What would HE say?

Reading from Nov. 20, 2009
Matthew 5-7

Matthew 7:21 - 23 stood out to me

It reads,
21"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.

22 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?"

23 And then
I will declare to them,
'I never knew you;
DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'


Here is what caught my attention:
The word 'many'
The reason the word 'many' stood out so much
is because
the word 'many'
in this particular context
has a lot to say (from my perspective)
to anyone
that names the name of Christ
&
that thinks they are a Christ follower

The word Many = means
a considerable number of people
a large number of people
the majority

In this context
Jesus says,
to the majority of the people that stand before Him at the Final Judgment
more specifically
Jesus says,
to the majority of the people that had thought all along their life
that they were Christ followers
Jesus says to them

Remember
to the MAJORITY of them

Jesus says to them
DEPART FROM ME

Meaning
that the majority of the people
that thought they were getting ready
to enter into Heaven for all eternity
Were just told they would NOT be going

WHY would Jesus say that?

Jesus says, DEPART FROM ME
because
I NEVER KNEW YOU!!!

REMEMBER
These are people
that not only thought
they knew Jesus and
were one of His followers
BUT
they gave responses ~ that actually line up with a believers life and ministry

Reread with me their responses
Matthew 7:22 reads
#1.) They called Jesus Lord
#2.) They prophesied in Jesus name
#3.) They cast out demons
&
#4.) They performed many miracles

I don't know about you
BUT
Their responses sound like
the life and ministry of Jesus' first disciples
that we read about in the New Testament

Namely ~ Peter James John not to mention Paul
I could go on . . .

So
it appears from this passage
that we
who call ourselves Christ Followers
can NO LONGER
just hold to
our thoughts
surrounding our relationship with Christ

Typically we are asked
Do you know Jesus?
Do you have a personal relationship with Him?

It appears from this passage
that we must
start taking into consideration
not just our perspective
on our relationship with Jesus
but
from this day forward
I would strongly encourage you
to start taking into consideration
Jesus' perspective
on His relationship with you

Does Jesus consider His relationship with you
to be an intimate relationship?

Would Jesus say
That He has an intimate relationship with You
or
Would HE say
I'm sorry
But, I don't know You

What would HE say?
???????????????????