Time To Get Honest

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? - Luke 6:46

Jesus asks this question at the end of the Sermon on the Plain. We tend to skim right by it and read on into the teaching about the house built on sand vs. rock. But maybe we should answer the question first.

So let’s break this down. Do you call Jesus your Lord? Ok, now that that’s nailed down, do you do what he says?

Let me give you a hint as to the answer - it’s “No.” After all, in the verses just before this he talked about loving your enemies, not judging others, and giving to everyone who asks something of you. So I think the answer is pretty clear that, no, you do not do what he says.

So now we have to answer his question: Why?

Let’s take it as a real question and think about the different reasons why we don’t do what Jesus says to do. What motivates you, who call him Lord, to not do what he says?

• What are the momentary urges that nudge you away from the ways of Jesus on an impulse, and what are your deeply held convictions that stand like a concrete wall between you and his teachings?

• When it comes to your resistance, what is stirring underneath the surface of your soul - how much is laziness, how much is fear, and how much is simply being uninformed about his teachings?

• Or are you just protecting yourself or trying to recover from religious people who misused his teachings to hurt you so you’ve vowed not to be hurt again and have allowed your skepticism to keep Jesus himself at bay?

There’s plenty to process here - be courageous and search for that kairos moment in it all…