John 10:27 English Standard Version (ESV) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Matthew 7:21-23 English Standard Version (ESV)

I Never Knew You

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

It is better to be known than to know.

The protest of Matthew 7:22 declare that many know Jesus based on declaring His name. We might call them “christians in name only”. What they lack is the indwelling presence of God.

John 14:23 English Standard Version (ESV) Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

He knows us because He abides with us. If we look to our works as proof of that indwelling we are deceiving ourselves. God is able to work His will apart from His indwelling presence. The name of His Son has been invoked and God will not allow His Son to be put to shame. In order for those miracles to be perform there had to have been someone present that needed God’s will to be done.

Even with those of us that have the indwelling, His will is still paramount.

Philippians 2:13 English Standard Version (ESV) for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

God uses us, we do not use God.

Romans 4:4-6 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁴ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵ And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, ⁶ just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

Mark 12:41-43 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Widow’s Offering

⁴¹ And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.^[a] 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.

Footnotes:

Mark 12:42 Greek two lepta, which make a kodrantes; a kodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)

We get to compare scriptures here for context in order to derive the deeper meanings involved.

In Romans 4 a man’s wages is not counted as a gift but what is due. It is not put on his account towards righteousness as is the one who does not work but rather believes on the One who justifies faith.

In Mark 12 the comparison is between the rich and the poor. The poor widow gave her all. The rich did not find it within themselves to give their all. They had the attitude that it was their money to do with as they pleased. Why would Jesus announce that the widow had given more that the rich man?

The widow literally gave her very life to God, trusting in God for whatever the next day should bring. This footnote identifies her offering as a day’s wage. She gave up the promise of today for the hope of tomorrow.

The rich did not trust God for tomorrow and saw their wealth as a means of living.

Luke 12:20 English Standard Version (ESV) But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’