Matthew 7:21-24 Party Crasher

Matthew 7:21-24  "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.  "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?'  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock”. (NASB)

We’re having what could be considered a “National” meeting for the small group within the company for which I manage one commercial geography.  This year it is our turn to host the event so I chose to bring the group to California.  Last evening was the first official gathering of the group with a social welcome reception including hosted beverages and hors d'oeuvres before optional scattered dinners.  After gathering together for a bit the plan was to have our west coast business head make a few remarks

Here’s the twist … We had a crasher. 

From the time I arrived I spotted this guy with his computer backpack and clothes that weren’t quite up to “Business Casual” standards.  But, it had been a travel day and one of the other managers had asked if jeans would be okay for the evening to which I had replied they would.  So, the guy could have been legit; one of the new hires perhaps.  But who was he?  I started asking around and no one seemed to know him and no one introduced me to him.

Well, I got busy and started talking with others playing host but in the process found out this guy was supposed to be some University guy working on his doctorate at a local school.  Okay, go ahead and chit chat with a couple of our guys I thought, no big deal.  About forty five minutes into the reception though it came time for me to gather everyone up to have our business head make a few prepared remarks.   As I asked everyone on the patio to move inside, I figured the guy would move along but I was wrong; the guy slithers into the room with everyone else.  I send an emissary to nudge him out but by then I’m tinkling my glass and getting everyone’s attention.

No time

“Do I know you”? I said.  “This is a closed company meeting” and with that he gathered his backpack and moved along.

I have to tell you the experience rattled me a bit as a manager to have an interloper attempt to sit in on company business like that.  But beyond that, the situation serves to illustrate the Scripture from this passage in Matthew’s Gospel.

Our crasher had no business being at our function in the first place.  He wasn’t an employee, an invited guest etc.  He just sort of moved in and pretended to belong.  Later, others in our company and those on staff with the resort said they didn’t know he was a crasher.  But I knew.  I knew he was out of place from the moment I arrived and saw him there talking to one of our people.  I allowed him to stay and mingle, drink my drinks and eat my food.  That wasn’t a problem for me.  But when the real important time came, he was not welcomed.

Jesus says, “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” and again, “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”?  So those Jesus is talking about act just like our crasher in the Church.  They act the part; they play the church game and seem to fit in.

But they like our crasher do not fool the host.  When the important business is at hand the acute awareness that Jesus has not been taken for a fool is revealed, “I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.”

Jesus leaves us with these words regarding this parable and warning which need no further clarification from me, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.”  AMEN!

Philippians 3:7-8 Our Best Work; Rubbish!

Philippians 3:7-8  “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,” (NASB)

Written by Paul the letter to the church in Philippi would have Mrs. Parker my high school English teacher having fits.  Talk about run on sentences.  There are no periods just a bunch of commas as Paul strings along this thought of how all of his best efforts are worthless in comparison to Christ.

Let’s take a closer look.  We have to roll it back a few verses to get a bit of a context and even understand Paul a bit.  Paul was a highly educated Jew in his day.  He was a Pharisee.  He writes, “Circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee” (Philippians 3:5) So, he’s giving us some of his credentials here.  He’s letting us know that among people and even among God’s chosen people the Jews, Paul is special having been educated in the Law and now ranked among the Pharisees.

Why is he telling us this?  Because he is giving us perspective.  He’s letting us know that among men and even among Jews if there were anyone to claim closeness to God it would be Paul.  He’s giving us this hypothetical in reference to his pre-conversion state as an unbelieving but God loving Jew.  He says in this state, “I myself might have confidence even in the flesh.  If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:” (Philippians 3:5) So that is the setup for his credentials.  He is saying that those credentials give rise to his being able to claim confidence to a higher degree than most anyone else.  That is, should he believe it were appropriate.

And … clearly Paul does not believe that is appropriate.  His comparison here is to show that if he doesn’t believe it then no one else should either.  Paul says, “For we (followers of Christ) are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,”  (Philippians 3:4)  So there, he comes out with it, all works apart from Christ as good as they may be when compared are worthless. 

And that is the point of the main passage today.  “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,” (Philippians 3:7-8)

All those accomplishments of Paul, those things he could in his flesh count as gain when put in proper perspective have no value at all.  In comparison to the gift of Christ our Savior and Redeemer who offers us eternal life with him when hell was our due, those efforts are but, “Rubbish”.  Amen!