I am now studying the Gospel according to Luke.
Today I read/studied/meditated on Luke chapter six.
I mean, I learned a lot from this specific chapter, about the Sabbath, how “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath,” not the other way round, how Jesus spent the night in prayer before He picked 12 of His disciples and more.
I like Luke and he writes the Gospel in a very unique way, different from Matthew, John and Mark because hello, Luke was a medical doctor of his time. Don’t you love that? I do! So, Dr. Luke sees things in a little different way. His usage of words helps the reader to look the Gospel through a different lens.
So, what captured and intrigued me today from this particular chapter is this passage:
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”” Luke 6:46-49
Look how Jesus posed a poignant question!
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Luke 6:46
If you see this verse closely, it is a sermon by itself!
So, Jesus speaks about two kinds of people:
One, goes to church, gives his offerings and tithes, speaks Christianize, goes home and lives his life the way he wants and feels like it. Christianity for him starts and ends with knowing many ministers/pastors/prophets, listening to Gospel songs and playing church. That is all!
Since you always see this person in church, singing and dancing and giving testimony, and running around in the name of “I am serving others,” you think that he is established in Christ.
But when something happens that shakes his professed faith, you will see his true color. He not only denies Jesus by his actions and words but he writes his own bible and follows it faithfully: “The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” verse 49 – Notice! Its destruction was complete!
The other one, goes to church and does everything the other guy does but the difference comes here: When this one goes home, he does life, not according to his wants and feelings but, according to the word of God.
So, when something happens that shakes this man’s professed faith, you will see that Jesus Christ oozes out of him left and right. When something strong comes and shakes his faith more, more of Jesus comes out of him in words and deeds.
Why?
Because, Jesus said, this man “hears my words and puts them into practice.” Luke 6:47
We all have a natural bent to be like not this man but the first man. We comfort our soul by listening to the word of God. But unless we put the word of God to practice, carrying a religion name or being a member of a church or denomination won’t do us any good.
James writes: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. . . whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1:22, 25
Wow! They will be blessed in what they do.
Love it! ///