Jesus said to his disciples:

43 “There is no good tree that produces rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that produces good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don’t gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who hears, and doesn’t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Luke 6:43-49 - World English Bible

At the end of Luke 6, Jesus continued his parables on ethical living and concluded with an admonition to his followers about living out his teachings.

Ethical living required both good intent and good behavior. An evil heart could not hide under the guise of moral action for very long; intent would become apparent. Jesus employed three parables to make that point: two fruit analogies and a treasure metaphor. Goodness did not arise out of evil.

How could the disciple insure his “goodness?” Jesus provided the answer in his construction parable. The follower who put the Lord's teachings into action was like the house builder who dug deep foundations, down to bedrock. When persecution came, the man would stand solid, unwavering like the sturdy house. The lazy, selfish disciple who ignored the Lord's teachings had no deep character and would break under pressure.

The ethical life of the disciple required consistent action and a vibrant, living faith.

How have you tried to live out the Gospel message?