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| Part 6 |
This message was preached by
Colin D Cruz at Word of Grace church on the 10th of March 2013. You can download the audio mp3 by clicking here.
Today we are going to
look at the 6th thing we
need to do individually and corporately
to make our vision of 13/30 happen. One of the key things that needs to
be addressed in the church today is obedience.
The problem with the average Christian
and the church is disobedience. Today I want to address this issue- obedience
to the Word of God and surrender to His will. We saw this come through the
worship and Sunny’s prayer this morning too.
Obedience is the hinge on which all the commands of the Bible
rests.
Matt 21:28 Is about a story of two sons; one who obeys and
one who does not. There are two kinds of people – sinners and the religious
people. The religious people paid lip service to the Word of God, whereas the
tax collector repented and turned around. God wants us to grow in obedience. Today
obeying God’s word is confused with legalism. We confuse grace with license to
sin.
Legalism is striving to earn God’s love through going good
work. You can’t earn his love. Its agape love, not dependent on what we are but
because he loves us. Read Romans 5:8 – Graces loves unconditionally.
Where does obedience come in then? It’s about us loving God.
John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands.”
John 14:21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one
who loves me.
John 14:23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey
my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home
with them.
It is crystal clear here. Word are easy but actions are harder.
This is not legalism but a demonstration that we love Jesus.
Titus 2:11-14 describes what Grace is . For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and
worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. “ As we are
filled with the grace of God we can live self controlled lives. He gives us the
ability to change and not be lazy.
Therefore discipline
and grace go hand in hand.
Luther who was so strong on grace said “ We are saved by
faith alone but faith that saves is never alone”
Faith and works – the faith that saves works.
1 Jn 2:3-6 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and
the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus
did.
Over and over again in scripture the proof of our belonging
to Jesus is a transformed life.
Abraham was an
amazing man. There was quick obedience in his life. He moved from Ur to Haraan
and then to Cannan. Ur was the cradle of civilization. The equivalent today
would be asking you to move from London or New York or Mumbai and go to a small
town or village. But Abraham did it. In Genesis 17:10,23 God asks this 90 year old to get
circumcised along with his household. Imagine that! Abraham obeyed immediately “on that very day…”
Gen 22:3 God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son. There was
no waiting , debating. “Early the next morning “ v.15
James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do
what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law
that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have
heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Phil 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death
on a cross!
Jesus is our perfect model. He is not asking us to do something
he has not already done. He was obedient to the point of death. Let’s get hold
of this attitude of Jesus.
What is God speaking to you this morning? Maybe you have put
your faith in Jesus. Maybe you have trusted in him and you need to get baptized.
Maybe it’s a sin, or struggling with loving, submission,
giving etc
What motivates our obedience?
Matt 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
When he commands we better obey. Rom 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
How do we do this?
1.
When we hear God we ought to obey. Maturity
comes through obedience. Luke 11:27-28
Firstly we need to hear the Word of God
daily in our Quiet Time. Write out a verse or two in your journal. Re write it
in your words and then write down “ I will….” i.e what you will do/put into practice.
Do this every time you encounter the Word of God. What will you do with the WORD
this morning?
2.
Share it with someone
3.
Actually obey what you have read.
If you do this for the rest of
your Christian life I guarantee you, you
will grow to maturity. Once ounce of obedience is far better than a ton of
knowledge.
The Church is full of people who
are full of knowledge but very little obedience. Remember we are not
trying to earn God’s love but
demonstrating our love from HIM through our obedience.
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