Building Upon The Right Foundation ~ Luke 6:46-49 October 20, 2013 ~ New City Church Calgary ~ Pastor

John Ferguson Intro: In Western Culture, the popularity of Christianity is perhaps at an all time low. Yet, there is an curious current rising in pop culture where it seems like Jesus is gaining in popularity and seemingly attracting more fans. Everyone from Sinead OConnor to Ashton Kutcher, Katie Perry to Kanye West can be seen sporting Jesus attire and tattoos. Moreover, people as diverse as Obama and Simpson, Oprah and Miley, Beyonce and Beiber all claim to dig Jesus to some degree. Is the popularity of Jesus a good thing? Its interesting to read the gospel accounts and to see the rising tide of Jesus popularity and to see that Jesus didnt shy away from saying some hard things, even if that meant losing some popularity and some followers. On one occasion (John 6), Jesus words were so hard and offensive that many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Je sus said to the Twelve, Do you want to go away as well? Kyle Idleman, It may seem that there are many followers of Jesus, but if they were honestly to define the relationship they have with him I am not sure it would be accurate to describe them as followers. It seems to me that there is a more suitable word to describe them. They are not followers of Jesus. They are fans of Jesus. Is that a fair assessment? Is that a fair question to ask: Are you a follower of Jesus, or simply a fan? Today, we are going to look at a text where Jesus turns to those who are following him and asks them a very direct, pointed, and uncomfortable question designed to get them to ask some hard questions about themselves. Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do w hat I tell you? 1. Spiritual diagnostic: like a master surgeon, Jesus goes right after the tumor, and his surgical scalpel is a question. a. Its a disruptive question. When we hear Jesus ask this question, its disrupting. Its a fork-in-the-road kind of question where things can never be the same again. Jesus has the audacity to bring up the uncomfortable topic of the elephant in the room: There are way too many fans, and not enough followers.

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b. Its a revealing question. Jesus is Lord is a fundamental confession or statement of truth of Christianity.

o Rom. 10:9, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. L. Newbigin, The Open Secret, The Christian commitment is distinguished in that it is a commitment to a belief about the meaning of the whole of human experience in its entiretynamely, the belief that this meaning is to be found in the person of Jesus Christ, incarnate, crucified, risen, and destined to reign over all things. o To say that Jesus is Lord is to recognize that he is the Supreme Authority in your life. Jesus isnt your homeboy! Hes the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! And to make this confession is to follow through with total, 110% devotion to his will for your life. In other words, to call Jesus Lord means you can no longer be just a fan, you must be a follower who does what he says. c. Its a merciful question. Present active indicative: Why do you keep on calling me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I tell you? o Its an intervention. Its a wake-up call. Because if we are not doing what the Lord Jesus is telling us to do, then that means that our hearts are doing what some other lord is telling us to do. It means were serving the interests of another kingdom. It means that the desires of our hearts are captured by some other promise of life, some other reward, some other kingdom. 2. Note to those who have not yet become followers of Christ: Please dont misunderstand. Jesus isnt giving us a list of commands to follow to get into heaven if we are good enough. This teaching is addressed to those who already claim to follow him. Its a diagnostic question so that we can see if our lives are out of line with his design. Jesus call to you is not to do more to try to make things right with him, but rather to stop doing anything and instead turn and trust in him as the Saviour! A life of good works isnt a requirement to become a Christian, but it is a demonstration of those who have become Christian.

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Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he 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. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great. 1. Bock, Jesus offers no editorial comment, but lets his sermon end with the echo of the collapsing house. 2

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No words of consolation, only a sharp warning.

2. Similarities: both (1) hear the words of Jesus; (2) build a house; (3) experience trials Differences: (1) only one does what Jesus says; (2) only one survives the storms Luke 8:13, they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.

3. What kinds of storms are there? (1) The cares and riches and pleasures of life (Luke 8:14) (2) Persecution (Revelation 12:17; 14:12) (3) Death (Luke 12:13-21) (4) Final judgment (Romans 14:10, 12) E. Peterson, These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.

So, why did Luke record these stories in his historical biography of Jesus? Because he wants to let us know that what it means to be a disciple of Jesus is that we actually do what he says. We intentionally bring our lives into conformity to his word. We live out the confession, Jesus is Lord. Main Idea: To be a disciple of Jesus is not merely to hear the words of Jesus but to build our lives upon Jesus. The reason why this is important is because if we dont heed the message of Christ to build our lives upon obeying his word, we would simply be one more example of a hypocritical Christian that the world knows all to well: one who calls Jesus Lord, Lord, but doesnt do what he says. Application: 1. Heed the wake-up call. James 1:22-25, But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Repent Believe New Obedience

2. Pray searching prayers Ps. 139, Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. 3

Conclusion: John 14:15, If you love me, keep my commandments. If I were to take Jesus seriously, it would look like rearranging my life so that I build my life upon his words. It would mean that I would read my Bible in community and personally. It would mean that I would memorize it more, love it more, crave it more, practice it more, believe it more, desire it more, and cherish it more. Your wish is my command, Lord. / My pleasure. This is the way to express your devotion to Christ the Lord, and the way of honouring your King.