Trey H. Little

Sermon Text:  Luke 6: 47-49

January 16, 2011

Albany, Texas

“Are You Well Built?”

I saw the most interesting cattle trailer on Wednesday of this past week—in big letters down the side was written:  “Bulls Bred Ford Tough.”  I didn’t know what to make of that—but it did go with my sermon thought for this week—I will try to explain.  Turn with me to Luke 6: 47-49 as we hear God’s word for us this morning.

            Are you a Ford or Chevy person?  That is a question I have been asked on more than one occasion since my arrival to Albany.  People around here are passionate about their trucks. Whether we want to admit it or not, we can border on defensiveness when it comes to our trucks.  Some Ford enthusiasts put the slogan “Built Ford Tough” to the test just to taunt the Chevy owners.  Likewise, the Chevy faithful will drive over a mesquite tree that many would use for firewood—for an entire winter—simply to show the “Ford-ites” that their truck was “Like a Rock.”  It is very entertaining to listen and watch the Ford vs. Chevy debates. 

But I wonder—how will I know if my Ford truck is truly built Ford tough?  Think about it, I am not likely to intentionally test Ford on this.  It is not likely that I am going to push my truck to the limit of toughness.  I will not be driving it into the side of a building—but I guess if a building jumped in front of me and I hit it I would find comfort in knowing my truck was tough.  Nor will I load my truck bed to a weight over the suggested maximum capacity and then attempt to drive over the Grand Teton Mountains—but I guess if that happened I would be thankful my Ford was built tough.

Here is my point:  there is comfort in knowing my Ford is well built.

Here is my question:  Are you well built?

God’s word tells us the answer to that question is “Yes.”  We read in Genesis that “God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him.”  And we know that all God created was good.  The Psalmist tells us, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” 2 Corinthians reminds us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”  The prophet Isaiah says, “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel; ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

Are you well built?—yes you are, because you were designed and created by the One True God to be that way. 

But I wonder—how will you know if you are truly BUILT LORD TOUGH?

In our text for this morning Jesus tells us not only of the importance of having a firm foundation but also the reality that it will be tested.  He is teaching that Christians should build their entire lives around His teachings, applying them to every facet of life.  He warns that if we don’t, we will be unable to withstand the pressures and temptations of this world and we will potentially be swept away.  Jesus calls us to take the time we have now—before the road gets rough—before the floodwaters come—before the payload gets to heavy—before the accident—before the warranty runs out—before the newness wears off—to reevaluate the way we live in light of Jesus in our lives.  He wants us to be BUILT LORD TOUGH—before we ever leave the lot!

He says, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?’” 

In other words, why do you say that you are a Christian—that you Love Jesus—that you have chosen to live your life for Him—and yet, your attitude and actions fail to reflect His teaching. 

It is like going to the doctor and being diagnosed with a problem and the doctor gives you a prescription, telling you to take the medication daily and check in with her in a week. The week passes; you go in for the follow-up appointment.  The doctor asks, “Have you been taking the medication?”  You say, “No, I decided I didn’t really need to.”  The doctor responds, “Then why are you coming to me for treatment?  Why ask my advice?  Why bother having a doctor at all?” (Life Application Bible Commentary, p. 168).

Jesus desires for us to COME to Him—which is what many of us presumably did when we surrendered our sins in order to claim His forgiveness.  In fact, many of us are pretty efficient about COMING to Jesus.  However, He also calls us to LISTEN to His teachings—to hear with our hearts His teachings to love Him and to love others.  All too often we COME to Jesus but fail to LISTEN.  But also, Jesus desires for us to OBEY His teachings.  When we COME to Jesus and seek His wisdom by LISTENING to His teachings, the real test—where the rubber meets the road—is if and when we OBEY.  When we COME, LISTEN and then OBEY we will be built on a solid foundation of Jesus’ teachings and be prepared to weather the storms of life. 

However, if we COME, LISTEN and DON’T OBEY, Jesus says “watch out!”  Think about it—you can drive down a street filled with houses and on the outside they may all look solid.  It not until a heavy wind or storm blows through that you can really see which ones are truly built on a solid foundation.  So it is with all of us—we can look around this Sanctuary and assume it is filled with solid Christians—on the outside it is hard to tell the difference.  But then adversity comes—a lost job; a difficult relationship; a call to give of your time and money to the Kingdom; a disagreement; a challenge within the church; a temptation that continues to knock on your door—how we react and act will say something of the foundation on which we are built.  .

Someone once said, “Character is revealed by ‘fruit’; faith is revealed by storms.”  It’s the difference between knowledge and wisdom—“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is NEVER putting it in a fruit salad!”

Friends, we have every opportunity to be Built Lord Tough because The Rock of our Salvation makes Himself available to us.  He provides us with unlimited teachings that are applicable to all aspects of our lives.  He provides us an example to follow.  He gives us hope to carry on.  He shows us what mercy and compassion and love really mean.  He embodies the magnificent and amazing grace of God.  He models the obedience He desires.  He reminds us that what matters most is the FOUNDATION—not the HOUSE.  What lies underneath is much more significant that what appears on the surface. 

In 2011 we will have twelve months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8760 hours, 525,600 minutes, or 3,153,600 seconds.  In one year we have so much time to accomplish many things or so much time to waste.  We have so much time to COME, LISTEN and OBEY or so much time to talk about how when things slow down we will get to it.  We have so much time to be productive or so much time to be unproductive.  We have so much time to get prepared or so much time to say “that won’t happen to me.”

Did you know the average person spends 40 minutes a day on the phone; 20 hours a month; 10 days a year; 2 years in a lifetime (this does not include texting and checking email from the phone).

The average person spends an hour a day in the bathroom.  This amounts to 30 hours a month; 15 days a year; and three years in a lifetime. 

The average person spends three hours a day watching television.  That’s 90 hours a month; 45 days a year; and 9 years in a lifetime.

The average Christian spends less than 10 minutes a day in prayer and study, which equates to less than 6 hours a month; 3 days a year; and 7 months in a lifetime.

I don’t want to be average anymore—how about you?

Friends, despite Ford’s advertising slogan “Built Ford Tough”—I have realized that my Ford truck has a few rattles.  It still breaks down.  It still needs to be tuned up and have the oil changed.  It still requires fuel to run.  I still need to take care of it.

            As Christians, we inevitably will experience things in our lives that could potentially rattle us.  We may even come to a place where we simply break down.  If we know this is coming—then why wouldn’t we want to do everything we could to be prepared?

            Friends, the challenge for us is to embrace Jesus’ teaching to be Built Lord Tough—to spend our time in 2011 TUNING UP, FUELING UP, and LOOKING UP—COME, LISTEN, and OBEY—then and only then will we truly know that we ARE WELL BUILT!

AMEN.