Obedience

Matthew 28:18–20

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

observe - tēreō - to keep, to guard, to hold fast to it means to keep that command by actually doing it.

Matthew 28:20 NLT

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.

Jesus’ invitation to discipleship was “Follow Me.”

John 13:15

I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

Jesus' model of discipleship:
I TOLD YOU TO DO IT - I DID IT - YOU WATCHED ME DO IT - NOW YOU DO WHAT YOU SAW ME DO

I CAN’T TEACH SOMEBODY TO OBEY JESUS IF I’M NOT LEARNING TO OBEY JESUS MYSELF.

Romans 5:19

For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Your obedience doesn’t save you, JESUS’ OBEDIENCE is what saves you.
I don’t obey to earn a relationship with God. I obey as the response of someone who already has one.

I. WHAT IS OBEDIENCE?

We don’t like being told to Obey.

Romans 8:7

The mind that is set on the flesh… does not submit to God’s law.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…

The world is always trying to form you.

The enemy's lie: DON’T TRUST GOD; TRUST YOU.

Obey - shama - to hear, to listen, to heed—the idea is To hear in such a way that you respond to what you’ve heard.
When you have a relationship, and you know someone’s heart, you hear their words differently.

II. WHY SHOULD I OBEY GOD?

WE OBEY BECAUSE WE LOVE GOD

John 14:15

If you love me, you will obey my commandments.

LOVE IS THE ROOT. OBEDIENCE IS THE FRUIT.

1 John 5:3

We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow.

Obedience is one of the ways our love for God becomes visible.

WE OBEY BECAUSE WE LOVE PEOPLE

God is looking for people who will be obedient to His will so He can work with and through them to impact the world.

WE OBEY BECAUSE GOD'S WAY IS GOOD

When God says, “Obey Me,” He's not trying to keep something good from you. He's leading you toward what He knows is good for you.

WE OBEY BECAUSE JESUS OBEYED

JESUS OBEYED WHEN OBEDIENCE COST HIM EVERYTHING.

Matthew 26:53

Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

Matthew 26:39

“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Obedience wasn't Jesus not having a will.
Obedience was Jesus surrendering His will to the will of His Father.

III. HOW DO WE OBEY?

WE OBEY BY FAITH

Luke 5:1–11

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

FAITH OBEYS BEFORE IT SEES.

2 Kings 3:16–18

“God’s word is: Dig ditches all over this valley. Here’s what will happen—you won’t hear the wind, you won’t see the rain, but this valley is going to fill up with water and your army and your animals will drink their fill. This is easy for God to do; he will also hand over Moab to you.

THEY DIG WHILE THE VALLEY IS STILL DRY

2 Kings 3:20

In the morning—it was at the hour of morning sacrifice - the water had arrived, water pouring in from the west, from Edom, a flash flood filling the valley with water.

A long obedience in the same direction. — Eugene Peterson