TO OBEY IS BETTER
1 Samuel 15:22-23
A. Sir Leonard Wood once visited the King of France and the King was so pleased with him he was invited for dinner the next day. Sir Leonard went to the palace and the King meeting him in one of the halls, said, “Why, Sir Leonard, I did not expect to see you. How is it that you are here?” “Did not your majesty invite me to dine with you?” said the astonished guest. “Yes,” replied the King, “but you did not answer my invitation.” Then it was that Sir Leonard Wood uttered one of the choicest sentences of his life. He replied, “A king’s invitation is never to be answered, but to be obeyed.”
B. “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23).
C. Defining and applying obedience may seem easy at first, but it cannot always be the case. Saul thought he did obey, or at least he played like he did. Jesus is our King. His invitation to bring Him glory should correspond with our obedience. I would like us to see three concepts in regard to obedience. In studying them, I would like us to be asking ourselves: AM I OBEYING?
I. OBEDIENCE AND RELATIONSHIP
A. The cornerstone to understanding obedience is that of relationship. Without a relationship with God, the concept of obedience has no value.
B. In the first six days of God’s creative work, most of God’s creation was fashioned, and everything was declared to be “good” six times (1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, and 25). But God’s crowning creation act had not been created yet. Then God said: "Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”" (Genesis 1:26-28, NIV).
1. God created man in his own image. God being a Triune God (one God in three distinct persons) created man to be relational. He created “male and female.”
2. He saw man being lonely in the Garden and said that it is not good for man to be alone (2:18), and made him a partner that was the woman (2:20-24).
3. In the Garden God walked with them. When he came to visit them “in the cool of the day,” (3:8), Moses makes it sound like this was His custom.
C. The truth of the matter is that God has always wanted to have fellowship with people. He walked with Enoch (5:22-24) and Noah (6:9). He always has desired and continues to desire fellowship with man.
D. Living the Garden was terrible for Adam and Eve for they were going away from the presence (relationship) of the Lord. The same was true of their son Cain (4:14).
E. Unless we treasure the relationship with God, then we will have no motivation or drive what He asks of us. So first, without a treasuring of a relationship we can’t begin to conceive of obedience.
II. OBEDIENCE AND ATTITUDE
A. Obedience and attitude go hand in hand. They are correlated. So to see this correlation we will take into account several aspects of attitude.
B. What is the relationship between motive and obedience?
1. The Jews of Jesus’ days gave, prayed and fasted and yet Jesus condemned them for it (Matthew 6:1-18). They were doing the right things. So why?
2. Jesus exposed that they were doing it for show and praise of men but not to give God glory. Their motives were not pure. They were not humble, but proud and self-promoting.
3. Do you do what you do to impress people or praise God? The answer to this question will reveal the motive of your heart.
C. What is the relationship between correctness and obedience?
1. Romans 14:1-6 present us two different groups. Obviously the two different groups of Christians were expressing faith in opposite ways. The issue was not correctness, but faith.
2. Both groups have a desire to serve God. As long as what is done does not violate the Word of God, then it is okay to serve God differently. We have different abilities from the Lord, and should stop passing judgment on one another on the basis of these matters.
3. Do you in your faith want to please God? As long as you will so without violating God’s Word then it is okay to do things differently.
D. What is the relationship between contradictory acts and obedience?
1. Again Romans 14:1-6 comes to our aid. God could make Christians who came to different conclusions stand, and would make them stand.
2. We are to be encouragers of such Christians, not judges.
E. What is relationship between knowledge and obedience? Does ignorance excuse disobedience?
1. Christians who regard themselves knowledgeable and correct easily can be arrogant. God’s will is not communicated accurately through arrogant people (1 Corinthians 8).
2. Those who said that it was okay to have idol meat were wrong. Paul granted them the premise that they were right here, but will do away with in chapter 10.
3. Ignorance is no excuse for disobedience. This was Paul’s charge for the Gentiles in Romans 1:18-32.
F. A major challenge is to determine God’s balance (not ours!) between human obedience, God’s mercy, God’s grace, God’s love, and God’s forgiveness. All exist! All work together. Another challenge is to grasp the core reason for human obedience. Since no human act can obligate God, obeying involves a motivation beyond any concept of ’earning’ or ’deserving’.
III. OBEDIENCE AND JESUS
A. Jesus is not only who we express our obedience to, but He is also the example in whose footsteps we walk (1 Pet 2:21).
B. The letter to the Hebrews teaches “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8)
1. Even as early as 12 years old he said: “Didn’t you know that I must be about by Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49, KJV and NKJV). Then after that the Bible records that he was obedient to his “parents.” “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51).
2. Throughout His ministry, He expressed that it was His intent to do what the father sent Him to do. John 3:34, 5:30, 6:38, 8:29 and 12:27-28 are just a few to mention.
3. Teaching the church at Philippi to be humble and obedient, Paul used the example of Jesus. He wrote, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:5-8, NIV).
1. Paul states that Jesus was God
2. Yet He humbled Himself and took the form of a servant.
3. Not only were these, but the extent of His obedience was even to the point of death.
CONCLUSION
I. Do you treasure you relationship with God? Is your heart pastured toward the love for Him and service to the saints? Does the example of Lord Jesus stir you to live for God?
II. Remember that a vassal’s proper answer to his / her King is obedience. God prices obedience. He delights when His servants willing and humbly choose Him. Why not start today? What area in your life do you need to submit to God? Remember! TO OBEY IS BETTER!
