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Luke 6:46-49 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Good morning. It is so good to be with you all today and open God's word.
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To introduce the sermon, I'd like to reference a recent tragedy that occurred in February in Turkey.
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! Over the last five years, there has been new construction in Turkey to build luxurious apartments.
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These buildings were to be built according to certain building codes that ensure the safety of the building and the residents.
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According to building codes, the buildings must be built in a safe manner that would prevent damage from any major earthquake.
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This could require various elements from simple foundation dampering or strengthening to motion dampering to build the entire structure on a shock absorber.
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To include the proper structural additions to buildings, it costs lots of money and could be quite expensive.
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In February of 2023, there was two major earthquakes and lots of buildings were turned into rubble and thousands were killed.
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Many of these buildings were supposed to be according to the code that would prevent them from falling during earthquake shaking.
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Unfortunately, that did not happen.
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And we don't have much information regarding the government, the building codes, or the developers.
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But there is evidence that hundreds of buildings were not built on safe foundations.
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When the earthquakes came, it caused widespread destruction.
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The earthquakes and the damage caused in Turkey is tragic.
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When earthquakes hit Turkey, the buildings demonstrated that they were not built safely to endure the quakes.
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What we build our lives upon is of great importance.
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If we build our lives upon the wrong things, it can have devastating effects for ourselves, for our families, and for our friends.
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But if we build our lives on the right things, it can have wonderful effects for ourselves, for our friends, and for our families.
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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.
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The Christian is a person that professes faith in Jesus Christ and evidences this faith in their actions.
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So our sermon text is from Luke chapter 6, verses 46 through 49, if you'll turn there with me.
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So Luke chapter 6, verses 20 through 48, is Luke's account of Matthew's sermon on the mount.
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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,
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or if this is an entirely different sermon with a different context, and he gave some of the same teachings.
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Regardless, we see a lot of the same stories in Luke that Matthew teaches.
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So the purpose of the sermon that Jesus presents in Luke chapter 6 is to teach someone what it means to be a Christian.
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And in it, a Christian does not live life for this world.
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So in Luke chapter 6, verses 20 through 23, the disciple is financially poor.
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He is filled with great sorrow.
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He is physically hungry.
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And he is facing persecution.
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All things that are hard in this life and do not give much hope.
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But his joy and his hope is not in this life.
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It is in the life to come.
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And while he is facing poverty and sorrow and persecution,
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his blessedness and abounding joy are in Christ and the kingdom that is to come.
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Toward the end of the sermon, Jesus begins to tell us what it looks like to follow Christ.
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What it looks like to be a Christian and to not be a Christian.
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And we come to one of those texts today in Luke 6, 46 through 49.
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Amen.
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Because of this text and the severity there, I would love for us to take a moment to examine our hearts,
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to reflect on our hearts, and pray for humility.
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So will you pray with me for just a second?
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Father, help us close ourselves with humility.
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Help us be humble towards one another.
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And Lord, help us humble ourselves under your almighty hand,
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that we can see our hearts today and our lives.
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And that this text would either be a great warning or a great assurance to us.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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All right, starting in verses 43 for context.
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For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit.
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For each tree is known by its fruit.
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For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor grapes picked from a bramble bush.
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The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good.
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The evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil.
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For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
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Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?
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Everyone who does come to me and hears my words and does them,
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I will show you what he is like.
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He's like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.
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And when the flood arose, the stream broke against the house,
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and it could not shake it because it had been well built.
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But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground,
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without a foundation.
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When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell,
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and the ruin of that house was great.
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In this passage, we'll have three points.
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There's no need to write them down because we'll go through them one by one.
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Our first point is the profession of Lord, Lord.
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Our second point is the Christian's profession.
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And our third point is the false profession.
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So point number one, the profession of Lord, Lord.
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In verse 46, Jesus describes an individual that comes to him and calls him Lord, Lord.
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The repetition of one's name in scripture often communicates familiarity,
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a personal relationship.
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Some examples in scripture we see are in Genesis 22.
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Abraham is about to sacrifice his son.
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And as he's in the moment where he pulls the dagger up,
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God says, Abraham, Abraham.
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In Luke 10, when Jesus is visiting Mary and Martha,
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Martha is busying herself with tasks.
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And she's jealous of Mary who's sitting by Jesus.
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And Jesus goes to Martha, Martha, Martha.
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In Acts 9, when Jesus speaks to Saul as he's heading to Damascus,
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he says, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?
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In all these instances and many more you see in scripture,
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there is a personal relationship that is intimate and intentional.
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Someone is speaking as if they know a friend.
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When this person comes to Jesus and says, Lord, Lord,
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they generally believe that Jesus is their master.
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They have confidence in their position as his servant.
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But Jesus' response is not what you'd expect from someone who calls him Lord, Lord.
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He says, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and you do not do what I tell you?
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The servant invokes Jesus' name as Lord and personally,
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but in his life, there is nothing to show that he is a servant of Jesus Christ.
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Turn to Matthew 7 with me and we'll look at the count with more details.
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Matthew 7, starting in verse 21.
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Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven,
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but the one who does the will of the Father who is in heaven.
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On that day, many will say, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name
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and cast out demons in your name and do mighty works in your name?
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And then I will declare to them, I never knew you.
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Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.
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In Matthew's account, we have a little bit more information
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regarding the individual who says, Lord, Lord.
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This is a person who seems to have done great things for Jesus.
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They have prophesied.
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They have cast out demons.
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And they've even done mighty works.
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But when they come to Jesus and Jesus asks,
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why should I grant you into the kingdom?
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They say, I did this.
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I did these works.
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For us, it could be I led these Bible studies or I served in this role.
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They're basing their hope and their salvation on their works,
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on the things that they believe would merit them salvation.
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And we see Jesus' response to this person is,
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I never knew you.
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Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.
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It seems these individuals have done great things,
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but when it comes down to the eternal fate,
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they relied upon their works, not upon Christ's works.
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It was about what they did, not about who they believed in.
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And these so-called servants were generally hypocrites
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and did not truly love God.
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Brothers and sisters, this text burdens my heart.
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It reveals a reality that is devastatingly true today.
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It is this.
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There will be many people who say they are Christians,
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who would say, Lord, Lord,
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who will not be in the kingdom of God.
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It is not based on one's profession.
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It is not based on one's decision.
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It is not based on an aisle one walks
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that determines if they are a Christian.
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It is not based on the things you do for God
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that determines your Christianity.
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You could have served as a missionary for 20 years
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or be a retired pastor after 30 years
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and not be a Christian.
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Our Christian faith is based on the works of another.
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It is based on the God-man, Jesus Christ,
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and his life, his death, and his resurrection.
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In his great love, Jesus came to this earth
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and took on flesh.
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He perfectly kept the law,
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fulfilling every righteous requirement demanded.
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And he sacrificially went and died on the cross
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for sin.
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When someone repents of their sins
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and believes in Jesus Christ
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and his life, his death, and his resurrection,
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they are saved and will be justified
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and are justified.
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They've received Jesus' perfect righteousness for them.
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They no longer base their profession on what they did,
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on a confession of who they are,
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on an aisle they walked around,
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on a decision they made.
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They base it on Christ, on what he did.
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That's the difference.
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And they received the righteousness that he did perfectly for them.
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And their sin is attributed to Jesus in his death
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and paid for.
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We see this in 2 Corinthians 5.21.
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For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
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so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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The Christian's claim for heaven is not in anything he does.
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It is not in our theological knowledge,
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our faithful parenting,
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our righteousness,
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the good things we do for others,
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the long weeks of serving and toiling for good things,
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our careers,
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our degrees,
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our accolades,
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none of those things have claims on heaven.
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They do nothing to earn us a place before God.
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They are filthy rags.
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The Christian's only claim to heaven
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is the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ
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and the substitutionary death on the cross for us.
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We are saved by works,
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just not our own.
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Our righteousness, as Luther has said,
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is an alien righteousness.
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It is foreign to us.
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It comes from outside of us
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and is credited to us
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upon repentance and belief.
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The 1689 London Baptist Confession
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summarizes this well for us.
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It says,
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Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ
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and his righteousness
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is alone the instrument of justification,
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yet it is not alone in the person justified,
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but is ever accompanied with all other saving grace.
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And it is no dead faith,
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but worketh through love.
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Do you see that?
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That faith is resting and receiving Christ
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in his righteousness,
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in his works,
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alone.
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There's nothing else that attributes to our salvation.
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Yet,
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this faith that rests on Christ and his works
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is never alone.
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It is always evidence.
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There is always proof of it
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in other saving graces,
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in repentance,
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in faith,
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in works.
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But those works and those faiths
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and those repentants
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do nothing to justify someone
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that is only through Christ.
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When Jesus saved us
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by his life,
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death,
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and resurrection,
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God took our dead hearts
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and he's made us alive.
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Christians have new hearts
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that love God
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and seek to obey him.
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The new heart
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does not produce dead faith,
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as the confession says,
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but other saving graces.
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John Calvin's attributed to saying,
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faith alone saves,
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but that faith is never alone.
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While the good works
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do not merit anything for salvation,
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they do evidence salvation.
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There is a place for them.
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When believers do good works,
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it makes Jesus look beautiful.
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So,
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the long weeks of serving,
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the faithful parenting,
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the hard work that you do
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to provide for your families,
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those things make Jesus
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look beautiful.
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The 1689 Confession
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summarizes good works
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in this way.
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These good works,
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done in obedience
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to God's commandments,
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are the fruit and evidence
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of a true and living faith.
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They are fruit and evidence
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of a true living faith.
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Though good work,
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through good works,
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believers express
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their thankfulness,
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strengthen their assurance,
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build up their brothers
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and sisters,
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adorn the profession
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of the gospel,
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stop the mouth of opponents,
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and glorify God.
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Believers are God's workmanship,
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creating Christ Jesus
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for good works,
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so that they bear fruit,
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leading to holiness,
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and have an outcome
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of eternal life.
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So,
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as I said in the beginning,
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the Christian is a person
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who professes faith
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in Jesus Christ
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and evidences this faith
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in their actions.
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Christians.
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This leads us to the parable
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in Luke chapter 6
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to describe the individuals
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who hear the word.
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If you'll turn back
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to Luke 6 with me,
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we will stay there
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the rest of our time.
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when I first began
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preparing for this message,
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my main point was
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the Christian life
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is a life of faith
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in Jesus Christ
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for salvation,
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life,
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and godliness.
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But as I studied it more,
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I became convinced
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that the passage teaches
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that the Christian
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is a person
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who professes faith
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in Jesus Christ,
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and this faith
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is evidenced
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in their actions.
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The passage is about
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the profession
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of the individual.
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Here we see
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the Christian life
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is not a life
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of no law,
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but of delight
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in God's law.
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John 15, 23 says,
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if anyone loves me,
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he will keep my word.
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Our obedience
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to God's commands
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is the delightful duty
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of our love to God.
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The person who has believed
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in Jesus Christ
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shows their faith
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through their actions.
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J.C. Ryle,
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regarding this passage,
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says,
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the object of the parable
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is not to teach
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the doctrine of justification,
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that the rock
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or the foundation
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we're building on
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is Christ,
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but instead,
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it is to teach
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the folly
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of the Christian profession
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unaccompanied
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by Christian practice.
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It is to teach
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the folly
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of Christian profession
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that is unaccompanied
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by Christian practice,
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and the certain ruin
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to such profession
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must lead to,
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if persisted then.
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So the parable
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is not about justification,
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it's not about
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we are building
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our foundation on Christ,
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but more it's about
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the profession.
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It's not about justification,
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it's about demonstration here.
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Jesus is talking about
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what it means
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to be a Christian,
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not who we base
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our lives upon,
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but how our lives
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are built up in Christ.
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That's why we see
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it's the person
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who hears the word
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and either believes in it
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and does it,
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or the person
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who hears the word
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and does not believe in it
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and does not do it.
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But it's all based
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on the person saying,
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Lord, Lord.
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So this leads us
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to our second point,
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which is the Christian's profession.
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In the parable,
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the first person mentioned
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is the person
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who hears God's word
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and does what it says.
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If you look at
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verse 47 with me,
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it says,
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everyone who comes to me
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and hears my word
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and does them,
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I will show you
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what he is like.
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And in this part,
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this person is the one
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who digs deep
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and lays a foundation.
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We see throughout
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this parable,
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there are multiple elements
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involved in laying
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the foundation.
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First,
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there is a cost involved
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to laying a foundation.
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There is a blueprint
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to how to do it
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and there's the benefit
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of being a Christian
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or of doing it well.
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So first,
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let us look at the cost
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of being a Christian.
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The man in the parable
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had to choose
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the best place to dig.
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They had to dig deep
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through rock and dirt
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and to lay a proper foundation
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that will endure the storms.
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Surely,
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this work was grueling
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and this time,
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they did not have machinery
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to do the hard work,
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but instead,
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they did it
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with their own hands.
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It took time,
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it took blood,
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sweat,
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and tears
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to put a house down
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properly back then.
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The same is true
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for the Christian.
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To be a Christian,
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there is a cost
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to be counted.
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It is to see God's word
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as the supreme standard
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for our lives.
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As a Christian,
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we are not our own,
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but we're bought
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with a price.
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When we profess faith
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in Jesus,
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it is not merely
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a profession
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of sincerity
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or of association
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with Jesus.
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Our profession
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of faith
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in Jesus Christ
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is the casting
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of ourselves
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on Jesus
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as the only means
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of salvation
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and life.
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This faith flows
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from the abundance
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of the heart
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and forever
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changes our lives.
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Christians no longer
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live for this world
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and themselves,
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but for Christ.
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Everything we do
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should be to serve
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His kingdom
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and His glory,
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not our kingdom
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and our glory.
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J.C. Riles
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summarizes the cost
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of being a Christian
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well.
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Like the house
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built on rock,
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it may entail
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Him pains,
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labors,
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and self-denial.
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To lay aside
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our pride
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and self-righteousness.
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To crucify
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the rebellious flesh.
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To put on
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the mind of Christ
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and take up
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our cross daily.
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To count all things
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but loss
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for Christ's sake.
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All this
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may be hard work,
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but like the house
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built on the rock,
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such religion
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will stand.
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So some questions
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for reflection.
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Have you
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counted the cost
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the cost
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of being a Christian?
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Do you live
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in such a way
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that you're picking
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up your cross daily?
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Does your life
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reflect pride
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and self-righteousness
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or humility?
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While the cost
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of being a Christian
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is great,
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there is a blueprint
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for this work
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and there is great
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benefit we receive
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from it.
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So second,
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God gives,
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God has given
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the Christian
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a blueprint,
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a way in which
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to do this.
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In the scriptures,
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Jesus is called
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the foundation
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on which no other
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foundation is laid.
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He is also called
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the chief cornerstone
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in Ephesians 2.20
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and 1 Peter 2.6.
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It is true
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that Jesus
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is our foundation
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and cornerstone.
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It is through
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his person and work
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that our salvation
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alone comes.
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But in the scriptures,
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there's other talk
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of foundation.
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So in Ephesians 2.20,
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it says that the church
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is built on the foundation
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of the apostles
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and prophets.
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Christ Jesus himself
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being the cornerstone.
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In the early church
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in Acts 2,
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it said that the church
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was devoted
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to the apostolic teaching.
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In Ephesians 4.5-6
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says the church
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grows up into Christ
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through the truth,
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through God's word.
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John 17.17 says,
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Sanctify them in truth.
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Your word is truth.
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While Christ
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is the chief cornerstone,
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we are building
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our lives in Christ
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through his word,
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according to these passages.
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It is his word
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that is the materials
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by which we build
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and which we labor
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to put our building upon.
22:22
God's word
22:23
is the ordained means
22:25
by which we build
22:26
our lives upon.
22:27
It is his word
22:29
that reveals
22:29
the eternal word,
22:30
Jesus Christ.
22:32
And as we build
22:33
our lives upon
22:33
the word of God,
22:35
the truth grows us up.
22:37
In fact,
22:38
John 17.3 says,
22:40
we experience eternal life
22:42
through knowing God.
22:43
And this knowing of God
22:45
is both propositional
22:47
in our knowledge of him
22:48
and our intellect
22:49
and understanding him
22:50
and knowing doctrine,
22:51
but it is also experiential
22:54
in how we experience
22:55
that doctrine.
22:57
If we know Jesus
22:58
and we know
22:59
what his word says
23:00
and we think it's wonderful,
23:01
but we don't do it,
23:03
we don't practice it
23:04
in our lives,
23:04
at our work,
23:05
in our parenting,
23:06
then we're not experiencing
23:08
the fullness of life
23:09
that is in Jesus Christ.
23:11
We're going to experience
23:12
eternal life presently now
23:14
through his word.
23:17
But this looks forward
23:18
to the blessed
23:19
and happy life to come.
23:21
So as we now know him
23:22
in his word,
23:23
we build our lives
23:24
upon him,
23:26
upon his word.
23:27
It is,
23:28
we're going to slowly enjoy
23:29
this life that is in Christ.
23:31
We'll understand Christ more
23:32
and as we understand him,
23:33
we'll experience him
23:35
in our lives.
23:36
So when you are parenting
23:38
and you are speaking truth
23:39
to your child,
23:40
it helps train them up
23:41
in what God says.
23:43
In our marriages,
23:44
when things are hard,
23:45
instead of going against
23:46
one another,
23:47
if we speak truth
23:48
to one another,
23:49
and that is what governs
23:50
our marriages,
23:51
we are going to slowly
23:52
enjoy this life
23:53
more and more.
23:55
So this leads me
23:56
to three primary ways
23:58
in which we build our lives
24:00
upon God's word.
24:01
Number one,
24:03
we build our lives
24:04
upon the truths
24:05
found in God's word.
24:07
It is in the truth
24:10
of God's word
24:11
that reveals
24:11
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
24:13
It is through the truths
24:15
of God's word
24:16
that he gives us
24:17
means to fight our sin,
24:19
to trust God
24:19
and his promises,
24:21
and causes us to grow.
24:23
Hebrews 4.12 says
24:24
that God's word
24:25
is living and active,
24:27
sharper than any
24:28
two-edged sword,
24:30
piercing the division
24:31
of the soul and spirit,
24:32
of joint and of morrow,
24:34
and discerning the thoughts
24:35
and intention of the heart.
24:37
Notice in this passage
24:38
when it says
24:38
God's word is living and active
24:40
is that his word
24:41
is actively working.
24:43
It is not a passive
24:44
working in our life,
24:46
but when we take God's word
24:48
and we know it
24:49
and it's in our hearts,
24:50
it is actively
24:51
and effectively
24:52
working in the believer
24:54
and making them more alive
24:55
and completing the work
24:56
of salvation
24:57
that God has begun.
24:59
David Powelson says
25:01
in scripture,
25:02
God comes in person.
25:04
We participate
25:04
by hearing and responding.
25:07
When you consider
25:08
how you form your day,
25:11
consider the way
25:11
in which you are embracing
25:13
God's word and keeping it.
25:14
Is God's word
25:15
the first thing you put
25:16
in your heart in the morning?
25:18
Does his word
25:20
renew your mind
25:20
and help you love him
25:22
and others well?
25:23
Do you memorize
25:24
and meditate on his word?
25:27
Does his word
25:27
flow from our mouths?
25:30
What we think about
25:31
and spend our time doing
25:32
is often what we talk about
25:34
and invite others into?
25:36
Number two,
25:37
we build our relationship
25:39
on God's word
25:40
or our relationships
25:41
on God's word.
25:45
Throughout scripture,
25:46
healthy relationships,
25:48
healthy marriages,
25:49
and healthy families
25:49
are built on the abiding
25:52
word of God.
25:52
As Christians,
25:54
the way we practice
25:55
our faith
25:55
is through loving God.
25:57
If God is our delight
25:58
and his word is in us,
26:00
it overflows
26:01
into our lives
26:02
and in our relationships.
26:04
Not only is this
26:05
the best blessing
26:06
we bring to our relationships,
26:07
it's also commanded of us.
26:10
Friends are supposed
26:11
to speak truth,
26:12
love,
26:13
forgive,
26:14
bear with one another,
26:15
be kind to one another,
26:16
and have compassion.
26:18
Husbands are supposed
26:19
to lead their wives
26:20
or to love their wives
26:22
and wash them in the word.
26:24
Parents are to raise
26:25
their children
26:26
in the discipline
26:26
and instruction
26:27
of the Lord.
26:29
The word of God
26:30
is the cement
26:31
of healthy,
26:32
thriving relationships.
26:35
So my question
26:36
on this point is,
26:37
does the word of God
26:37
submit your friendships,
26:39
marriage,
26:40
and parenting?
26:43
Number three,
26:44
we build our church
26:45
on God's word.
26:46
The church
26:48
is a new covenant community.
26:50
It has come into existence
26:51
through God himself
26:52
calling us
26:53
and speaking life
26:54
into our hearts.
26:56
According to Ephesians 4,
26:58
15 through 16,
26:59
it says,
27:00
Rather,
27:00
speaking the truth
27:01
in love,
27:02
we are to grow up
27:03
in every way
27:03
into him who is the head,
27:05
into Christ,
27:07
from whom the whole body,
27:08
joined and held together
27:09
by every joint
27:10
with which it is equipped,
27:12
when each part
27:13
is working properly,
27:13
makes the body grow
27:15
so it builds itself
27:16
up in love.
27:17
The means
27:18
in this process
27:19
of how the church
27:20
has grown into Christ
27:21
and becomes more Christ-like
27:22
and is built up in love
27:24
is through the truth.
27:26
It begins,
27:26
speaking the truth
27:28
in love.
27:30
The church
27:30
is built up
27:31
through God's love
27:32
and his word
27:33
so that it can mature us
27:35
and so that we can
27:36
exalt Christ
27:37
in how we live.
27:39
God's word
27:40
is the nourishment
27:41
to his church,
27:42
but it is also
27:43
the proclamation
27:44
of his church.
27:44
It's what comes
27:45
out of them.
27:48
Being a Christian
27:48
has a great cost
27:49
but we have been given
27:51
God's ordained means
27:52
to help us.
27:54
When we hear his word,
27:55
our obedience
27:56
is our joyful delight,
27:57
a joyful duty
27:58
and responsive love
27:59
to him.
28:00
When we obey,
28:01
there is great benefit.
28:03
So, thirdly,
28:04
there is great benefit
28:05
for the person
28:06
who hears God's word.
28:08
In the parable,
28:09
the individual
28:09
is building their lives
28:10
on the good foundation.
28:12
When the storm comes,
28:14
it does not destroy
28:15
his life.
28:16
The flood here
28:17
is understood
28:18
as suffering.
28:19
When suffering comes,
28:21
the person
28:21
who has faith
28:22
in Jesus Christ
28:23
and has built
28:24
their lives
28:24
upon his word
28:25
endures the storm.
28:28
When suffering
28:28
comes to us,
28:29
our response
28:30
to suffering
28:31
demonstrates
28:32
our faith.
28:34
When the storms
28:35
rage against us
28:36
and the firings
28:37
of suffering burn,
28:38
it reveals
28:39
the genuineness
28:40
of our faith,
28:42
God uses
28:43
the agonizing events
28:45
and the overwhelming
28:46
grief
28:47
to care for us.
28:49
In those moments
28:50
of greatest affliction,
28:51
our lives show
28:52
the surpassing power
28:53
and worth of God
28:54
who loves us
28:56
and who comforts us.
28:57
He is our refuge
28:59
and our strength.
29:01
He is our helper
29:02
and the upholder
29:03
of our life.
29:05
When we experience
29:06
the griefs
29:07
of this world
29:08
and our heart
29:09
is downcast
29:10
and our clothes
29:11
are full of tears,
29:13
we can say
29:14
with a deep
29:15
and abiding joy,
29:17
hope in God
29:18
for I shall again
29:19
praise him,
29:20
my salvation
29:21
and my God.
29:24
The Christian
29:24
receives great benefit
29:25
because he
29:26
will weather
29:27
the storms of life
29:29
with hope in God
29:30
and in his word.
29:32
The Christian's life
29:33
is built on the word
29:34
of God
29:34
and will evidence
29:35
their faith
29:36
and their action.
29:37
true Christian
29:38
profession
29:38
is always
29:39
accompanied
29:40
by Christian
29:40
practice.
29:41
So we've talked
29:42
about the person
29:43
who says
29:43
Lord,
29:44
Lord,
29:44
we've talked
29:45
about the Christian
29:47
profession,
29:47
now we're going
29:48
to go back
29:48
to this person
29:49
who's saying
29:49
Lord,
29:50
Lord
29:50
and does not
29:51
do what he
29:51
says
29:51
with the false
29:52
profession.
29:53
That is found
29:54
in verse 46
29:54
and 47.
29:57
Or,
29:57
sorry,
29:58
48 and 49.
30:01
This type of person
30:02
is the one
30:02
who hears
30:02
the words of Jesus
30:03
and does not
30:04
do what he says.
30:05
he is the person
30:07
with no foundation.
30:09
This person professes
30:10
to be a Christian
30:11
but their actions
30:12
do not evidence
30:14
their faith.
30:15
In the parable,
30:16
the person built
30:17
their house
30:17
but did not
30:18
dig a foundation.
30:19
So when the flood
30:20
came,
30:20
their house
30:21
was totally destroyed.
30:23
The parable
30:23
teaches that
30:24
it would be foolish
30:26
to build a house
30:27
with no foundation
30:27
because in that area
30:29
when floods come,
30:30
it would destroy
30:31
a house.
30:31
So the obvious
30:32
point here is
30:33
that there's foolishness
30:34
in building a house
30:34
and no foundation.
30:36
The point Luke
30:37
wants us to see
30:38
is that
30:39
there is folly
30:42
of one who professes
30:43
Christ as Lord
30:44
but does not
30:45
live for him.
30:47
This parable
30:48
is a warning
30:49
to the hypocritical
30:50
Christian,
30:51
to the person
30:52
who says Jesus
30:52
is Lord,
30:53
who says they are
30:54
a Christian
30:55
but their life
30:56
doesn't show it,
30:57
that there's nothing
30:58
to bear fruit
30:58
of it.
30:59
This person
31:01
claims Christ
31:02
but their building
31:02
does not reflect
31:03
a house built
31:04
on God's word.
31:06
True and living faith
31:07
always evidences
31:09
itself in good works
31:10
and adorns
31:12
the profession
31:13
of the gospel.
31:14
So a question
31:15
I have for you
31:16
is does your life
31:17
demonstrate your faith?
31:19
Is your profession
31:20
evidenced in your action
31:21
or are you a building
31:23
with no foundation
31:24
that if trials
31:25
came today
31:26
you would fall?
31:28
I pray everyone
31:30
here today
31:31
professes faith
31:32
in Jesus
31:32
and that this is
31:34
seen in their life
31:34
and if it is not
31:36
this is a moment
31:37
to heed the warning
31:37
of the parable.
31:40
Verse 49 says
31:40
the ruin of that house
31:42
was great.
31:44
For the person
31:45
who hears God's word
31:46
and does not do it
31:47
his life reflects
31:48
his belief.
31:49
It is the person
31:50
whom Jesus will say
31:51
to them
31:51
one day
31:52
I never knew you
31:54
depart from me
31:56
you worker
31:57
of lawlessness.
32:01
The fate
32:02
of the false professor
32:03
is much worse
32:03
than physical death.
32:05
It is much worse
32:05
than a destruction
32:06
of a house
32:07
or the destruction
32:08
of a ten story
32:09
apartment in Turkey.
32:11
It is spending
32:11
an eternity
32:12
in hell.
32:14
Hell is the eternal
32:15
punishment
32:16
of God's justice
32:17
on sin.
32:18
It is described
32:19
as a place
32:20
of weeping
32:21
of gnashing
32:23
of teeth
32:23
and where
32:25
the worm
32:26
does not die.
32:29
The passage
32:30
is a clear
32:31
warning
32:32
to all
32:32
who profess Christ
32:33
to examine
32:34
their lives
32:35
and to be confident
32:37
that you are in Christ
32:38
and your life
32:39
evidences it.
32:41
But
32:41
if you today
32:42
find yourself
32:43
outside of Christ
32:44
you look within
32:45
and you do not
32:46
see fruit.
32:47
There is nothing
32:48
to show
32:48
for your faith.
32:50
There is hope.
32:51
There is a living hope
32:53
and his name
32:53
is Jesus Christ.
32:54
So today
32:55
you can flee.
32:56
You can flee
32:57
from the destruction
32:58
and ruin
32:58
to come
32:59
that is great.
33:00
And you can find
33:01
salvation in Jesus Christ
33:03
in his life
33:04
in his death
33:05
and in his resurrection.
33:07
Like the parable
33:08
there is no hope
33:10
for the person
33:11
who does not
33:12
place faith
33:13
in Jesus Christ.
33:14
Because this world
33:14
does not offer
33:15
them anything.
33:16
There is no hope
33:17
in this world
33:18
for a life
33:19
to come.
33:20
But it will all
33:21
be destroyed
33:21
one day.
33:22
If you build
33:24
your life
33:24
on anything
33:24
but Jesus
33:25
you will be
33:26
left hopeless
33:27
and there
33:28
will be
33:28
great ruin.
33:31
In conclusion
33:32
the one who
33:33
hears God's
33:34
word
33:34
and does it
33:36
will endure
33:36
the storm
33:37
and be welcomed
33:37
into the blessed
33:38
and happiness
33:39
kingdom.
33:40
There is a great
33:41
and wonderful
33:41
kingdom to come
33:42
that is full
33:44
of forever
33:44
blessedness
33:46
peace
33:47
and joy
33:48
with our
33:49
Savior.
33:50
Savior.
33:51
The one
33:52
who professes
33:53
faith
33:54
in Jesus
33:55
as Lord
33:56
but does not
33:57
do it
33:57
is the one
33:59
who will
33:59
experience
34:00
a great ruin
34:01
and a miserable
34:03
end awaiting
34:03
them.
34:05
Our lives
34:06
always evidence
34:07
our profession.
34:09
So let us be
34:09
those who believe
34:10
in Jesus
34:10
and demonstrate
34:11
our faith
34:12
in our lives.
34:13
So I'd love
34:14
to end this time
34:15
with giving you
34:16
some verses
34:16
from the hymn
34:17
How Firm
34:18
a Foundation.
34:18
Two verses
34:21
in verse
34:21
number one
34:22
and number three
34:23
in your hymnal
34:23
if you want
34:24
to look them
34:24
up later.
34:26
How firm
34:27
a foundation
34:27
ye saints
34:28
of the Lord
34:29
is laid
34:30
for your faith
34:31
in his
34:31
excellent word.
34:34
What more
34:34
can he say
34:35
than to you
34:36
he hath said
34:37
to you
34:38
who for refuge
34:39
to Jesus
34:40
have fled.
34:43
When through
34:43
fiery trials
34:44
thy pathways
34:45
shall lie
34:46
my grace
34:47
all sufficient
34:48
shall be
34:48
thy supply.
34:50
The flame
34:51
shall not
34:51
hurt thee
34:52
I only
34:53
design
34:53
the dross
34:54
to consume
34:55
and thy
34:56
gold to refine.
34:58
Pray with me.