OUR MEETING PLACE

  The Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t my World Champions! It simply isn’t fair how they dominated the Yankees to win in just five games. How many people will join me in a “peaceful” (?) protest march in Los Angeles declaring they are illegitimate, and the Championship must be awarded to the NY Yankees? How many will join me in suing MLB to retroactively change the series to give NY three extra runs per game so the real winner would be the Yankees? While we’re waiting for that to come to pass let’s cry and threaten to leave America to show we’re serious about our protest.

Ok, that was admittedly a tongue in cheek response to the various media and political protests, where some folk are asserting Trump isn’t their president and they will resist his authority. Like him or not, he won the election and is set to become the next president on January 20, 2025.

Whether in jest or total seriousness there is one time we do not want to hear the words, “Not Mine!” That time is on the day of judgment. Jesus warned His hearers of the danger early in His ministry.

“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:23

Well, just who was Jesus talking to on that occasion? Was he referring to folk who had declared no interest in God or the things of God? Not at all. His words were directed to the religious people of His day, and all time for that matter.

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’” Matt 7:22

And just so we don’t get filled with pride and assert that He must have been talking to the religious leaders, as if that somehow exempts us, look back in the sermon and note He was talking to the common people. He wanted them (us) to understand they (us) must not practice religion like the Pharisees and religious leaders. In chapter five He repeatedly points to what they heard others say and contrasted that with “But I say”. In chapter six He told them to not give to the needy, pray, or fast “as the hypocrites do”.

And just so we don’t think He was setting aside the need to obey, as some say, understand that He wasn’t. Throughout the Sermon on the Mount Jesus sets a much higher standard than they could conceive. Look at the text. There we will see that the contrast was between a genuine obedience from the heart and a fake obedience that’s external only. Notice the parameters Jesus set for those who would be His.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Then notice how He doesn’t even mention faith in His declaration of just who will enter the narrow gate and find their way into God’s Kingdom.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” Matthew 7:21

Yet there are countless millions of religious people today who insist that Jesus didn’t really mean it. Preaching a false doctrine of “faith only” they reject every passage requiring obedience. Sadly, one day they will hear, “Not Mine”.

And just so we don’t get arrogant in the assumption that we’re not like those other people just because we recognize the need for obedience and how we can fall away from God let’s be sure to remember some other warnings.

Warnings such as the dangers of thinking too highly of ourselves.

“For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” Rom 12:3

Warnings such as the danger of considering ourselves the standard by which we, and all others, should be judged.

“For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.” 2 Corinthians 10:12

Warnings such as the danger of thinking we’re standing strong with the Lord and don’t need to be concerned.

“Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” 1 Cor 10:12

Warnings such as the danger of thinking we love God when we don’t love our brethren.

“If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20

The thing is God loves us all and wants everyone to share in salvation. The sad reality is that a lot of people say they want to share in His salvation but aren’t willing to obey Him from the heart. On judgment day no protest will change the outcome if we’re among those who hear Him say, “Not Mine!”

James McClenny