Luke 13:22-14:35. Luke 13:26-27: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou has taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.
One of the most important spiritual concepts you will ever digest is that God requires reality, especially in your relationship with Him. I think, for instance, of the passage in Matthew 7 that parallels today’s text. Our Lord Jesus said, “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’” We find the same thought here in Luke 13. Professing believers will say, “Lord, open to us,” and He’ll answer, “I don’t know where you’re from.” To know about the Lord Jesus isn’t enough. Ask yourself: Do I really know my Lord or do I merely possess some data about Him? Our Lord insists on a real, working relationship with Himself. Another thought here is that people forget the price of a personal commitment to Christ. “You’d better sit down,” He said, “and count the cost” (Luke 14:26-33). Father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters: it’s going to cost all you have. It cost our Lord His very life. Oh, you say, that’s a pretty big order. Yes, it is. But it doesn’t mean that God is going to take everything or everyone from you. It does mean that ownership of your life—people, things, your very existence—are going to be transferred to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you want to really follow Him—that’s the cost. Follow Him, my dear friend, and see, with great joy, how the Holy Spirit of God uses you! This devotional was written by Dr. Robert A. Cook. You can subscribe to his free email articles and listen to his Spirit-filled 15-minute messages at www.walkwiththeking.org. Used with written permission.
