Build Like Jesus

Luke 6:46-49

Intro

There is a lot of information coming at us these days. Some of it interesting. Some of it is annoying. Some of it is helpful. So many are constantly pouring out can’t miss advice on getting in shape, living healthy, hitting the perfect sand wedge, or making the best breakfast. But how much of what we already think we know do we put in practice?

We take in a lot of mail at our house. We get it out of the mailbox. We bring it into the house. We place it on the kitchen counter in a pile. Usually it sits there for a day or two. At some point, Julie and I go through the mail and shred or throw away most of it. Very few pieces of mail illicit a response or change our life or practice at all. We judge most mail to be junk mail. We don’t feel we need whatever is being offered. We are not interested enough to take the time to look deeply into what is being offered. 

But sometimes, taking in mail and failing to act on it can bite you. I was taking a nice peaceful drive up the beach right after sunset. It’s one of my favorite ways to relax. I passed a police car parked alongside the road and thought nothing of it. I wasn’t speeding and had been careful not to break any traffic rules. But for some reason, his lights came on and he stopped me. 

I thought, “what in the world does he want?” The officer stepped to my window and informed me my registration had expired. I was dumbfounded. That couldn’t be, could it? Then is hit me. Maybe I should pay closer attention to the mail. I had taken in the registration renewal, but I had not done anything with it and now I would have to pay a price.

The same can happen when we take in the teachings of Jesus. It comes in and it feels weighty and important, but it just gets shuffled aside and forgotten about. But then something happens that causes you to realize your need. The spiritual police stop you and you pay a high price.

Today, we conclude this series called “Life on the Rock: Living the Counter Cultural Life of Jesus”. The title is “Build Like Jesus” from Luke 6:46-49.

Exegesis

Luke 6:46–49 (ESV) 

46“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

The title, Lord, in Jesus’ day could mean teacher or Rabbi. We think of it as a title for Jesus himself or erroneously as His first name as in “Lord Jesus”. Star Wars used this with Darth Vadar referring to him as Lord Vadar. Jesus is telling them that they give him a title of respect, of one who should be listened to but then fail to do what He says. 

This is likely still relatively early in Jesus’ ministry. He may be projecting into the future. He may be predicting how many will respond to Him. They will give Him verbal deference but will not put any of His teaching into their lives. It sounds like He is quoting from Isaiah:

Isaiah 29:13 (ESV) 

13And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me…

Jesus is setting up a warning that closes this sermon on the plain. He is preparing them to understand the seriousness of failing to put His teaching into practice and at the same time encouraging them with the benefits of implementing His teachings. He starts with the benefits.

47Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 

48he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

Hearing and doing results in a life built on the rock. Although, hearing does not always lead to doing, some feel hearing is enough. Hearing is easy. Anyone can take in teaching but taking it in does guarantee implementation.

Jesus says the one who hears His words and does them digs deep and lays the foundation on the rock. Hearing and doing requires digging deep and building your life on the rock. There is effort and time required. You have to be intentional. It does not happen by simply receiving mail from Jesus.

The results of putting His teaching into practice is that you are building a life that is solid, secure, a life that can stand in a flood. Luke’s language seems to have in view an overflowing river that sweeps everything that is not secured to the bedrock below the soil. Floods can happen rapidly and once the water starts to rise over the banks, it’s too late to save the house.

The one who digs deep and builds his house on the rock, the one who implements Jesus’ teaching is confident even when devastating flood waters come. He has built his house with such an event in mind. You might say, he was expecting it. He lives a confident life knowing his future is secure. He is not anxious about the future. He is prepared.

But some just take in His teaching and never actual do anything with it.

49But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

The one only hears but does do the teachings of Jesus is like a house filled with unopened mail. They have taken lots of teaching. They have diligently collected it. They have even arranged it neatly in stacks and on tables and in labeled file folders around the house. They possess the teaching, but it’s not making any difference in their lives. 

The mail remains unopened. There is some anxiety about what might be in all that mail. Sometimes, they do open a piece or two, but they quickly set it aside. But, there will come a day when something will happen that will cause them to wish they had opened the mail. And somewhere in their subconscious they know this is true. But in response all they do is keep on collecting mail.

Is this a form of works salvation where I earn my right to be on heaven? Great question. We must always be careful to evaluate what we are being told to do against the standard of grace. Jesus is our salvation and we cannot earn it. However, we are told to be faithful, to follow Him, to live as Jesus lived in comparison to how the world lives. We follow Jesus and He makes us fishers of men. 

Following Jesus, being His disciples, will constantly be bringing us into conflict with our normal, sinful selves, our flesh. When we respond by staying on the surface and trying to manage symptoms, we build our house on the soil or sand. Building our lives on the rock requires a much deeper approach.

Applications

There are three things we must understand about Jesus’ teaching in this passage

·      Hearing alone doesn’t work.

·      Hearing and doing takes time and effort.

·      The stakes are very high

Hearing alone doesn’t work.

Your life is still filled with anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. This is why some say Christianity doesn’t work for them. Just taking in the teachings of Jesus doesn’t make any difference. It’s unopened mail

Hearing and doing takes time and effort.

You have to process what Jesus teaches. You have to allow it to penetrate deep into your life. You have to allow it to change you, to change the way you operate and think.

The stakes are very high.

Those who only hear His teachings are risking being swept away by death. You say, “but I have been saved and baptized.” If you have received the gift of salvation, why are you refusing to implement the teachings of the one who gave you that gift? You are one of those who call Jesus Lord but don’t do what He says.

You might say, “this sounds like a works-based theology. That’s heresy, that’s wrong.” Doing what Jesus teaches is not earning salvation. Rather, it is living out the new life He gave you at the time you received salvation. A tree is known by its fruit. Good fruit is living out what Jesus taught.

The anxiety and lack of peace you feel in most cases is the result of not implementing one or more of Jesus’ teachings. However, there is also the possibility that you never received the gift of salvation and that you have been trying to live out a set of rules without ever having become a new creation. You have demanded to stay in control and have never relinquished control to one who died to save you.

The teachings of Jesus are so different from the law, from keeping rules. Rules stay on the surface while the teachings of Jesus penetrate deep and require access to the heart. Let’s review the 4 teachings we have covered in these last 4 weeks as we have studied this sermon on the plain.

1.    Celebrate the things that cause you to need Jesus rather than constantly search for substitutes for Jesus.

Have you ever walked into your home and found the door unlocked? You try to think, did I forget to lock it when I left? Did a family member leave it open? Once you determine that no intruder is present, what’s the first thing you do? You do and check to see if your valuables are still there. In fact, what you check on first is the most valuable thing you own. 

The same is true spiritually. When we feel vulnerable the first thing we do is to run to the things that make us feel good about ourselves. We check the market, or our bank account, or our favorite team, or a close friend. 

In Luke 6:20-23, Jesus says that you are blessed when you are poor, hungry, sad, and when people do not like you because of Jesus. Yes! You are blessed. Why? When you are poor, hungry, sad, and when people don’t like you have room for Jesus. You need Jesus. You welcome Jesus. You search for ways to receive more of Jesus. 

Jesus is saying when you are spiritually needy you will have the kingdom of heaven. When you are spiritually hungry you will be satisfied. When you are spiritually sad, you will laugh. And, when people don’t like you because you belong to Jesus, you have a great reward in heaven.

So, how do we put this in practice? And how does it help us live a secure life regardless of the floods that may come? 

You need to dig down into your soul to consider if you view the things that draw you to Jesus as worthy to be celebrated. And then, see what is filling you up, what is making you happy, and what is causing people to like you. The enemy would like nothing more than to keep from sensing your need for Jesus. These things might not be evil in themselves, but when they move Jesus to the side or even crowd His influence out all together, they are evil idols.

When you celebrate what draws you to Jesus, you are building your life on the rock. Jesus never fails. Jesus never changes. Jesus is always with you. Your future is secure with Jesus. Jesus will never reject you. Your team will lose. Your investments may vanish. Your career will end. Your movie will end. These things are all at risk. They are all vulnerable. But your relationship with Jesus is not at risk. It cannot be lost.

Celebrate what draws you to Jesus rather than filling your life with substitutes.

2.    Love Unconditionally Rather than Transactionally

Luke 6:27-36 describes the love of Jesus. His entire life was about love. He loved people most who deserved it least. His love didn’t depend on an expected response. He sacrificed His life willingly to pay for sin He didn’t commit, sin that was committed by those who could never pay.

Our love, human love, is different. We love only what and who we expect to love us back. This is business deal. It’s trading favors. It’s cold and calculating and it is never certain that you are not going to be cheated. Human love builds a life on soil and doesn’t take the time and make the effort to find solid rock. 

But when we love like Jesus we are loving because we are confident in His love. We are not dependent on the love of others.

We need to dig deep and consider how we love. It’s easier to stay on the surface and love the way that comes natural. But that’s transactional love.

Is our love unconditional or transactional? 

3.    Share Forgiveness Rather than Condemnation

Condemnation is how we normally respond to the sins of others. “They got what they deserved” feels right when we see others fall. But that’s not what Jesus taught. He did not come to judge but to forgive. He calls His followers to help others find forgiveness rather than to judge and condemn them.

When we live judgmental lives it is hard to feel confident and at peace. The reason for his is we are still building up confessed sin. We feel farther and farther away from Jesus, the one we claim to love. But when we forgive and help others receive forgiveness we are implementing the teachings of Jesus and we are building our lives on the rock.

4.    Focus on Fruit Rather than Results

We like to focus on results. We see our children thrive and we take credit. We see others’ children fail and we assume it’s the parents’ fault. Jesus taught that a tree is known by it’s fruit not by the health of those who consume the fruit. To be sure, our fruit, what flows out of our lives should impact people to follow Jesus. But the disciples belong to Jesus. We can only control the fruit, the love, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and other fruit of the Spirit that flow from us.

We are always uncertain about how we are doing when we evaluate our fruit by how it affects others. But when are faithful to let the Spirit work through us and pour His fruit through our lives we are building our lives on the the rock

Main Idea

Because hearing the teachings of Jesus alone does not work, implement the teachings of Jesus so that you can live a confident life for today and for all eternity.

delivered teachings that provide security and confidence for today and for all eternity. Implement His teaching in your life. 

·      Celebrate what draws you to Jesus instead of filling your life with substitutes

·      Love unconditionally rather than transactionally

·      Share forgiveness rather than condemnation

·      Focus on fruit rather than results

Close

Hearing the teachings of Jesus alone doesn’t work.

Hearing and doing the teachings of Jesus takes time and effort

The stakes are high.

Are implementing the teachings of Jesus or is it just unopened mail?