Obedience

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Amen

  • Feb 10, 2008
  • Ben Newby
  • Ben Newby
  • Matthew 7:24-27
Obedience Hard to talk about, because they Bible teaches that it is important to obey, but we can easily think that our acceptance is based on whether we obey or not. Legalism at one extreme, Lawlessness at the other What do I think and feel when I hear that word? Guilt?Shame?Condemnation? Obedience has become a word we don’t like because it implies all we haven’t done, and it often is used to get us to do things we don’t want to do. Obedience is not measured by how I keep the law. I was saved by grace, then I put myself under the law. I want to measure growth. Our current way of thinking regarding obedience have not been producing positive results, and if we keep thinking and acting the way we have always done, we will get the same results. We need to start thinking differently. What does the Old Covenant say about obedience? “Do this or you will die” Deuteronomy 28 Blessings if you Obey and Curses if you don’t obey.   What does the New Covenant say about obedience? 

“Do this and you will live”

 

Luke 11:28
He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

 

John 14:15
[ Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit ] "If you love me, you will obey what I command.

 

Obedience and Love for God go hand in Hand – By relationship and not by rules.

  Matt 724"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."  My sheep hear my voice…    We tend to hear his voice well when we get saved, but less and less as we focus on other things – often the law of the Bible and the law of others rather than the voice of our Heavenly Father. How did Jesus live? Jesus had the law, but chose to live by relationship. In doing what His Father told Him, He kept the law. What if Jesus was talking in the present tense in Matthew when he was talking about hearing and obeying His words? What if He wants me to seek Him for the things He wants me to obey?  May be we don’t actually know what He said. Words through translations are one thing, revelation knowledge is another.  Questions… 
  1. What do I feel when I hear the word obedience?
  2. How would I relate to God differently if I didn’t have any idea what He had said?
  3. What if I lived as though God’s Acceptance of me was based not on what I did, but on what Jesus did?
 
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