The In Crowd

I was always fascinated with that popular group at school. They wore the right clothes and listened to the right music and always had something cool to say and never got caught doing anything uncool.

I was thinking about how sometimes it feels like the "good Christian" is like the popular kid. We have ipods full of Christian tunes and go to church and can quote the Bible.

And unfortunately, in the same way that the popular group was exclusive and invite-only, a lot of our churches feel that way. It's like we want to keep Jesus for ourselves - "those" people certainly don't deserve to join our club.

But it's funny because we forget that we don't deserve it either. What have you done that makes you worthy of the death of the living God? Do you really think that going to church and cracking open your Bible once in awhile merits Christ's crucifixion? Do you think that having hymns on your ipod will earn you a place in heaven?

Jesus has a warning for those who feel that their good works and right living are enough:

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  Revelation 2: 2-4


The love for the Lord has gotten overtaken by love for money, for right reputation, for popularity.

And what will become of those who are not truly in love with the Lord? Jesus makes things pretty clear:

Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! Matthew 7:21-23


Jesus is going to say to those who appeared to have lived well, "I never knew you" And if Jesus doesn't know you, if you don't know Him, He's not going to be your advocate on judgment day. Christ isn't going to stand in that gap for you, and you will be eternally separated from God.

Those who are in now will be out and those who stood out, radically living for Christ, will be in. In those days, those who lost their lives in Jesus will find them again, and they will walk the narrow paths of life.