!". It signifies a lack of true, intimate relationship and obedience, not just a lack of knowledge.
Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.”
This is one the most shocking statements made by Jesus. “But I will reply, I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.” Following Jesus as a true disciple is costly. Luke 14:26-27 reminds us all, “You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot follow me unless you love me more than you love your own life. You cannot be my disciple unless you carry your own cross and follow me.”
There are several things that make these statements shocking. The first is the words cannot and unless occurs three times to emphasize the importance. This extreme language emphasizes the total commitment and radical reordering of priorities required to follow Jesus, placing loyalty to Him above even life itself. The “many” in the verse emphasizes widespread deception.
1. Many will be deceived on that day. Shocked, surprised and in awe! Many who claimed salvation, attended religious meetings, worship services and displayed outward signs. “We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.” Their false claims of discipleship were accompanied by false evidence of service. Many will proudly point to their supposed good works (prophesying, casting out demons) in His name, only to hear the final words of judgment: "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness!" This text would be shocking if it said, a few would say or some will say, but it says many will say.
Somehow, many only had a general knowledge of Jesus. They never experienced His Life. They never knew Jesus in a genuine, obedient relationship of Him. They made a confession, acknowledged His existence, celebrated his birth, his resurrection and even performed good works and religious acts without true heart commitment. They professed to know Jesus, but Jesus never knew them.
Apostle Paul cautioned us 1Corinthians 9:27, where the Apostle Paul talks about disciplining his body so he isn't "disqualified" (castaway) after preaching to others. It refers to being "unapproved," "rejected," or "not standing the test, but failing to win the prize or be a worthy example after leading others. Paul's fear was that his actions might disgrace his message, making him useless as a preacher, a concept often linked to the idea of spiritual discipline and striving to live consistently with one's faith.
James 2:20, 26 "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?...For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Genuine faith must have corresponding actions. It's a warning against hypocrisy and relying on outward religious performance instead of inward transformation and obedience to God's will. Many will be shocked.
2. Many who Profess Jesus as Lord will be Lost. That phrase, from Matthew 7:21, is a warning from Jesus that simply saying "Lord, Lord" (professing faith) isn't enough for salvation; only those who do the will of God the Father will enter heaven, meaning genuine, obedient action flows from true faith, contrasting with those who perform miracles or prophesy in His name but remain lawless and are ultimately told by Jesus, "I never knew you". The Lordship of Jesus requires true submission to God's will. A superficial, works-based faith will not save. The passage highlights that true faith isn't just verbal acknowledgment but a transformed life that demonstrates obedience to God's commands. The ultimate test is whether Jesus "knows" a person, indicating a real, intimate relationship, not just a professional or performative one.
3. Many Never Understood What The Will of God’s Is. "Doing the Will of the Father" refers to living a life aligned with God's perfect law and commands, as taught throughout the Sermon on the Mount, not just performing religious rituals. "Doing the will of the Father," primarily means believing in and trusting in Jesus Christ, as He is the one God sent, which leads to eternal life, but also involves living a life of obedience, holiness, and love that reflects God's character and commands, as outlined in the Sermon on the Mount. It's about having faith in Jesus and putting His teachings into practice until personal transformation occurs. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" is from John 1:12 (KJV), a pivotal verse explaining that receiving Jesus through belief grants the authority (power) to become children of God, a spiritual birth not from human lineage but from God Himself. His power working within us will transform us. Anyone who receives Jesus and believes in His name is given the privilege and authority (right) to become a child of God, adoption into His family through faith in Christ. Salvation, transformation and inclusion into God's family are gifts from God, available to all who accept Jesus.
John 6:40, “For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” God's will is for everyone who spiritually "sees" (understands and recognizes) Jesus as the Son of God and believes in Him to receive eternal life and be raised up by Jesus on the last day, assuring believers of their secure salvation and resurrection through faith in Christ, not mere physical sight or works. It is the Father’s will for me that as I look to Jesus and believe in Him, I will have eternal life and Jesus will cause me to stand as He is able to cause me to stand. The good news of the gospel is not only for eternity but for now. "The gospel...should be seen as not only a message of good news for lost people to be saved from sin's penalty, but also a message of good news for Christian people to be saved from sin's domineering power. The goal of the gospel is not merely to forgive us, but to change us into true worshippers of God and authentic lovers of people." Dr. Steve Childers, True Spirituality. My salvation is a gift from God secured through Jesus. “Is it not wonderful news to believe that salvation lies outside ourselves?” Martin Luther
John 6:40 is a core verse about salvation, applying to believers as a promise that God's will is for all who "look to the Son and believe" to have eternal life and be raised up, emphasizing faith in Jesus as the simple, direct path to unending life, offering hope, security, and a deep spiritual satisfaction beyond physical needs. Its application involves personal trust in Jesus, understanding that God actively draws people to Him, and gives them the assurance that belief secures forever with God. Amen.
