That's What He Said: Being Known (Worship 3/22/26)

Mar 22, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Danger of Merely Knowing About God

Knowledge about God is not the same as being known by Him. Memorizing creeds and mastering doctrines can create a false sense of security. It is possible to have all the right answers and yet have a heart that remains far from true surrender. Beliefs that are merely verbal do not necessarily lead to a life-changing relationship. Even the demons possess correct knowledge, yet they shudder in rebellion. True faith must move beyond intellectual assent and into a transformative connection. [42:19]

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
—James 2:19 ESV

Reflection: Where are your beliefs taking you? Consider an area of your life where you intellectually agree with God’s truth, but your actions or heart posture have not yet fully aligned with that knowledge.

Day 2: The Deception of Religious Feelings

Emotional experiences in faith can be powerful, but they are not a substitute for genuine transformation. It is possible to feel moved during worship or to express fervent words to God while remaining unchanged. Affection and a sense of closeness can be mistaken for an actual relationship with Christ. Feelings are meant to lead us toward repentance and deeper obedience, not to be an end in themselves. A faith built solely on emotion will not withstand the final test. [47:02]

And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”
—Luke 23:27–28 ESV

Reflection: Where are your feelings taking you? When you experience a powerful emotion in worship or prayer, what is the next step you take to allow that feeling to lead you into a more obedient life?

Day 3: The Illusion of Religious Busyness

Impressive religious activity can mask an uncommitted heart. It is possible to be celebrated for doing mighty works in God’s name and yet be unknown by Him. Service that is done for show or out of obligation does not equate to a life surrendered to God’s will. This kind of busyness can actually push people away from God rather than drawing them near. Our service should always lead us back to a deeper dependence on and love for Christ. [52:55]

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”
—Matthew 21:12–13 ESV

Reflection: Where is your service taking you? Is your involvement in ministry or church activities drawing you into a more intimate relationship with Jesus, or has it become a substitute for one?

Day 4: The Call to Authentic Transformation

Genuine faith is active and always leads to a changed life. Beliefs, feelings, and service are meant to be catalysts that move us closer to God. This transformation is evidenced by a heart that seeks repentance and a life that bears the fruit of the Spirit. It is a journey of becoming more like Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions. This is the relationship God truly desires with each of us. [56:54]

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
—Matthew 7:21 ESV

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to move from simply knowing about God to actively knowing Him? How can you turn a point of belief into a point of obedience?

Day 5: The Loving Invitation to Be Known

This sobering message is ultimately a loving wake-up call from a God who desires to know you. It is an invitation to move beyond performance and into a true, life-giving relationship. God’s heart is not for anyone to hear the words “I never knew you,” but for all to hear “well done, good and faithful servant.” He calls you to draw near with an honest heart, to be fully known and fully loved by Him. [58:11]

“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
—Matthew 7:22–23 ESV

Reflection: As you consider your faith journey, what might God be gently revealing to you about the authenticity of your relationship with Him? How can you respond to His loving invitation to be known more deeply today?

Sermon Summary

Gratitude for the Backpack Buddies ministry opens the gathering, highlighting communal generosity that sends 60 bags weekly to Lynn Road Elementary. The teaching moves from contemporary images—how movies can deceive—to the sharper deception Jesus exposes in Matthew 7:21–23. That passage warns that not all who call him "Lord" will enter the kingdom; verbal allegiance, dramatic miracles, and apparent ministry do not guarantee belonging. Three specific misconceptions receive careful attention: knowledge without change, emotions mistaken for salvation, and religious busyness that masks an empty heart.

Knowledge proves deceptive when correct titles, right doctrines, and memorized verses remain only intellectual assent. The presence of orthodox belief without repentance leaves the heart unmoved; demons can affirm facts and still stand opposed to God. Feelings can also mislead. Deep emotion in worship or passionate declarations can feel like fellowship, yet feeling stirred does not equal being transformed; sorrow or excitement that does not lead to repentance exposes a fragile spirituality. Religious busyness completes the trio of pitfalls: visible ministry, impressive deeds, and public success can camouflage a private life untouched by Christ. Temple commerce and applause-for-service illustrate how holy-looking activity can become a barrier rather than a bridge to God.

The central call insists that faith must go somewhere. Belief, affection, and service should all drive toward repentance, obedience, and the fruit of the Spirit—love, patience, gentleness, self-control. The gospel demands a reordering of life, not merely verbal assent, emotional highs, or activity stamped with religious language. The warning “I never knew you” functions as a loving wake-up: a call to examine where convictions, feelings, and service actually lead. The assembly receives an invitation to respond in prayer, to seek Spirit-led transformation, and to pursue a faith that produces visible change so that the final commendation will be “well done, good and faithful servant.”

Key Takeaways

1. Correct knowledge can deceive the heart Mere assent to doctrine or correct titles can rest on the surface; true knowing of God reaches the will and reshapes action. Intellectual mastery without inward repentance makes belief static and impotent. Authentic knowledge of God provokes obedience, confession, and a reordered life. Treat doctrinal certainty as a starting point, not the finish line. [40:12]
2. Fervent feeling is not salvation Emotional movement in worship reveals sensitivity but does not confirm covenantal belonging. Feelings can be performative, brief, or self-focused unless they drive sorrow for sin and concrete change. The proper test of emotion is its fruit: does it lead to repentance, prayer, and sacrificial love? Allow affections to propel transformation rather than substitute for it. [44:52]
3. Busyness can masquerade as worship Visible ministry and impressive deeds can hide a heart that has not been surrendered to Christ. Activity becomes counterfeit worship when rules, rituals, or numbers replace inward devotion. Service must cultivate intimacy with God and produce the fruit of the Spirit; otherwise it risks pushing others away rather than drawing them near. Reevaluate service by its fruit, not its applause. [49:13]
4. Faith must produce visible transformation True faith issues in changed behavior, sustained repentance, and increasing likeness to Christ. Beliefs, feelings, and works all serve as gauges: if they don’t move life toward holiness, they remain inert. The gospel intends renewal of heart that reorders priorities, relationships, and choices over time. Aim for a faith that unmistakably reshapes daily living. [43:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[27:29] - Series Context and Opening Thanks
[28:01] - Movie Analogy on Deception
[29:43] - Top Gun Example of Illusion
[33:37] - Reading: Matthew 7:21–23
[39:05] - Sermon on the Mount Context
[40:12] - Misconception 1: Knowledge Deceptive
[44:52] - Misconception 2: Emotions Deceptive
[49:13] - Misconception 3: Busyness Deceptive
[56:01] - The Loving Wake-Up Call
[61:10] - Invitation to Respond and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Observation questions

According to Jesus in Matthew 7:21, what is the one thing required to enter the kingdom of heaven?
What three specific religious activities do the "many" people point to in verse 22 to justify why they should be let in?
What is Jesus's final and shocking declaration to them in verse 23?
The sermon mentioned that even demons can affirm correct facts about God [42:19]. What does James 2:19 say about what demons do after they state their belief?

Interpretation questions

Why do you think Jesus uses the word "many" to describe the number of people who will be surprised to hear "I never knew you"?
How can doing things that look holy and powerful, like prophesying and casting out demons, actually mask a heart that is not known by God? [49:41]
The sermon described a scene where Jesus cleared the temple because activity that looked like worship was actually pushing people away from God [50:44]. How does this story help explain the danger of religious busyness?
What is the difference between simply feeling moved during a worship service and being truly transformed? [46:12]

Application questions

Beliefs are meant to take us somewhere, not just sit still [43:21]. Where are your beliefs about Jesus actually taking you in your daily life? Are they leading to more repentance, obedience, and love for others?
Feelings in worship can be deceptive if they don't lead to change [47:02]. The next time you feel stirred during a song or a message, what is one practical step you could take to ensure that feeling leads to transformation rather than just fading away?
It's possible to have a great public ministry but a terrible private life [54:22]. What does your private time with God look like when no one is watching? How does it compare to the spiritual life you present to others?
Service can become a barrier if it doesn't draw us closer to God [52:55]. Think about a ministry or service you're involved in. Is it making you more loving, patient, and gentle, or is it just making you busy and tired?
The warning in Matthew 7 is a loving gut check [58:11]. If Jesus were to evaluate your life based on the sermon on the mount (how you treat enemies, your purity, your generosity, etc.), what might he say needs to change?
The goal is to hear "well done, good and faithful servant" [56:22]. What is one area where you need to move from just knowing what's right to actually doing the will of the Father this week?

Sermon Clips

38s

#ComplacentFaith

“And what's more tragic than than being lost is living lost or away from God while convinced you're home. Right? What's more tragic than just being lost and not knowing anything about Jesus? It's it's being lost and living lost while convinced you're actually home and you're good and you're safe. That's tragic, and that's where our text is here today. And you gotta think about the person that it's talking about here. This is the person who who showed up to church, that showed up in a in services just like this.”

38s

#NotJustWords

“And yet their verbal allegiance wasn't enough to fling open heaven's gates. This this is a scene that that is it's just it's a sober reminder reminder for us all. It's a sober reminder of us all that memorizing verses, mastering the mantras and the creeds, knowing all the right doctrines is not the same thing as entering life. It's not the same thing as actually having a relationship with God himself of actually being known.”

38s

#BusyNotKnown

“Their ministries were visible and powerful. They were applauded by many. And yet, they were not known by the one who actually counts. Their impressive deeds could not mask an uncommitted heart to our lord and savior. And they hear this shocking verdict. Shocking. I never knew you. Depart from me. And it reveals that this religious busyness that we can all kind of fall trapped to without a relationship falls short.”

33s

#DeceptiveBusyness

“And the third is this, religious busyness is deceptive. And we can look at this as he as the people who are calling out being, like, stunned by what they are hearing. And yet they call out these three different things. Did we not prophesy? Did we not cast out demons? Did we not perform mighty works in your name? We would be seeing this and we'd like, that's a vibrant ministry of somebody. Look at what they're doing. Right? They are on fire for God.”

36s

#FeelingsVsFaith

“Jesus exposes the danger of mistaking emotions for salvations. Right? That that idea of just feeling something. I just I just feel it. Right? When we look at the scripture here and we look at how the crowd is crying out, this many, they they cried out, Lord, Lord, with so much confidence, not with indifference. Their words dripped with this familiarity, with this idea of closeness and feeling, but they assumed affection and fervor equaled relationship.”

36s

#SpiritualInventory

“And this is where Jesus steps into this reality, right, into our reality and kinda this is to wake us up a little bit. To do that inventory within our own life and saying, wake up. No one wants to hear these words. I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers. We are all striving. At least I hope we're all striving striving to hear the words, well done, good and faithful servant.”

34s

#FollowNotJustBelieve

“And Jesus in an in an amazing amount of love is saying, hey. You need to put this in check. I'm asking for more than just the just all these beliefs and knowing all the right things. I'm asking you to know more than just or just have just good feelings towards me. I want you to be like me. I want you to follow after me. I want to have a relationship with you. I want to actually know you.”

43s

#PrivateFaithMatters

“The many that is sitting here in this text vainly thought that hearing was sufficient, that feeling was enough, and that religious busyness would just do the trick. How tragic. How tragic to fall for that. How tragic to to go in that direction. It was just the it's the idea of having a great public ministry, but having a terrible private ministry. They fail to actually take to heart and put in place exactly what Jesus taught on the sermon on the mount.”

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That's What He Said: Being Known (Worship 3/22/26)

Devotional

Day 1: The Danger of Merely Knowing About God

Day 2: The Deception of Religious Feelings

Day 3: The Illusion of Religious Busyness

Day 4: The Call to Authentic Transformation

Day 5: The Loving Invitation to Be Known

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

That's What He Said: Being Known (Worship 3/22/26)

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