The Thursday after the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 6, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 6:43-49 (NKJV)
6:43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
Devotion
Jesus is not saying that a Christian never sins. He is, however, saying that a non-Christian never does what God would consider a good work; he is not a fruit-bearing tree. “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6), because “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). In St. Matthew 25:32–33, Jesus distinguishes between the ‘sheep’ and ‘goats’, then displays their works to show the rightness of His judgment (vs. 34-46). Romans 14:23 shows that goat-works always dishonor God (even though He may turn them to the good of His Church, as in Romans 8:28).
Christians, as good trees, produce good fruit—if they’re bearing fruit at all. If not producing fruit, the Holy Spirit prunes by the Law and feeds with the Gospel so that they do. When the Law shows what fruit you are to bear and you see yourself lacking, the Gospel reminds you that your foundation isn’t of your works, but of the rock upon which you are built. Lest despair creep in to overtake you, this drives you to visit your pastor to confess your sins and receive God’s Absolution from him, so that he may also speak God’s Word to you and ready you to rejoice in being fed with the Body and Blood of Jesus. His dwelling in you will renew you to the bearing of good fruit, as St. Paul confessed (Gal. 2:20).
Collect: Grant, we beseech Thee, Merciful Lord, to Thy faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve Thee with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
