Luke 6:43-49
43 For there is no good tree that bears bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree that bears good fruit.
44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush.
45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.
46 “Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
47 Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like:
48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when there was a flood, the river burst against that house and yet it could not shake it, because it had been well built.
49 But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; and the river burst against it and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
The Foundation of Life
Is the fruit you bear a good fruit?
Jesus’ teaching to His disciples continues. He said, “For each tree is known by its own fruit.” Let us ask ourselves, “Why does a bitter persimmon tree produce only bitter persimmons?” The answer is quite obvious: because that tree bears the nature of bitter persimmons. If we want it to bear sweet fruit, we must graft in a branch from a sweet persimmon tree. In human reasoning, we say that a person who steals is a thief, and a person who lies is a liar. But the Bible teaches that people steal because they have the nature of a thief and lie because they have the nature of a liar. What is within comes out. Have you recently spoken harsh or rough words? According to Jesus’ teaching, that would mean your heart is unsettled. If that is the case, rather than adorning the outside, you should turn your attention to the management of your heart. Let’s think of remaining in Jesus, as a branch grafted into the true vine (John 15:5)?
Is the foundation of your life strong?
As a conclusion to the message on the plain, Luke records the parable of the man who built a house, emphasizing the importance of putting Jesus’ teaching into practice. Matthew emphasizes the same point, though there are slight differences in the details of the parable. In the Gospel of Matthew, the two men build their houses in different locations. In the Gospel of Luke, it is the same location, but the methods of building differ – specifically, whether or not the builder dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. These two houses appear to stand the same under normal circumstances. However, once a storm comes, they result in completely opposite outcomes. The word “storm” metaphorically represents the trials that arise in life, and at the same time, signifies God’s judgment in an eschatological sense (1 Cor. 3:11-15 depicts the moment when the true value of each person’s work will be tested). Among those I know, there are people who have battled serious illness, experienced bankruptcy, or sent loved ones to heaven, each having gone through various trials. And yet, they shine. What they all have in common is that they have built their lives upon the foundation of Jesus. Is your current way of life able to withstand the final judgment? Let us not be ones who merely say, “Lord, Lord,” but believers who walk faithfully with the Lord.
Today's prayer
Gracious God, I thank You for Your love-filled teaching. In a sense, our daily walk itself is preparation for the trials of life and for the final judgment. Today, please transform my inner being and lead me to live a life that bears good fruit. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.