Obedience Week 2
- Aug 26, 2024
- 7 min read
INTRODUCTION :
Thank you Tom and Kim for stepping in last week while Hope and I got away to Colorado with some of the kiddos. This week we are jumping back into Obedience.
Spiritual growth doesn’t just happen. In order to personalize and experience the power and promises of God’s Word as “partakers of the divine nature of God,” an active response to the imperatives of Scripture is a must. The two indispensable ingredients in cultivating a personal faith that sustains and fulfills are “faith” and “obedience.” They cannot be separated. They are exercised simultaneously. They build on each other.
As I personally grow in my trust and faith in who God is and what He does, the greater my response will be in “doing” or “acting” on His directives for my life. As I take Him at His Word and act on His directives for my life, I witness firsthand His faithfulness, which encourages me to trust Him even more.
Cultivating personal faith and obedience takes on a spiral effect with spiritual growth as its product. As we grow and minister, we may recognize a growing tendency to assume a more relaxed attitude toward the imperatives of Scripture in our people, as well as ourselves. The result of this attitude will be stagnation in our growth and ministry. Our identity and effectiveness as disciples is dependent on how we respond to consistently building faith and obedience in our lives.
Two weeks ago we looked at Luke 6:46-49 which says… “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
This week we are looking at Matthew 7:13-27 which has some similarities and says….
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
This sounds really familiar to our verses in Luke 6:46-49 right? Again we see what potential outcome for the one who not only hears but obeys God’s Word as well as the outcome for the one who hears but disregards God’s Word.
Main Points for this passage are:
The Narrow and Wide Gates
Jesus emphasizes the importance of choosing the narrow gate, which leads to life, rather than the wide gate, which leads to destruction. The narrow gate represents the path of righteousness and obedience to God’s will, while the wide gate represents the easy, worldly path that many choose but ultimately leads to ruin.
True and False Prophets
Jesus warns against false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves. He advises His followers to recognize them by their fruits, meaning their actions and the outcomes of their teachings. Good trees bear good fruit, while bad trees bear bad fruit.
True and False Disciples
Jesus teaches that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father. He warns that many will claim to have done great works in His name, but He will declare that He never knew them because they were evildoers, to quote the NIV Bible, in Matthew 7:23.
The Wise and Foolish Builders
Jesus concludes with a parable about two builders. The wise builder constructs his house on the rock, representing those who hear and act on Jesus’ words. The foolish builder constructs his house on the sand, representing those who hear but do not act on His words. When the storms come, the house on the rock stands firm, while the house on the sand collapses.
At times we find ourselves overcomplicating the word of God but Jesus right here breaks it down for us and gives us real statements to apply to our lives and it starts with obedience for the Disciple and has the result of fruit!
Sidebar about Legalism
In a very real sense, we can find many aspects of the Christian life to be conditional. Not our salvation, but our ability to experience the joy and blessings God desires to give us in our relationship with Him can be contingent on our obedience to Him. Whenever we discuss the grace of God and the imperatives of Scripture, some will suggest that we are being legalistic or that we are trying to live under the Law. Legalists believe in and demand a strict literal adherence to rules and regulations without regard to relationship. This is a position essentially opposed to grace. Legalism promotes spiritual perfectionism which leaves no room for grace. For the Disciple, our obedience is motivated by love not law. So as we talk more about the results of obedience, we always need to recognize that God’s love, mercy and grace are His to give and ours to receive.
Let me give you a few more scriptures to look at that have “results or blessings” when it comes to obedience.
John 14:23 - Jesus answered him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Obedience: If anyone loves me, he will keep my word
Result: The Father loves in return and will live with him
Deuteronomy 5:33 - You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.
Obedience: To walk in the way
Result: Live! And that it may go well with me and live a long life in the land we possess
James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Action: Humble yourself before the Lord
Result: God will exalt you
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; Do not depend on your own understanding. See His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. (NLT)
Action: Trust God fully
Result: He will guide your every step
2 Peter 1: 3-8 - His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Obedience: Supplement or Add to your faith in increasing measure: virtue, knowledge, self control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love
Result: These will keep you from becoming ineffective and unfruitful for God’s kingdom
To wrap it up let me give you a few more “positive outcomes” to being obedient to the teachings of Jesus.
Blessings and Guidance: Obedience to Jesus’ teachings opens the door for God’s blessings and guidance in our lives. It allows us to receive the help we need to accomplish difficult tasks.
Demonstration of Love and Faith: Obedience is an act of love and faith. By following Jesus’ teachings, we demonstrate our genuine love for Him and our trust in His plan.
Strong Spiritual Foundation: Obedience to Jesus’ teachings helps us build a strong spiritual foundation that can withstand the tests of time and eternity.
Fulfillment of God’s Purpose: Through obedience, we align ourselves with God’s purpose for our lives, leading to a sense of fulfillment and direction
All of these highlight the importance of living according to Jesus’ teachings and building a strong spiritual foundation.
CONCLUSION:
Church, we don’t obey because of what we get out of it, we obey in response to what God did FOR us. If we are obeying to achieve a specific result , we are living on our own power and will inevitably fail. The beauty of this is that the Holy Spirit is our enabler, our power, and our teacher. We don’t have to do it on our own. This is the gift of God’s grace and the freedom we have to not be controlled by rules that only condemn.
Living obediently inside of God’s will is what’s best for us. God knows that His truths will provide more blessing, honor, protection and freedom because He has a complete picture and perspective. We need to understand that God is good and loves us immensely, from that we can trust his goodness.
To follow Jesus' words and teachings is building your life on a solid foundation and with that you will be able to weather the storms and not be shaken.