Yesterday the courthouse opened late due to snow. There were about ten of us standing outside the locked door (With windows) waiting for 11:00 when the courthouse would open… while Darrin was inside. Each time an county employee came to the door, he let them in. Everyone else had to stay outside in the cold. I struck up a conversation through the door with him while every few minutes he let another employee in only to close the door. Then it hit me…
The reason he let people in was that Darrin knew THEM. In a short time I got to know Darrin, but he didn’t know me as a county employee, so I still had to stay outside. Why is such a thought worth blogging? Consider the Scripture from Matthew 7:22-23 where it is recorded Jesus said…
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?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
I asked Darrin if I could take his picture for my blog because of Matthew 7:22-23. He asked… “Did you feed the hungry?” Wow… what a response! Now for a few applications…
First… It does not matter if YOU know Jesus. What matters is whether or not HE knows you! Just because a person preaches the Gospel or casts out demons or does mighty works IN JESUS’ NAME does not mean they are saved or they will be allowed into heaven.
Second… I call Mt 7:22-23, “The Judas Factor” because I believe he will be the first one to use what he did to escape hell (But I can’t prove it). How sad will it is that Jesus quantifies how many will use this argument… “MANY will say to me on that day…” Judas won’t be the only one to try.
Last… How tragic will it be for a person to be deluded their entire life, thinking they are saved because of the things they did, only to find out Jesus never knew them. The last words they will hear Jesus say are, “Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” What is important is a relationship with Christ, not intellectual knowledge about him.
Does Jesus know you?
What a great application to an otherwise ordinary encounter.
This blog lets me know you are getting it. Love you.