This Devotional message is part of the Clayton Church Value-Based Discipleship series, which was launched on Sunday 23 July 2017. View the series index here.

Passage: Luke 6:46-49

Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.

Scripture

The passage starts off with an effective punch-line and lesson for application – if we call Jesus Lord, we definitely should be obedient to his commands. Not that I want to boast, but I do take heart and comfort that I sometimes feel that without my deep grounding and foundation in the rock of Christ Jesus, I would be nothing. Floods have indeed washed through my life, but nowadays, it feels like the tides and waves crashing have been affecting others around me more, so much so that in some ways I find myself standing beside and behind those individuals along with Jesus in strengthening their foundations of faith.

My Words

Retelling the story for someone else (you – my audience):

If, in recognising and calling out to Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we need to follow through with our convictions to claim both his promises and teachings and apply them to our lives in obedience. When we have that close relationship and place our hope in the Lord, He becomes our strength, our shelter and comfort. These characteristics become even more pronounced during times of testing when our faith is challenged or we are required to stand up for the cause of Christ. That close relationship is reinforced and made know to all those who bear witness to God working in the lives of sincere and obedient believers. Similarly, and in contrast, for those who struggle to be obedient to God will not reap the rewards of a growing faith and God cannot work in their lives. The unbelief itself blocks and denies God the opportunity for Him to be the love, joy, peace and hope – all because that person chooses to disobey and not turn from their state of sin.

What I Discovered

Insights revealed by this passage are jam packed into my retelling of the passage above. Our faith is reinforced and a result of our obedience. This core message was first awakened and packaged accordingly by Amir and his preaching.

It is one thing to recognise Jesus as Lord, Savior, Messiah and Christ, but it is another thing to obey him. It is ultimately more important to obey Him and His commands. Interestingly, obedience can take place first, which will lead to faith and belief later. The act of obedience in itself is what lays and builds into the foundation of faith. The foundation of faith is a two-way thing – we obey and God in turn builds into our faith, solidifying and reinforcing it. Thus, Jesus becomes the rock of our faith and it all starts with the simple act of obedience.

It was not one of the worship songs selected for the message on Actively Hearing & Obeying yesterday, but the bridge is a constant theme ringing in my mind:

You are the Rock on which I stand
By Your grace it is well
My hope is sure in Christ my Savior
It is well with my soul

Obedience Step

“I Will”

I will be obedient to what I hear from God and step out in faith to declare it and act upon His instruction appropriately.

Threadless Artist Shop Design

Today’s devotion is summarised in the single design graphic above and has been added to my Threadless Artist Shop under the collection Discipleship Devotionals as Luke 6:46.