Scripture
Vs 5 And Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
Vs 27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
Vs 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Vs 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.
Vs 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.
Vs 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Vs 46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
Vs 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
Vs 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock
Observation
This chapter begins and ends with Jesus’ mentions of “Lord”.
First, Jesus states a fact, “The Son of man if Lord of the Sabbath”.
Later, Jesus asks a question, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?”
Sandwiched between Jesus’ statement about His “Lordship” is a lot of discussion about our doing.
And the “doing” our Lord Jesus expects from us is in contrast to what the world expects of itself.
We can see this because Jesus begins his commands with, “But I say to you … “
And what does He want us to “do”?
So often it’s easiest to focus on the stated verbs to tell us what to “do” …
“Love” … “do good” … “bless” … “pray” … “offer” … “give” … “be merciful”.
But to live as Jesus is our Lord … He wants us to notice not just what we do, but who we do it to!
To indicate Jesus is our Lord … the recipients of our doing matters!
“your enemies” … “those who hate you” … “one who strikes you” … “one who takes from you” … “everyone who begs from you” …
It is not the “calling Jesus ‘Lord, Lord’ that makes Him Lord of someone’s life.
It is hearing Jesus’ word and doing them that makes Jesus Lord of a life.
Application
“Hears my word and Does them!”
Are there any greater words with a greater sense of “Application”?
Lord is not a title to be taken lightly.
I can call Jesus a lot of things but if I don’t do what He says then I can’t call Him lord.
Jesus’s teaching are commands, not advice.
Jesus is not a voice among others. Jesus is not one of my “advisors”.
Of course, the world is confused by what it should do … it makes sense to love the lovable and do good to the good.
It’s confusing to do the opposite … to love the unlovely and pray for enemies and give to the thief and beggar.
Of course, the world is also confused when I treat Jesus as an advisor, or His commands as mere suggestions.
When I call Jesus “Lord, Lord” and then act and do and live like everyone else … that’s confusing.
What kind of witness and testimony is that?
But it’s not just about “witness” and “testimony”.
Jesus says it bigger than that …
Jesus says it about “life” … and the life I want to “build”.
Do I want to build a steady life on a firm foundation?
Then I can’t live and do and act like everyone else.
The storms of life come for everyone … lives built on rock and lives built on stone.
Proper “doing” and “living” does not keep away the storms.
But it does keep steady the house in the midst of the storms.
Being a disciple of Lord Jesus is not gaining knowledge of His words.
It is doing what I know … the counter-intuitive, counter-cultural, Truth of Jesus.
Prayer
Thank you, God, again for your Word
Give me strength to live it out
Help me see others as you see them
Help me see you in them
Help me give and bless and pray
for those that the world would not understand
In Jesus name
Amen