Calling Jesus Lord

Matthew 7:21 “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.

I want to start this article by saying that this word is hard. All of us have, at some point or another, read this scripture and wrestled with the implications of these words. They are tough words.

Today, I want to explore this because it is something that we have to have peace and clarity over. This statement has eternal consequences; thus, our understanding should be clear, concise, and not ambiguous. Jesus did not wrap this statement in nice flowery words, but He went straight to the point.

Let’s start… Jesus was very clear. Not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We don’t always understand the meaning in our modern, western way of living. In this context, the word lord means master.

A master is more than just your boss. A master would usually also be considered a provider and protector. In feudal times the lord of the manor would have serfs living and working on his land. These people would look towards him for their protection and provisions. If the lord of this land were good, he would support and help his people during drought and other difficult times. A good master or lord would teach and educate his people.

Jesus is our Master. However, Jesus said that you can call Him master, but if you don’t do the will of His Father, then it doesn’t mean anything.

Let’s look again at the feudal lord of the Middle Ages. The serfs that lived and worked on his land were his responsibility. Over the years, he might have seen weather patterns detrimental to the people and his land. Perhaps, year after year, they experience flooding during the rainy season. Because he is a good master, he comes up with a plan to help the people of his land. Putting measures in place to overcome the difficulties during the rainy season. Unfortunately, if the people ignore his instructions, they will continue to suffer every rainy season.

This example is very simplistic, but I hope it conveys the point. Jesus is very clear about this. It is not calling Him Master or Lord that is important but doing the will of His Father. It matters when we act to our words and obey His instructions.

If verse 21 wasn’t hard enough, verses 22 and 23 are even harder.

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Prophesy, driving out demons, and performing miracles do not impress Jesus? Wow! For most of us, it seems like the ultimate show of what a Super-Spiritual-Man is when you do these things. How is it, then, that Jesus calls them evildoers?

To clarify, each one of those things Jesus mentioned is important. Prophesying, driving out demons, and performing miracles are not bad things. God works through people in many ways to fulfil His purpose. However, this is where the tyre hits the road.

When I do things in the name of Jesus, what is my motivation? Is it to glorify God or to receive applause and praise from people? People love to see and hear things that amaze them. However, they are not always quick to give glory to God where it belongs. They tend to pour out their admiration on the vessel through whom God worked. If the vessel then revels in the accolades it receives, his/her motivation is wrong.

The other point that I would like to make is obedience. That was the essence of what Jesus said. Doing amazing things for God is nothing if we do it outside of obedience to Him. Unfortunately, we seem to have lost our way regarding obedience. What does God expect from me? How can I obey if I am not sure about what He wants?

We don’t have to go far searching for what God expects from us. His Word is very clear on that topic. It is not a long list of do’s and don’ts, but quite straightforward:

1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. (Mark 12:30)

2. Love your neighbour like yourself. (Mark12:31)

3. Love mercy, do justly, and walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

4. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. (Matthew 7:12)

5. Care for the widow, the orphan and the foreigner among you. (Deuteronomy 27:19)

6. Love one another. (John 13:34-35)

7. Make disciples. (Matthew 28:19)

8. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33)

Have you noticed that the list can be summed up in loving God and loving people?

There are many more that I can quote, but you get the point. So, where did we get it wrong? Where have you and I stopped doing the will of our Heavenly Father? Is it maybe when we:

1. Love money, power, and influence more than we love God?

2. Pick and choose who our neighbour is.

3. Want vengeance instead of mercy? When we look the other way when we notice injustice or prefer to boast about what we do for the Lord instead of humbly obeying Him even when there are no applauses?

4. Expect the fruits of the Spirit in others but lacking in it ourselves?

5. Hand over responsibility for the vulnerable in our community to the government instead of caring for them ourselves?

6. Confuse loving our neighbour with condoning their lifestyle?

7. Stop making disciples, but instead, do everything we can to entice more people to join our congregation.

8. Instead of seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, we seek approval from people. Instead of being salt that purifies and preserves, we have become tasteless and useless. Instead of shining our lights high and bright so that the darkness may flee, we hide our lights in our churches and become pointless to the world around us.

Hebrews 3:13-15 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts

as you did in the rebellion.”

If this article has convicted you, please do not hesitate to pray to Jesus for repentance. Romans 10:13 says: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” And Psalm 15:17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

May the Lord bless you, keep you, make His face shine upon you, and give you peace.