Luke
Why Call Me Lord? Building on a Firm Foundation
Speaker
Pastor Troy Ingersoll
Date Published
Scripture: Luke 6:46–49
Topic: Lordship, Obedience, and Spiritual Foundations
I. Announcements & Opening
- Lottie Moon Christmas Offering: The church goal is $1,500. If met, it will be matched up to $2,000.
- Upcoming Events:
- Christmas Cantata: Sunday, Dec 14th.
- Christmas Party: Saturday, Dec 20th at 5:00 PM (Bring a White Elephant gift and cookies).
- Christmas Eve Service: Dec 24th at 6:00 PM.
- New Year's Eve Progressive Dinner: Dec 31st at Noon (Sign-up sheet in the back).
II. Introduction: Conflict and Listening
- Conflict sells: Referencing Meet the Press and Oliver North, the pastor noted that news cycles thrive on conflict, yet we seek the Prince of Peace.
- The Dog and the Christmas Lights:
- The Illustration: The pastor shared a story about his dog eating a strand of Christmas lights despite being told "no."
- The Application: This mirrors our relationship with God (and our parents). We hear the lecture/instruction, but it often goes "in one ear and out the other." We listen, but we do not do.
III. The Question of Lordship (Luke 6:46)
- "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and do not do what I say?"
- The Double "Lord": In that culture, saying "Lord" once was respectful. Saying it twice ("Lord, Lord") implied reverence to a supreme being or deity.
- Talk is Cheap: It is easy to profess faith with words, but actions must back it up.
- The Medical Analogy:
- We treat God like a restaurant (only ordering what we want) or a doctor whose diagnosis we ignore.
- When we go to a doctor, we expect a diagnosis and a cure. When we go to God, we should expect Him to speak into our lives and we must follow His prescription.
IV. Decision Making and Indecision
- 99% of Decisions are Already Made:
- If you are a follower of Christ, the big decisions—dating, finances, conflict resolution—are already decided by Scripture.
- We don't need to wait for a mystical sign for things the Bible already addresses.
- The Starving Donkey: A fable of a donkey standing between two bales of hay, unable to decide which to eat, and starving to death. Indecision is dangerous.
- The Sailboat Principle: "There is no such thing as a favorable wind unless you have a destination." You cannot just drift; you must have a direction based on God’s Word.
V. The Wise and Foolish Builders (Luke 6:47-49)
- The Parable:
- Wise Builder: Digs deep and lays a foundation on rock. When the flood comes, the house is unshaken.
- Foolish Builder: Builds on the ground without a foundation. The collapse is immediate and total.
- The "Buried Logs" Illustration:
- GDC (General Development Corp): The pastor recalled how some developers used to bury trees and logs under the soil to save money rather than clearing them.
- The Result: Eventually, the logs rot, termites come, and the foundation sinks.
- Spiritual Application: You cannot build a spiritual life on a "rotting" foundation of shortcuts.
VI. Conclusion: Depth vs. Soundbites
- The "Soundbite" Culture:
- We live in an age of TikTok, Reels, and 30-second clips. While these can be inspirational, they are not a foundation.
- Digging Deep: We need to move back to a "Bible Drill" mentality—knowing the Word of God, memorizing it, and embedding it in our hearts rather than just "Googling" our faith.
- Call to Action: Don't just let the Word tickle your ears. Dig deep, build a foundation on Scripture, and do what the Lord says.