House on Rock

Luke 6

We not only come and hear – we must do what Christ says – that is how a foundation is properly laid in our lives.

By far the simplest way of explaining this is to give you an example. Zacchaeus. You all know the story of the short man who had a job that made him hated by the people of his town. He was a tax-collector for the Romans who were the occupying force in Israel. Zacchaeus collected tolls and taxes from the people of his town and paid them over to the Romans. He took a large percentage of what he raised. He was regarded as a rich, money-grubbing traitor. This isolation and guilt stirred him to seek Jesus.

He came to Jesus – he took the trouble to get into a position where he could best see and hear him – he climbed a tree to give himself some altitude seeing he was so short. He came and Jesus noticed (no one genuinely coming to Christ is overlooked). Jesus went home to Zacchaeus’s house and there he spoke man to man to him. Zacchaeus heard Christ’s word – he listened intently and believed.

Not only did he hear – Zacchaeus did what Jesus said. He understood what it meant to live for God’s Kingdom and follow Christ, so he immediately set about putting right the wrong he had been doing. He switched from dishonest and money-grubbing, to honest and generous. Because he was ready to DO what a place in the Kingdom of God taught.

You want a foundation dug deep and strongly anchored to Christ? Then not only must you come to him, not only must you hear his word – but you must do what he says.

Your way of life must change.

Micah 6.8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

You have to DO that. You won’t be doing it on your own. Christ will be in you and his Spirit will strengthen you to do it. But DO IT you must!

He has TOLD you, O man or woman or youth what is good.

He has TOLD you, what the Lord requires of you.

He has TOLD you to do justice.

He has TOLD you to love kindness.

He has TOLD you to walk humbly WITH your God – not contrary to him – not in ways that disgust him – not in ways that undermind his word and his work – but WITH him.

You and him together in partnership. Just like a house anchored to a foundation – your life the house – Christ the foundation.

Nick and I and the Holy Spirit have been telling you what Christ told us:

If you are to have a foundation that ensures your life is forever safe in God – then you must dig deep and lay a foundation on the ROCK – and the Rock is Christ.

Lay that foundation by:

Coming to Christ

Hearing him.

And Doing what he says.