LUKE 6:46-49 – “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
THEME OF THE DAY: THE QUESTION OF ALL QUESTIONS. In today’s scripture, Jesus lays out the path to establish a consistent, stable, and joyful walk with Him. He does so through the illustration of houses and a contrast. He would tell us the key to a stable Christian life is obedience to God’s Word. The opposite is true. Be the person who hears the Word, but neglects doing the Word, and inconsistency, instability, and spiritual consequence will come upon such a person.
Prior to this imagery of instruction, our Lord asks the most penetrating and exposing question ever presented to us – “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” In the question, we are faced with two issues. First, our profession of Jesus as Lord. Every Christian makes this profession. We do so gladly, and we do so, not in the strength of self, but of the Spirit of God – Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3).
But now the second issue, and it exposes those who make the profession “Jesus is Lord,” but lack the evidence in their lives the profession is true. Jesus is telling us the reality of our faith in Him is not in words, but in actions, and actions of obeying His Word. And what this doing of the Word affirms is not only the truth of profession, but the truth of our love for the Lord Jesus – “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Later in the same chapter, He would emphasis the same truth – “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (John 14:21).
We find further affirmation that a true profession of faith in Christ is evidenced by obedience to Christ from the Apostle John – Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18). And John is not alone. James would warn us of the danger of being a hearer only of God’s Word – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (James 1:22-25).
The question of all questions – “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I tell you?” – is one we should ask ourselves regularly. We do so, not to create doubt, but to affirm our profession of faith in Christ is valid by our consistent obedience to the Lord’s Word.
PRAYER: “Father, grant me the wisdom to see it is the obedient Christian who is the stable Christian.”
QUOTE: “Consistency and stability in the Christian only comes from a life of obedience to God’s Word.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim