Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen
In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus said, Everyone who says Lord, Lord will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 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.
Many are called but few are chosen. Many say they believe but do not follow through with actions that agree with their vows. The scripture says, all men are liars…. We have all spoken words that we cannot keep. God alone is faithful to His word. According to Numbers 23:19, God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent. God alone is righteous. All men have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
The words of Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount are contrary to the world’s perception of “truth.” Following after Christ is not the difficult way…. It’s the impossible way when we rely on our own power. However as Paul said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
According to Hebrews 12:14, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. There is no peace with God without Jesus Christ, the prince of peace. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Without the righteousness of Christ, we cannot stand in the presence of God who is holy and righteous.
When you call a man, “man of God,” most men will look down. When you ask a man why he’ll say, “because I feel unworthy.” In our own flesh dwelleth no good thing. If we’re looking at the fallen nature we inherited from Adam, then we will be ashamed in the presence of God who is holy, just and pure. However, for us who have been born again of God’s seed, Jesus Christ who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Martha was distracted from the Word of the Lord. She was encumbered about with much serving. She complained to Jesus, I’m doing all the work, but my sister Mary isn’t helping me. Jesus said, Mary has chosen that good thing…. To sit at the feet of the master with a spirit of meekness to receive the Word of God.
According to Romans 8, no one can really say “Jesus is Lord,” except by the holly spirit. Without the spirit of God in Christ in us, we cannot confess that Jesus is Lord… that he is lord and owner of my life. To confess Jesus is Lord means to turn around… to repent from confessing that I’m the lord of my own life and to turn to Jesus, bowing down in meekness and humility to serve him from a heart of love.
Ezekiel said, They come and sit before me to hear my words but they do not do them. They hear your words, Lord, but do not practice them. When the judgement of the Lord comes upon them it will be too late, they will know that God’s righteous judgement has overtaken them.
Pete recalls that he was confused as a boy growing up in segregated Birmingham Alabama. He lived two miles from the race riot where the Birmingham police released the dogs to attack the blacks who were protesting segregation.
Once Arthur Blessitt came to speak at Pete’s traditional Southern Baptist church. Blessitt is known for carrying a cross across America and around the world. He attracted a large crowd of hippies to Pete’s church in Birmingham to hear him speak. Arthur said, They fill a stadium of 25,000 people a couple of miles form here to cheer for their favorite football team. We’re going ot lead a cheer for Jesus…. Give me a “J”. Give me an “E”…. When they finished the cheer for Jesus, the hippies cheered but the regular congregation was speechless. After the sermon, the board of deacons met and said to Arthur, never lead a cheer like that in our Church again. The next week Arthur said to the crowd, I’ve been told not to lead a cheer for Jesus in this church. Let’s go out on the steps and cheer for our Lord. He led the hippies outside and led the cheer again. That was the last time Arthur was invited to Pete’s church. That was also the last time that the Holy Spirit showed up in their conservative Baptist church.
When Jesus confronted the religious leaders of his day, he said, Well did Isaiah prophecy of you…. You draw nigh unto me with your mouth and appear to worship me me with your lips, but your heart is far from me. Ye are of your father the devil. He was a liar from the beginning and the father of lies and cannot speak truth. You are just like your father.
Jesus said to the multitude at the sermon on the mount, men worry about their material needs. He said, consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air…. they toil not, neither do they spin thread to make their clothes…. Yet Solomon in all of his royal splendor was not arrayed like one of these. If God so clothed the lilies of the field, will he not much more clothe you, oh ye of little faith? Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things…. Your material needs, will be added unto you.
The devil appears as an angel of light to distract God’s people from entering into the narrow gate that leads to the narrow way. His lies are the same lie that he told Eve…. God does not love you and his word is not true. If you disobey God, if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will be like God. Don’t worship God… worship yourself.
Luke 10:17-20 Jesus said, Even though you cast out demons in Jesus’ name… Even though you saw satan fall from heaven like lightning, do not rejoice because the demons are subject to you in my name. Instead, rejoice because your names are written in heaven.
The devil will condemn us for our failure to perform… for our missing the mark. However, God doesn’t want our performance… our works of our own self-righteousness. He doesn’t want our actions or our behavior…. He wants our heart. Therefore Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. For thy life is hid with Christ in God…
…. That together we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
