The Heart of the Matter

One of the things that has always struck me when reading the Bible is Jesus’ incredible ability to get right to the heart of the matter in His teachings.  He would always grab hold of the main issue and approach it with laser-like precision. And often that main issue was something that was unexpected; He would make comments that challenged the pre-established norms.

A powerful example of this is found in Matthew 7, when Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus taught about prayer, divorce, forgiveness, fasting, giving to the needy, money, possessions, judging others, the golden rule and many other issues of life.

In Matthew 7:22-23, Jesus is about to, again, get to the heart of the matter of all these things that we do in this life:

 “On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will plainly say, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws’”.

This must’ve given those listening to Jesus pause – just as it should give us pause.  In the middle of all of these issues of life that Jesus is discussing, about how to live according to God’s way, Jesus is saying that when it comes down to it, it is not what you do in His Name, but why you do it that truly matters the most.  Doing good works and living right is not enough.  (We can’t earn our salvation, remember?)  Jesus is challenging our motives. 

He goes a step further.  The things Jesus mentions people doing were some incredible things in His Name.  In fact they were doing some pretty amazing supernatural things, weren’t they? Jesus is saying it’s possible to be prophesying, casting out demons and performing miracles and yet not ever truly have a relationship with God.  What? How is that possible?

What I find interesting is that Jesus does not challenge the doers on their list of accomplishments and what they have actually done for God ‘in the name of Jesus’. Instead He challenges them with regards to the lack of their personal relationship with Him.  ‘I never knew you’ is what they will hear from Him one day. 

What is our motive in what we do?  Are we “behaving rightly”?  Have we crossed our moral t’s and dotted our spiritual i’s so that we feel good about ourselves and what we have done?  Or is the motive of our hearts a devoted relationship with our Creator and living our lives to serve and please Him, surrendering our will for His?

My pastor says this frequently:  we are not human doings but instead human beings. The purpose of this statement is to help remind us that our aim should always be to grow in our relationship with God, to truly BE with Him as we learn to BE who He has created us to be.  What we do for God must flow out of our desire to love and please Him.  Our passion for God should come first before we ever begin to do anything ‘in His name’.

I have heard dozens of sermons and read many books that shout to the audience about ‘doing’ for the Kingdom and being ready, able and willing to do whatever is needed for God. They are constantly challenging us to get off of our spiritual back sides and do something. These are the spiritual doers.

However, in the same breath, I have heard an equal number of sermons and books that espouse personal growth and discipleship through learning, studying and quiet time with the Lord. They are constantly challenging us to dive deeper into our personal understanding of God and to break down the walls of separation that keep us from truly knowing Him.

Okay so which is it – am I supposed to be a doer or a relationship pursuer?

The answer to this question has to be ‘yes’.

Instead of an either/or perspective we need to make a shift to a both/and understanding.  God has called us to be His representatives on the earth – caring for the poor, living lives of love that reflect God’s heart, bringing the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.  Those things are right!  But why am I doing them?  What is my motive?  Am I trying to “earn” my salvation?  Am I trying to be seen by others for my good works?

Those motives are exposed when we are in an intimate, personal, thriving relationship with Jesus ourselves.  One on one.  Him and me.  If it doesn’t start there, then I’m just doing stuff.  God has so much He has created us to do – but He first wants me - to be with us and allow us to truly know Him.

We can see it in the story that Jesus presented. Here is a group of people that are certain of their salvation because of what they have done and accomplished for Christ. But their works are not the priority to God.  Jesus’ response makes it clear that it is their relationship with God that is the priority. Everything must stem first from our relationship with Jesus and being with Him.

I know that this is a tremendous challenge for me as I am a doer and find personal satisfaction in completing tasks. The way that I am wired makes it very easy for me to find out what needs to be done and then do it because it is the right thing. But this passage is calling me to make it my priority to be intentionally growing in my relationship with Jesus and to understand my motivations before doing anything.  I want to be a man like David – a man after God’s own heart.  And then go and change the world for the God that I love and serve.