A Deeper Look.

Eastford Baptist Church
February 14, 2007

“Why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:46-49)

Back in the days when the Old West was being settled, pioneers were flocking across the country to California and Oregon. In one particular spot on the Eastern slopes of the Rockies there was a large, dirt encrusted lump in the middle of the trail. Wagons rolled over it and men tripped over it. Finally someone dug up the lump and rolled it off into a nearby stream. The stream was a little too wide to jump over, but by using that lump, people could “two-step” over the water. It was used as a stepping stone for years, until finally one settler built his cabin near the stream. He carried the lump out of the stream and placed it in his cabin to serve as a doorstop. As years passed, railroads were built and modern cities sprang up. The old settler’s grandson went east to study geology. On a visit to his grandfather’s cabin, the grandson happened to examine the old lump of stone and discovered that within that lump of dirt and rock was the largest pure gold nugget ever discovered on the eastern slope of the Rockies. It had been in his grandfather’s home for years, serving only to hold the door open! In fact it had been used by three generations, with each generation looking at it in a different way. To some it was a stumbling stone to be removed. To others it was a stepping stone, to others it was just a heavy rock. But only the grandson saw it for what it really was - a piece of pure gold. All it took to discover the treasure was a deeper look.
In the passage above Jesus is asking a probing question, “Why do you call me Lord and don’t do what I say?” Try to imagine Jesus looking into your eyes and asking this question. I imagine any of us would get a little uncomfortable if it was aimed at us. None of us like to have contradictions pointed out in our lives. And that’s exactly what Jesus does when he asks the question. “You say one thing, but you do something else. You call me Lord, (which means master, ruler, or boss) but you ignore my teachings. Can’t you see the incongruity?” It’s his way of saying, “You need to take a deeper look at the way you are living your life. Don’t ignore the obvious contradiction.” The old cliché, “talk is cheap” is true. Words come easy, but our Lord is looking for more than mere lip service. Calling Jesus “Lord” carries the expectation of a relationship where we are willing to act upon what He teaches.
To point out the danger of living this way Jesus then tells what is probably one of the most well known parables in the Bible. You probably know the story. It’s about two people who are building houses. Both have the resources to build. Both presumably have the insight on how to build properly. Both houses will face the same inevitable storms that come our way. The difference between the two people is how they build. One (the wise man) takes the time to dig down deep until he reaches a foundation of solid rock. The other builder takes a short cut. He is content with building from the surface up. Both claim the same Lord. But only one hears and puts what he hears into practice. The other just hears. The predictable result is that when the hard wind blows, the foolish man’s house collapses and is destroyed.
OK, time for a pop quiz: What is the primary difference between the wise man and the foolish man? One has a strong, deep foundation built upon the rock of God’s Word. The other sits on sand – he listens to the Word but does nothing. If you looked at both houses from the outside, they might look exactly the same. But it’s the stuff you can’t see that really matters in life. The foundational question we all have to ask is, “On what are we building our life?” Are our lives being shaped and transformed as we interact with the Word of Truth? Or do we read the Bible the same way we might read a novel or some other kind of book. The Bible is not like any book known to man. It is the Word of God and it reveals the heart and mind of our Creator. It is a sure guide for our life and will be a solid support when the storms of life come our way.
Jesus is saying every one of us is the architect of our own life. And we have a choice to make. We can either choose to build our life on the shifting sands of man-made ideas, or on religion, or on self-help philosophies and then face what Jesus said would ultimately happen, which is a great crash. Or we can build our lives on the solid rock of His Word, a foundation firmly grounded in truth.
Be a wise person. Read His Word and then do what it says. As you look deeply into it, I assure you that you will find a treasure that many overlook and your life will have a foundation you can build upon.
All it takes to discover the treasure – is a deeper look.

Stay Warm in His Blessings,
PT