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LUKE - Christ, the Savior of the World
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Luke
PART 3 - JESUS' MINISTRY IN GALILEE (Luke 4:14 - 9:50)
7. The Sermon on the Mount (Luke 6:20-49)
LUKE 6:47-49
47 Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who hears, and doesn’t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Jesus was a carpenter and builder. He took part in building many houses, and saw with his experienced eye which houses were well-built, and which were without a foundation. He had already seen houses that had collapsed and those that had remained firmly established in the midst of sweeping flood.
Jesus compared the life of man to a house that is built step by step, beautifully decorated, and well furnished. Yet, all these fine appearances are useless, if the house does not have a solid foundation to enable it to stand firm in the day when disaster strikes. What is the foundation of the house of your life?
Christ is the eternal foundation for every believer. He comes to us with his word, and from here arises the difference between the wise and the unwise. The wise believer hears the gospel of Christ, and opens his heart to his word. This word moves his heart, his pride becomes broken, and he actually repents. Then the word of Christ can convert him, creating a new man founded on Christ who fills him with his power and love, that he may do what the Holy Spirit wills. This man becomes wise for he builds himself on the power of God. Christ becomes the foundation of his present being, and his intercessor on the Day of Judgment. The Holy Spirit also empowers him. The connection between man and God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is not superficial, but firm. It continues after death and forever, for the blood of Christ is our righteousness, and his Spirit our comfort.
The unwise man may also hear the word of Christ, but does not care much about it, for his heart is full of problems. He accepts some of the thoughts of the Son of God to build his life, but does not repent, or change morally and radically. His faith remains superficial and traditional, without the work of the love of God. In the days of trouble and old age this man will not find strength and comfort. Death will fill him with dread, in spite of his baptism, and the judgment of God will lie in wait for him like a hungry lion. Great will be the fall of this man, for he heard the word of God, but did nothing about it.
The flood of God’s wrath is coming inescapably, and his judgment is certainly imminent. Are you firmly established in Christ? Or are you still relying on yourself? Does the Holy Spirit produce in you the fruit of his goodness, or are you like a dirty container filled with garbage? Come to Christ, and repent truly, so that he may be your only Lord, and his love may overcome your iniquities. Hurry to the Savior of the world that he may save you and sanctify you while it is called “Today.”
PRAYER: O Lord, We worship you for you became the foundation of our life; and made us deep-rooted in you, changed us, and helped us to hear and understand your word. Please keep us in your love, strengthen us in your purity, and guide us to your truth that we may abide in you, and do what you say with your help.
QUESTION 55: How do we build the house of our life faithfully, in spite of the disasters of time and the Last Judgment?