I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it.
It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.
But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.” —Luke 6:47-49 NLT
Built to Last
faulty
“I thought, ‘Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark.’ Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate. Both will die. So I said to myself, ‘Since I will end up the same as the fool, what’s the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!’ For the wise and the foolish both die. The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool. In the days to come, both will be forgotten.” —Ecclesiastes 2:1`3-16 NLT
“I said to myself, ‘Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.’ But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, ‘Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?’ After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. ANd while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.
I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees. I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves. I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kinds who had lived in Jerusalem before me. I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!
So I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors.
But as I looked at everything I had worked to hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless–like chasing the wind. THere was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.” —Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 NLT
“I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. HOw meaningless! SO I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.
Some people work wisely with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a great tragedy. So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.” —Ecclesiastes 2:18-23 NLT
“It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old foolish king who refuses all advice. Such a youth could rise from poverty and succeed. He might even become king, though he has been in prison. But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth who replaces him. Endless crowds stand around him, but then another generation grows up and rejects him, too. So it is all meaningless–like chasing the wind.” —Ecclesiastes 4:13-15 NLT
“Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth–except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!” —Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 NLT
On judgement day many will say to Me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God’s laws.’” —Matthew 7:21-23 NLT
Jesus and His
I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it.
It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. —Luke 6:47-48 NLT
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.” —Psalm 18:2 NLT
“For they drank form the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.” —1 Corinthians 10:4 NLT
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.” —1 Peter 2:6 NLT
“Why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ When you don’t do what I say?” —Luke 6:46 NLT
“But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.” —Luke 6:49 NLT
Hearing and not
Disucssion Questions
What is something you have in your life currently that you’d say is “built to last?” Maybe its a car or an appliance, etc?
What are some things other than God and our relationship with Jesus that we’re tempted to build our lives on? What are some things other than Jesus that you’ve been tempted to build your life on, or have attempted to build your life on at some point?
Why do you think we’re tempted to look to things or people other than God to provide a solid foundation for our lives?
According to Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:46-49, what is the foundation we should be building our lives on? How do we do this?
Read Luke 6:49. What warning is given to those Jesus addresses in verse 46? Those who call Jesus Lord but do not do waht He says? How can you be sure that what happens to them doesn’t happen to you?
If we know the warning is there of what will happen if we neglect Jesus’ teaching, why do you think we so often struggle to follow it?