Neville Turley

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22 (NIV)

In our Bible verse for today, the Apostle James was reiterating the words of the Lord Jesus; “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and yet do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)

Jesus makes it clear that there is absolutely no point in merely paying him lip service.  We must be willing to apply his teaching.  Jesus illustrated this call to action with a parable about two house builders.

One was a wise builder and the other one was foolish.  In Luke’s version of the parable, the wise builder ‘dug deep’ and built his foundation on rock (Luke 6:48).  The foolish builder took the easy way out and built his house on sand.

Then the storms came and both houses were equally battered when ‘the rain poured down, the rivers overflowed and the wind blew hard’ (Matthew 7:25)  The house built on the rock stood firm, unlike the house built on the sand which collapsed under the pressure of the stormy weather and was totally ruined.

Jesus as a carpenter would have had a sound knowledge of the building trade.  He would have known the crucial importance of a building having a solid foundation.  So he used that knowledge to reveal a great spiritual truth.

Obedience to his teaching is the only solid foundation on which to build our life.  He, and only he, is the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.  (Hebrews 5:9)

Everyone who hears the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ is either a foolish or a wise builder.  Those who do not obey him are building their life on sand and face a dismal future.  Jesus the Rock of our Salvation is the only foundation on which to build.  Those who do so will weather the storms of life and eternal glory is their destiny.

Prayer: Almighty God anoint us with your Holy Spirit that we may praise and honour you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen