Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

Luke 6:39-49 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible (link available on links page)

³⁹ And He also spoke a parable to them: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰ A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. ⁴¹ Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴² Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. ⁴³ For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. ⁴⁴ For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. ⁴⁵ The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

Builders and Foundations

⁴⁶ “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷ Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: ⁴⁸ he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Jesus is His name. Lord and Christ are what He is. Christ means savior, deliverer, Messiah. Lord is a master, a ruler, one who has authority. Jesus is the Lord. The question is, is He my Lord? Is He your Lord?   Jesus asks why do you call me, Lord Lord, and not do what I say. He compares the obedient to the disobedient in this short parable. The obedient person, He says, is like a man building a house, who dug  deep and laid a foundation on the rock.   Jesus speaks of buliding on a rock in Matthew 16:15-18

 “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸ I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.  

It is on the rock of the revelation that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus says He will build His church. It is on the rock of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ that we are to build our house, our lives. Jesus says it is like digging deep to lay a sure foundation. Psalm 1:1-3 says:

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
² But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Our roots should be firmly planted by the streams of living water. Jesus says:  but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”(John 4:14)    He is the living water. Our roots should go deep in Him.  Again, Jesus question is,  “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?  It is vital to our obedience that we know what Jesus says. The psalmist says blessed is the man who...his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.    We need to personally and individually know what Jesus says. We do this first by devotion to scripture, the wrtten word. Jesus is the Word made flesh(John 1:14) So we know Jesus and know what He says by knowing the written Word. Jesus though is also the living word and still speaks to us today. We know what Jesus says today individually through devotion to Him, times of worship, prayer and listening. We can be sure though, that what Jesus says or reveals to us today will never contradict what He has revealed in scripture. New revelation of the word may clarify or give new perspective but it will never change the truth established and declared in scripture.

We also can hear what Jesus is saying through His prophets and teachers. Again, we need to know that if what a prophet or teacher is saying does not line up with, confirm and clarify the written word we should not listen, to that word or that person. That's why it is critical that we  are individually devoted to scripture. Today's text began with:  “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit?  A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.    If we don't personally know the word we are blind to it's truth and we can be led by another blind man into a pit of deception. It says a pupil will become like his teacher. We need to be certain that our teachers are trust worthy. In John 16:13-15, Jesus describes the most reliable teacher." ...when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you."  The Holy Spirit can be fully trusted to teach us all things. He is God.

None of this should be taken lightly by us. Jesus says that if we do not build deep on this foundation of obedience to truth we will be;  like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”     We can be certain that trials, difficulties, the torrent will come. Jesus says: These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”(John 16:33)   If we have built our foundation in and on our Lord, Jesus Christ we will overcome as He has overcome. If we do not then everything we have in this life can be shaken, collapse and be lost. Even worse our eternal life also is at stake. Jesus says:  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ²² Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Jesus asks:  “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.

Heavenly Father, my Father, Lord Jesus Christ, my Lord and Holy Spirit, my teacher and guide thank You for all that You have done for me and in me. Forgive me for the areas in my life that I have not completely surrendered in obedience to You. I desire to dig deep and lay a solid foundation of obedience to Your truth. Thank You that You have promised that You will never leave me or forsake me. That through You, Lord Jesus, in obedience to You I  can not be shaken and I will overcome.  I desire to drink deeply of Your living water.  Make real in my life the promise of John 7:38.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” So that I may lead others to drink deeply of Your truth. To You God, be all the praise, honor and glory.    Amen