Luke 6:47-49

The gospel, according to Luke, reading from verse 46 through 49. Our text this morning will be on 47 to 49. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say. Whosoever cometh to me, heareth my sayings, and doeth them? I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man which built a house and dig deep and laid the foundation on a rock. And when the flood arose and the stream beat vehemently upon that house, could not shake it where it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth and doeth not is like a man that without a foundation, and built a house upon the earth against which the stream did beat vehemently and immediately it fell and the ruin that house was great. God blessed to us the reading of his sacred and holy word this morning. Have you ever gone to the ocean? There on the beach, there are those who, build these huge elaborate sand castles, some of them different statutes of different things. It’s sort of an art form today that people build these elaborate structures out of sand right there on the beach. Many, many hours of labor, painstaking detail goes into the preparation of these things. But the sad thing is, when you build a sand castle on the beach, it’s not going to last very long. When the tide comes in, it sweeps it away. If it rains and the sky pours down water, it’ll also dissolve the castle and erode it away and it will collapse. The castle and eroded away and it will collapse. So when you build your castle out of sand and on sand, you know it’s never going to be permanent. In order to illustrate his teaching, Christ uses the parable here or the story of the two builders. What he spoke of in verse 46 that we looked at in our last study about people who called him Lord Lord and did not the things which he said. Christ is specifically speaking to those who were hears of his teaching, those who have listened, not those who didn’t have any interest at all, but those who did listen to what he had to say, and actually those who claim to be his followers and call him Lord. And he says there are two types of builders. And these people are similar to these two types of builders. There are. those who claim to be his disciples and actually receive salvation. There are those who claim to be his disciples, but it doesn’t seem that they have true salvation at all because their life exposes the lie with regard to their profession. So this parable is meant to show you there’s a difference between a true profession of faith in Christ and a false profession of faith. in Christ. Now, we see the symbolism here that’s used by Christ. He talks about two types of builders. The wise man here is the true builder. He’s the true believer. Versus 47 and 48. He first, he comes to Christ. You know, notice that phrase is missing in verse 49, but it’s in 48. He comes to Christ, or excuse me, verse 47, he cometh to me. He hears Christ teaching. He does or he puts into action what Christ has taught. The foolish man is the false professor. He’s taken up in verse 49. He has not said to come to Christ. He hears Christ teaching, but he doesn’t put it into practice. The houses here, the The building of a house seems to represent the way you construct your life, the character you develop. And the building of the house, as we shall see, is affected mostly by the foundation upon which it’s built. The storm here is the testing of your profession of faith. In one case, the storm collapses the house. and in other case, the storm is was stood by the house. And then we have the foundation that’s mentioned. Those who build upon the rock erect their lives on the sayings of Jesus Christ, in other words, on the word of God. They trust in Christ and they keep Christ commandments. Those who build upon the sand professed to believe in Christ, but they don’t erect their lives by following Christ’s commands. So these sayings of Christ understood, believed, and obeyed are what make up the rock here, upon which one should build their life. So the two builders. Let me begin. morning by asking this question. Is your life built upon a rock or merely upon the earth? You’re building on mere earth if you neglect the sayings of Christ as your foundation. Verse 49, we read that He that he that he that heareth and doeth not, is like a man without a foundation that built a house. upon the earth. There are people, you may be one of them, who hear the sayings of Christ, but decide to build on something else. There are many people who claim to be Christians, but their lives perhaps are built on some exciting religious experience, or maybe the teachings of men. There may, who are dependent on maybe a mysterious vision they’ve had, or a remarkable dream, or overwhelming experience. some sort. And this becomes their assurance that God has accepted them, that he approves of them. Years ago, I was conversing with an old seminary friend who related an unusual experience he had. He said he’d been praying for a number of months that he might have assurance of salvation. And one morning, right after he awoke, he said, I experienced this overwhelming sense of joy. And as he lay in bed, he said, he felt such fullness of joy that he was afraid he was going to die. It was overwhelming. So he had to pray that God would stop pouring out this wonderful joy because he couldn’t even handle or receive another ounce of it. As he related this exciting experience to me, he said that he felt sure as this was good. God’s way of assuring him of his salvation. While this prompted a long discussion about feelings in the Word of God, and I think we don’t build our assurance on feelings. We build it on what God has promised in his word. Friends, if you want assurance of salvation, believe what Christ says and live your life according to his teaching. And his spirit. spirit will testify to your spirit that you are one of his children. Exciting religious experiences will not enable you to endure the testing of your faith because you’re built on mere earth at that point. There are many who build their lives on the sayings of others. There are people who are caught up with the various religious teachers on things. television or on the radio and they hang on everything they say. I went to seminary with a young man named Glenn. Talked about the three hours of his his ministry. Roll off, Rockman and Rice. Those three, those three guys. That was it. They said it was good as goal. Some shaped their lives on what Pat Robinson says. Robertson says. Friends, we can just be. simply regurgitating what we hear from a religious idol that we’ve made. Sort of a mini replica of them. But this is building on the earth. We don’t build on what man says. If I don’t say what God says in his word, you don’t trust me because I said it. You trust it because God says it in his word. You hear the sayings of Christ and some do. but they build on something else. You hear the sayings of Christ but never put them into practice. Jesus talks here about those who do them not. You may listen carefully to what Christ says. You may not reject anything that he says here in this sermon on the plain. Remember, it’s sort of like the sermon on the Mount, but this one was on the plane. so it’s actually a different sermon altogether. Different things are said in each one. But in his sermon on the plain, but in his sermon on the planet, plain here, you may not reject anything he said outright. You may know the vital doctrines that Christ taught here. You may sit through all these practical teachings on what you should do and how you should live as you hear these sermons being taught. Perhaps you read approvingly of this sermon of Christ in verses 20 to 49. You know what it teaches. but sadly you can hear and do not. You never get around to putting into practice these sayings in your life. You don’t love your enemies. You’re not a merciful for person. You are unlawful judge of others and condemn others, especially your brothers and sisters in Christ. You’re not a generous person. You’re not a generous person. You busily search for the faults of your brother or sister. Your life is barren of good fruit. You call Christ’s Lord, but you do not do what he commands. Jesus noticed that there were many who heard him gladly, but their lives never changed. As James tells you in James chapter 1 in verses 23 and 24, for if any of any of the first, be a hearer of the word and not a doer. He is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. We might say a mirror. For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way straightway and forgeteth what manner of man he was. To see what you are, in comparison to what the word of God says you should be, and then not fix it, is to be like looking in the mirror and your hair is all met. up and your face is dirty and you don’t clean up your face, you don’t comb your hair, you don’t get ready, you know, you don’t fix yourself up. So your appearance is right. You just go on the way you are. We’re not to see our faults and then walk away and never make the change. This guarantees you’re building on the earth and assures you of a disastrous end. So you’re building on mere earth if you neglect the sayings of Christ as your foundation. Notice also, you are building a rock if you put into practice the sayings of Christ. Versus 47 and 48, whosoever comeeth to me and heareth my sayings and doeth them. I will show you to whom he is like. He is like on the man which build a house and dig deep and laid the foundation on a rock. You humbly submit to the sayings of Christ. Notice that the word saying here is plural. It’s not that it’s one or two things you are selective about. I’ll do this or I’ll do that, but the idea is the whole spectrum. All the teaching of Christ you’re willing to submit to. Do you face squarely the whole teaching of Christ? Look with me at John chapter 6 if you would. a few pages over. In the gospel of John chapter 6 and beginning with verse 60, we read these words. Many, therefore, of his disciples, when they heard this, said, this is a hard saying. Who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that the disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, doth this offend you? What and if you see the son of man ascend up? where he was before. It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak on you, they are spirit, they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him. And he said, therefore, I said unto you, that no man can come unto me except that were given him of my father. From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus under the 12, will you also go away? Simon Peter answered him, saying, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Now, in this passage of scripture, there are some who followed Christ. who said that they were disciples of Christ or at least claimed to be, but Jesus indicates to us that they did not believe on him. And so they were upset by some of the things that he said, in particular here in verse 60, they said, this is a hard saying. It is difficult to accept what you’re saying. When he pointed out the superficiality of some of those who followed him, only for the loaves and the fishes, for what they could feed their belly with. As he says in verses 26 and 27, that’s no reasonably following me. He commanded you to believe on him for salvation and not trust in your own works in 27 and 28, 29. in verse 47 of this chapter. He exposed the hypocrisy of some who claim to be his disciples. In 35 and 36, I am the bread of life, he that comeeth to me, shall never hunger, he that believeth on me shall never thirst, but I said unto you you that ye also have seen me and believe not. Perhaps the most difficult part of this sermon, if that wasn’t enough, and his claims to be the son of God in this section, was the fact that he taught on the doctrines of grace in this section of scripture. They taught divine election in verse 37, all that the fault giveth me shall come to me. He taught particular atonement. For instance, in verse 33, when he says, The bread of life is he that cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world. He doesn’t offer the life. He gives it, we believe, in definite atonement. And Christ speaks of a definite result of his work. Similar to what we find in the last phrase of verse 50. 51, I will give my, I will, what I, the bread I give, and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Irresistible grace. Versus 44 and 45 when he says, no man can come unto me, except the father which has sent me, draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day. As it is written in the prophets, and they shall be taught of God. Every man that have heard and have learned of the Father cometh unto me. We not only have to hear, we have to be taught by the Father. Those are the ones that truly come to Christ. Same thing as found in verse 65. Perseverance of the Saints, verses 39 and 40, where he claims that I will lose nothing of any of those given to him by his father, but will raise him up on the last time. day. People murmured about this teaching. They were offended by it. They stopped following him at this point. True believers, even upon hearing the hard sayings of Christ, still clung to Christ because they realized, as Simon Peter said, where are we going to go? Lord, you have the words of eternal life. You’re the only one that has them. Do you humble yourself under the word? When Christ’s sayings may criticize you or condemn you for actions in your life. So you humbly submit to all the teachings of Christ. You strive to live according to the sayings of Christ. You don’t only hear the sayings of Christ, but you sincerely try to implement them in your life. You agree with what Christ says, and you say to your own heart, I need to change. I need to be different than what I am. You see the sinfulness of what you’re doing. You repent of it. You desire to please the Lord. For example, you may realize the envying of the wicked is sinful. Versus 20 to 26, he talks about the fact that perhaps you’ve been depressed or discouraged because of your external circumstance. Maybe you’re poor. Maybe you are deprived of many things. Maybe you’re sorrowful. Maybe you’re hated and reproached by the world. And you’re looking at yourself and boo-hoo, what a poor situation I’m in. But Jesus is indicating to you that you are blessed if you’re in this situation. And that you should not be mourning, but be joyful that you’re in this situation. For these things are working for the good of your soul. they are used to develop your spiritual graces. But then there are the people of God at the times that we look upon the things that happen to the ungodly unbeliever. He seems to have the riches. He seems to have the fullness of earthly goods. The laughter. People all speak well of him. And we’re thinking, well, they’re having God’s goodness and I’m not getting it. Jesus says, no, they’re not. woe unto them. He pronounces, whoa, in this section of scripture against them. So he said your mindset needs to change about these things. These people are under God’s wrath. In like manner, instead of hating your enemy, you’re going to show love. Well, he talked about that in verses 27 and 28. Love means doing him good. It means seeking God’s blessing upon his soul. That he might be sick. saved, praying for it. These things aren’t easy to do. Maybe they’re hard for you to implement. We have to pray for grace. That God enable us to do these things. We should take these things to heart. I can go on and on, but these are the kinds of things that Jesus is saying we should be implementing. So is your life built upon a rock? We’re merely the earth. We have one group who builds on the earth, because they do not. take the sayings of Christ seriously and apply them. We have another that builds on the rock because they put into practice. Christ’s sayings. Secondly, my second major point to this morning, are you prepared for the testing of your faith? You must be aware of the danger of self-deception regarding your faith. Christ repeatedly warned people about being deceived about their spiritual condition. Our Lord makes it very plain that not all who profess to be saved and believe in Christ really are. Now, you may have a vague, general feeling about your salvation. You might say, well, I feel that I’m saved. But Jesus is indicating your feelings are not what you base things on. Is your life built upon the right? rock. Are you a believer in Christ? You’ve come to Christ and you’re putting his sayings in action. True faith always produces a life of obedience without fail. Sir Isaac Newton, you recall, he was the discoverer of some of the laws of gravity and motion that we have. He took a ride on his horse in the country one day. and he approached the hillside. He decided he would descend off the horse and he dismount and then he would lead the horse by the bridle up the hill. Well, somehow or other, as Newton held the reins, the horse managed to get out of the bridle and wander off. And there was Newton oblivious to the whole story, a whole situation, walking up the hill, carrying, you know, with his reign, reins behind him, dragging the reins, not realizing he didn’t have the horse. When he gets at the top of the hill, he turns around and remount his horse isn’t there. It’s gone. All we had was an empty bridle. Don’t go through life, like Isaac Newton climbing that country hill. Never checking to see if you actually possess the salvation you claim you have. don’t walk up with an empty bridle, so to speak. Eventually, under testing, you’re going to find your religious experience is empty if you do not have an assurance of your faith in Christ. Christ uses the figurative language of a strong storm to test your faith. test the strength and the stability of your life. your house, if you would. Notice the totally different outcomes for the one who built on the rock and the one who built upon the earth. One gets washed away and collapses. The other withstands it. So you must be aware of self-deception regarding your faith. Let’s talk about how your faith will be tested. Christ uses the terms here about a flood, a storm. some torrent of water, some heavy downpour, some type of heavy downpour that would cause actually a stream to run, that would beat against the house. This is meant to portray a whole range of testing. In Matthew, chapter 7, verse 25, we read this about the two builders. The rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house. it’s a heavy storm. Now, we can talk about the temptations of Satan. Satan goes about as a roaring line, seeking whom he may devour. He looks for opportunities, different ways of dealing with you, and sometimes he assaults your house from all four corners at once. He can transform himself into an angel of light, trick you with false teaching in order to shipwreck your soul. He can hurl doubts and denials at you. Bombard your soul with blasphemous thoughts. He knows how to cast clouds of despondency upon the human spirit. He can subject to horrible temptations. These are all the testings of your house. We could talk about the testings of providential hardship this morning. You know, Ecclesiastings. Solomon wrote this in 714. In the day of prosperity be joyful, but then day of adversity, consider God hath also set the one against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him. There are days of prosperity in this life, and there are days of adversity, and God sends the one and the other. God may send adverse circumstances in your life. My friends, the trials of providence are unavoidable. It may be a severe illness where you’re laid up in a sickbed, suffering. It may be financial loss where God gives and God takes away. It may be a grievous disappointment that your heart is set on something and God withholds it from you. It may be overwhelming sorrow. For his own wise ends, God sometimes takes away the life of a spouse, a child, a close friend, a It’s a heavy blow that comes. When I was in seminary, there was a young man, a young woman, both, you know, one lived in a boy’s dorm, one in a girl’s dorm, and they were going to get married. And the young man went home for the weekend, and he and his father were going to put in a hot water heater and change it out. They forgot to turn off the electricity, both go electrocuted and died. You never know what’s going to happen in life. We never know what could take place. How are you going to respond to these things? Are we going to curse God and die? Or are we going to humbly accept what God has done like Job did? Will you cast aside your faith? Or will you be moved to seek grace to help you to overcome the difficulty you’re facing by His Providence? You see, this is what’s difficult because you go through life. and you find that people have a profession of faith and then adversity comes in their life. Maybe they contract cancer. Maybe there’s some type of disappointment where things don’t work up. Maybe the marriage they were planning on, there’s a breakup. Whatever the case may be, how do they respond to them? How do they view God? Do they become bitter against God? Is their faith such that it cannot handle this? You know, it’s the faith that goes through the fire that’s precious. It comes through as gold. Then you know you have something, you see. Because God brought you through it. And your faith was sustained through it. We could talk about the persecutions of this world, and I won’t dwell on these things for long. Whether we like it or not, the world also test us. they see we’re making this profession of faith and they give us a testing too. They’re hostile to us in many cases. And some people can’t handle that. The stony ground here, when he has to endure the heat of persecution, falls away. There are other things we could talk about, but that’s enough to give you a hint of what we’re talking about about the storms of life that come along. Are you prepared then? for the testing of your faith. You’ll notice in verse 48, the man who built upon the rock digged deep and laid the foundation on the rock. He digged deep. You know the greatest danger I think that Christianity is superficiality? There’s no digging deep. There’s no taking pains about one’s faith. Nominal Christians have no depth. There aren’t really serious about following Christ and obeying his command. But the wise builder here digs deep because he’s not satisfied with a superficial Christianity. He is striving after experimental inward knowledge of the truth. The sayings of Christ become deeply rooted within him because they are hidden in his heart. You treasure these truths. You don’t bulk at the work of mortification of sin. You don’t balk at the need to cast aside your own self-righteousness and self-esteem and humbly do what Christ has told you to do. Charles Ed and Spurgeon, the Baptist preacher, once said this, and I think it’s worth repeating. Seek an inward experience of divine truth. Ask to have it burnt into you. Why is it that people give up the doctrine? of grace if they fall in with eloquent advocates of free will. Why is it that they renounce the Orthodox creed if they meet with smart reasoners who contradict it? Because they have never received the word in the power of the spirit so as to have it sealed in their hearts. It is one thing to have a creed. It is another thing to have the truth graven upon the tables of the heart. Many fail here because truth was never made experimentally their own. My friends, sandcastles on the beach aren’t going to last. They have no foundation. They’re going to get washed away. Your profession of faith needs a solid foundation lest it caused the collapse of your house in the time of testing. Don’t let your Christianity then. Be just nominal. Don’t let it be superficial. Because then you’re headed for disaster. Seek to see a real Christianity in your life. Dig deep. Put the sayings of Jesus Christ into practice. Let us close with the word of prayer this morning.