Listen Up! (Luke 6:46-48; 8:18)
"I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built." (Luke 6:47, 48 NLT)
This is probably one of the most key paragraphs in all of Scripture pertaining to living out the Christian life.
This entire "sermon" by Jesus is the last in a string of revolutionary statements about true spirituality from the most spiritual Man who ever lived. Keep in mind also that Jesus wasn't addressing the spiritual elite of His day. These were an assortment of regular, everyday men and women, many of whom did not even have a grasp on who God really was (vs. 17).
In the most basic terms Jesus spelled out in several ways the simple truth that God desires people to love Him and love others as we would want to be shown love (27-42). But He doesn't stop there. He sums up His teaching on genuine spirituality into one principle: listen to my words and do it.
His illustration is self explanatory. If you want a solid relationship with God, pay attention to what God's Word says and follow it. Its that simple. No formulas. Not secret code.
We often want to over-spiritualize the concept of faith but all it really boils down to is whether or not we trust God enough to hear Him out and do what He says in every area of our lives. When you say it like that it makes you wonder, "why in the world wouldn't we just or do that all the time?"
We should. But since the introduction of sin into the world we now have a choice to make. Each day is an opportunity to have relationship with the God who truly loves us and wants what's best for us, and every day He gives us the choice to demonstrate our faith by listening to His Words and putting them into practice or to trust ourselves and rely on our own understanding.
I'm pretty sure God has already ruled out the second option for us as believers (Proverbs 3:5-6), and the first option is the only way to put our money where our mouth is if we say we want to please God at all (Hebrews 11:6).
We can't forget that Jesus warned us about the dangers of having a half-hearted effort towards God's Word, “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.” (Luke 8:18 NLT).
The depth of our relationship with Christ is directly affected by our response to God's Word whether we realize it or not. Thankfully today we each have an opportunity to grow in Him by simply putting the eternal truth of Scripture into practice.
Facebook.com/Josh1Eight
Twitter @Josh1Eight
This is probably one of the most key paragraphs in all of Scripture pertaining to living out the Christian life.
This entire "sermon" by Jesus is the last in a string of revolutionary statements about true spirituality from the most spiritual Man who ever lived. Keep in mind also that Jesus wasn't addressing the spiritual elite of His day. These were an assortment of regular, everyday men and women, many of whom did not even have a grasp on who God really was (vs. 17).
In the most basic terms Jesus spelled out in several ways the simple truth that God desires people to love Him and love others as we would want to be shown love (27-42). But He doesn't stop there. He sums up His teaching on genuine spirituality into one principle: listen to my words and do it.
His illustration is self explanatory. If you want a solid relationship with God, pay attention to what God's Word says and follow it. Its that simple. No formulas. Not secret code.
We often want to over-spiritualize the concept of faith but all it really boils down to is whether or not we trust God enough to hear Him out and do what He says in every area of our lives. When you say it like that it makes you wonder, "why in the world wouldn't we just or do that all the time?"
We should. But since the introduction of sin into the world we now have a choice to make. Each day is an opportunity to have relationship with the God who truly loves us and wants what's best for us, and every day He gives us the choice to demonstrate our faith by listening to His Words and putting them into practice or to trust ourselves and rely on our own understanding.
I'm pretty sure God has already ruled out the second option for us as believers (Proverbs 3:5-6), and the first option is the only way to put our money where our mouth is if we say we want to please God at all (Hebrews 11:6).
We can't forget that Jesus warned us about the dangers of having a half-hearted effort towards God's Word, “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.” (Luke 8:18 NLT).
The depth of our relationship with Christ is directly affected by our response to God's Word whether we realize it or not. Thankfully today we each have an opportunity to grow in Him by simply putting the eternal truth of Scripture into practice.
Facebook.com/Josh1Eight
Twitter @Josh1Eight
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