“I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers.” Matt 6:23 “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” Matt 25:12 “You do not know me or my Father.” John 8:19 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without your wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matt 22:11-14
Over and over Jesus exposed man’s presumption. People looked religious… but Jesus saw something different. People proudly read the Scripture… but they missed what was most important. People did ‘great’ things… but they were separated from God. Jesus told parables to reveal stunning truths such as this one: The greatest claim a man can make is not that He knows God, but that God knows him.
A friend called from Switzerland this week and shared a bit of his journey. A couple of years ago, he visited the States wondering how he was going to provide for his family. He had no income and no place to live. He had been a missionary in Europe for years. He had been part of church planting, leadership training, and evangelizing. But as he came to know the Lord better, he began to conclude that God wanted to do so much more than he could even imagine. He began to pray that the works of Jesus might be displayed to a lost world. He began to see the sick healed, captives set free, and words of knowledge given to the hurting and poor. While his faith grew, difficulty also increased. But through the struggles, presumption has given way to brokenness and dogmatism has given way to childlike trust in our Father in Heaven. It is very easy for my friend to share the most important thing that ever happened to him.
As a young man in Switzerland, he worked as a shepherd. It was during this period of his life that the Good Shepherd found him. Realizing he was a sinner, he bowed before the One who gave Himself at Calvary. At the Cross, the burden of sin was removed and rags of impurity were exchanged for a robe of righteousness. In the hills, amongst the sheep, a young man fell in love with Jesus. In all of the highs and lows of his Christian walk, my Swiss friend always remembers a sure surrender and a simple fellowship with his Savior.
“Unless a man humbles himself and comes to Me as a child, he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven. These are the ones I know. I am the Gate; whoever enters through Me shall be saved. I am the only Way to the Father and how I love to make my Father known! Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Follow Me and do the will of my Father. One glorious day you shall hear Me say, ‘I know you!’”
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” Matt 25:34-36