Living on the
Rock
Genesis 6: 9-22;
FPC;
In that text Jesus makes reference to religious people,
people who regularly attend worship
services, people who profess faith saying, “Jesus is Lord,” people who speak and
live in the name of Jesus. These are
the kinds of people who might have expected Jesus to commend them for their
piety.
But, instead
Jesus issues this warning, “Not everyone who professes, “Jesus is Lord,” will
enter the kingdom of heaven…”
It is an
unsettling text because we also are religious people, people who make profession
of faith Sunday after Sunday, people who sing and pray, all in the name of
Jesus.
What would
prompt Jesus to deliver these sharp words of judgment?
It is important
to note where this text is located in Matthew’s gospel.
It is, in fact, the last passage in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the
unrivaled series of teachings that have been referred to as “the great Design
for Life,” or “Rules for Christian Living.”
Similar to a
building code that a builder of houses must follow, this section of Matthew’s
gospel is a code that we, or any who profess to be Christian, are to follow.
These phrases
from the Sermon on the Mount are among the most familiar and meaningful phrases
of the entire bible:
“Blessed are
the poor in Spirit….You are the salt of the earth; You are the Light of the
world….If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other
also….Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you….where your treasure is
there will your heart be also….you cannot serve two masters…seek first the
kingdom of God….do to others as you would have them do to you.”
“Those who hear
these words of mine and act on them are wise,” says Jesus, “Those who hear these
words of mine and fail to act on them are foolish.”
As one person
has said: Jesus’ “words of judgment are aimed at those who want acceptance
without change, forgiveness without repentance, grace without discipleship.”[1]
Worship is empty-the hymns that are sung, the professions of faith that are
offered, the prayers of confession that are lifted up-all are empty if not
accompanied by a life of faithfulness.
For Jesus, Christian
discipleship is measured by faithful obedience, doing the will of the Heavenly
Father, not only hearing but also acting on Jesus’ teaching.
Someone has
said: “He does not believe that does not live according to his belief.”
A farmer once
was visited by a couple of young, energetic evangelists. They knocked on
his door and asked if he “was a believer in Christ”.
The farmer left the two at the door and went into his farmhouse for a
pencil and a pad of paper. Coming back to the two evangelists, he gave them a
list of 10 people. “These are the names of my neighbors. Go talk with them. They
will be able to tell you whether what I say I believe is truly how I live.”[2]
We had a
wonderful series of confirmation classes.
These eight youth, who soon will be standing before you, were attentive
and inquisitive. We talked about the
church, theology, the importance of faith; in fact, among the assignments I gave
them was the composition of their own statements of faith, which they shared
with the Session earlier this morning.
We also discussed how important it is for our actions to be consistent
with what we say we believe.
One of the
Biblical texts we considered was Colossians 3 where Paul uses the metaphor of
clothing to speak of Christian discipleship.
“As God’s
chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
humility, and patience…above all clothe yourselves with love which binds
everything together in perfect harmony.”
It is not enough to admit
that those are the clothes we need to be wearing.
A verbal acknowledgment that the Lord calls us to live lives of kindness,
humility, patience and love is shallow unless it is accompanied by acts of
compassion, kindness, patience and love.
“You are the
light of the world,” Jesus said in his sermon on the mount, “...no one after
lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on a lamp stand, and it
gives light to all in the house…let your light so shine that others may see your
good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
“Those who hear
these words of mine and act on them are wise,” says Jesus, “Those who hear these
words of mine and fail to act on them are foolish.”
I will close
with these words of St Teresa of
Christ has no body now
on earth but yours,
no feet but yours, no hands but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which the compassion
of Christ is to look out on a hurting world.
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless all now.[3]