It’s a question that punctures the inflated ego of anyone coasting on the status of being a Christ follower. At the end of Jesus’ sermon on the mount, he confronts the people who know him best with a rather judgmental question. It’s recorded in Luke 6:46. “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord! when you don’t do what I say?”
I’m not sure what Jesus was thinking when he uttered this sharp, rhetorical question. He may have been teasing his listeners with just the right amount of humor and sarcasm - the brilliant teacher at work. Perhaps he wanted them to share his bemusement at the apparent disconnect between their talk and walk. Or maybe Jesus was genuinely frustrated by their inability to recognize that their own hypocrisy was leaving them defeated in life.
Whatever was behind the question, the meaning was clear: How can anyone expect the amazing blessings that flow to Christ followers without obedience to Christ’s teachings and commands? Jesus’ question challenges us to go back to the Bible and investigate afresh the primary teachings of our Lord and Savior.
