TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
Read: Matthew 7:21-23
Listen: Matthew 7
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Jesus talks about people who will reach heaven believing they have a relationship with him but will be stunned to hear, “Do I know you?” They do great things in his name. People may marvel at the results their work brings. Yet Jesus says he’s not part of their work. There is a way of doing the work and ministry of Jesus that is not in the way or manner of Jesus.
We too can emphasize big, showy works done in the name of Jesus. We live in a celebrity culture where we value results and gifting over humble character. In doing so, we lose the heart of Jesus. We are to be a people of “two hills.” One “hill” is where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. Being people of this hill means viewing Jesus as teacher and doing what he says. But we must also be a person of the second hill—the “hill” of the cross. This is where Jesus died and gave his life to save us. Being people of the second hill means we accept him as our Savior. Both are marked by love and submission and bring life.
If we only view Jesus as a teacher, we will have a lifeless moralistic relationship with him. If we only view him as our Savior, we will have a dead faith with no action. Jesus intended on us being both captured by his mercy for us and radically transformed to love and serve as he did. Watch this video clip as Pastor Jeff Manion teaches the significance of both hills.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Journal about how you see the two hills in your life. Reflect on which of them you struggle with the most. Do you tend to view him more as a teacher or more as Savior? Ask God to help you be a person of two hills.
NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN
Join us this year as we read through the New Testament.
Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 10.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
