Building on a firm foundation
Luke 6v46-49
INTRODUCTION
In Luke 6:46-49, Jesus makes a final appeal to those who have listened to his sermon on the mount. He says in vs.47-48, “Everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a man who built his house on rock.” This is building on a firm foundation, and it begins by…
BUILDING ON OUR BELIEF IN CHRIST
Jesus is Lord
In Luke 6:46 Jesus asks a pointed question. He says, “Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?” As Lord, Jesus is the centre of our life. This is why we sing… Jesus be the centre; be my source; be my light; be my hope; be my song. Be the fire in my heart; be the wind in these sails; be the reason that I live. Jesus… be my vision; be my path, be my guide… Be the Lord of my life.
Jesus is our Lord
When he saw the risen Christ, Thomas said, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus is not only Lord… he is my Lord. As Lord, Jesus made us. As Lord, Jesus redeemed us. As Lord, Jesus lives in us by his Spirit. This is why Philippians 2:11 says, “Everyone should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God.” Jesus is Lord, and we should affirm this, not just as a profession of faith, but in the way we live.
Respecting Jesus as Lord
Today when we are encouraged to be guided by personal choice, but Luke 6:46 in the CEV asks, “Why do you keep on saying that I am your Lord, when you refuse to do what I say?” John 13:13 says, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am.” Jesus then said in v17, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” According to Luke 6:46, a statement of faith is not enough—even when it comes with such fervency as, “Lord, Lord.” It is not enough to listen to God’s word. Jesus says in v49, “The one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who builds a house without a foundation.” To build on a firm foundation, we need to build on our belief in Christ, and then…
BUILDING ON OUR BEING IN CHRIST
Building on a rock
To progress in the Christian life, we need more than a profession of faith. We need to believe, but we also need to experience what it means to be in Christ. Jesus put it like this in Luke 6:47-48… He says, “Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and puts them into practice… builds their life on rock.”
Being a follower of Christ
It is important to notice that the rock in this illustration is not the word of God. The rock in this illustration is not even the Lord or our faith in him. The rock in this illustration is our obedience to Christ. Jesus said those who hear his word and obey, are like those who build a house upon a rock. So being a Christian is not just hearing the word of God. Being a Christian is to follow Christ in obedience; it is to follow Christ in his ways; it is to follow Christ in our experience; it is being in Christ.
In John 14:21, Jesus said: “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, loves me. Those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” Following Christ is not just obeying him because we have to. We follow Christ because we want to. In a good relationship, couples do not submit to each other out of duty, but out of love, respect, and devotion. This is how it should be with Christ and his church. It is about being in Christ, and we need to build on this.
To obey is better than sacrifice
Messages from God’s word are ineffective unless we experience Christ and follow him. 1 Samuel 15:22 says, “The Lord does not delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying God’s word—to obey is better than sacrifice.” God’s word has no real meaning unless we apply it in our lives. Our theology has no real impact unless it impacts us. Our worship has little relevance unless it comes from a life of worship and leads us back to a life of worship. In other words, the Bible, theology, and worship are not an end in themselves, but a means to an end.
Both people in the story hear God’s word, but only one puts it into practice. James 1:23-24 says, “Those who listen to God’s word but do not do what it says are like those who look at their face in a mirror, go away, and forget what they look like.” This leads from building on our belief in Christ, and building on our being in Christ, to…
BUILDING ON OUR BEHAVIOUR IN CHRIST
Building on solid rock
Luke 6:47-48 in the CEV says, “Anyone who comes to me, listens, and obeys is like someone who digs down deep and builds a house on solid rock.” The Message says, “These words are not mere additions to your life… they are foundation words, words to build a life on.”
Building on a firm foundation
To illustrate this, Jesus speaks about two people who built houses. One built on rock, whereas the other built on sand. When the storms came, the house on the rock stood firm, whereas the house built on sand collapsed. In application, the house that stood firm is not just built on a profession of faith or an academic belief in Jesus. The firm foundation that helps us through the storms of life is to believe in Jesus, to be in Jesus, and to behave in Jesus. This is what it means to follow Christ. This is what it means to be a Christian. This is our life.
Standing firm in the storms of life
If we hear God’s word, our house will stand when the sun is shining. It will even look as impressive as other houses. When the storms of life come, however, our house will collapse. On the other hand, if we hear God’s word and do it, our house will stand even in the storms of life. Standing firm in our faith means believing in Christ, it means being in Christ, and it means behaving in Christ.
Bernard Cartledge