Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
This passage where Jesus denied those who had used His gifts and exercised His authority to cast out demons stands as quite a stark reminder. However, Jesus was referring to those who have not given their lives to the Lord. It doesn’t take faith to exercise authority or to prophesy using the name of Jesus. Jesus’ name in itself carries authority as there is no other name that is higher than the name of Jesus, at which even demons must bow, and because God is compassionate, merciful, and gracious, He will use any vessel as a conduit to bless and minister to those in need.
Entering the kingdom of God has to do with the acknowledgement of the lordship of Christ in our lives. It is God’s will for us to respond to the call for salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives, and to lay down our lives and rights to live out His will for our lives. We choose to live a life of consecration where we say to the Lord “not my will but your will be done in my life”. God wants us to be obedient to His call, and live purposefully for Him. This is not only meant for those who are called to full time ministry, but for every disciple. The job or business that God has given us is not just a means to support our family or to help us in our self-actualisation, but to be His witness in the marketplace, to be modern day fishermen for Christ!
Those who have fully understood how much it cost the Lord to die for us on the cross would want to live their lives for Him because it is a natural response out of our love for Him. God has a will and purpose for all of us from the time we were saved to when we leave this earth. Sadly, many Christians have no desire to pursue God’s will for their lives, but are seeking their self-worth and being enticed by the worldly lure of being significant, because no one can serve mammon and God. Some have even departed from walking with the Lord just because they didn’t receive the promotion or have their selfish prayers answered. While it is good to shine for the Lord when we are promoted, it reveals our faulty foundation when we stop walking, turn lukewarm or indifferent with the Lord if we don’t get what we desire.
Sermon Series: He Came to Give You a New Identity (Part 2)
先求祂的国
马太福音7:21-23 “凡称呼我主阿，主阿的人，不能都进天国。惟独遵行我天父旨意的人，才能进去。 当那日必有许多人对我说，主阿，主阿，我们不是奉你的名传道，奉你的名赶鬼，奉你的名行许多异能吗？ 我就明明地告诉他们说，我从来不认识你们，你们这些作恶的人，离开我去吧！”
耶稣否认那些使用祂恩赐和行使祂权柄赶鬼的人，这节经文是一个相当明确的提醒。然而，耶稣指的是那些还没有把自己的生命献给主的人。奉耶稣的名来行使权柄并不需要信心。耶稣的名本身就带有权柄。没有一个名高过耶稣的名，甚至恶魔也必要向耶稣的名俯伏，因为神是慈悲、怜悯、有恩典的，祂会使用任何器皿作为管道，祝福和服事有需要的人。
进入神的国度，必须要承认基督在我们生命中的主权。神的旨意是要我们回应救恩的呼召，接受耶稣基督为我们生命的主，放下我们的生命和权利，在我们的生命中活出祂的旨意。我们选择过一种分别为圣的生活，我们对主说:“不是我的旨意，乃是祢的旨意在我生命中成就。”神要我们顺服祂的呼召，明确地为祂而活。这不仅是指那些受呼召做全职事奉的人，而是指每一个门徒。神所赐给我们的工作或生意，不只是养家糊口或帮助我们实现自我价值，而是要在职场上作祂的见证，成为今世为基督得人的渔夫!
那些完全明白主为我们死在十字架上要付出多大代价的人，会愿意为祂而活，因为这是我们爱祂的自然反应。从我们被拯救之时一直到离开这个世界，神对我们所有人都有一个旨意和目的。可悲的是，许多基督徒不想在他们的生命中寻求神旨意，而只追求自我价值，被世俗的诱惑所迷惑，因为没有人能同时事奉神和玛门。有些人甚至不再与主同行，只是因为他们没有得到晋升或他们自私的祈祷没有得到回应。当我们被晋升的时候，为主发光固然是好的，但如果我们没有得到我们想要的，就停止与主同行，对主不冷不热或漠不关心的时候，就暴露了我们错误的根基。
讲章系列: 祂来给你一个新身份(第二部分)
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