November 15, 2015
Evening Service

Luke 6:46-49

In our studies of the “Parables of Jesus,” this morning Jerry spoke on “The Rich Fool.”  He became so caught up in his own riches in this world that he forgot to include God in his future plans.  James wrote this:

 James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and spend a year there, and we will trade and will make a profit,” (14) whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life?  It is even a vapor, which appears for a little time, and then disappears.  (15)  Instead of you saying, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

·         The two scriptures share the same message that we are to include the Lord, and His will, into our future plans.  Each of us can see that clearly.

·         The question James asks is this; “For what is your life?”  As we look at the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders tonight, I want you to keep that question and these on your heart.

o   With the blueprints I am currently using, what kind of life am I going to build? 

o   With the map I am following, what will be my final destination?

o   Are you building the house you truly want or settling for something less?  Are you on the path that leads you to a closer, more intimate walk with the Lord or is your lifestyle taking you down a path that leads elsewhere?

 

Luke 6:46 And why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 

·         Jesus is asking why we call Him Lord (master) of our life, yet do not do the things He asks us to do.  In other words, why are we not using the blueprint or the map He has given us?

 

James 1:22-25 But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  (23)  For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man studying his natural face in a mirror.  (24)  For he studied himself and went his way, and immediately he forgot what he was like.  (25)  But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing.

·         We quote this scripture quite often in our prayers that we would not be hearers only, but that we would do what the Word tells us.  That we would build according to His blueprint (follow the directions).

·         Notice also the promise that as we do our best to obey His words, we will be blessed in so doing.  Why is it we find it so hard?  Paul describes his struggles in the 7^th chapter of Romans as he says:

 

 

 

 

Rom 7:14-17  For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.  (15)  For that which I do, I know not. For what I desire, that I do not do; but what I hate, that I do.  (16)  If then I do that which I do not desire, I consent to the law that it is good.  (17)  But now it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.

·         It is the spiritual battle we all face daily.  Our flesh cries out to be satisfied, yet we need to choose to stick to the blueprint and build our lives according to God’s perfect plan.  Refuse to cut corners and take the easy way.  Follow the directions.

·         Let’s look how Jesus finishes our parable today.

 

Luke 6:47-49 Whoever comes to Me and hears My Words, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like.  (48)  He is like a man who built a house and dug deep and laid the foundation on a rock; and a flood occurring, the stream burst against that house and could not shake it; for it was founded on a rock.  (49)  But he, who heard and did nothing, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, on which the stream burst, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.

·         The key part of a blueprint for building a new house is the foundation.  It must be able to withstand all the elements of nature that it will experience and withhold all the weight that will be laid upon it. It is best if you can dig down into the bedrock attach your foundation to it because it will not move or shift in times of troubles.

·          Jesus is our bedrock foundation.  When our lives are built upon Him, nothing on earth can bring us down.

·         A house built upon little or no foundation is destined to fall when the stream floods as Jesus says in the parable.  If our foundation is our money, our job, or our social status we can have a mighty fall when one of them fail us.

·         A similar parable is used at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7.  Jesus is telling His followers that we need to build our lives upon the principles He had just finished explaining to them. 

 

Mat 7:24-27 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.  (25)  And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock.  (26)  And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  (27)  And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat on that house. And it fell, and great was its fall.

·         What is your life?

·          What are you building?

·          Where do you desire your journey to end?  These are some very deep questions each of us must answer for ourselves.

·         Jesus has laid out a blueprint for a life that is pleasing to Him.  We speak on it three times a week from this pulpit.  Are you listening?

·          Galatians 5 gives us a list of building materials that are approved to use.

 

 

 

 

  Gal 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,  (23)  meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  (24)  But those belonging to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.  (25)  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

·         If we are committed to building our lives into what God desire it to be these things must be present in our lives and our foundation must be built upon Christ.

·         Are there parts of your life that are built on another foundation?  Tear them down and begin again upon the true foundation that will never be shaken.

·         We have one life to live.

·          We have one journey to complete. 

·         What is your life built upon?

 

Lord, may we build wisely upon the Christ.