Building on the rock

Luke Chapter 6

This as a challenging chapter. Jesus lays out what following him will be like. Being a follower of Jesus is radically different from the culture around us.

I’ve been reading books by the author Patrick Morley. The book I’m reading now is called Man in the Mirror. In his books Pat talks about a type of Christian that is a Christian, or a follower of Jesus in name only. He calls them cultural Christians. This type of Christian is a Christian when they need to be, turning their Christianity on and off whenever it seems appropriate or comfortable. They don’t worship the God that is, instead they worship a god that they have created, that requires little of them, an hour on Sunday occasionally.

The kind of life that Jesus describes in chapter 6 is not a life that can be turned on and off. It is a life lived 24/7/365 and on into eternity. It is a lifestyle of service and sacrifice. It is a life of love. Not a sappy sentimental love, but a down and dirty, wash feet, give help, give stuff, give a hand, give money, give forgiveness kind of love.

““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. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:27-36

These aren’t words to just read and agree that they are right, good and powerful words. These words are instructions to follow. These are words that are intended to inform our actions.

In this same chapter Jesus says this: ‘“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.”’ Luke 6:46-49

If we are following Jesus our lives will be changed. And there will be signs of this new life we are living. Like a tomato plant in my garden, if it is green and growing, there will be fruit on it. A good plant will produce good fruit. A follower of Jesus will begin to produce fruit for God’s kingdom.

‘“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”’ Luke 6:43-45

A follower of Jesus is a person who chooses to follow the God who is, not the God that we have made up. How can we tell the difference? The God who is reveals himself through his word. The God who is loves us and sent his innocent son to die for us. He raised his son from the dead 3-days later.

The God who is asks us to do hard things, like love our enemies and pray for those who mistreat us.

In Chapter 7 we will read about more miraculous stuff, like the dead being raised, the sick healed, the blind receiving their sight, more proof of Jesus being the messiah, the one sent to save us.

But for today, Where are you at on your spiritual journey? Today, Are you ready to start following the God who is and let him change your life? Are you ready to start building your life on the rock, the rock Jesus?