How real is your faith?
Bible Text: Luke 6:43-49 | Preacher: Andrew Love | Series: Luke’s Gospel | Introduction
Anecdote of two jars
How do we react when caught off guard?
The passage:
Two people
Two trees
Out of the abundance of your heart the mouth speaks
If you have an unregenerate heart – eventually your true colours will be seen
Jesus us concerned with hypocrisy
A good outward appearance
Inwardly are dead
A very challenging passage
Jesus knows our heart
He sees things that others can’t see
What is in the heart will be revealed in our speech
Overview:
v43-45 How you are determines what you produce
v46 The Orthodox confessions are not enough
v47-49 Only one way to stand before the judgment of God
Very straight forward and simple
How you are determines what you produce (v43-45)
A good tree does not produce bad fruit
There may be seasons that produce less, but it will produce good fruit
A bad tree bears bad fruit
Initially fig trees and thorns looked similar, but as they grew they were distinguished
Jesus is saying we cannot change ourselves
If you are to please God you need a change on the inside
Cor 2:14
Sin is part of our nature and we have a tendency towards it
John 1:13 – people are born of God
Our nature is changed by God
v45
What comes from within our heart?
Jesus taught that it is not thing things from without that defiles us
The things that defile is come from within – our heart
Rom 3:13
Where is your heart?
Do not follow those who practice false lives
Matt 7:15-16, 20
Be care following those who do not live God honouring, fruitful lives
Recap
Challenge: Where is your heart this morning?
The Orthodox confessions are not enough (v46)
Many called Jesus ‘Lord, Lord’
Many followed Him
There were numerous disciples
He was concerned they were practicing what He taught them
Matt has an extended version of v46
But have people really confessed Jesus as Lord
‘Lord, Lord’
A double confession
An orthodox confession
It is not enough to speak with your mouth but you must believe in your heart – Rom 10:9
A great danger: The ‘altar-call’ or decisionism
Not a scriptural tenant
Not to exclude those who truly believe
No guarantee that they are saved
Only one way to stand before the judgment of God (v47-49)
We cannot build on any foundation apart from Jesus Christ
They will know difficulty but they will bear fruit
On the final day of judgment they will stand
They will be taken up into glory
They are on a sure foundation – nothing can shake them
The devil cannot pluck them from the Father’s hand
They cannot lose their salvation
A warning:
Those who heard the good news of Jesus but didn’t repent of their sins
They had no foundation and the house failed
Jesus doesn’t want people to plunge into hell
People standing on their own values and hopes
Is your life built on a solid foundation?
We have heard challenging things in this sermon – examples
How can we obey such wonderful and challenging words?
Only by God’s grace
By giving us a new heart
Which tree are we?
What foundation do we have?
May it be that we are all found firm in Jesus Christ