January 11, 2023
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.” Luke 6:46-48a
Jesus, the Rock of Ages, is unchanging, reliable, and consistent. “For I am the LORD; I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6a) He spoke of obedience, teaching each of us to be one who “hears my sayings and does them.” Our crafty enemy does not mind if we hear the words of Jesus as long as we do not obey Him. For millennia, he has worked to condition us to hear one thing and do another. This enemy wants to occupy the place in our hearts and minds that is meant only for the Lord. In order to drive a wedge between God and His people, the evil one uses every manner at his disposal to lull, distract, and deceive.
Who is the man who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock? Such a one carefully builds faith upon the God of truth and the truth of God. His marvelous word, given by His very Spirit, leads to life. Digging deep into that word brings sound guidance and incalculable rewards as we navigate the barrage of traps that Satan has set to ensnare us.
And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. Luke 6:48b
Our Teacher has a mastery with words. The flood prophetically refers to peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15). In every age, since Abel and Cain, those who have sought to live in obedience to the Lord have been—and will yet be—opposed, marginalized, and persecuted.
So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. Revelation 12:15
The woman symbolizes the faithful remnant who was not carried away by the flood. She understands that, while the Redeemer’s salvation is freely offered to all, faithfulness to Him has the potential of being costly. “But he who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13)
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it . . . ? Luke 14:28
The cost could involve giving up bad habits, giving up ‘good’ habits and replacing them with ‘best’ ones, according to God’s word; and the list goes on – all the way up to losing your job or your life. It is about willingness, beloved. And there is nothing that you will give up that compares to eternity in the kingdom of God. The willingness to depart from ungodly ways is a gift to everyone you truly care about.
“But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:49
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21