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The Wise Man Built

Having grown up doing a lot of work to cut wood and bring in hay as part of a family, I’ve always been partial to rugged, outdoor clothing–even though now my work is more at a desk rather than stacking brush or throwing bales.  I glance at catalogs and shake my head at models dressed in flannels with waterproof boots, completely free of mud and sweat, who look like they’ve never worked physically a day in their lives.

They are a lot like Christians who love to hear the Word of God preached but don’t apply it.

Most have sung “The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock” from Matthew 7:24-27 and at a youth event.  There are several principles from this illustration that are important to understand.

I. Both the wise and foolish men were ‘building.’  Both were sincere in picking up the tools and actively engaged in construction.  They did not just read a book about house building and agree with the techniques used.  They both worked hard and ended up with a place to live.  Everything that we say and do–even if we refuse to say and do–we end up with a life, good or bad, that we have built.

II. The distinction between the two men is whether he puts Jesus’ words into practice.  Both hear Jesus’ words, but only the wise man applies them to the building of his life, right from the first choice, perhaps the most essential choice: which foundation to build upon.  The wise man chose the rock while the foolish one, who probably felt justified and had good excuses, chose sand.

III. The reason we must build well is because the storms of life do come.  Notice that nowhere in Jesus’ illustration does he say if the hard rains, the rising streams, and the terrible winds come.  They will, and only the wise will be prepared for them.  Throughout many years of ministry and in my own life, I have weathered and helped others weather life’s storms.  Some houses have fallen with a crash.

So, in your life are you the outdoor catalog model in new clothing, holding an unused axe?  Or, are your sleeves rolled up in readiness, your knees dirtied from prayer, and calluses lay across cracked and toughed hands?  Are you building?  Are you building on the rock?  Will your house withstand the storm?

 

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Run For Your Life!

If your home was on fire and someone shouted, “Run for your life!” you would not stop to ask questions about things that didn’t matter like what was for dinner.  Nor would you refuse to leave until you found that biology notebook from high school or stroll leisurely past the fridge to check if you needed to buy milk while you were out.  No, “Run for your life!” means that you are singularly focused on the goal of getting to safety.  And, unless it is to warn someone else who has not yet heard of the danger, you would not stop for anything.

Spiritually speaking, you must “run for your life!”

I. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.  The first running we must do is running away from sin, specifically sexual immorality.  Joseph certainly had opportunity to give in to Potiphar’s wife and reason enough to justify sin: his own brothers had faked his death and sold him into slavery in a foreign land.  But, he determined, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Then, as she caught him by his cloak, he left it with her and ran out of the house (Genesis 39:6-12).  So we must run for our lives!

II. Galatians 5:7-10.  Distractions come often from people or circumstances in our lives.  A runner may start off well and then discover a rock in his shoe or have someone point him the wrong way.  In the Galatian church(es), some were insisting that they needed to observe the old law and become Jews before they could become Christians.  There are many things that may not be sinful but “cut in” on our good race.  Sometimes it is people or ideas that point us away from God.  Remember that we are running for our lives!

III. Hebrews 12:1-3.  To “run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” we must have the goal of heaven ever before us.  We are told to fix our eyes on Jesus, who kept the joy of eternity with the Father in view in order to endure the cross, so that we “do not grow weary and lose heart.”  Peter had the courage to step out of the boat and walk on the water to Jesus, but as soon as he let his focus slip, he sank (Matthew 14:25-33).  With perseverance and eyes fixed, we must run for our lives!

Many struggle with their Christian walk because they do not take the race as seriously as Satan knows it is.  Instead of a lion seeking to devour, perhaps he is a lot like the gators beside the race marked out for us.  The race is deadly serious.  Run for your life!

 

 

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To Latch Upon One

One powerful line, one spiritual thought,
One grand request to make of you:
O Father, give me your blessing to start
This day with joy and carry it through.

There are so many! The Word is full
Of sparking truths, the heaven of stars!
To latch upon one, the mind cannot fail —
The powers and wisdom of God are ours!

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Bridge of Life

To reach another soul, as mine
Was touched by grace, and draw
From darkness’ fear, across the line
To safety — a bridge of life — what awe!

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You are God

You are God, we are your people.
You are the Lord, we are your servants.
You are the Shepherd, we are your obedient sheep.
You are the Savior, we, the lost, plead for salvation.
You are Father, we are your children.
You are the Creator, we your creatures.
You are Sustainer, we daily need your sustenance.
You are Light, we walk your righteous path.
You are Love, we the beloved.
You are I-AM, we inheritors of the promise.

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Whatever You Do

How do we go through life?  At our very worst, we look at every moment to see what we can get from people or circumstances.  Often, we just exist, drifting through life without really thinking about life or what our purpose is.  At our best, though, we see every interaction as a ‘teachable moment,’ an opportunity to build others up and encourage them to draw closer to God.

I. Colossians 3:1-11.  We edify others because of what Christ has done for us.  We have to be active about setting our hearts and minds on things above.  This means we must reject what is wrong and choose what is right in the transformation process to become like Christ (Ephesians 4:22–5:1).

II. Colossians 3:12-16.  Before He went to the cross, Jesus spoke of a time later when those with faith would do greater things than He had done (John 14:12-14) as we are salt and light to the world around us (Matthew 5:13-16).  We are to walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:6), edifying others by various actions outlined in this passage.

III. Colossians 3:17.  To do something in Christ’s name means to do it by His power and authority, believing wholeheartedly in that power and authority.  We believe, repent, and are baptized into the name of Jesus (Acts 2:36-38), so we must say and do ‘whatever you do’ in His name, asking ourselves if Jesus would approve.

Every Christian has been given just a short time on earth to walk as Christ did for those we have influence over.  Does every word and action that comes from you build others up and encourage them to draw closer to God?  Do you see every person you meet and circumstance you are in as an opportunity for the gospel–or a teachable moment?

 

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Rethink Your Religion

Recently my wife and I attended a high school musical to support some of her students involved.  We asked a teacher selling tickets how it was, and her answer was “It’s so good, it’ll make you rethink your religion.”  This drastic measure is similar to the southern expression, “It’s so good, it’ll make you slap your Mama.”  Here, the food someone is eating is so delicious that the eater will be forced to strike his mother because her homemade cooking doesn’t compare.  While it was not intended to be a personal slight against our faith, ‘religion,’ in the first expression, is recognized as something intensely meaningful to people.  And so, to describe how good she considered the show, she said the experience would make us reconsider our core values–even the gospel that brings salvation!

I. Colossians 2:6-23.  The postmodern world we live in doesn’t believe in God and so has severed itself from Him and His Word as a standard for our lives.  It desperately seeks meaning and purpose and so grabs onto emotion and experience to futilely try to quench that need.  Sadly, many churches believe they must infuse their worship with the “hollow and deceptive philosophy” of the world as they have missed the deep and sufficient meaning and purpose in the gospel of Christ.

II. Acts 9:1-22.  There is a time to ‘rethink our religion.’  Saul, who became Paul, encountered such a time on the road to Damascus as he was “breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.”  When he realized he was persecuting Jesus who not only gives eternal life but a second chance on life, he was baptized and became a powerful preacher in the early church, who was willing to be persecuted for Jesus instead (Philippians 3:10-11).

III. Acts 18:24-28.  Complacency or misdirected zeal is another reason to ‘rethink our religion.’  There was no doubt that Apollos was a bold preacher already, but his knowledge was insufficient.  After Priscilla and Aquilla took him aside and “explained to him the way of God more adequately,” God used him to debate and prove from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.  A similar story happens with those still called “disciples” that Paul encountered that didn’t know about the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7).

Although the acting and musicianship of my wife’s students were superb, we didn’t much care for the worldly message of the musical.  The good and enjoyable experience was not enough for us to ‘rethink our religion,’ and we left sad for the wonderful packaging wrapped around ungodly themes but still holding onto our core values of the gospel of Christ.  What else could compare to it?

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Sticks & Stones

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.  Anyone who was ever told this old adage by a well-intentioned person after hearing some really hurtful words knows that they are just a tiny bandage on a gushing wound.  Words do indeed hurt, hurt right to our heart most times, and God has a lot to say about them and how we should use them.

I. Proverbs 15:1 says this about the nature of words, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  After David and his men had helped to look after Nabal’s sheep while in the wilderness, Nabal’s insulting refusal to allow them to attend the festivities at shearing time caused David to order his men to strap on weapons to seek this fool’s life (1 Samuel 25:10-13).  Abigail, Nabal’s wife, however, prepared food and quieted David’s anger with her words (23-31).

II. Ephesians 4:29 reminds us, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  This same passage gives us great examples of what God means by “unwholesome talk,” and we all struggle to control our tongues (James 3:3-9).  But, this verse is a great guide for the Christian: say it if and only if it will build the person up according to his needs, benefitting him in some way.

III. In Matthew 12:36, Jesus gives us this harsh reality, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.”  Like most sins, speaking careless words that cut people down, gossip about them, are shouted at them, or are coarse or foolish, make us temporarily feel better but have a devastating eternal consequence.  If we choose to live by faith like so many recorded in the Bible, we too will receive what is promised (Hebrews 11:39-40).

Aside from praying for others who may hurt us with their words and seeking opportunities to teach them God’s way from His Word so that their hearts might change, there’s not much we can do to stop them.  We can, however, control ourselves and our responses to such people.  And if we do, we not only show that Christians live differently than the world does, but we have the promise of eternal life.

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Put It into Practice

Many try to go through life with no instructions or bad instructions!  But, what about those who have God’s instructions but don’t read and apply them?  B.I.B.L.E. can stand for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.  Jesus says that those who hear God’s Word and put it into practice are His family.

I. Hebrews 8:3-6.  The Bible itself tells us there is a pattern of sound teaching (2 Timothy 1:13-14).  Aaron’s sons tried to follow their own pattern, and it didn’t go well (Leviticus 10:1-2). Because what Moses would build in the desert was a shadow of the reality in heaven, he was told to build the tabernacle according to the pattern shown to him on the mountain.  God’s Word is a pattern for us to build our lives.

II. Luke 8:19-21.  The theme of Luke 8 is putting God’s Word into practice.  In the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15), it is the one who hears the Word, retains it, and perseveres in it who produces a crop.  Like a light, we are to put God’s Word on a stand by living it out for others to see (Luke 8:16-18).  So, it is no wonder that Jesus considers family those who hear God’s Word and put it into practice.

III. 1 John 2:3-6.  Though it is popular to call everyone a child of God, it is those who obey God that He considers His children (1 John 3:10).  Since Jesus is the ‘Word made flesh,’ it is no wonder that He is the perfect and sinless example of how we are to live our lives.  When we walk as Jesus did, we hear God’s Word and put it into practice.  We must read and apply God’s instructions to do this.

Many say that ‘blood is thicker than water’ to justify that family is more important than friends or strangers.  But, with Jesus, ‘His blood is thicker than our genetics,’ meaning that those who are walking as He did while on earth, as recorded in His Word, are closer to Him than physical family.

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Do This and You Will Live

A man studies hard for an interview, gets the job, but continually hits the snooze alarm instead of going to work.  How long would he be employed?  Yet, how often Christians have such joy in obeying the gospel but hit the spiritual snooze alarm in the months and years that follow!  Even Jesus told us that we must maintain our relationship with Him by DO-ing something to live eternally.

I. Luke 10:25-28.  In the lead-in to “The Good Samaritan” story, the expert in the Law asked Jesus what he must DO to inherit eternal life.  Rather than tell him that he couldn’t work his way to heaven or that nothing else was required, Jesus confirmed that loving God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind and loving his neighbor as himself were all that the man had to DO.

II. John 15:9-14.  Jesus’ definition of DO-ing is action that proceeds from obedience.  That’s why faith is not just a mental affirmation that God exists and Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross forgives our sins.  Rather, faith is the actions that come from obedience, the maintaining of our relationship in Christ.  Love for God and our neighbor is the perfect “DO” we must do and reconciles Romans 4 and James 2.

III. Philippians 2:12-16.  We are told to work our our salvation with fear and trembling.  Our salvation, then, is not something we can put on a shelf to collect dust after we’ve obeyed the gospel.  It is something we must constantly (do I dare use the word?) “work” on, but it is not a “works salvation” but actions that come from obedience that maintains it.  Love is the fufillment of what Jesus says we must DO to live eternally.

So, examine your daily walk with Christ.  Are you at your job you interviewed so hard to get … or are you hitting the snooze alarm over and over?