Sunday Service 10/04/2026 | The Most Terrifying Words In The Bible |Matthew 7:21-23

Devotional

Day 1: Borrowed Faith Crumbles When Crisis Comes

When external pressures test our foundations, religious routines inherited from others often fail. King Joash thrived spiritually under his mentor Jehoiada’s guidance, rebuilding the temple and tearing down idols. But when his mentor died, Joash abandoned faith, revealing he’d never truly owned it himself. Like a house built on sand, borrowed faith collapses when storms reveal its lack of roots. True salvation cannot be borrowed, inherited, or imitated—it must be personally surrendered. [43:34]

“Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass.”
(2 Chronicles 24:17–18, NKJV)

Reflection: Where have you relied on others’ faith instead of cultivating your own? What crisis might expose the gaps in your spiritual foundation?

Day 2: Lawless Works Burn in the Light of Christ

Judas cast out demons and preached repentance, yet Christ called his miracles “lawlessness.” Religious activity—even spectacular ministry—becomes rebellion when disconnected from relationship. Like Judas, many assume proximity to holy things guarantees holiness, yet Christ rejects workers who never knew His heart. True obedience flows not from duty but devotion, not from performance but partnership with the living Savior. [59:03]

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
(Matthew 7:21–23, NKJV)

Reflection: Do your good deeds flow from gratitude for grace, or from trying to earn what only Christ can give?

Day 3: “I Never Knew You” Echoes Through Empty Religion

Christ’s rejection of lifelong churchgoers isn’t about forgotten names but unshared lives. Like estranged spouses who wear rings but lack intimacy, many claim Jesus as Lord while refusing His lordship. The Greek word for “knew” implies deep relational knowledge—the difference between memorizing a biography and sharing a marriage bed. Heaven welcomes the broken who cling to Christ, not the polished who perform for Him. [59:53]

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”
(Luke 6:46, NKJV)

Reflection: Does Jesus’ leadership shape your daily choices, or do you only invoke His name for spiritual appearances?

Day 4: Surrender, Not Sacrifice, Opens Heaven’s Door

A pastor’s son once led worship teams and preached sermons while spiritually dead. His resume impressed congregations but repulsed heaven until he traded ministry trophies for bloody-kneed surrender. Like Isaiah’s filthy rags, our best deeds cannot cleanse sin’s stain. Only the Lamb’s blood washes rebels into royalty. Salvation comes not when we perfect our offering, but when we collapse at the cross. [53:40]

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”
(Titus 3:5, NKJV)

Reflection: Are you clinging to spiritual accomplishments as your resume, or to Christ’s sacrifice as your ransom?

Day 5: The Urgency of Now Before the Door Closes

Eternity hangs on today’s choices, not tomorrow’s intentions. The pastor nearly delayed salvation until Bible college, assuming future service could compensate for present rebellion. But nearness to ministry is not nearness to Christ. Like the wise virgins’ oil, genuine faith cannot be borrowed at the midnight hour. Today’s conviction ignored becomes tomorrow’s regret eternal. The altar is open—run while grace still knocks. [01:11:35]

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
(Romans 10:9–10, NKJV)

Reflection: What false assurance have you been tolerating? If Christ returned tonight, would He recognize your heart?

Sermon Summary

Matthew 7:21-23 brings Jesus’ warning to a hard and terrifying place: not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is not speaking first to atheists, pagans, or people who openly hate God. Jesus is speaking to religious people who know the language, use His name, sit in church, and fully expect heaven to be theirs.

The words “Lord, Lord” reveal people who make a profession, but the profession does not match a life surrendered to Christ. Jesus exposes the danger of lips being close to God while the heart remains far from Him. Church culture, Bible knowledge, songs, spiritual habits, and even a prayer from the past cannot replace personally coming to Christ in repentance and faith. Borrowed faith will not save anybody. Joash did the right things while Jehoiada was there, but his life showed that the faith had never truly become his own.

The will of the Father does not mean salvation is earned by good works. Jesus Himself describes people who prophesied, cast out demons, and did many wonderful works in His name, yet they still heard, “I never knew you.” Works do not save, but a changed life follows the person Christ saves. The issue is not sinless perfection, because believers still struggle, fail, repent, and come back to God. The issue is whether Christ has changed the direction of a person’s life and placed a growing desire for obedience within that heart.

Religious activity can become one of the most deceptive places to hide from God. Ministry, service, singing, teaching, giving, and witnessing can all be good things, but serving Christ is not the same as knowing Christ. A person can become so busy in the work of the Lord that he forgets the Lord of the work. All righteousness apart from Christ is filthy rags, because no good work can make a sinner right with God.

“I never knew you” does not describe someone losing salvation. Jesus does not say, “I once knew you.” Jesus says there was never the relationship these people assumed was there. Judas stood close to Jesus, heard His words, saw His miracles, and served alongside the disciples, but being close to Jesus was not the same as belonging to Jesus.

Jesus gives this warning because He loves people enough not to leave them with false assurance. Christ calls sinners to stop trusting church attendance, baptism, ministry, prayers, or personal goodness. Christ calls sinners to repent, believe the gospel, surrender their lives to Him, and trust the One who died and rose again. Only Jesus saves.

Key Takeaways

1. Right words cannot replace surrender Jesus warns that calling Him “Lord” is not the same as living under His lordship. Religious language can become a covering for a heart that still wants control. A real relationship with Christ begins where self-rule ends and repentance becomes personal. [45:21]
2. Serving Christ is not knowing Christ Ministry can be a place of obedience, but it can also become a hiding place for self-trust. The danger comes when a person points to what has been done for God rather than resting in what Christ has done for sinners. Good activity without saving faith is still unable to reconcile anybody to God. [56:59]
3. Christ changes a life’s direction Believers still battle sin, stumble, and need repentance, but Christ does not leave His people unchanged. The evidence is not perfection but a new direction, a growing desire to obey, and sorrow when sin takes hold. Grace saves people from sin’s rule, not merely from sin’s consequences. [49:09]
4. Nearness to Jesus is not belonging Judas lived near Jesus without truly trusting Jesus. Church attendance, Christian vocabulary, and years around spiritual things can never create the relationship that only repentance and faith bring. Knowing many facts about Christ is different from being known by Christ. [1:02:06]
5. Only Jesus can save sinners No better resume can make a sinner acceptable before God. Christ calls people to confess their need, turn from sin, and trust His death and resurrection alone. The promise of salvation belongs to the sinner who comes empty-handed and gives Christ the throne of life. [1:09:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:51] - Health Updates and Prayer Needs
[29:01] - Preaching Truth in Spiritual Battle
[30:26] - The Most Terrifying Words
[31:18] - Matthew 7:21-23
[32:10] - Religious People and False Assurance
[39:42] - Saying the Right Things
[43:13] - Borrowed Faith Cannot Save
[45:21] - Grace, Faith, and Obedience
[49:39] - Doing the Right Things
[51:22] - A Personal Testimony of False Assurance
[58:38] - “I Never Knew You”
[1:00:54] - Judas: Close to Jesus, Not His
[1:03:15] - Repentance, Faith, and Changed Lives
[1:05:15] - What Are You Trusting In?
[1:09:36] - Christ Calls Sinners to Surrender

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” [31:18]

Isaiah 29:13
“Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,” [41:53]

James 2:19
“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” [46:09]

Observation questions

In Matthew 7:21-23, what words do the people use for Jesus, and what actions do they point to as reasons they should be accepted?
What is the contrast Jesus makes between saying “Lord, Lord” and doing the will of the Father? [45:21]
According to Isaiah 29:13, what is the difference between the people’s words and the condition of their hearts?
In James 2:19, what does the example of demons show about merely believing facts about God? [46:09]

Interpretation questions

Why would Jesus direct this warning toward people who use His name and appear to be spiritually active rather than only toward people who openly reject God? [40:51]
The people in Matthew 7 point to their works, but Jesus says He never knew them. What does this reveal about the difference between serving Christ and personally knowing Christ? [56:59]
If salvation is by grace through faith and not by works, why should a changed direction of life still matter? How is that different from expecting sinless perfection? [49:09]
Jesus says, “I never knew you,” rather than, “I knew you once.” How does this shape the meaning of the warning and the kind of false assurance Jesus is confronting? [59:43]

Application questions

When you think about your confidence before God, what are you most tempted to point to: church attendance, baptism, a past prayer, ministry involvement, personal morality, or Christ alone? Why? [01:07:30]
Are there areas where it is easier to use Christian words than to truly surrender control to Jesus? What might surrender look like in one specific area this week? [35:40]
Believers still struggle, fail, and repent, but Christ changes the direction of a life. Where do you see a growing desire to obey Christ, and where do you need to return to Him in repentance? [49:06]
Have religious habits or ministry activity ever become a way to avoid dealing honestly with your relationship with God? What would it look like to seek Jesus Himself, not just stay busy doing things for Him? [58:04]
Is there any “borrowed faith” you may be leaning on—such as the faith of parents, a spouse, friends, or the church? How can you make sure your trust in Christ is personal and real? [43:25]
Who in your life may be near Christian things but still needs to hear clearly that salvation is found in repentance and faith in Jesus, not in religious activity? How can you lovingly begin that conversation? [01:06:15]

Sermon Clips

53s

#FalseAssurance

“You know, there's some terrifying statements in scripture. The Bible speaks about judgment. It speaks about wrath. It speaks about hell. But I believe that probably the most terrifying words in the entire Bible are not spoken to atheists or pagans or to people who are just openly rejecting God. They're spoken to religious people. People who know church culture, who use Jesus' name, who do spiritual things, and even people who fully expect that they're going to make it to heaven. And yet Jesus says to them, I never knew you. Depart from me. This is terrifying. It's possible to spend your entire life near the things of God and still never belong to God.”

44s

#SavedByGrace

“The doing is not what saves us. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Good works are the natural outcome of an inward change. They don't save us. They begin to show up in our lives because Christ has saved us. It's not by your effort. It's by surrender to the Holy Spirit. This is why Jesus points to obedience here. He's showing us the difference between someone who simply says, Lord, Lord, and someone whose life has actually been changed by him.”

41s

#FaithThatTransforms

“But if Christ has changed you, should your life not reflect the change that has happened? issue is not whether someone has reached some kind of sinless perfection because none of us have. Amen? A believer still struggles with sin. There's still battles. There's still failures. There's still times when we have to repent and get things right. But when Christ saves someone, he changes the direction of that person's life. There's a growing desire to follow him and to obey him and to live under his authority. Amen.”

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