
Inside Out
March 27, 2022
Luke 6:43-49
43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Read Luke 6:43-45
- These verses suggest that we can assess our ‘goodness’ or ‘badness’ based on the fruit our life produces. For most of us, our fruit is a bit of a mixed bag. What is some good fruit your life is producing? What is some of the not-so-good fruit you see your life producing?
- These verses speak about the relationship of our heart to our behavior. How would you describe the way these two areas influence and affect each other? What does it take to change behavior? What does it take to change one’s heart? What are the implications?
Read Luke 6:46-49
- Matthew includes this parable in his gospel (Matt. 7:24-27). How is Matthew’s account different than Luke’s?
- Jesus provides a profound simile to describe two kinds of people. Both kinds of people hear Jesus’ words. What differentiates the first group from the second group?
- How does putting Jesus words into practice make our life more stable and less destructible?
- These verses speak most directly about our conduct, our behavior. How is this different from Jesus’ focus in verses 43-45? How do these two passages work together?