Luke 6:46-49

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.

Luke 6:46–49

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.

Luke 6:46–49

So Luke chapter 6, verses 20 through 48, is Luke's account of Matthew's sermon on the mount.

Luke 6:20–48

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.

Luke 6 · chapter mention

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.

Luke 6:20–23

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

Luke 6 · chapter mention

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,

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.

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.