I may not have a lot for today. The reading seems simple. I thought that yesterday, too, and look where we ended up. My brain very much wants to be distracted, though. I’m trying to stay focused. Let’s look at the section of scripture. This ends chapter six, by the way.
46“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
47“Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like:
48he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the Rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it because it had been well built.
49“But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Luke 6:46–49 (NASB95)
Verse forty-six, oh verse forty-six. Jesus, in His day, lamented the same thing we lament today. Unfortunately for us, we utter our lament with a little different meaning. When we say or point out verse forty-six, we usually mean, “…and do not do what we think Jesus says.” I added those bold words for several reasons.
First, I challenge people all the time to have scripture behind why they disagree with me on the things I say about scripture. I quote, in context, scripture where it occurs to me to back up my opinions of what I think God’s Word means. Most do not have scripture behind their opinions for why I am wrong. Until they can give me a scriptural reason for why I might be wrong, I’ll continue to believe I’m right and not consider their argument or point.
Second, if they do have a scripture that is far and away the minority of the time, there is no grace where they hold that scripture. Now, what do I mean by that? Let’s look at another scripture first. This scripture is important to the outlook I carry about why someone who disagrees with me should be allowed to go their way if they do so from scripture.
1Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.
2One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.
3The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.
4Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
6He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.
7For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself;
8for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
Romans 14:1–8 (NASB95)
Verse four in that passage is the key. Who am I to judge another man’s servant? That “other man” is Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Spirit.
In those rare occasions that someone who disagrees with me actually has scripture behind their disagreement, okay then. Go on your way. Why is that? Because if that other person claims Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior as I do and is spending time enough in the Bible to have thought about their positions AND has a scripture to anchor their idea(s), they are walking a path with God. I may fully disagree with that path and not hold to what they believe, but if they tell me they believe they are on God’s path for their life, who am I to slow them down because verse eight from above? We are the Lord’s.
“But we should all believe the same!” Really? Catholics and Protestants. Anglicans, Baptists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Presbyterians, just to name a few. Which one of those groups are the only one going to Heaven? No, I’m not starting that debate because that’s not a debate. That’s a flat-out argument if you actually get that one rolling. Don’t, I’m begging you, start that conversation.
I wanted to quote all of 1 Corinthians 3 but decided not to. This is the important part for this discussion. However, given when we started this Lenten journey, I encouraged everyone to have a physical Bible, turn now to 1 Corinthians 3, and read it all before continuing. When you’re done, reread these three verses because they are pertinent to the point.
1And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
2I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
3for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
1 Corinthians 3:1–3 (NASB95)
That other person with scripture, where are you on your journey compared to them? Who is the more mature Christian? Are you eating the “milk” of God’s instruction in your life or the meat? Be careful how you answer that last question. If, like a jury convicting a felon, there is any doubt in your mind about either of you and your positions, behave with grace and kindness toward the other and let them be without argument. You don’t have to agree with them. You don’t even have to refrain from stating your position of disagreement. In fact, that last one I would encourage so long as you do so with your scripture backing. However, once the two of you state your positions and still disagree, give them your blessing and let them be with one caveat: they must agree to let you be as well. What does “Let them be” mean? It is very specific.
10But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
13Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.
Romans 14:10–13 (NASB95)
Isaiah 45:23
You don’t have to agree with them, and you don’t have to help them. However, in your disagreement, do not hinder either. Grant them the grace of believing they are “another man’s servant,” just like you ask of them. If they let you be, live in peace with them as much as you are able. However, if they insist on opposing you and trying to force you into their way of thinking, you are free to work to get them out of your life. They have decided to put stumbling blocks before you, which is part of what verse forty-six above means.
That’s sort of beating a dead horse on that one verse. Let’s move on. Here’s verse forty-seven again.
47“Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like:
Luke 6:47 (NASB95)
How do we “comes to Me” today? We read the Bible. How do we “hears My words” today? We pray when we read and try to listen to that small still voice of the Holy Spirit moving in our minds and hearts. How do we “acts on them” today? We change. That last one is hard, but it is the demonstration of understanding and belief that when the Holy Spirit gives you something from your studies, you do something with it. How do we know we’ve successfully “acts on them?” We have scripture for that too.
14“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
17“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
Matthew 7:14–17 (NASB95)
I can say all the words I want. I can make all the noises that sound right I care to make. Talk is cheap and easy. Commitment and action are hard. Actually, writing checks and spending money on things I get nothing back from in this life (where moth and rust) is tough for many people. What fruits are you producing? What fruits are the people around you producing? Be careful, though, and don’t produce your “fruit” just for others to see because that’s not fruit at all.
1“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
2“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
3“But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:1–4 (NASB95)
If you do these things, then we start to build the house on the Rock, the foundation of Jesus. He is the bedrock we are digging down to. He is the foundation upon which all of our life’s most basic ideals should be built.
There are no coincidences. I didn’t plan this. I had no idea this would happen, but did you go and read all of 1 Corinthians 3 as I suggested? If you did, something might have already struck you. If you did not, go do it now, then come back here and read the following as a refresher.
10According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
11For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:10–11 (NASB95)
That’s our foundation. Faith in Jesus Christ. No other, for He is the way, the truth, and the light. He is the narrow path and the straight gate. No one gets to the Father but through the Son.
48he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the Rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
Luke 6:48 (NASB95)
This year’s series is titled A Coming Storm. Some of us are in the middle of that storm already. Some of us see it or parts of it on the horizon. Some of us have clear, blue skies. Yet, all of us are alive, which means difficulties, and storms are coming. I need my house not to be shaken. I need it well built. I need it laid on a deep foundation for that storm, so I do my best to dig down to that Rock and start my work there.
49“But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Luke 6:49 (NASB95)
What is that small still voice pecking away at you to do? I have a couple of things and need to get off my butt and do them. There might be a weak spot in my foundation. If one wall topples over, the whole house collapses. If there’s a weak spot, I want it found and shored up. I’m not interested in fighting the torrent and dealing with the collapse, and I hope you aren’t, either. God bless and Godspeed.