Do You Mean “Lord”?
We say things we don’t mean all the time. We are asked, “How are you?” Even though our life could make for a top hit country song when everything is collapsing around us and our dog just died, we reply, “Fine.” Or even better: “I don’t mean to interrupt but….” Of course, I’m interrupting while stating that I don’t mean to interrupt.
In Luke 6:46, Jesus says: “‘Why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say?’” (NIV). Jesus is wondering why we give verbal assent that Jesus is Lord, but our lives are not proof that Jesus is Lord. If Jesus were Lord of our lives, we would do what He says. When we don’t do what He says, we are proclaiming that He is not Lord of our lives.
Two questions to get you thinking: 1) Are you saying that Jesus is Lord of your life? 2) Are you showing that Jesus is Lord of your life?
After His probing question, Jesus continues by giving an illustration. Someone who walks in obedience to what Jesus says to do is like a man who built his house on the solid foundation of rock. When the floodwaters came, that house stood strong because it was well built.
Someone who hears what Jesus says but chooses to not listen but do life another way is like a man who built his house without a foundation. Though the house looked fine, when the floodwaters came, this house immediately falls. Jesus describes the destruction of that house as being “great” (see Luke 6:47-49).
Jesus does not want us to live with Him as Lord just because He deserves that, though He does. He also wants us to live with Him as Lord of our lives because it will ultimately be a better life for us, especially when the storms of life come.
When we live our lives like Jesus calls us to, we will be able to survive and even thrive through the tough times of life. Jesus said that the house built on the strong foundation could not be shaken by the flood. The life that is built on the strong foundation of Jesus will be able to stand strong in the midst of the difficulties of life. Storms are not enjoyable. And, they can be quite scary and overwhelming. But, our lives can stand through them if Jesus is Lord in our words and our actions.
If we do not live with Jesus as Lord, when the storms of life come our lives will come crashing down around us. We will not stand.
Jesus says the reality that Jesus is Lord is proven less with our words and more with our actions. Do you say, “Jesus is Lord of my life”? Do you live “Jesus is Lord of my life”? If not, please hear the words of Jesus: “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord” and do not do what I say?”