Good morning. It is so good to be with you all today and open God's word.
To introduce the sermon, I'd like to reference a recent tragedy that occurred in February in Turkey.
! Over the last five years, there has been new construction in Turkey to build luxurious apartments.
These buildings were to be built according to certain building codes that ensure the safety of the building and the residents.
According to building codes, the buildings must be built in a safe manner that would prevent damage from any major earthquake.
This could require various elements from simple foundation dampering or strengthening to motion dampering to build the entire structure on a shock absorber.
To include the proper structural additions to buildings, it costs lots of money and could be quite expensive.
In February of 2023, there was two major earthquakes and lots of buildings were turned into rubble and thousands were killed.
Many of these buildings were supposed to be according to the code that would prevent them from falling during earthquake shaking.
Unfortunately, that did not happen.
And we don't have much information regarding the government, the building codes, or the developers.
But there is evidence that hundreds of buildings were not built on safe foundations.
When the earthquakes came, it caused widespread destruction.
The earthquakes and the damage caused in Turkey is tragic.
When earthquakes hit Turkey, the buildings demonstrated that they were not built safely to endure the quakes.
What we build our lives upon is of great importance.
If we build our lives upon the wrong things, it can have devastating effects for ourselves, for our families, and for our friends.
But if we build our lives on the right things, it can have wonderful effects for ourselves, for our friends, and for our families.
So today, in Luke chapter 6, verses 46 through 49, I would love for you to see that the Christian is a person who professes faith in Jesus Christ and evidences this faith in their actions.
The Christian is a person that professes faith in Jesus Christ and evidences this faith in their actions.
So our sermon text is from Luke chapter 6, verses 46 through 49, if you'll turn there with me.
So Luke chapter 6, verses 20 through 48, is Luke's account of Matthew's sermon on the mount.
The reason I word it this way is that there is much discussion whether this is the exact same sermon that's in Matthew summarized,
or if this is an entirely different sermon with a different context, and he gave some of the same teachings.
Regardless, we see a lot of the same stories in Luke that Matthew teaches.
So the purpose of the sermon that Jesus presents in Luke chapter 6 is to teach someone what it means to be a Christian.
And in it, a Christian does not live life for this world.
So in Luke chapter 6, verses 20 through 23, the disciple is financially poor.
He is filled with great sorrow.
He is physically hungry.
And he is facing persecution.
All things that are hard in this life and do not give much hope.
But his joy and his hope is not in this life.
It is in the life to come.
And while he is facing poverty and sorrow and persecution,
his blessedness and abounding joy are in Christ and the kingdom that is to come.
Toward the end of the sermon, Jesus begins to tell us what it looks like to follow Christ.
What it looks like to be a Christian and to not be a Christian.
And we come to one of those texts today in Luke 6, 46 through 49.
Amen.
Because of this text and the severity there, I would love for us to take a moment to examine our hearts,
to reflect on our hearts, and pray for humility.
So will you pray with me for just a second?
Father, help us close ourselves with humility.
Help us be humble towards one another.
And Lord, help us humble ourselves under your almighty hand,
that we can see our hearts today and our lives.
And that this text would either be a great warning or a great assurance to us.
In Jesus' name, amen.
All right, starting in verses 43 for context.
For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit.
For each tree is known by its fruit.
For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor grapes picked from a bramble bush.
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good.
The evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil.
For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?
Everyone who does come to me and hears my words and does them,
I will show you what he is like.
He's like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.
And when the flood arose, the stream broke against the house,
and it 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 on the ground,
without a foundation.
When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell,
and the ruin of that house was great.
In this passage, we'll have three points.
There's no need to write them down because we'll go through them one by one.
Our first point is the profession of Lord, Lord.
Our second point is the Christian's profession.
And our third point is the false profession.
So point number one, the profession of Lord, Lord.
In verse 46, Jesus describes an individual that comes to him and calls him Lord, Lord.
The repetition of one's name in scripture often communicates familiarity,
a personal relationship.
Some examples in scripture we see are in Genesis 22.
Abraham is about to sacrifice his son.
And as he's in the moment where he pulls the dagger up,
God says, Abraham, Abraham.
In Luke 10, when Jesus is visiting Mary and Martha,
Martha is busying herself with tasks.
And she's jealous of Mary who's sitting by Jesus.
And Jesus goes to Martha, Martha, Martha.
In Acts 9, when Jesus speaks to Saul as he's heading to Damascus,
he says, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?
In all these instances and many more you see in scripture,
there is a personal relationship that is intimate and intentional.
Someone is speaking as if they know a friend.
When this person comes to Jesus and says, Lord, Lord,
they generally believe that Jesus is their master.
They have confidence in their position as his servant.
But Jesus' response is not what you'd expect from someone who calls him Lord, Lord.
He says, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and you do not do what I tell you?
The servant invokes Jesus' name as Lord and personally,
but in his life, there is nothing to show that he is a servant of Jesus Christ.
Turn to Matthew 7 with me and we'll look at the count with more details.
Matthew 7, starting in verse 21.
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but the one who does the will of the Father who is in heaven.
On that day, many will say, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name
and cast out demons in your name and do mighty works in your name?
And then I will declare to them, I never knew you.
Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.
In Matthew's account, we have a little bit more information
regarding the individual who says, Lord, Lord.
This is a person who seems to have done great things for Jesus.
They have prophesied.
They have cast out demons.
And they've even done mighty works.
But when they come to Jesus and Jesus asks,
why should I grant you into the kingdom?
They say, I did this.
I did these works.
For us, it could be I led these Bible studies or I served in this role.
They're basing their hope and their salvation on their works,
on the things that they believe would merit them salvation.
And we see Jesus' response to this person is,
I never knew you.
Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.
It seems these individuals have done great things,
but when it comes down to the eternal fate,
they relied upon their works, not upon Christ's works.
It was about what they did, not about who they believed in.
And these so-called servants were generally hypocrites
and did not truly love God.
Brothers and sisters, this text burdens my heart.
It reveals a reality that is devastatingly true today.
It is this.
There will be many people who say they are Christians,
who would say, Lord, Lord,
who will not be in the kingdom of God.
It is not based on one's profession.
It is not based on one's decision.
It is not based on an aisle one walks
that determines if they are a Christian.
It is not based on the things you do for God
that determines your Christianity.
You could have served as a missionary for 20 years
or be a retired pastor after 30 years
and not be a Christian.
Our Christian faith is based on the works of another.
It is based on the God-man, Jesus Christ,
and his life, his death, and his resurrection.
In his great love, Jesus came to this earth
and took on flesh.
He perfectly kept the law,
fulfilling every righteous requirement demanded.
And he sacrificially went and died on the cross
for sin.
When someone repents of their sins
and believes in Jesus Christ
and his life, his death, and his resurrection,
they are saved and will be justified
and are justified.
They've received Jesus' perfect righteousness for them.
They no longer base their profession on what they did,
on a confession of who they are,
on an aisle they walked around,
on a decision they made.
They base it on Christ, on what he did.
That's the difference.
And they received the righteousness that he did perfectly for them.
And their sin is attributed to Jesus in his death
and paid for.
We see this in 2 Corinthians 5.21.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The Christian's claim for heaven is not in anything he does.
It is not in our theological knowledge,
our faithful parenting,
our righteousness,
the good things we do for others,
the long weeks of serving and toiling for good things,
our careers,
our degrees,
our accolades,
none of those things have claims on heaven.
They do nothing to earn us a place before God.
They are filthy rags.
The Christian's only claim to heaven
is the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ
and the substitutionary death on the cross for us.
We are saved by works,
just not our own.
Our righteousness, as Luther has said,
is an alien righteousness.
It is foreign to us.
It comes from outside of us
and is credited to us
upon repentance and belief.
The 1689 London Baptist Confession
summarizes this well for us.
It says,
Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ
and his righteousness
is alone the instrument of justification,
yet it is not alone in the person justified,
but is ever accompanied with all other saving grace.
And it is no dead faith,
but worketh through love.
Do you see that?
That faith is resting and receiving Christ
in his righteousness,
in his works,
alone.
There's nothing else that attributes to our salvation.
Yet,
this faith that rests on Christ and his works
is never alone.
It is always evidence.
There is always proof of it
in other saving graces,
in repentance,
in faith,
in works.
But those works and those faiths
and those repentants
do nothing to justify someone
that is only through Christ.
When Jesus saved us
by his life,
death,
and resurrection,
God took our dead hearts
and he's made us alive.
Christians have new hearts
that love God
and seek to obey him.
The new heart
does not produce dead faith,
as the confession says,
but other saving graces.
John Calvin's attributed to saying,
faith alone saves,
but that faith is never alone.
While the good works
do not merit anything for salvation,
they do evidence salvation.
There is a place for them.
When believers do good works,
it makes Jesus look beautiful.
So,
the long weeks of serving,
the faithful parenting,
the hard work that you do
to provide for your families,
those things make Jesus
look beautiful.
The 1689 Confession
summarizes good works
in this way.
These good works,
done in obedience
to God's commandments,
are the fruit and evidence
of a true and living faith.
They are fruit and evidence
of a true living faith.
Though good work,
through good works,
believers express
their thankfulness,
strengthen their assurance,
build up their brothers
and sisters,
adorn the profession
of the gospel,
stop the mouth of opponents,
and glorify God.
Believers are God's workmanship,
creating Christ Jesus
for good works,
so that they bear fruit,
leading to holiness,
and have an outcome
of eternal life.
So,
as I said in the beginning,
the Christian is a person
who professes faith
in Jesus Christ
and evidences this faith
in their actions.
Christians.
This leads us to the parable
in Luke chapter 6
to describe the individuals
who hear the word.
If you'll turn back
to Luke 6 with me,
we will stay there
the rest of our time.
when I first began
preparing for this message,
my main point was
the Christian life
is a life of faith
in Jesus Christ
for salvation,
life,
and godliness.
But as I studied it more,
I became convinced
that the passage teaches
that the Christian
is a person
who professes faith
in Jesus Christ,
and this faith
is evidenced
in their actions.
The passage is about
the profession
of the individual.
Here we see
the Christian life
is not a life
of no law,
but of delight
in God's law.
John 15, 23 says,
if anyone loves me,
he will keep my word.
Our obedience
to God's commands
is the delightful duty
of our love to God.
The person who has believed
in Jesus Christ
shows their faith
through their actions.
J.C. Ryle,
regarding this passage,
says,
the object of the parable
is not to teach
the doctrine of justification,
that the rock
or the foundation
we're building on
is Christ,
but instead,
it is to teach
the folly
of the Christian profession
unaccompanied
by Christian practice.
It is to teach
the folly
of Christian profession
that is unaccompanied
by Christian practice,
and the certain ruin
to such profession
must lead to,
if persisted then.
So the parable
is not about justification,
it's not about
we are building
our foundation on Christ,
but more it's about
the profession.
It's not about justification,
it's about demonstration here.
Jesus is talking about
what it means
to be a Christian,
not who we base
our lives upon,
but how our lives
are built up in Christ.
That's why we see
it's the person
who hears the word
and either believes in it
and does it,
or the person
who hears the word
and does not believe in it
and does not do it.
But it's all based
on the person saying,
Lord, Lord.
So this leads us
to our second point,
which is the Christian's profession.
In the parable,
the first person mentioned
is the person
who hears God's word
and does what it says.
If you look at
verse 47 with me,
it says,
everyone who comes to me
and hears my word
and does them,
I will show you
what he is like.
And in this part,
this person is the one
who digs deep
and lays a foundation.
We see throughout
this parable,
there are multiple elements
involved in laying
the foundation.
First,
there is a cost involved
to laying a foundation.
There is a blueprint
to how to do it
and there's the benefit
of being a Christian
or of doing it well.
So first,
let us look at the cost
of being a Christian.
The man in the parable
had to choose
the best place to dig.
They had to dig deep
through rock and dirt
and to lay a proper foundation
that will endure the storms.
Surely,
this work was grueling
and this time,
they did not have machinery
to do the hard work,
but instead,
they did it
with their own hands.
It took time,
it took blood,
sweat,
and tears
to put a house down
properly back then.
The same is true
for the Christian.
To be a Christian,
there is a cost
to be counted.
It is to see God's word
as the supreme standard
for our lives.
As a Christian,
we are not our own,
but we're bought
with a price.
When we profess faith
in Jesus,
it is not merely
a profession
of sincerity
or of association
with Jesus.
Our profession
of faith
in Jesus Christ
is the casting
of ourselves
on Jesus
as the only means
of salvation
and life.
This faith flows
from the abundance
of the heart
and forever
changes our lives.
Christians no longer
live for this world
and themselves,
but for Christ.
Everything we do
should be to serve
His kingdom
and His glory,
not our kingdom
and our glory.
J.C. Riles
summarizes the cost
of being a Christian
well.
Like the house
built on rock,
it may entail
Him pains,
labors,
and self-denial.
To lay aside
our pride
and self-righteousness.
To crucify
the rebellious flesh.
To put on
the mind of Christ
and take up
our cross daily.
To count all things
but loss
for Christ's sake.
All this
may be hard work,
but like the house
built on the rock,
such religion
will stand.
So some questions
for reflection.
Have you
counted the cost
the cost
of being a Christian?
Do you live
in such a way
that you're picking
up your cross daily?
Does your life
reflect pride
and self-righteousness
or humility?
While the cost
of being a Christian
is great,
there is a blueprint
for this work
and there is great
benefit we receive
from it.
So second,
God gives,
God has given
the Christian
a blueprint,
a way in which
to do this.
In the scriptures,
Jesus is called
the foundation
on which no other
foundation is laid.
He is also called
the chief cornerstone
in Ephesians 2.20
and 1 Peter 2.6.
It is true
that Jesus
is our foundation
and cornerstone.
It is through
his person and work
that our salvation
alone comes.
But in the scriptures,
there's other talk
of foundation.
So in Ephesians 2.20,
it says that the church
is built on the foundation
of the apostles
and prophets.
Christ Jesus himself
being the cornerstone.
In the early church
in Acts 2,
it said that the church
was devoted
to the apostolic teaching.
In Ephesians 4.5-6
says the church
grows up into Christ
through the truth,
through God's word.
John 17.17 says,
Sanctify them in truth.
Your word is truth.
While Christ
is the chief cornerstone,
we are building
our lives in Christ
through his word,
according to these passages.
It is his word
that is the materials
by which we build
and which we labor
to put our building upon.
God's word
is the ordained means
by which we build
our lives upon.
It is his word
that reveals
the eternal word,
Jesus Christ.
And as we build
our lives upon
the word of God,
the truth grows us up.
In fact,
John 17.3 says,
we experience eternal life
through knowing God.
And this knowing of God
is both propositional
in our knowledge of him
and our intellect
and understanding him
and knowing doctrine,
but it is also experiential
in how we experience
that doctrine.
If we know Jesus
and we know
what his word says
and we think it's wonderful,
but we don't do it,
we don't practice it
in our lives,
at our work,
in our parenting,
then we're not experiencing
the fullness of life
that is in Jesus Christ.
We're going to experience
eternal life presently now
through his word.
But this looks forward
to the blessed
and happy life to come.
So as we now know him
in his word,
we build our lives
upon him,
upon his word.
It is,
we're going to slowly enjoy
this life that is in Christ.
We'll understand Christ more
and as we understand him,
we'll experience him
in our lives.
So when you are parenting
and you are speaking truth
to your child,
it helps train them up
in what God says.
In our marriages,
when things are hard,
instead of going against
one another,
if we speak truth
to one another,
and that is what governs
our marriages,
we are going to slowly
enjoy this life
more and more.
So this leads me
to three primary ways
in which we build our lives
upon God's word.
Number one,
we build our lives
upon the truths
found in God's word.
It is in the truth
of God's word
that reveals
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is through the truths
of God's word
that he gives us
means to fight our sin,
to trust God
and his promises,
and causes us to grow.
Hebrews 4.12 says
that God's word
is living and active,
sharper than any
two-edged sword,
piercing the division
of the soul and spirit,
of joint and of morrow,
and discerning the thoughts
and intention of the heart.
Notice in this passage
when it says
God's word is living and active
is that his word
is actively working.
It is not a passive
working in our life,
but when we take God's word
and we know it
and it's in our hearts,
it is actively
and effectively
working in the believer
and making them more alive
and completing the work
of salvation
that God has begun.
David Powelson says
in scripture,
God comes in person.
We participate
by hearing and responding.
When you consider
how you form your day,
consider the way
in which you are embracing
God's word and keeping it.
Is God's word
the first thing you put
in your heart in the morning?
Does his word
renew your mind
and help you love him
and others well?
Do you memorize
and meditate on his word?
Does his word
flow from our mouths?
What we think about
and spend our time doing
is often what we talk about
and invite others into?
Number two,
we build our relationship
on God's word
or our relationships
on God's word.
Throughout scripture,
healthy relationships,
healthy marriages,
and healthy families
are built on the abiding
word of God.
As Christians,
the way we practice
our faith
is through loving God.
If God is our delight
and his word is in us,
it overflows
into our lives
and in our relationships.
Not only is this
the best blessing
we bring to our relationships,
it's also commanded of us.
Friends are supposed
to speak truth,
love,
forgive,
bear with one another,
be kind to one another,
and have compassion.
Husbands are supposed
to lead their wives
or to love their wives
and wash them in the word.
Parents are to raise
their children
in the discipline
and instruction
of the Lord.
The word of God
is the cement
of healthy,
thriving relationships.
So my question
on this point is,
does the word of God
submit your friendships,
marriage,
and parenting?
Number three,
we build our church
on God's word.
The church
is a new covenant community.
It has come into existence
through God himself
calling us
and speaking life
into our hearts.
According to Ephesians 4,
15 through 16,
it says,
Rather,
speaking the truth
in love,
we are to grow up
in every way
into him who is the head,
into Christ,
from whom the whole body,
joined and held together
by every joint
with which it is equipped,
when each part
is working properly,
makes the body grow
so it builds itself
up in love.
The means
in this process
of how the church
has grown into Christ
and becomes more Christ-like
and is built up in love
is through the truth.
It begins,
speaking the truth
in love.
The church
is built up
through God's love
and his word
so that it can mature us
and so that we can
exalt Christ
in how we live.
God's word
is the nourishment
to his church,
but it is also
the proclamation
of his church.
It's what comes
out of them.
Being a Christian
has a great cost
but we have been given
God's ordained means
to help us.
When we hear his word,
our obedience
is our joyful delight,
a joyful duty
and responsive love
to him.
When we obey,
there is great benefit.
So, thirdly,
there is great benefit
for the person
who hears God's word.
In the parable,
the individual
is building their lives
on the good foundation.
When the storm comes,
it does not destroy
his life.
The flood here
is understood
as suffering.
When suffering comes,
the person
who has faith
in Jesus Christ
and has built
their lives
upon his word
endures the storm.
When suffering
comes to us,
our response
to suffering
demonstrates
our faith.
When the storms
rage against us
and the firings
of suffering burn,
it reveals
the genuineness
of our faith,
God uses
the agonizing events
and the overwhelming
grief
to care for us.
In those moments
of greatest affliction,
our lives show
the surpassing power
and worth of God
who loves us
and who comforts us.
He is our refuge
and our strength.
He is our helper
and the upholder
of our life.
When we experience
the griefs
of this world
and our heart
is downcast
and our clothes
are full of tears,
we can say
with a deep
and abiding joy,
hope in God
for I shall again
praise him,
my salvation
and my God.
The Christian
receives great benefit
because he
will weather
the storms of life
with hope in God
and in his word.
The Christian's life
is built on the word
of God
and will evidence
their faith
and their action.
true Christian
profession
is always
accompanied
by Christian
practice.
So we've talked
about the person
who says
Lord,
we've talked
about the Christian
profession,
now we're going
to go back
to this person
who's saying
Lord,
Lord
and does not
do what he
says
with the false
profession.
That is found
in verse 46
and 47.
Or,
sorry,
48 and 49.
This type of person
is the one
who hears
the words of Jesus
and does not
do what he says.
he is the person
with no foundation.
This person professes
to be a Christian
but their actions
do not evidence
their faith.
In the parable,
the person built
their house
but did not
dig a foundation.
So when the flood
came,
their house
was totally destroyed.
The parable
teaches that
it would be foolish
to build a house
with no foundation
because in that area
when floods come,
it would destroy
a house.
So the obvious
point here is
that there's foolishness
in building a house
and no foundation.
The point Luke
wants us to see
is that
there is folly
of one who professes
Christ as Lord
but does not
live for him.
This parable
is a warning
to the hypocritical
Christian,
to the person
who says Jesus
is Lord,
who says they are
a Christian
but their life
doesn't show it,
that there's nothing
to bear fruit
of it.
This person
claims Christ
but their building
does not reflect
a house built
on God's word.
True and living faith
always evidences
itself in good works
and adorns
the profession
of the gospel.
So a question
I have for you
is does your life
demonstrate your faith?
Is your profession
evidenced in your action
or are you a building
with no foundation
that if trials
came today
you would fall?
I pray everyone
here today
professes faith
in Jesus
and that this is
seen in their life
and if it is not
this is a moment
to heed the warning
of the parable.
Verse 49 says
the ruin of that house
was great.
For the person
who hears God's word
and does not do it
his life reflects
his belief.
It is the person
whom Jesus will say
to them
one day
I never knew you
depart from me
you worker
of lawlessness.
The fate
of the false professor
is much worse
than physical death.
It is much worse
than a destruction
of a house
or the destruction
of a ten story
apartment in Turkey.
It is spending
an eternity
in hell.
Hell is the eternal
punishment
of God's justice
on sin.
It is described
as a place
of weeping
of gnashing
of teeth
and where
the worm
does not die.
The passage
is a clear
warning
to all
who profess Christ
to examine
their lives
and to be confident
that you are in Christ
and your life
evidences it.
But
if you today
find yourself
outside of Christ
you look within
and you do not
see fruit.
There is nothing
to show
for your faith.
There is hope.
There is a living hope
and his name
is Jesus Christ.
So today
you can flee.
You can flee
from the destruction
and ruin
to come
that is great.
And you can find
salvation in Jesus Christ
in his life
in his death
and in his resurrection.
Like the parable
there is no hope
for the person
who does not
place faith
in Jesus Christ.
Because this world
does not offer
them anything.
There is no hope
in this world
for a life
to come.
But it will all
be destroyed
one day.
If you build
your life
on anything
but Jesus
you will be
left hopeless
and there
will be
great ruin.
In conclusion
the one who
hears God's
word
and does it
will endure
the storm
and be welcomed
into the blessed
and happiness
kingdom.
There is a great
and wonderful
kingdom to come
that is full
of forever
blessedness
peace
and joy
with our
Savior.
The one
who professes
faith
in Jesus
as Lord
but does not
do it
is the one
who will
experience
a great ruin
and a miserable
end awaiting
them.
Our lives
always evidence
our profession.
So let us be
those who believe
in Jesus
and demonstrate
our faith
in our lives.
So I'd love
to end this time
with giving you
some verses
from the hymn
How Firm
a Foundation.
Two verses
in verse
number one
and number three
in your hymnal
if you want
to look them
up later.
How firm
a foundation
ye saints
of the Lord
is laid
for your faith
in his
excellent word.
What more
can he say
than to you
he hath said
to you
who for refuge
to Jesus
have fled.
When through
fiery trials
thy pathways
shall lie
my grace
all sufficient
shall be
thy supply.
The flame
shall not
hurt thee
I only
design
the dross
to consume
and thy
gold to refine.
Pray with me.