Standing Firm

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.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

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,

Luke 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6.

Luke chapter 6,

Luke 6 · chapter mention

reading from verse 17.

You'll find it around page 1039

of the Bibles,

if you have the church Bible.

Luke chapter 6,

Luke 6 · chapter mention

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,

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, 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.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, if we can turn back to our reading in Luke chapter 6, we're going to look at the

Luke 6 · chapter mention

end of this passage, verse 46 to 49.

Just the conclusion of Jesus' sermon here.

Luke chapter 6 at verse 46.

Luke 6 · chapter mention

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?

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,

Ezekiel 33:30

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.

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

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.

Matthew 11:28

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.

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 hear?

Do you hear?

Do you do?

Do you hear?

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?

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.

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.

Amen.

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.

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.

Amen.

Amen.