Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
August 29, 2010

Do I Know You?

Luke 13:22-30

22Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as He made His way to Jerusalem. 23Someone asked Him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"

He said to them, 24"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'
"But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'

26"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'

27"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'

28"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

On a Galilean beach after the first Easter, Peter got a little nosy:

Peter turned and saw that [John] was following them... When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow Me." (John 21:20-22)

“What is that to you?” Jesus told Peter to mind his own business. Before Jesus was arrested and crucified in our place, He spent three years traveling and teaching. Often a crowd would gather and listen to Him. Sometimes they'd ask questions.

Some unnamed person in the crowd asked Jesus, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" Instead of answering this question, He chose to answer a better question, “Do I know you?” The first question—are only a few going to heaven—is a nosy question that is between those other people and Jesus. The second question—do I know you—is a question that is between you and Jesus. It's the better question.

Does Jesus know you? Jesus answered this most important question with a short story about the owner of a house who shut his doors. (I always pictured this story happening at night.) But there were people outside the house who wanted to get inside. But they couldn't. The doors were shut. So they started shouting and banging on the door.

The owner told them that he wouldn't open the door because he didn't know them. In those days it wasn't safe to open your home to strangers at night. (That's still good advice today.)

But the strangers insisted: “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” We spent time with you. How can you pretend to not know us?!

But the owner was just as persistent: “I don't know you.” The strangers were telling the truth—the owner had spent time with them and had even taught them. But the owner didn't have a bad memory. Nor was he pretending not to know them. The owner was saying that just because they knew his name or spent time with him, did not make them friends. They were strangers. I don't know you.

What is Jesus saying to us with the owner's I-don't-know-you? His point is that there are many who use His name and many who spend time in His churches and in His Word, but He doesn't know them. Jesus quoted His prophet Isaiah (29:13) to describe these strangers who pretend to be His friends, “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me” (Matthew 15:8).

Jesus also said: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he 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 perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:21-23)

There are members who never come to church. There are members who move away and never attend or join the local church. Does this mean they are pretend believers? Since we can't see their hearts, Jesus calls us to study their words and actions.

This is why we visit them or call them if they are far away. We listen to them and then speak about the teachings of the Bible that match their situation. To those who are too ashamed to come to church because they have done something terrible, we preach Jesus' forgiveness and mercy.

But if they are despising God's Word by making work or family or sport a higher priority, out of loving concern we will warn them of their selfishness and urge them to stop their lip service. Jesus said that out of the heart come evil thoughts and words and deeds (Matthew 15:19). When we hear the lip service from those used to eat and drink with us, we must speak out of love.

This isn't being nosy, unless pushing someone out of oncoming traffic is being nosy. (Sure, these days the rescuee might sue you because your saving shove caused them to stub their toe.) This is often the reaction we get from Jesus' lip servants.

But Christ loves them, and so do we. We will do what friends do—help each other to serve Christ above all things with our hearts, minds, souls, and lips.

Cling to the cross that saves you. Our family may desert us. Our friends may run away. You will disappoint yourself. But Christ never fails. His cross, which you received in the visible Gospel of Holy Baptism, will never stop forgiving you, and that is why your salvation is an accomplished fact. Jesus knows you and He always will.

Amen.