We'll begin our worship just now by singing to God's praise.
We're going to sing in Psalm 46 in the Scottish Psalter.
! Psalm 46, page 271.
We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 7.
!
God is our refuge and our strength in straits of present day.
Therefore, although the earth we move, we will not be afraid.
Though hills amidst the seas be cast, the waters roaring make.
And trouble be, yea, though the hills by swelling seas do shake.
We sing from verse 1 to 7.
To God's praise we stand to sing.
Amen.
We singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing,
The hills
Are swelling
Seas to shake
A river
Is to
Sees to cloud
The city
Of our God
The holy
Place
Wherein the
Lord
Most high
Hath
His abode
God
In the
Mace
Of earth
Doth dwell
Nothing
Shall
Her renew
The
Lord
To
Her
And
Help
Her
Will
And
The
Ad
My
Journey
Proof
The
Heathen
Rich
To
Malt
Just
The
Kingdoms
To
!
To
Malt
!
The
Lord
God
held for fear.
The Lord of hosts upon her side
doth constantly remain.
The God of Jehovah's refuge
are safely to maintain.
Let's bow heads in a word of prayer.
Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven,
we gather in your name today.
We're thankful for the joy of worship,
thankful to be able to gather as your people,
to gather around your word,
to hear what you have to say to us.
And thankful that your word is fresh and new each day.
We may have read the many passages that we find in it
many times in the past.
We may hear things that we've heard before,
but yet we thank you that you are one
who speaks to us anew each day.
And we pray that we would know that today,
that we would know your word being blessed to us,
reminding us of even these words that we have sung,
that you are a refuge and a strength to your people,
that you are one who remains constantly upon our side.
And we thank you for all these promises that we have.
And we pray, Lord,
that together we would know that today,
young and old alike.
We thank you for all the young people here today
going out to Sunday school and creche and tweenies
and Bible class.
We do pray a blessing on them
and upon all the teachers too.
Thankful for that hunger to learn,
that hunger to know more of you.
We pray, Lord,
and thank you for the way that you work in our midst,
not just among your people as Christians,
but among those who are not yet maybe professing it,
but, Lord,
seeking you with their heart.
And we pray that young and old together,
we would know that calling of your word to us,
to come and follow you.
May that continue to speak to us this day
and in all the days ahead,
thankful for Jesus who calls us,
the one who knows us by name.
And so, Lord,
bless us together.
Watch over us in our homes and in our families.
Watch over us throughout the week ahead in school.
And in all that we do, Lord,
may we know blessing and protection.
May we know your goodness and mercy following us.
We pray for all the activities of the young ones
throughout the week as well.
We pray for the explorers,
thankful for all who go there,
both the young and the old alike.
And we pray, Lord,
that you would bless these activities
and those who help in it
and encourage others perhaps to help with it as well,
Lord,
as we seek helpers
throughout all the activities of the church.
May you lay burdens
on all of our hearts for that.
So, Lord,
bless us now.
Continue with us
and pardon us in all our sin.
That's all we ask.
We ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Just a word to the young ones
before you go out.
Today we're going to be,
in the service,
we're going to be looking at a passage
that is probably familiar
to many people in here today.
And it's Jesus speaking
about building our house
and two different places
that we can build our house.
Do you know what it is?
One place we build our house upon
is sand.
And then the other place
we build our house upon
is rock.
And when a storm comes,
only one of these houses
will stand up to that storm.
And it's a house
that's built on the rock.
Now,
who enjoys going to the beach?
Hands up if you enjoy
going to the beach.
Yeah,
there's a few people.
All enjoy going to the beach.
Would you go to the beach today, though?
It's a bit wet and windy
and wild today
to go to the beach.
But we look forward
to the summer coming
and days when we can go
to the beach.
And one of the things
we love to do on the beach
is build sandcastles.
And I'm sure you've all got
maybe a favourite beach,
somewhere you like to go,
a special beach.
And you can think of
all the different beaches
around our island.
There's so many of them.
We're spoilt for choice.
Number one on the list
of Korsha's favourite beaches
is Shawbo's Beach.
That's where everybody
wants to go.
I can understand why.
And then there's places
like Luskentide
and other ones
a close second.
There's lots of different beaches
that people like to go to.
And building sandcastles
can be great fun.
But you know,
when you're building
sandcastles on the beach,
something's going to happen.
The tide's going to come in
and take the sandcastle away
eventually.
But it's all part of the fun.
But there's a serious side
to the beach as well.
Now,
a lot of beaches,
you can see the tide
coming in and out.
But there's a lot of beaches too
where if the tide has gone out,
you can't even tell where it is.
It's gone so far out.
And if people aren't familiar,
they can make a mistake.
And you think of people
who come visiting the island
and they very often have tents.
Now,
when the tide's out,
they might think,
there's a lovely spot
to put the tent up.
And you're thinking to yourself,
they shouldn't.
Because when the tide comes in,
it's going to come in
and cover that tent.
So,
the question is,
what do you do?
Do you just let them
put their tent up
and start laughing
because the tide's going to come in
and they're going to get wet?
Or do you think to yourself,
no,
I should go and tell them
that the tide is going to come in
and cover that tent.
It's going to be dangerous for them.
We should tell them,
shouldn't we?
Well,
that's really what Jesus is doing here.
He's telling us
what's important.
He's telling us
how we are to live our lives
and what's dangerous for us.
And he's speaking about this
house built upon the rock
and the house built upon the sand
because he's warning us
because he knows
the danger that we're in.
That if we build our house
on the sand,
which is really trusting
in everything else
apart from God,
apart from Jesus,
that our house
is just going to come crashing down.
But if we build our house
on the rock that is Jesus,
we are going to be secure.
So even on a day like this
when it's wet
and windy
and wild,
that's what Jesus speaks
about,
the flood
and the storm
that comes.
The house that's built
on the rock
stands
because it's secure
in Jesus.
So he warns us.
That's what we should do
if we see somebody
putting up a tent
on the beach
knowing the tide's
going to come in
and wash it away.
We should warn them.
And that's what Jesus does here.
He warns us
not to build our house
in the wrong place,
but to build our house,
build our lives
on Jesus
and to trust
in him.
So that's what we're going
to be thinking about
in the service
a little more
today as we go on.
Standing firm
in Jesus.
Will we say the Lord's Prayer
together now together?
Our Father,
which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day
our daily bread
and forgive us
our debts
as we forgive
our debtors.
And lead us not
into temptation,
but deliver us
from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power,
and the glory
forever.
Amen.
Well, let's sing again
to God's praise.
This time we're singing
in Psalm 37
in the Scottish Psalter
once again.
Page 252.
Psalm 37.
We sing from verse 1
to verse 6.
For evildoers,
fret thou not
thyself unquietly,
nor do thou envy
bear to those
that work iniquity.
For even like
unto the grass
soon be cut down
shall they,
and like the green
and tender herb
they wither
shall away.
We'll sing from
verse 1
to verse 6
to God's praise.
Amen.
For evildoers,
fret now not
thyself unquietly,
nor do thou envy
bear to those
that work iniquity.
for even like
unto the grass
soon be cut down
shall they,
and like the green
and tender herb
they wither
shall away.
set thou thy trust
upon the Lord,
and be thou doing good,
and so thou in the land
shall dwell,
and verily have food.
delight thyself in God,
he'll give,
thine heart's desire
to thee.
Thy way to God
commit him trust,
it bring to pass
shall he.
and like unto the light
he shall thy righteousness
display,
and he thy judgment
shall bring forth
like noontide of the day.
Amen.
I will turn to read
in the gospel of Luke,
chapter 6.
Luke chapter 6,
reading from verse 17.
You'll find it around page 1039
of the Bibles,
if you have the church Bible.
Luke chapter 6,
reading at verse 17.
We notice here
that in the previous section,
verse 12 to 16,
Jesus had been away
up the mountain praying,
and he's come down
from that time of prayer
to his disciples,
calling his disciples
to follow him.
And then as we pick up
our reading in verse 17,
he is here preaching
to a large crowd.
And he came down with them
and stood on a level place
with a great crowd
of his disciples
and a great multitude
of people
from all Judea
and Jerusalem
and the sea coast
of Tyre and Sidon,
who came to hear him
and to be healed
of their diseases.
And those who were troubled
with unclean spirits
were cured.
And all the crowd
sought to touch him,
for power came out from him
and healed them all.
And he lifted up his eyes
on his disciples
and said,
Blessed are you
who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom
of God.
Blessed are you
who are hungry now,
for you shall be satisfied.
Blessed are you
who weep now,
for you shall laugh.
Blessed are you
when people hate you
and when they exclude you
and revile you
and spurn your name
as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
rejoice in that day
and leap for joy,
for behold,
your reward is great
in heaven,
for so their fathers
did to the prophets.
But woe to those
who are rich,
for you have received
your consolation.
Woe to you
who are full now,
for you shall be hungry.
Woe to you
who laugh now,
for you shall mourn
and weep.
Woe to you
when all people
speak well of you,
for so their fathers
did to the false prophets.
But I say to you
who hear,
love your enemies,
do good to those
who hate you,
bless those
who curse you,
pray for those
who abuse you.
To one
who strikes you
on the cheek,
offer the other also.
And from one
who takes away
your cloak,
do not withhold
your tunic either.
Give to everyone
who begs from you
and from one
who takes away
your goods,
do not demand them back.
And as you wish
that others
would do to you,
do so to them.
If you love
those who love you,
what benefit
is that to you?
For even sinners
love those
who love them.
And if you do good
to those
who do good to you,
what benefit
is that to you?
For even sinners
do the same.
And if you lend
to those
from whom you expect
to receive,
what credit
is that to you?
Even sinners
lend to sinners
to get back
the same amount.
But love your enemies
and do good
and lend
expecting nothing
in return.
And your reward
will be great
and you will be
sons of the Most High
for he is kind
to the ungrateful
and the evil.
Be merciful
even as your Father
is merciful.
Judge not
and you will not
be judged.
Condemn not
and you will not
be condemned.
Forgive
and you will be forgiven.
Give
and it will be
given to you.
Good measure
pressed down,
shaken together,
running over,
will be put
into your lap.
For with the measure
you use
it will be measured
back to you.
He also told them
a parable.
Can a blind man
lead a blind man?
Will they not both
fall into a pit?
A disciple
is not above
his teacher
but everyone
when he is fully
trained
will be like
his teacher.
Why do you
see the speck
that is in
your brother's eye
but do not
notice the log
that is in
your own eye?
How can you
say to your
brother,
Brother,
let me take
out the speck
that is in
your eye
when you
yourself
do not
see the log
that is in
your own eye?
You hypocrite,
first take the
log out of
your own eye
and then
you will see
clearly to
take out
the speck
that is in
your brother's
eye.
For no good
three bears
bad fruit,
nor again
does a bad
tree bear
good fruit
for each
tree is
known by
its own
fruit.
For figs
are not
gathered from
thorn bushes
nor are
grapes picked
from a
bramble bush.
The good
person out
of the good
treasure of
his heart
produces
good and
the evil
person out
of his
evil produces
evil.
For out of
the abundance
of the heart
his mouth
speaks.
Why do you
call me
Lord,
and not do
what I
tell you.
Everyone
who comes
to me
and hears
my words
and does
them,
I will
show you
what he
is like.
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 on
the ground
without a
foundation.
When the
stream
broke
against
it,
immediately
it fell
and the
ruin of
that house
was great.
And so
on.
May God
bless that
reading from
his word.
Let's again
engage in a
word of
prayer.
Let us
pray.
Our
Father in
heaven,
as we read
here of a
great multitude
who surrounded
the Lord Jesus
in these days
and as he
preached to
them of
all these
wonderful
truths and
wonderful
challenges
that we
see,
we recognize
ourselves in
so many of
them,
of how far
short that
we fall
from the
glory of
God.
And we
thank you
that your
word is
such a
great challenge
to us.
And we
pray that
today,
that as we
hear it,
we would
indeed have
ears to
hear what
you are
saying.
for there's
these words
of Jesus
that we
read that
explain so
much of
what our
lives entail,
how we
live among
people,
how we
deal with
people around
us,
not just
our own
people as
it were,
not just
those who
are believers
in you,
not just
those we
are comfortable
with,
but we are
challenged in
these words
to look
beyond our
own walls,
to look out
into our
communities,
to look
out into
our world
and to
see mankind
as it has
been created
by you,
with all
its fears
and worries
and anxieties,
with all
its downfalls
and pitfalls,
with all the
differences that
we see in
all our
nations.
And when we
think of the
world in which
we live today,
we see so
much that is
a hindrance,
so much that
is brought
upon us by
sin.
For we
live in a
world that
has come
to know
the reality
of sin,
that it is
not just
in our own
hearts,
but it works
out in our
lives and
in our
experience.
It is
something we
see in
ourselves,
even as we
are reminded
there of
the log
in our
own eye
before we
even consider
the speck
in our
brothers.
And so,
Lord,
help us to
look to
ourselves
first,
and then
to look
to others
and to
seek,
to administer
your word,
to preach
your word,
to draw
near to
your people,
near and
far,
and that we
would see
the wonder
of your
spirit working,
the wonder
of the spirit
that we see
working in
the passage
before us,
Lord,
as this
great multitude
heard Jesus
preach.
We see the
variety of
responses that
there were
so often.
There were
those who
would hear
and listen
and do,
there were
those who
would hear
and listen
but just
reject what
they heard
and turn
away back
to their
own ways.
And we
pray,
Lord,
that today,
as we
always do
as we
come around
your word,
that we
would just
not come
to hear,
but that
your word
would make
us do
as well,
that we
would seek
to leave
this place
looking to
love the
Lord Jesus
with all
our hearts
and to
know the
power of
your spirit
at work
in us.
And so
help us,
Lord,
today,
that we
would just
be still
before you
in this
time and
that you
would help
us in
our understanding
of your
word.
And we
pray that
for all
who gather
around your
word today,
wherever they
are,
be it
throughout
our island
communities
here,
our nation
or the
world,
we thank
you that
from the
rising of
the sun
to its
setting,
your name
is praised.
And we
pray for
the power
of your
spirit to
be at
worth,
that your
word would
not return
empty or
void,
but accomplish
all for
which it
is sent
forth.
We do
remember the
preaching of
your word,
remember the
sacraments of
the Lord's
Supper as
they take
place today
throughout
congregations as
well.
We remember
them in
Shabbos and
Leverborough,
praying for
the congregations
there and
your blessing
on them,
upon your
people and
upon all
who hear
your word,
that there
will be a
great sense
of your
presence with
them.
We pray
that as the
communion
seasons continue
in our midst,
Lord,
even as we
look back to
our own
weekend,
last weekend,
giving thanks
to you for
your goodness
to us in it
and the word
proclaimed,
people coming
to profess
the Lord,
and people
being both
convicted and
built up.
We just pray
that that word
will continue
to bear much
fruit.
And we do
pray, Lord,
that you will
continue to go
before us as
a people,
and you would
guide us even
in the week
ahead as we
think of all
that is before
us.
We thank
you for all
the times
of prayer
we enjoy
together,
and may
there be a
spirit of
unity in
prayer and
thanksgiving to
you and also
seeking your
will.
As we think
of the
vacancy
committee taking
place on
Tuesday evening,
Lord, we
pray for your
people who
gather there as
part of it,
and for your
wisdom and
your guidance
in it.
We remember,
Lord, the
ministry of
your word as
well as we
look forward to,
God willing,
Bob Aykroyd
being here next
week.
We pray for
him as he
prepares to
come, and
just give him
safe travel, and
may your blessing
be with him in
his time here, and
also other vacant
congregations throughout
our islands at this
time as well.
We pray for those
who are seeking to
call on us that
you provide for
them.
Remember, two new
ministries beginning
this weekend.
We thank you for the
induction of Reverend
Murdo Campbell
yesterday, and pray
for Murdo and Alison
and the boys as
they settle in to
the congregation of
Knockbain, that you
would bless them and
be with them, with
them, as he has
preached in today, that
your spirit will be
there with them to
give them that
knowledge that you
are with them, that
you are for them.
We pray, Lord, for
our seminary as well,
Lord, praying for all
the endeavors of
raising up ministers
of the gospel.
We thank you for all
who lecture and who
help in the seminary in
so many different ways,
and we pray for all
the students too, as
they continue their
studies and go
through all the
different examinations
and tests over the
coming months as well,
that you would uphold
them and strengthen
them.
And so we pray, Lord,
for our nation too,
that we would see
your mercy upon us,
that we would see a
people turning to
you, our leaders, our
king and his family.
Lord, we pray for
each one to know your
wisdom and your blessing
on them, to know a
turning to you.
We pray for peace in
our nations too, and we
see so many troubles in
the Middle East, in the
Ukraine and Russia, and
so many tensions
building in so many
different parts.
We ask, O Lord, for
your mercy over us, and
that you would come in
your power.
We ask, Lord, that you
will hear our prayers,
continue with us in our
worship as we sing
praise to you, and as we
come to your word, and
speak to us, we pray.
And all we ask, we ask
the forgiveness of our
sins, in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Before we turn back to
look at this passage, we'll
again sing to God's
praise this time in Psalm
11.
And we'll sing Psalms
version, Psalm 11.
Find it on page 13 of the
Psalm books.
And we're going to sing
from verse 1 to verse 5,
Psalm 11.
We'll sing from verse 1 to
5 to God's praise.
I find my refuge in the Lord.
How is it then, you say to me,
make your escape, and like a bird,
for refuge to your mountain flee?
For look the wicked bend their bows,
and on the string, and on the string,
they set their dart.
From shadows dark, they aim and shoot
at those who are a bright in heart.
If the foundations are destroyed, and all
righteous do, surrounded by the
the Lord is in the Lord.
the righteous do, and all the things that we are
the righteous do.
Whatever can the righteous do,
the righteous do,
surrounded by such tisody.
The Lord is in his holy place.
The Lord is on his heavenly throne.
His eyes observe the human race, and in his sight each one is known.
The Lord examines all the just, the righteous ones he proves and tests.
But all those who love wickedness, and violence his soul detests.
Amen.
Well, if we can turn back to our reading in Luke chapter 6, we're going to look at the
end of this passage, verse 46 to 49.
Just the conclusion of Jesus' sermon here.
Luke chapter 6 at verse 46.
Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?
Everyone who comes to me and hears my word and does them, I will show you what he is like.
And so it goes on into the parable of the one who builds his house upon the rock,
and the one who builds his house upon the sand, the ground without foundation.
It's quite incredible to think the kind of setting that Jesus was in here as he'd been up the mountain
to pray.
He spent a whole night in prayer.
Then he's come down and he's met with the disciples who he then calls to follow him.
And there's this great crowd, this great multitude that gather around to hear what he has to say to them.
They're coming for different reasons, coming from all kinds of different places with all kinds of different desires.
But he's confronted with this mass audience of people, thousands probably.
As you read elsewhere, you see that there were thousands following Jesus.
When you think of the parable of the feeding of the 5,000, that was just men.
There were women and children on top of that as well.
So there were thousands who were gathering around to hear what he was saying to them.
And when you think of it, I'm sure many of you can remember this place once being full.
Every pew, every seat taken.
Even extra chairs being put out at certain times for services because there was such a hunger to come and hear the word of God.
And there's a great joy and delight in that coming.
When you think of the crowds here in Jesus' day or this place fuller, even just as we think of it today, all who are here today, just coming to hear what the word of God is saying to us.
But as we see in this passage, it's not just about coming here to hear, but it's also how we go from this place.
How do we go away from this place?
And when Jesus is preaching to them here, he covers a lot of ground with them.
As you read through these verses from verse 17, you go into the Beatitudes, you go into the woes that he pronounces, you go through the instructions that he gives about loving your enemies and judging others, bearing fruit.
All of these things that he is preaching about, they have come both to see him doing great things for them.
As you read in verse 18, they came to be healed of their diseases, to touch them that they might be healed.
But above all, what Jesus is saying is important is to come and hear what he is saying.
And it's the end of this sermon I want to focus on with you this morning, the conclusion in verse 46 to 49.
And it's this conclusion that gives us a challenge.
So as you read through the sermon, you're left with this challenge.
And it's a challenge that we see in three different ways.
We have a challenge, first of all, as to who is Lord.
We have a challenge then as to, are we listening?
And then we have a challenge to the conclusion.
What are we going to do with it all?
How are we going to live our lives?
What are we going to build our lives on?
And you can imagine this crowd just like any service that we have in church here.
You can imagine people are responding in different ways, hearing the preaching of the word.
There would have been some who would have been nodding their heads in agreement, giving their amen to everything that Jesus was saying.
Even afterwards, going to talk about it amongst themselves.
We see that response here.
We think last weekend, a communion weekend, a time of being together, of giving an amen to what we were hearing about talking, about what we've heard.
But what have we done with it in this last week?
And that's what Jesus is getting at here.
He's looking beyond just being under the word, but what we do with the word.
Are we applying it to ourselves?
Are we just enjoying the hearing?
Or are we going to go away and do something with it?
And what Jesus is saying here as you begin at verse 46 is it's not enough just to say, well, I agree with that point.
That's very good and very interesting.
I agree and believe in what you are saying, but is it really going to change my life?
Am I going to allow it to be everything that my life is built upon?
And so we see Jesus from verse 46 begin with this challenge as to lordship.
Who is our Lord?
And then in verse 47, he gives us a command.
The command that instructs us towards how we can have Jesus as Lord.
And then you see in verse 48 and 49, the conclusion here.
And it's a two way conclusion.
There's going to be a conclusion for all of us, whether we're standing firm in Christ,
or whether we're pushing him away and falling, falling for all eternity.
And so we want to see this conclusion and look at it in this way.
First of all, the challenge that he gives, is he Lord?
And we have this in verse 46.
Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?
So you can see here that there is this interest in Jesus.
They're saying, yes, Lord.
Oh, we're hearing you, Lord.
We see what you're saying to us.
And Jesus is saying, yes, you're calling me Lord, Lord.
And yet you do not do what I tell you.
And that's the first challenge to our own hearts as well.
We can nod in agreement to all that the word of God says to us.
We can nod in agreement that Jesus is Lord.
And yet we do not do what he tells us.
A preacher once said, the first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom, but its master.
And you realize that in what Jesus is saying here.
Not all who call me Lord, Lord, will be saved, as it says in Matthew 7, the equivalent account of this.
And so we're thinking here of, well, who is Lord?
Who is Lord of our lives?
So many people seek to find their freedom, find how to live life, live it to the full, without seeking first, well, who is master?
Who is Lord?
How am I meant to be living my life?
That's the warning that Jesus is giving in this verse.
You say, Lord, Lord, but do not do as I say.
And it's a recurring theme throughout the scriptures, this.
You go back to the Old Testament, to the prophets, they had the same challenge.
Who would they have as Lord of their life?
Ezekiel, for example, a prophet who was preaching among people who were, yes, in agreement about God in some ways, but they wouldn't listen.
In Ezekiel 33, verse 30, it says,
As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.
And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say, but they will not do it.
They will not do it.
So there's this interest.
They come and they hear what is saying.
They sit before him and hear, but they will not do it.
And that's exactly what Jesus is showing here as well.
There can be an interest in the things of God.
There can be even a listening to the things of God.
But the challenge comes when we think of doing it.
Are we doing what the word of God says?
Obedience to Christ is not just an optional extra.
It's not just something that's there for some people.
It's for all of us.
If the Lord is calling us to follow him, to put our faith and trust in him, obedience must be part of it.
Doing what he says.
We can look and many look at passages such as Ephesians.
We've been looking at it in the Bible study in the hall.
The alones of the Reformation.
And we've been thinking about grace alone and faith alone.
All of these things.
And you have great passages like Ephesians.
And it speaks there about, we are saved by grace through faith and not of any works.
It's not of ourselves, lest we should boast.
And that is so true.
So we're going to be saved by faith.
We need to believe in the Lord Jesus.
But is that it?
Is that where it all ends?
I've come and I've trusted the Lord Jesus.
That's enough.
Well, Jesus says, no.
You still have to do as I tell you.
You still have to live as I tell you.
And in Ephesians chapter 2, we're given that example as well.
We are saved by grace through faith alone.
It's so true.
But verse 10 goes on to say this.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
And so there is this command to obedience, to walk in the ways that God has prepared for us.
To be a people who do the word.
And so faith submits to the Lordship of Christ.
And as we do that, then we are led as it is to be sanctified, to go on.
To go on in our life lived for him.
Seeking to do as he commands.
Knowing we don't always get it right.
Knowing we fall.
But yet our desire should be to do the will of God.
And to live out that life of faith.
Because there's a real danger of having a false profession.
A profession that doesn't go into the heart.
It may be on our lips, but it's not changing us.
Again, when you look at the equivalent to this passage in Matthew 7.
Jesus says in verse 21 of Matthew 7.
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven.
But he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Lord, Lord is not enough.
It needs to go deeper than that.
Outwardly, many people in this crowd could seem righteous.
Outwardly in life, many people can seem to be good people.
And we could say it of so many.
They are good men.
They are good women.
They are good children.
But it needs to go deeper.
It's not enough just to say, Lord, Lord, and not do what he tells you.
Who is Lord of your life?
Not just in the listening to the word of God, but going out from here day by day.
Who is Lord of your life?
Shortly after joining the Navy, there was a new recruit.
And he'd had a wedding coming up.
He wasn't the one getting married, but he was part of the wedding party.
And he'd known it was coming before he joined the Navy.
And so when he joined the Navy, he asked his officer who was in charge of him if he could have a pass to get out and to attend the wedding.
And the officer gave this young man, this new recruit, he gave him a pass to go and attend the wedding.
But when this new recruit looked at it, he saw that he had to be back by 7 p.m. the day of the wedding.
And so he went back to his officer and said, sir, you don't understand.
I have to stay out later.
I'm part of the wedding party.
And the officer just looked at him and says, no, you don't understand.
You're in the Navy now.
You do as you're told here.
And that's what Jesus is saying to us.
We can't go and say to Jesus, you don't understand.
You don't understand the things that I have to do for myself.
The way I have to live.
Jesus is saying, no, you don't understand.
If you're to follow me, I am to be Lord of your life.
Because as someone put it, if he's not Lord of all, then he's not Lord at all.
So the challenge is, who is Lord?
Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?
Is he Lord of your life?
Well, then we see the testing of Lordship.
And it comes in two different ways.
The first is a command.
And we see this in verse 47.
And here he says, everyone who comes to me and hears my word and does them, I will show you what he is like.
So before you come to the illustration of what he is like and what the opposite is like, you have just these few words in verse 47.
Everyone who comes to me and hears my word and does them.
So there are three commands there for us.
We come, we hear, and we do.
And that's what Jesus is saying.
To know him as Lord, you must have these three things.
Jesus has to be Lord in order to be saved.
And in order to be saved, what Jesus is saying, the first thing is, you must come.
Everyone who comes to me.
Now we heard a lot about this last weekend when David was preaching to us on that great verse in Matthew 11, verse 28.
Verse 28, come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
So I'm not going to say much on this point.
But again, it's just highlighted for us here the importance of coming.
To know Jesus as Lord, we must come to him.
And we come to him through his word.
And just as we see the great multitude here gathered to hear this sermon, there's this great crowd.
They have come to hear.
And it's good for us to be here.
It's good for us to listen online.
But there needs to be more.
And so he goes on, he says, comes to me and hears my words.
Are you listening?
There's a command to hear.
So the question is, are you listening?
Because there are a lot of distractions for us.
Just as there were for the crowd who gathered here.
A lot of distractions.
They had come to be healed.
They had come to touch him.
All of these things they saw as important.
And in many ways they were.
Jesus was able to heal.
But what he is saying here is, you must come and you must hear.
You must listen to what I am saying.
You can imagine the crowd, yes, that's very interesting what you're saying.
But heal me.
Or heal my friend.
That's what I've come for.
But Jesus is saying, no.
What is important is to hear.
To hear what I am saying to you.
But we can be so easily distracted that we don't listen.
Imagine sitting on a plane, getting ready for takeoff to a sunny climb.
You're waiting for takeoff.
And you know where you're going.
You're looking forward maybe to a week in the sun.
Where is your attention?
Where is your attention when you hear the tannoy say, for a few moments if we could have your attention for the following safety announcement?
Do you suddenly switch off and start listening to the safety announcement?
Seldom people do.
We just carry on doing what we're doing.
Thinking what we're thinking.
Our focus is where we're going.
The sunshine, the hotel, the food.
All that we're looking forward to.
We don't listen to the safety announcement.
And those who are giving the safety announcement, they often realise hardly anyone is paying attention.
One air stewardess said that she got so annoyed that people weren't listening.
She decided this day just to say something different.
And see what reaction it would bring.
And so in the safety announcement, she said, when the air mask falls down, place it on your belly button and breathe as normal.
And nobody batted an eyelid.
Nobody even looked up.
She just said, it just went over them.
They weren't listening.
And so often, that's what it's like when we come to the Word of God.
We're thinking ahead to the rest of the week.
We're looking at other things.
We're not listening.
So we need to listen to what the Word of God is saying.
But there's more than that as well.
Because he says, you must come.
You must listen.
You must hear my words.
Then he says, the one who does them.
And this is the key.
This is what links between verse 46 and 48.
These words that we have.
You come.
You hear.
You do.
This is what's important.
You do.
Come and hear my word and be doers.
Just like James says in his own letter.
In chapter 1, verse 22.
But be doers of the word.
And not hearers only deceiving yourselves.
Be doers of the word.
And what do we think of when we think of what he's saying here of doing the word?
Well, you go back through the sermon and you apply all the different things that he says here.
How he speaks about our priorities in verse 20 to 26.
How he speaks about doing what doesn't come naturally and loving our enemies.
Verse 27 to 36.
And showing mercy in verse 37 to 42.
And being discerning in so many different ways in verse 43 to 46.
It's applying what we've heard and doing as we've heard.
Living out God's word in our lives.
Obedience.
Listening.
A life lived for him.
And so we have these commands.
Come, hear, and do.
And that then leads us into the conclusion.
And the conclusion of the sermon is this.
Where you have these houses being built in two different places.
And only one will stand.
One on the rock.
And the other on sand.
And what Jesus is saying is here is,
Where is your priorities?
And who is your Lord?
Obedience is the key.
And so he goes on to say in verse 48.
The one who hears, the one who comes and hears and does.
He is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock.
And when the flood arose, the stream broke against the house and could not shake it.
Because it had been well built.
And so Jesus is saying here is the one who comes, who hears and who does.
He is built on that secure foundation of love for Jesus Christ.
And doing as he says.
But the other he says.
But the one who hears.
And you notice it says hears.
He still hears what's being said.
But he does not do them.
He listens.
He hears everything that's being said.
But goes away and does nothing with them.
He is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.
So when the stream broke against it, immediately it fell.
And the ruin of the house was great.
Now we see here clearly what Jesus is saying.
We all hear the word of God.
But what do we do with it?
That's what's important.
There is one who builds on a strong foundation.
That foundation that is faith in Jesus Christ.
And doing as he commands.
But the other hears but puts it away.
It's the one who says not yet.
Or the one who says not at all.
Or not through.
I want nothing to do with Jesus.
Well it says the ruin of that house is great.
And as Jesus is so often doing when he's preaching.
He is reminding us of eternity.
And the final judgment that will come.
And when he will come and ask what have you done with my word.
You've heard it.
Did you do it?
Did you do as my word says?
Well only the one who has done as he was commanded will stand.
The one who hears and does not do them.
There is a great fall.
And what Jesus is speaking about here is the difference between heaven and hell.
Which he so often makes clear.
When you think of the broad road and the narrow road it's exactly the same thing.
One leads to eternal life.
One leads to eternal damnation.
The rich man and Lazarus.
One was in heaven.
One was in hell.
And that's the challenge put before us here in this conclusion.
This is how serious it is.
This is the difference between the warning that we hear.
And listening or just saying nothing at all.
We think of campers going onto the beach with their tent.
Not knowing the devastation that will come upon them.
We thank God that Jesus warns us.
That he speaks to us.
But do we listen?
Do we listen to what he is saying?
Because this is the seriousness of it.
One will stand in the day of judgment.
Secure in Christ.
The other will fall.
Come, he says.
Hear and do.
There was a story told of a new minister who had come to a village in England.
And as he was, he was doing visits to many different homes in the village.
And in one home he met a woman.
And he left her with this question.
He asked her, does Christ live here?
And she didn't answer there and then.
When her husband came home, she told him that the new minister had visited.
And the husband asked, well, what did he have to say?
And he said, well, he asked me a question.
He asked, does Christ live here?
And I said, and she said to her husband, and I didn't know what to say.
And the husband was quite embarrassed by this.
And he says, well, why didn't you give an answer?
Why didn't you tell him that we are good people?
And she said to him, but that's not the question that he asked.
Then why didn't you say that we read our Bible and we say our prayers?
And again, she said, but that's not the question that he asked.
And the husband was getting a little frustrated and said, then why didn't you tell him that we are regular to go to church?
And she said, but that's not the question that he asked.
And for the next few days and weeks, the couple, they were troubled by this question.
Does Christ live here?
And they kept speaking about it, speaking to each other about it, praying about it.
Does Christ live here?
And they began to understand what the minister had meant.
What he meant was, is Christ the sure foundation of this home?
And it's a question for us all.
They began to know the love of Christ through that question.
Does Christ live here?
And for ourselves, that's what's at the heart of this conclusion.
Does Christ live in your home?
Does he live in your heart?
Is he Lord?
If he is Lord, you will come, you will hear, and you will do.
And in doing, you will find that sure foundation.
That solid ground that is Christ as the rock of salvation.
The sermon conclusion is that.
Is he Lord?
Do you come?
Do you hear?
Do you do?
Do you hear?
Because the difference at the end of the day is night and day.
Hell for eternity or heaven for eternity?
Is he Lord of all?
Or not Lord at all?
Are you standing on the sure foundation that is Christ as Lord of all?
Let us pray.
Lord, our gracious God, we do pray to know the spirit working through these words.
That we would think of our own salvation.
That we would think of our own eternity.
That we would think of where Christ is in our heart.
Is he Lord of all?
Or is he not Lord at all?
And we pray, Lord, that you will help us to come and find that sure foundation that is coming, hearing and doing.
In the word that you have given to us.
Help us, Lord, we pray, in all of these things.
As we ask all with the forgiveness of our sins.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
We're going to conclude by singing to God's praise in Psalm 18.
Let's sing Psalm's version on page 21 of the Psalm books.
Psalm 18 on page 21.
We're singing from verse 27 to 32.
You save the humble and the meek, but bring the proud down from their height.
You, Lord, will keep my lamp aflame.
God turns my darkness into light.
We'll sing from verse 27 to 32 to God's praise.
Amen.
You save the humble and the meek, but bring the proud down from their height.
You, Lord, will keep my lamp aflame.
God turns my darkness into light.
With help from God I can advance against our troop and rout them off.
And with the aid my God will give, I can leap over any wall.
I can leap over any wall.
For perfect is the way of God.
No flaw is found within his word.
To all who put their trust in him, a shield and refuge is the Lord.
For who is God except the Lord?
Besides our God who is the rock, he is the God who gives me strength.
And he perfects the path I walk.
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
We'll close with the benediction.
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore.
Amen.