Kno\u00adwing God is the most important thing. My lip ser\u00advice and even mira\u00adcles in the name of God are insi\u00adgni\u00adfi\u00adcant if I do not know God. Kno\u00adwing God means that I put all my trust in him. This trust is cal\u00adled faith. By being roo\u00adted on a good foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon \u2013 Jesus Christ \u2013 good deeds can come about. Faith and being roo\u00adted is shown in the fact that my life is dri\u00adven by love.<\/p>\n
I lived in Bern for almost four years. Often when I had visi\u00adtors who were not from Bern, I took them for a walk in the city. I show\u00aded them the Bun\u00addes\u00adhaus, the Aare, the B\u00e4ren\u00adgra\u00adben and the Bern Cathe\u00addral. The Bern Cathe\u00addral inte\u00adres\u00adted me not neces\u00ads\u00ada\u00adri\u00adly becau\u00adse of the tower and the beau\u00adtiful view, but rather becau\u00adse of a pain\u00adting on the por\u00adtal of the cathe\u00addral. Bern was Roman Catho\u00adlic until the Refor\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon around 1530, as was the case in many places in Euro\u00adpe. In the cour\u00adse of the Refor\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon, many pic\u00adtures and sculp\u00adtures in churches in Switz\u00ader\u00adland were rigo\u00adrous\u00adly dealt with. The so-cal\u00adled ico\u00adno\u00adclasm led to Pro\u00adtes\u00adtant Refor\u00admed churches loo\u00adking rather bare. Apart from a few stained glass win\u00addows, the\u00adre is often not much left. Bern Cathe\u00addral was also affec\u00adted by the ico\u00adno\u00adclasm. Many things were remo\u00adved, but the pic\u00adtu\u00adre abo\u00adve the ent\u00adrance remain\u00aded. They adapt\u00aded it a litt\u00adle, but it can still be seen prac\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly in its ori\u00adgi\u00adnal form. \tWhat does the state\u00adment in this Bible pas\u00adsa\u00adge do to you? Kno\u00adwing God is the most important thing. My lip ser\u00advice and even mira\u00adcles in the name of God are insi\u00adgni\u00adfi\u00adcant if I do not know God. Kno\u00adwing God means that I put all my trust in him. This trust is cal\u00adled faith. By being roo\u00adted on a good foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon \u2013 Jesus Christ \u2013 good deeds can come about. Faith and\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[79],"wpfc_sermon_series":[72],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-cedric-bruegger","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-metamorphose","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-3738","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"hentry","10":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nThis depicts the so-cal\u00adled Last Jud\u00adge\u00adment. The day when Jesus will hold jud\u00adge\u00adment and peo\u00adp\u00adle will be sent eit\u00adher to hea\u00adven or hell. If you look clo\u00adse\u00adly, you can see a pope under the gol\u00adden cano\u00adpy on the hea\u00adven\u00adly side. You can reco\u00adg\u00adni\u00adse him by his hat. But why did the ico\u00adno\u00adclasts hang this pic\u00adtu\u00adre? The ans\u00adwer lies on the infer\u00adnal side of the pic\u00adtu\u00adre. Here you can see a per\u00adson from behind who is being held upsi\u00adde down in the fire. This per\u00adson also has a pope\u2019s hat on. That is why this pic\u00adtu\u00adre was not des\u00adtroy\u00aded. On both sides with the elect, but also on the hell side, all occu\u00adpa\u00adtio\u00adnal groups and social clas\u00adses can be found. No mat\u00adter whe\u00adther peasant, craft\u00adsman, cler\u00adgy\u00adman, ruler, even pope. The same peo\u00adp\u00adle are found ever\u00ady\u00adwhe\u00adre. This pic\u00adtu\u00adre under\u00adlines the fact that no one goes to hea\u00adven just becau\u00adse of his pro\u00adfes\u00adsi\u00adon or mem\u00adber\u00adship of a cer\u00adtain social group. But how does one get to the side of God? Jesus Christ also speaks of this in the Ser\u00admon on the Mount. \u00abNot all peo\u00adp\u00adle who act pious belie\u00adve in God. Even if they say Lord to me, that does not mean that they will enter the king\u00addom of hea\u00adven. The decisi\u00adve fac\u00adtor is whe\u00adther they obey my Father in hea\u00adven. On the day of jud\u00adge\u00adment, many will come to me and say: \u00abLord, Lord, we have pro\u00adphe\u00adsied in your name and cast out demons in your name and per\u00adfor\u00admed many mira\u00adcles\u00bb. But I will ans\u00adwer them: \u00abI never knew you. Away with you. You are not living accor\u00adding to God\u2019s com\u00admand\u00bb \u00bb (Matthew 7:21\u201323 NLB<\/span>).
\nKnow God
\nKno\u00adwing God is the key term for under\u00adstan\u00adding this state\u00adment by Jesus Christ. In Greek, the verb gino\u00adsko is used here. The mea\u00adning of this verb is very broad. But it means as much as to know, to reco\u00adg\u00adni\u00adse, to under\u00adstand, to expe\u00adri\u00adence, to noti\u00adce, to know. It includes kno\u00adwing as a per\u00adson. This kno\u00adwing is not mere\u00adly super\u00adfi\u00adci\u00adal, as I know someone\u2019s name, for exam\u00adp\u00adle. No, it goes much deeper and includes know\u00adledge based on expe\u00adri\u00adence. When Jesus knows a per\u00adson, it means that he knows ever\u00ady\u00adthing. It means that the\u00adre is gre\u00adat inti\u00adma\u00adcy and rela\u00adti\u00adonship. This inti\u00adma\u00adcy is so strong that the same Greek word can also be used to descri\u00adbe sexu\u00adal inter\u00adcour\u00adse. This inti\u00adma\u00adcy drops all the lay\u00aders. When Jesus knows a man, he lite\u00adral\u00adly stands naked befo\u00adre him. This is becau\u00adse man can offer not\u00adhing, but also becau\u00adse he gives ever\u00ady\u00adthing to God. This inti\u00adma\u00adcy with God beco\u00admes an important part of iden\u00adti\u00adty. Peo\u00adp\u00adle who have ope\u00adned them\u00adsel\u00adves to Jesus, who say they want to obey him and fol\u00adlow him, who have ente\u00adred into a per\u00adso\u00adnal rela\u00adti\u00adonship with him, such peo\u00adp\u00adle do not base their iden\u00adti\u00adty on mate\u00adri\u00adal things. Rather, their iden\u00adti\u00adty is based in being. In being a daugh\u00adter or son of Jesus Christ.
\nJesus\u00bb state\u00adment is not sim\u00adply addres\u00adsed to all peo\u00adp\u00adle. Rather, it is expli\u00adcit\u00adly addres\u00adsed to tho\u00adse peo\u00adp\u00adle who cla\u00adim to be fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of him. It includes all tho\u00adse who call them\u00adsel\u00adves Chris\u00adti\u00adans \u2013 fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus Christ. In last Sunday\u2019s ser\u00admon, Mat\u00adthi\u00adas Alt\u00adwegg spo\u00adke of the nar\u00adrow and the broad way. Howe\u00adver, this nar\u00adrow way does not run sepa\u00adra\u00adte\u00adly from the broad way, but in the midd\u00adle of the broad way. Thus, fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus Christ are on the road tog\u00ade\u00adther with other peo\u00adp\u00adle. But the dif\u00adfe\u00adrence lies in their iden\u00adti\u00adty. This lies in kno\u00adwing God. In the Ser\u00admon on the Mount, Jesus repea\u00adted\u00adly makes it clear that this know\u00adledge is not distant, but inti\u00adma\u00adte. It cor\u00adre\u00adsponds to the rela\u00adti\u00adonship of a child to its par\u00adents. A child is awa\u00adre of its being a child. It knows that it is loved and that its par\u00adents take good care of it and care for the child. This is exact\u00adly how we are to know God.
\nAppearance ins\u00adtead of reality
\nBeing a true child of God does not lie in the accom\u00adplish\u00adment of cer\u00adtain things. That someone per\u00adforms mira\u00adcles in the name of God does not mean that the mira\u00adcle worker is a child of God. If demons are cast out by the power of God, it does not mean that the per\u00adson knows Jesus. Even if someone makes cor\u00adrect pro\u00adphe\u00adci\u00ades about the future, this is not auto\u00adma\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly his ticket to hea\u00adven. All the\u00adse things can equal\u00adly be more appearance than rea\u00adli\u00adty. Often we are also in dan\u00adger of say\u00ading that if God does a mira\u00adcle, in wha\u00adte\u00adver way, then many peo\u00adp\u00adle will belie\u00adve in Jesus. Then appearance beco\u00admes being. But as a rule this is not so. Peo\u00adp\u00adle can have a gre\u00adat mira\u00adcle, but they still don\u2019t want to get to know Jesus.
\nJesus\u00bb state\u00adment is chal\u00adlen\u00adging. On the one hand, it is not enough to lea\u00adve disci\u00adple\u00adship to mere lip ser\u00advice. On the other hand, deeds are not enough eit\u00adher. The right way can best be descri\u00adbed as fol\u00adlows. \u00abBut it is not enough to lis\u00adten to the mes\u00adsa\u00adge \u2013 you must also act on it! Other\u00adwi\u00adse you are only decei\u00adving your\u00adsel\u00adves\u00bb (James 1:22 NLB<\/span>). The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, \u00abmake the king\u00addom of God your pri\u00adma\u00adry con\u00adcern, live in God\u2019s righ\u00adteous\u00adness, and he will give you all you need\u00bb (Matthew 6:33). The fol\u00adlo\u00adwers addres\u00adsed by Jesus here, who call him Lord, per\u00adform mira\u00adcles, cast out demons and speak pro\u00adphe\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly, are doing the right thing in appearance, but in being they are dri\u00adving sel\u00adfi\u00adsh moti\u00adves. But, alt\u00adhough the moti\u00adves are sel\u00adfi\u00adsh, this does not dimi\u00adnish the power of God. God can still use such mira\u00adcles, demon casts and pro\u00adphe\u00adci\u00ades so that He Hims\u00adelf is hono\u00adu\u00adred. The power of God is inde\u00adpen\u00addent of man. All the\u00adse things hap\u00adpen pri\u00adma\u00adri\u00adly becau\u00adse they hap\u00adpen in the name of God.
\nIf one\u2019s own fame is the dri\u00adving reason, then a fol\u00adlower of Jesus is more of a pre\u00adtend Chris\u00adti\u00adan than living a Chris\u00adti\u00adan exis\u00adtence. The thing that sepa\u00adra\u00adtes appearance from rea\u00adli\u00adty is the moti\u00adve of love. The apost\u00adle Paul could not say it more aptly in his let\u00adter to the Corin\u00adthi\u00adans. Paul wri\u00adtes this let\u00adter to a con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon in which peo\u00adp\u00adle out\u00adbid each other to show others how spi\u00adri\u00adtual\u00adly, how exem\u00adpla\u00adry they live their faith. But Paul coun\u00adters skilful\u00adly. \u00abIf I could speak in the ton\u00adgues of the world or with the ton\u00adgues of angels, but had not love, my spea\u00adking would be but sen\u00adse\u00adl\u00adess noi\u00adse, like a boo\u00adming gong or a rin\u00adging bell. If I had the gift of pro\u00adphe\u00adcy and knew all mys\u00adte\u00adries and had every know\u00adledge, and if I had faith that could move moun\u00adta\u00adins but had no love, I would be not\u00adhing. If I gave ever\u00ady\u00adthing I had to the poor and even sacri\u00adfi\u00adced my body to be hono\u00adu\u00adred, but had no love, ever\u00ady\u00adthing would be wort\u00adhl\u00adess. Love is pati\u00adent and kind. It is not envious or arro\u00adgant, proud or offen\u00adsi\u00adve. Love is not sel\u00adfi\u00adsh. It does not allow its\u00adelf to be pro\u00advo\u00adked, and if one does evil to it, it does not bear it back. It never rejoices in inju\u00ads\u00adti\u00adce, but always rejoices in the truth. Love endu\u00adres ever\u00ady\u00adthing, never loses faith, always keeps hope and per\u00adsists no mat\u00adter what hap\u00adpens. Love will never cea\u00adse, even when pro\u00adphe\u00adcy, spea\u00adking in unknown ton\u00adgues and know\u00adledge will pass away\u00bb (1 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 3:1\u20138). What mat\u00adters is being in love and not the appearance of Christ.
\nA firm foundation
\nHow do we get our lives to be being ins\u00adtead of appearing? It is about real\u00adly KNOWING<\/span> Jesus. It chal\u00adlenges us to fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal\u00adly rethink our disci\u00adple\u00adship. \u00abWe have been told that the only requi\u00adre\u00adment is a one-time decis\u00adi\u00adon or even just intellec\u00adtu\u00adal assent to Jesus. After that, we would not have to worry any fur\u00adther about his com\u00admandments, his stan\u00addards or his glo\u00adry. We have the ticket to hea\u00adven and can live here on earth as we wish\u00bb (David Platt). The Ser\u00admon on the Mount is about more than just fol\u00adlo\u00adwing and app\u00adly\u00ading cer\u00adtain pat\u00adterns of beha\u00adviour. The mes\u00adsa\u00adge of the Ser\u00admon on the Mount chal\u00adlenges one to let one\u2019s cha\u00adrac\u00adter and ide\u00adas chan\u00adge. It is about roo\u00adting one\u2019s iden\u00adti\u00adty in Jesus. This roo\u00adting is shown in kno\u00adwing God. It also invol\u00adves being awa\u00adre that kno\u00adwing God is a pure gift. This is also cal\u00adled grace. What we can do to do this is to belie\u00adve in Jesus Christ, to put his will abo\u00adve our own and to trust that he means well with me. Obey\u00ading God has a lot to do with trust. When we trust God, exter\u00adnal things beco\u00adme insi\u00adgni\u00adfi\u00adcant. Then it does\u00adn\u2019t mat\u00adter what pro\u00adfes\u00adsi\u00adon, ori\u00adgin or gen\u00adder you have. The cru\u00adcial thing is to trust God. \u00abFor when we put our trust in Christ Jesus, God does not ask whe\u00adther we are cir\u00adcumcis\u00aded or uncir\u00adcumcis\u00aded. What mat\u00adters is faith, which shows its\u00adelf in love\u00bb (Gala\u00adti\u00adans 5:6 NLB<\/span>). Faith is a trust in Jesus Christ, who in turn shows hims\u00adelf in love. This love is not pas\u00adsi\u00adve or inac\u00adti\u00adve, it is sacri\u00adfi\u00adci\u00adal and inte\u00adres\u00adted, inter\u00adce\u00addes for the poo\u00adrest. This love for one ano\u00adther is the distin\u00adgu\u00adis\u00adhing mark of peo\u00adp\u00adle who walk with Jesus (John 13:35). This does not mean that the\u00adre are no more moments of unkind\u00adness. Nor does it mean that love is unders\u00adtood in this way by ever\u00adyo\u00adne, espe\u00adci\u00adal\u00adly when love is unders\u00adtood only as a yes but not also as a no.
\nSo the ques\u00adti\u00adon for each indi\u00advi\u00addu\u00adal is whe\u00adther the moti\u00adves on which one\u2019s own house of life stands make a good foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon. I am deep\u00adly con\u00advin\u00adced that Jesus Christ is a foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon that lasts. It is then up to each per\u00adson how to con\u00adti\u00adnue buil\u00adding on this foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon. \u00abFor no one can lay a foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon other than the one that has alre\u00ada\u00addy been laid \u2013 Jesus Christ. Whoe\u00adver builds on this foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon can use gold, sil\u00adver, pre\u00adcious stones, wood, hay or straw. On the day of jud\u00adge\u00adment, the work of each indi\u00advi\u00addu\u00adal will have to pro\u00adve its\u00adelf in the fire. The fire will show the qua\u00adli\u00adty of the buil\u00adding. If it with\u00adstands the fire, the one who built it will recei\u00adve reward. But if his work burns, he will suf\u00adfer a pain\u00adful loss. He hims\u00adelf will be saved, but only as one who escapes a fire with dif\u00adfi\u00adcul\u00adty\u00bb (1 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 3:11\u201315 NLB<\/span>). The peo\u00adp\u00adle addres\u00adsed by Jesus in the Ser\u00admon on the Mount may have a good buil\u00adding to show for it, but the foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon is not the\u00adre. The cru\u00adcial thing is the foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon \u2013 kno\u00adwing Jesus Christ. We are chal\u00adlen\u00adged anew every day to trust in this foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon and to stay on the ball with Jesus. Out of this per\u00adse\u00adver\u00adance, good fruit can come forth. \u00abI am the vine; you are the bran\u00adches. He who abides in me and I in him will bear much fruit. For apart from me you can do not\u00adhing\u00bb (John 15:5 NLB<\/span>). The cru\u00adcial thing is not lip ser\u00advice or bea\u00adring fruit, but being roo\u00adted in a foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon that endu\u00adres \u2013 Jesus Christ.
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small group
\nRead Bible text: Matthew 7:21\u201323<\/p>\n
\n\tHow would you descri\u00adbe your \u00abkno\u00adwing God\u00bb?
\n\tHow do you per\u00adso\u00adnal\u00adly deal with the fact that peo\u00adp\u00adle do gre\u00adat things in the power of God, but their lives are not a testimony?
\n\tWhat are your moti\u00adves of discipleship?
\n\tWhat pre\u00advents you from trus\u00adting God fully?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"