Have you ever had somebody come up to you and talk to you like they know you, but you have no idea in the world who they are? That’s an awkward situation.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7 that that’s going to happen a lot to him. There are going to be a lot of people who will come up to him and claim to know him. They might even call him Lord. But Jesus said that’s get you into heaven. No, only those who live a life obedience to His Father will enter in.

They’ll say, but Jesus, I was baptized when I was a child. I sat in a church pew a whole bunch of Sundays. My mama loved you. My grandaddy loved you. I gave the panhandler my lunch money. I helped little ol’ ladies cross the street. I did all of these good things in your name.

And then Jesus will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. You see, it’s those who are obedient to God who Jesus really knows. Does he know you? The first step of obedience is to turn from sin and trust Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Change begins in you!