11-17-19 What are you becoming?

Scripture:    Luke 6:46-49

All He wants is all of you!

BECOMING

          Ministry should provide building blocks for discipleship, becoming the person God wants us to be.

           "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."  Luke 6:47-48

Luke 6:46-49

 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 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. 49 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."

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?

This verse is not about salvation – it is for the already believer. It is for the one who calls Jesus Lord.

Jesus asks a straight forward question: Why do you call me Lord? LORD?

Kyrio – kyrios = Lord -  a person exercising absolute ownership rights

When we come to Jesus we voluntarily give him absolute ownership rights. When the owner of the car turns the wheel to the right – the car turns right – it does not one day decide, the owner is turning the wheel right but I think I will just go straight ahead then veer left. So, Jesus is right to ask of us = all who take the wheel away from him = why in the world, if we have given him absolute ownership rights, are we steering our life in a different direction?  We need to join Carrie Underwood and say “Jesus take the wheel”

          Let’s look at how God acts compared to how we act. God is right in his inner being (the essence of who He is) which determines His outer works – the things He does. We are fallen, flawed, broken on the inside and out works reflect that. The only way we can change is to know who we are now on the inside and then let that live out of us. But, like the dog returns to its vomit, so we return to our former ways denying the very power and the Lordship of the one who is in us.

          God’s being determines His good works. Now that God is in us, we must learn to do good works. For instance – if you hate your enemy – you have not learned that God is in you with the power of love over hate. Therefore, you can exercise a behavior that shows you have God at work in you by praying for your enemy – it’s a start.

          When you do what God says to do by His power now in you, then you are BECOMING a disciple – the person God wants you to be. Salvation is automatic and free – Discipleship – “becoming” requires sacrifice and energy. If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting what you’ve always got and your workmanship will be brought to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.  Because you are saved does not automatically make you a disciple of Jesus – one who is becoming all God wants him to be.

THE ONE WHO DOES NOT DO WHAT GOD SAYS

49 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." We see those images on TV every time there is a flood – you are saved and so think your life is protected by the Dam. But when the waters rise, the dam can break, and your house can face destruction. Have you ever helped clean up a city after a flood (Cincinnati)? It sticks, everything is destroyed including lives. So, it is for the person who says Lord, Lord but does no do what he says.

THE ONE WHO DOES DO WHAT GOD SAYS

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.

FULLY AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW

“One afternoon author Patsy Clairmont found herself on an airplane, sitting next to a young man. She writes, ‘I had already observed something about this young man when I was being seated. He called me ‘Ma’am.’ at the time I thought, ‘Either he thinks I’m ancient, or he’s from the South where they still teach manners, or he’s in the service. I decided the latter was the most likely, so I asked, ‘You in the service?’  ‘Yes, Ma’am, I am.’

‘What branch?’  ‘Marines.’

‘Hey, Marine, where are you coming from?’  Operation desert Storm, Ma’am.’

‘No kidding? Desert Storm! How long were you there?’ ‘A year and a half.’ I’m on the way home. My family will be at the airport.

I then commented that he must have thought about returning to his family and home many times while he was in the Middle East.

‘Oh, no, Ma’am, he replied. ‘We were taught never to think of what might never be, but to be fully available right where we were.’”

Patsy commented about her experience:

Wow! What commitment that this soldier had to the military and what his commanders told him. I couldn’t help but think about the soldiers last words here, “to be fully available right where we were.” Could you imagine the difference Christians could make if they made that same commitment? The commitment to be fully available right where we are, right where we are placed. Too many Christians spend time wishing they were in a different place or in a different position instead of making the commitment to be fully available right where they are. God has placed us where we are for a reason. And when He is Lord in our life we are fully available to Him for whatever purpose He may have for us, great and amazing things will happen.

What are you – no – what are WE becoming? Fully Available Disciples of Jesus Christ to build an inspired community that creatively and compassionately reaches out to connect people to Jesus Christ.