http://bible.com/events/48889034
Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg
Questions Jesus Asked: Why Do You Call Me ‘Lord Lord’ and Not Do What I Say?
Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
Some context for Luke 6:
-Jesus is teaching about the ways of the kingdom of God, and some powerful truths about who God is and how we are to live in response.
-“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-28
-“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:36
-“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37
Luke 6:46-49
“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.”
Jesus gives the very specific visual here of two different kinds of people:
-The first is deliberate. This person plans and prepares for the future. Thought and care is given to ‘the foundation’.
-The second person is not bad, but careless. This person doesn’t want to spend the time digging a foundation.
First, Jesus is speaking to believers.
-“Why do you call me Lord?” Lord means master. Lord means ‘you are in control, and I am not’.
-Jesus is not just providing a generic example, but a specific one to those who would claim Him as Lord.
Second, Jesus is speaking about obedience.
-Jesus speaks powerfully: when times get tough, when circumstances get challenging, it is not faith in and of itself that matters most, but rather faith in action.
The question for last week was really this:
Do you know Him?
And the question for this week is really this:
Do you obey Him?
Verses for further study/reflection:
Matthew 7:21-27
John 14:15
Luke 11:28
Acts 5:29
John 3:36