"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT ENDURING STORMS"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT ENDURING STORMS"

Luke 6:46-49

But why do you call Me Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?
Whoever comes to Me and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like.

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.

But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. Jesus starts with those most penetrating and searching question. "But why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say. Can I give you a hint here. It the doing of what Christ says that lays the foundation in our lives, an thus we can endure the storms that come our way.

2. But, back to the question. Please read it again, and think about how you would answer it. What would the appropriate answer be, and what was Jesus trying to communicate through this question. The word Lord of course means master. So, some were saying to Jesus, You are my master, but, they were not acting as if He was their master. For had they been, they would have been obedient to what He was telling them.

3. Jesus went on then to explain what two types of people are like. The one's who hear Him, and then do what He says, and the ones who hear Him, but do not do what He says.

4. The hearer and the doer is like a man who builds a house on a good foundation, and it's able to withstand the storms that will inevitably come into their lives. The one who hears but does not do, is also building a house, but, it's built on earth, not on a rock like the other man. And when the storms came upon him, he crumbled, and the ruin was great.

5. So, what's the point and lesson for us here? God's Word, when heard, received and acted upon, builds a life on a rock solid foundation that can withstand the storms of life. On the other hand, when God's Word is heard, but not really received so as to act upon it, that person is building their life on a foundation that cannot withstand the storms that will come.

6. The wise and the foolish if you will. That's how Jesus taught this same story in Matt 7. God's Word is life giving, and life saving if you will. God's Word is storm resistant, and protective in our lives from what comes our way.

7. So, storms will come, and if we want to endure them when they come, then we must take God's Word to heart, and do what He says. We are in reality, building our lives on that which will sustain us in the days ahead.

A prayer:

Father, thank You. Thank You  for teaching us Your Word, Thank You for giving us Your Word.
It's so penetrating, and sensible, and heart searching, and encouraging. Your Word tells us what to do, and how to do it. We want to be the wise man who builds His house on the rock.
Help us Lord to be sober minded, and to be teachable, and to repent when we sin, and to commit ourselves to obey You. We cannot do any of this in our own strength, we need the power of Your Spirit, and the grace, mercy and love of God in our lives. In Jesus name, amen

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia,