Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of Scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
I’ve always found it interesting that when someone wins the lottery, all of a sudden people show up claiming to be a long lost relative. When someone becomes famous, it seems like overnight, everyone will claim to know them, simply because they grew up in the same area or went to school in the same town. But actually, they were never in a close relationship with them, the type where you would spend quality time each day with them. All they want to do is ride on someone else’s coattails, because of their own self-seeking ambitions. When someone becomes famous, all of a sudden people start coming out of the woodwork, claiming to have some type of relationship with them. Somehow they feel that they can claim friendship with that person, while the real truth is, they really don’t know them at all.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
A friend is defined in the dictionary as a buddy or a pal. It is someone that you like enough to hang out with on a regular basis. The disciples were with the Lord Jesus practically every day, spending great amounts of time with Him, and learning about the things of God’s Kingdom. But there will be others who will claim to know the Lord Jesus, but they never really knew Him at all.
Luke 13 ²³ Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, ²⁴ Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ²⁵ When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: ²⁶ Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. ²⁷ But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. ²⁸ There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Think of all the people at judgment Day who are going to claim to know the Lord Jesus, but they will be cast away from his presence. Many people claim to be a follower of Jesus, or even one of His disciples. But what really determines if you were ever a true friend of the Lord?
“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” John 15:14
To claim to be a friend of the Lord requires obedience to His teachings which are found throughout the New Testament. It is to be in humble submission to the perfect will of God. In these wicked times, many people profess to be Christian, yet they are complete reprobates according to the faith, and it’s going to grow worse and worse. A lot of them are wicked women who refuse to submit to the authority of men. They are disobedient and rebellious, complete reprobates according to the faith. People want to believe a lie that they can live in sin and somehow enter into a kingdom where sin does not exist. The religion that they possess doesn’t go any deeper than their own clothing. If you were to peel back the layers of their heart, all you would find is the darkness of hypocrisy. All they possess is an outward form of religion, rather than an inward heart that is ready and willing, to do the will of God.
“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Mark 7:6
People might do many works in the name of the Lord Jesus, but the facts are that if they don’t turn from darkness to the light and depart from sin, they will ultimately perish in their own rebellion.
Matthew 7 ²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Why do people claim to be Christian, but reject the things that Christ taught?
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46
Even the relatives of the Lord Jesus felt that they held special favor with the Lord, but God is a respecter of no one. To be a part of His family, is to walk in the will of God.
Matthew 12 ⁴⁷ Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. ⁴⁸ But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? ⁴⁹ And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! ⁵⁰ For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Acts 10 ³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
³⁵ But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Obedience proves our love to God. When Abraham humbly submitted to God’s will, he became known as the friend of God.
James 2 ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ²² Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Disobedience doesn’t please anybody in authority, especially the Lord Jesus.
1 John 2 ³ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
We are living in a time of great wickedness and a false form of Christianity which has been described in the book of Revelation as a disobedient and unfaithful church. One that is filled with people whose hearts have become hardened to the truth by following the world rather than God. They claim His friendship, but their unfaithfulness to the gospel, shows that they never really knew Him at all. Without repentance and a quick about face, they are going to reap the wrath of God
Many people might claim that they have a personal relationship with a King. But what a shameful thing, when they are brought into his courts, and in front of the entire crowd, the king looks them in the eye and says….
……Who are you?
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 