Thursday after the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on October 26, 2023 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
The appointed text for this day’s meditation tells us what we are called to be as Christ’s disciples—and what we are called to avoid and resist. The Lord declares that our words and actions reveal what is in our heart, for the fruit of the tree confesses the nature of the tree. The bramble bush produces brambles, the fig tree produces figs, the thorn bush bears thorns, and the grape vine bears grapes. Just as naturally, the evil produce evil things, and the good produce good things.
Like we dare not ignore someone’s public confession, the public position of their church, or social/professional associations, we must likewise be careful of our own public confessions and associations through word and deed. This section of the Gospel account presents Christ teaching His disciples how to be apostles. They are to be representatives of their Lord, leading men by being what they proclaim, good trees bearing good fruit, good men producing good from the treasury of their hearts filled with God’s Word. They can fulfill their function by hearing and doing the words of their Lord, by taking up His teaching into their mind, heart, and will—and then allowing that doctrine to shine in the darkened, sin-fallen world through them as His Church by grace and faith.
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.
