How Well Have You Built Your Spiritual House? (Luke 6:46-49)

1.    A penetrating question (46)

-Hearing and believing is not enough. Jesus is not our Lord unless we obey Him.

-Jesus rejects mere hearers as inconsistent at best, and dishonest at worst (Matthew 7:21; James 1:21-25; Romans 2:13)

- “Lord, Lord” are empty words unless accompanied by action. Don’t be a practical atheist!

2.    A mighty spiritual home (47-48)

-The kingdom citizen recognizes that the Lord’s words contain commands and requirements (John 12:48)

-The building of this house represents the building of one’s life (character, attitudes, biblical knowledge, level of commitment, etc)

-This foundation, which is Christ and loyalty to Him (1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Peter 2:6), must be laid before the storms of life come. Preparation is imperative to success (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).

3.    A fragile spiritual house ready to fall (49)

-The one who only hears foolishly fails to secure a foundation. He foolishly fails to consider that the storms of life will eventually come upon him. Lack of preparation makes the result inevitable.

-Note the striking similarity between our Lord’s words and those found in Ezekiel 13:10-16.

A Lesson On The Heart (Luke 6:43-45)

1.    Observations from nature (43-44)

-Every tree is known by its fruit and produces after its own kind (Genesis 1:11-12)

-We do not seek food from trees, plants, or vines that do not produce it. Neither do we seek to eat from those whose fruit is harmful.

-Jesus preferred to draw spiritual lessons from things easily observable and known from the natural world.

2.    Our heart determines our fruit (45)

-The heart represents what we think, feel, believe, and desire. This is who we really are.

-Matthew applies this to false teachers (7:15-20). They cannot produce disciples of Christ for they are not disciples themselves.

-Luke is much more comprehensive and thus shows that the application extends to every aspect of life (Jeremiah 17:10).

3.    There are only two types of hearts: good and evil (45)

-The good heart is filled with thoughts of purity and service (Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:9-11). Such hearts glorify God and will be rewarded by Him (Isaiah 3:10; Revelation 14:13).

-Evil hearts are filled with lust, bitterness, anger, jealousy, hypocrisy, and rebellion (Matthew 15:18-19; 23:25-28). They, too, will receive their reward from God (Matthew 7:19)

-What we choose to put before our eyes is what we choose to place into our hearts (Matthew 6:22-23; Proverbs 4:23)

The Need For Self Evaluation (Luke 6:37-42)

1.    Open your eyes (39)

-Not all spiritual “leaders” and “teachers” deserve the influence they wield. The deluded will delude, the misguided will misguide, and the ignorant will spread their ignorance (Matthew 23:13-16; Romans 2:19-21a)

-Do you have a position of spiritual leadership (family, church, friends, etc.)? Approach it with introspection, humility, and the right equipment (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

2.    Train your eyes (40)

-Choose your instructor and instruction wisely. The deficient instructor can only train you to the level of his and his materials deficiencies.

-Be a disciple (not just a hearer, James 1:22-25) of Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:24-25; John 13:14-16;15:20)! Both He and His message are perfect.

3.    Clean your eyes (41-42)

-The word “brother” is used four times in these two verses. We must not become hypocritically judgmental or uncomplimentary of our brethren (John 8:7; Romans 2:1).

-The visually impaired make poor ophthalmologists. Spiritually, the hypocritical and proud are no better. Look inward before pointing outward!

-Not a call to leave the speck if there really is one. Rather, a call to perform the “surgery” without hypocrisy, condescension, or pride (Galatians 6:1).

The Shocking Life Of The Kingdom Citizen (Luke 6:27-36)

1.    Shocking behavior toward those who hate, curse, and abuse us (27-29)

-“But I say to you.” Very different from what is usually heard and seen (Matthew 5:43).

-Agape. Not mere emotion. Not effortlessly experienced. Purposeful determination to actively seek the best for those who hate us (Proverbs 25:21-22; Exodus 23:4-5; Romans 5:5-10; John 3:16).

-Not dependent upon others good behavior or our own inclination at the moment. Dependent upon being faithful Christians all the time (Romans 12:14-21).

2.    Shocking lives characterized by loving generosity and selfless kindness (30-34)

-Genuine need on part of beggar implied (Psalm 37:21b; Proverbs 19:17)

-Being shamefully treated, taken advantage of, or ungratefully ignored does nothing to lessen our generosity or kindness (Hebrews 12:3).

- How do you wish to be treated? (31)

3.    Love for God is the motive behind this shocking life (35-36)

-The spirit behind this conduct produces a reward immeasurably greater than whatever we give (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

-Because I love God I want to be like Him in every way possible. He is the standard and blueprint (35b-36; Psalm 103:10; Romans 2:4)

A Revolutionary Perspective On Life (Luke 6:20-26)

1.     The beginning of a sermon that must be lived rather than merely heard

-Those described in 20-23 are kingdom citizens and find their lives described in 27-49. They are very different yet very blessed (1 Corinthians 2:9)

-Those described in 24-26 are too enamored with this life to care for their souls. “Woe to you” is the only appropriate way to address them (Romans 2:8)

2.     The heart and reward of the kingdom citizen (20-23)

-The poor (in spirit, Mt 5:3) receive the kingdom of God. Lacking the spirit of this world, these “poor in spirit” recognize their spiritual destitution apart from Christ. God will supply their need (Luke 4:18).

-Those who hunger now (for righteousness, Mt 5:6) will be satisfied. Recognizing their own inability to satisfy this hunger, these become dependent upon God to provide their spiritual sustenance (Psalm 107:9).

-Those who weep now will laugh. The kingdom citizen recognizes the guilt of personal sins (Psalm 38:4-6, 18). Mercy and forgiveness turn tears to laughter (Revelation 21:4)

-Those hated, excluded, reviled and spurned as evil on account of Jesus have a great reward in Heaven. The wicked have always persecuted the righteous (Hebrews 12:3; Acts 5:41). What a privilege to share in Christ’s suffering (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)!

3.     The heart and reward of the worldly (24-26)

-The rich now have already received their consolation. They wanted a comfortable life and worldly notoriety? They got it. Pity and pray for them (Luke 12:16-21)

-The full now will face hunger. Their satisfaction will be fleeting and their hunger will always return. They reject that which provides true satisfaction (John 6:35).

-Those who laugh now will mourn and weep. This is arrogant laughter filled with condescension and self-satisfaction. A complete lack of humility (James 4:9-10).

-Those popular among the wicked are in bad company. These seek man’s approval rather than God’s (John 12:42-43; 15:18-19)