RECENTLY, MY WIFE and I were on a short vacation together and visiting the local zoo. As we were walking around, I happened to notice a family with kids. I recognized the wife as one of my students from several years ago, but at first I wasn’t sure. That happens when I unexpectedly see someone I know in a context that’s entirely different from the context in which I knew them. But as I snuck a few glances and talked to my wife about it, I became certain: yes, this was her. And when that became clear, I remembered her name. And when I said “Hi” and called her by name, she was surprised but happy that I remembered.

This happens a lot with my students from years past. There have been other times in which alumni have come to hear me give a public lecture, and afterward, were surprised or even shocked that I remembered their names. After all, they only had a few professors during their time with us, but we as faculty obviously had many students. Thus, while they remember us, they don’t always expect us to remember them. In that situation, to be remembered, to be known, can feel like a gift.

(And by the way, while I’m at it, let me apologize in advance to the next former student I happen across if I don’t remember your name. Let’s just say that my memory isn’t what it used to be.)

Now imagine what it would feel like to go up to someone whom you expected to recognize you, only to be told, “I have no idea who you are. Go away.”

Jesus warns that this could happen to anyone who doesn’t get serious about taking his words to heart and living accordingly.

THROUGHOUT THE SERMON on the Mount, Jesus has been describing an authentic righteousness that embodies the kingdom of heaven, the kind that gives light to the world and brings glory to God the Father. It’s not about showy demonstrations of religion, like making noise to announce a generous gift, praying on busy street corners, or going about with a look of suffering when fasting. It’s not about being admired or doing things to get noticed. Rather, it’s an unpretentious, unhypocritical righteousness that is humbly and lovingly lived out in relationship to others.

Jesus ends the sermon with four final warnings about the danger of not listening to what he’s said, of not taking the teaching to heart. The second warning of the four was to be wary of false prophets, of people who outwardly seem to be like the rest of God’s flock, but inwardly are like wolves who are only out for their own gain. The third warning, then, builds on the second:

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. 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 in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matt 7:21-23, NIV)

The “big picture perspective,” as I’ve called it, sees today in light of tomorrow. We necessarily live in the present, but stay conscious of eternity and what kind of kingdom we are building with our behavior. In this warning, Jesus points forward to a coming day of judgment, a day he describes more fully in Matthew 25. His hearers were already concerned about what it would take to finally enter God’s kingdom. But they had learned about righteousness from the scribes and Pharisees, and were therefore mistaken about what the kingdom required. That’s why Jesus introduced the main body of the sermon with these words: “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:20). That theme is echoed here as Jesus draws the sermon to a close.

Moreover, this third warning also builds upon the warning about false prophets. In the final judgment, people will approach Jesus, emphatically calling him “Lord” and expecting to be recognized because they had prophesied in his name. If we take the two warnings together, Jesus is saying that the false prophets aren’t necessarily preaching some other god; they’re using the name of Jesus, but not speaking the truth about Jesus or the gospel.

No wonder some of the sheep are in danger of being led astray.

These false prophets are paying lip service to Jesus; they call him “Lord,” but don’t obey him as Lord. And the problem is even more striking. It’s not just that they’re announcing how much they gave to the building fund or praying loudly and ostentatiously; they’re actually doing miracles in the name of Jesus.

How is that possible? I have no idea.

But again, Jesus warns of this in Matthew 24:24, telling his disciples that when the end times come, there will be false prophets and false messiahs who will perform miracles to try to lead believers astray. By what power will they do this? Who knows? Jesus doesn’t say. But remember, Moses wasn’t the only one who was able to turn water into blood; Pharaoh’s magicians could do it too.

Thus, those who come to Jesus in the last days claiming to have exorcised demons and done other miracles in his name aren’t necessarily lying. They’ve done things in the name of Jesus that others might find downright impressive. But unfortunately for them, it all counts for nothing, because despite the way they used the name of Jesus, they didn’t have an actual relationship with Jesus.

I’M REMINDED OF the story of Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. He already had quite the reputation as a sorcerer in Samaria; people even called him “The Great Power of God” (vs. 10). When he heard Philip preach the gospel, he believed and was baptized in the name of Jesus. He followed Philip around like a puppy, ooh-ing and aah-ing at every miracle Philip performed.

Peter and John heard about Philip’s ministry and came to Samaria themselves. As they put their hands on the new believers, these believers received the Holy Spirit. Now Simon was really impressed. He trotted up to Peter and John with a fistful of cash and offered to pay them if they would give him that ability too.

Suffice it to say that the conversation didn’t go well for Simon. Peter accused him of being “full of bitterness and captive to sin” (Acts 8:23). Perhaps Simon was still smarting from being upstaged by the gospel and was looking to recapture some of his former public glory. He believed in Jesus and wanted to do the works of God, but wanted it for the wrong reasons. Peter forcefully called him out on his corrupt motives, and thankfully, Simon seems to have repented.

But who knows how many more times he would need to repent of that same attitude.

LIVING WITH A big picture perspective means seeing past the world and its moral and behavioral expectations to the expectations of God’s kingdom. It means living in the present with a consciousness of eternity. We can’t assume that we have Jesus’ approval just because we’ve spoken his name or done impressive things in his name. We don’t want to come to the final judgment expecting him to recognize and embrace us, only to hear him say, “I’ve never known you. Go away.”

In the end, it’s not about doing what we or others might consider noteworthy in a religious sense. It’s about simple obedience in everyday, ordinary ways. In the next post, as we approach the end of our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we’ll review those ordinary ways of embodying the kingdom.