27 June 2019 - firm foundations

Today's Readings

(Audio)

Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

It isn't about having the appearance of a disciple. Saying 'Lord, Lord,' isn't enough in itself. Even the apparently miraculous is not enough. We are called to do the will of the Father in heaven and to listen to and act upon the words of his Son. We must guard against constructing lives which have the mere appearance of religion but which have some other ultimate direction than the Father's will. 

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit (see First Corinthians 12:3).

There is a right way and a wrong way to proclaim the Lordship of Christ. The demons his identity but when they speak it they are silenced. They aren't speaking it by the Spirit. They aren't trying to proclaim his name so that it might be known but rather to sow confusion and are therefore silenced by Jesus himself. But we who have received the Holy Spirit can say "Jesus is Lord" by the Spirit. The Spirit himself gives testimony within us about the identity of Jesus.

We are called to build our house on the rock of Christ and his Church. We do this with actions in accord with the words Jesus gives us from the Father. We can't do it off on our own, ignoring the words of Jesus, even if for a time the results seem to be both good and perhaps verge on miraculous. We must be directed by the Spirit as to always seek the will of the Father. "Jesus is Lord" is more than a simple proclamation in this sense. When we proclaim these words in the Spirit our whole lives in reoriented toward him as our compass or our north star.

Abram tried doing things on his own apart from the Father's will. He had some apparent results when Hagar bore a child. It was only in trusting in God's word to him that he received the promised blessing. Only in God do we find a solid rock on which to build.

Visit me with your saving help,
that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your people,
and glory with your inheritance.