Connect360: Don’t Be Fooled

• Lesson 12 in the Connect360 unit “Kingdom Power: The Sermon on the Mount” focuses on Matthew 7:15-23.

In verses 21–23, Jesus’ words should create a pause for all of us. He stated, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Who was Jesus addressing? Their theology appears to be correct; they call Jesus Lord. They gave themselves to worthwhile causes. “Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” They obviously were involved in Christian ministries as preachers, teachers and leaders of the church.

Yet, just like the Pharisees and scribes, they had an outward religion and not a change of heart. The spiritual leaders who rejected Jesus during his earthly ministry gave alms to the poor, prayed three times a day in the temple, fasted two days a week, gave themselves to the study of the Scripture and were disciplined in keeping the Law. On the day of judgment, Jesus will say to those who have not been born again, “I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.”

Paul testified about the shallowness of this life in Philippians 3:2–14: “If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (3:4–7).

If anyone could have been saved by good works, Paul would have been that person. Neither his heritage, orthodoxy, personal righteousness nor religious zeal gave him new life. When he saw Christ, he realized all of his good deeds were no more than rubbish. Rather than bringing him to Christ, these dead works became a stumbling block to himself and to others.

Paul would not trade his new life with Christ for all of the achievements of his previous life. He said, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord (3:8).” His new passion in life was to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings. “I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus” (3:12).Paul didn’t want to miss out on what God had already prepared for him. Even in his suffering, he experienced the grace and mercy of God.

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