Wednesday, 8 December 2021
Title: Doing what Jesus says
By Thong Vee Kean

Luke 6:46-49 (NIV)

Jesus spoke of the wise and foolish builders in Luke 6:46-49. I see that the key to Luke 6:46-49 is in Luke 6:47, “As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.”

Have any of you come across a verse in the Bible that stopped you and made you ponder because it called you to do something? I have experienced this, as though Jesus was speaking to me face to face. I realised that doing what Jesus said and putting His words into practice is not easy. For instance, Jesus said, “…. must deny themselves and take up their cross daily ….” (Luke 9:23). Is it because I am used to doing things in my way, but Jesus is calling me to move away from that and do things in His way? It doesn’t get any easier as I continue my journey in following Jesus.

Any of us who have prepared answers for Bible Study questions may agree that the difficult ones include those that ask whether there is a lesson from the verses or passage that we can apply to ourselves or our present situation. They may also ask what, when, where, who and how we apply the passage. Some people may not answer these questions because they can’t relate to the passage. How can we follow what Jesus said, “…. hears my words and puts them into practice” (Luke 6:47)?

The outcome of hearing Jesus’ words but not putting them into practice is clear and inevitable. No matter how many classes, conferences, courses, seminars, studies, etc. on the Bible we attend or how many discourses, messages, sermons, etc. on His word we hear, if any of it is not put into practice, we may find ourselves like “…. a man who built a house on the ground without foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete” (Luke 6:49).

We certainly do not want to be like the foolish builder, so we ought to put what we hear into practice. I observe that many including myself tend to do what we think pleases Jesus, interpreting what His word says. This is evident when we proceed with a course of action that we have decided on. Some may find the going difficult and lose heart when the desired outcome is not achieved. Some may perceive His word to be merely a set of dos and don’ts to be followed.

But Jesus said, “As for everyone who comes to me” before He said, “and hears my words and puts them into practice” (Luke 6:47). He also said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). Do we have an intimate relationship with Jesus? Do we commune with Him every day to learn from Him? So, when He says something, do we instinctively know what He means and do what He wants us to do?

Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, we come before You with humble hearts through Your Son. We are indebted to You for our relationship with You. Teach us Your ways O Lord so that we can learn from You and do what You say. In the most precious name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen.

班底浸信教会
每日灵粮
星期三, 2021年12月8日
标题：照耶稣所说的去行
作者：汤伟权弟兄
翻译：陈健萍姐妹

【路加福音6:46-49】（和合本）

耶稣在路加福音6:46-49提到了聪明和愚昧无知的盖房子的人。我看到这段经文的关键句是路加福音6:47， 凡到我这里来，听见我的话就去行的，我要告诉你们他像什么人。

您们曾否遇到过圣经中的一节经文，因为它召唤您去做某事而让您停下思考？我有这样的经历，就好像耶稣在与我面对面说话一样。我察觉，照耶稣所说的去行，把祂的话付之于行动并不容易。例如，耶稣说： “…当舍己，天天背起他的十字架… （路加福音9:23)。是不是因为我习惯了用自己的方式做事，而耶稣却在召唤我远离这种方式，用祂的方式做事？当我继续跟随耶稣前行时，这并没有变得更容易。

我们中任何一位曾为查经的讨论问题准备答案的人都可能会同意，困难的问题包括那些问我们是否从经文或段落中得到了教导，可以应用到我们自己或我们目前的情况。他们可能还会询问我们什么、何时、何处、谁以及如何应用这段话。有些人可能不回答这些问题，因为它们与文章不相关。我们怎样才能遵循耶稣所说的， “…听见我的话就去行” （路加福音6:47）？

听了耶稣的话而不去实践的结果是清楚的，也是必然的。无论我们参加多少关于圣经的课程、会议、培训、研讨会、研究等，或我们听到多少关于祂话语的论述、信息、讲道等，若没有付诸行动，我们会发现自己就像 “…一个人在土地上盖房子，没有根基。水一冲，随即倒塌了，并且那房子坏得很大” （路加福音6:49）。

我们当然不想像那愚昧无知的盖房子的人，所以我们应该把所听见的行出来。我留意到许多人，包括我自己，倾向于做我们认为讨耶稣喜悦的事情，诠释祂的话。当我们采取我们已经决定的行动时，这一点是显而易见的。当预期的结果没有实现时，有些人会觉得前进的道路很困难，他们会灰心丧气；有些人可能认为祂的话只是一套必须遵守的行为准则。

但耶稣说 “凡到我这里来” 先于说 “听见我的话就去行的” (路加福音6:47)。祂也说 “凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式，这样，你们心里就必得享安息” （马太福音11:28-29）。我们与耶稣有亲密的关系吗？我们每天都与祂交流，向祂学习吗？那么，当祂说话的时候，我们是否本能地了解祂的意思，并做祂希望我们去做的事？

祈祷：
我们在天上的父，我们藉着祢的儿子，怀着谦卑的心来到祢跟前。为我们能与祢建立关系，我们满心感谢祢。主阿，求祢将祢的道指教我们，好叫我们可以效法祢，遵行祢的话。我们奉我们主耶稣最宝贵的名祷告，阿们。