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Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Genesis 21-22
Matthew 7:1-23

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Matthew 7:21 (CSB): “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 in heaven.”

Reflecting on God’s Word

As Jesus brings the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7) to a close, He chooses to do so on a very sobering note.

He has given a lot of instructions about how people are to live as Kingdom citizens (saved people). He has talked about how we are to view the Bible, what we are to think about anger, lust, adultery, and love. He has called us to give to the needy, pray, and fast, but to do so with the right motives. He has warned against anxiety and judging.

But what if someone wants to be in the Kingdom (they want to be saved) but doesn’t want to take His commands seriously? What if someone isn’t particularly intent on obeying His instructions?

Jesus ends this sermon by making it abundantly clear that living in the Kingdom means we receive Jesus as Lord. That means that He is our boss. He is our King, we are citizens in His Kingdom, and our responsibility is to do what our King desires for us to do.

But Jesus warned in Matthew 7:21 that it is super easy to call Jesus our Lord. It’s easy to say that He is our King. But it’s another thing to actually live like He is the One who calls the shots in our life.

Matthew 7:21 (CSB): “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 in heaven.”

So, is Jesus saying that we have to obey (“do the will of His Father in Heaven”) in order to be saved? Of course not! We don’t do anything to get saved except to trust in Jesus to save us (Ephesians 2:8-9). But someone who is legitimately saved will demonstrate it by striving to live a life of obedience. They will treat Jesus as the King that He is as they desire and strive to obey Him.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to make it clear to you whether or not you merely say that Jesus is your King or whether you actually live like He is your King. (In other words, are you saved?)
  • Ask God to help you spend sufficient time in His Word, studying it, understanding it, believing it, and obeying it.
  • Thank God for the wonderful privilege of being a citizen in His Kingdom (if you are saved).
  • Ask God to help you be watchful for opportunities to share with others how they can also be Kingdom citizens (share the Gospel).

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into Matthew 7:21, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“Why will not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord,” be saved (Matthew 7:21)?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)