Thursday after the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 3, 2022 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.”
Devotion
Jesus speaks of fruit trees as compared to men: “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit.” Implied: A good tree bears good fruit. “Nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.” Implied: A bad tree bears bad fruit.
And as to men: A good man with a good heart—a heart full of repentance and faith—produces good. An evil man with an evil heart—a heart full of unbelief in the Christ— produces evil. “For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Whatever prevails within our hearts eventually comes out—whether belief in Christ with its attendant good or unbelief and its attendant evil.
And then Jesus speaks to what men do with rock compared with what they do with His Word. A man who hears Jesus’ Words and does what they say is like a man who—when building a house—digs deep and lays the foundation of his house on bedrock—so that even when storms and floods come the house remains solid and stable. Compare that to the man who when he hears Jesus’ words does not do what they say—he is like the man who when building his house builds the house without a foundation only to watch the streams and floods wash it away.
Prayer: 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.
