Follow Believe And Obey, Real Evangelism (3)
John 14:15& 21-24
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Intro: Review - Follow – Believe –Today Look At Obey. This Word Has A Negative Connotation. Makes Us Feel Like We Must Adhere To A List Of Do’s And Don’ts. Many Feel Like Christian Obedience Means That All Good And Fun Things In Life Are Removed And Only Rules And Regulations And Laws Remain.
“We Must Obey Or God Will Strike Us!”
This Is Far From The Truth. I Have Had More Fun Since I Became A Christian And Seen More Joy In Other Christians Than I Could Ever Have Believed Possible. To Obey Jesus Is To Find Love And Joy And Peace That Can Be Found No Where Else. Just The Opposite Of What People Think.
The Most Commonly Used Word For Obey In The New Testament Has A Simple Meaning. It Is The Word Hupoku, Which Means “To Listen” Or “To Hear.” Most Of The Time When The Bible Says We Are To Obey It Is Saying That God Wants Us To Listen And Hear What He Is Telling Us. If We Understand That God Is Telling Us To Listen, I Think Most Of Us Will Pay Attention. If We Know God Wants Us To Hear Something He Has To Say, Most Of Us Are Going To Do What He Says To Do. Thus We Get The Word Obey. Lets Study This Word For Awhile And See How That It Fits With A Person Becoming A Christian.
I. Obedience Leads To Love V21
A. New Christians Obey More Than Love
1. Love Limited – Appreciative – Grateful
Obedience-Sense Of “I Owe” I Must Repay”
2. Follow – Know Enough To -
Believe - Changed Enough To –
Obey - Love Begins To Take Hold
Discipleship Is Assisting New Believers To
Learn To Love Not Be Stuck In Obey. New Christians Don’t Grow In Love When We Give Them A
List Of Do’s And Don’ts And Neglect The Greatest
Truth. Listen!
The God That Saved Them Is Love.
B. Mature Christians Obey Because Of Love
1. Love Grows With Knowledge – “I Can’t
Repay.” Obedience Is Now Motivated By Love For Christ. Does This Make A
Difference?
Service Is Now Faithfull Not Forced.
No Longer - I Have To But I Want To.
Obedience (Listening / Hearing Word)
Is As Natural As Breathing Air.
C. Obedient Christians Reveal Gods Love
And Direction. V21
A Our Obedience Shows We Love God.
B God Loves The One Who Is Obedient.
C The One Who Is Obedient Will See God In
Works..Life..Blessings..Trials..Peace… Etc.
No Obedience None Of This Happens
A Person Who Has Followed Jesus And Seen Who He Is, Believed In Jesus By Placing Their Faith And Trust In Him To Save, Truly Has No Other Option Than To Obey. Think About A Man Saying This.
“I Followed Jesus, Give Peace In Great Trouble, Listened To Teaching - Found Great Strength And Truth - Felt The Love He Had For Me When I Looked At His Life Slipping Away On The Cross.
I Believed That He Is Who And What He Claimed To Be. Jesus Is The Only Son Of God, Fully God And Fully Man - He Died For Me, To Pay For My Sin, Even Though He Had No Sin Of His Own - He Did Not Allow Death To Conquer Him But On The Third Day He Left The Grave Empty And Rose From The Dead - He Has Won The Battle Over Death - His Victory Is My Victory. I Believe Jesus Has Saved Me From The Penalty Of My Sin And That He Will Deliver Me To Eternity In Heaven One Day. I Believe These Things And I Have Placed My Faith And Trust Completely In Him.
But I Will Not Listen, Or Hear His Word Neither Will I Obey Him!
Not Possible. V24 To Obey Is Not An Option For A Christian. It Is Powerful Evidence Of Who Is A Christian!
For A Christian Our ….
Ii. Love Seen In Obedience V23
Note The Subtle Difference With V21
“Whoever Has My Commands And Obeys Them He
Is The One Who Loves Me…”
And V23
“If Anyone Loves Me He Will Obey My
Teaching…”
Love And Obedience, They Are Inseparable.
A. You Cannot Love God Unless You Obey Him
Love Without Obedience Is Liberalism
Ill: I Can Do Anything I Want, And God Still
Loves Me And Will Still Save Me?
“No One Who Lives In Christ Keeps On Sinning. No
One Who Continues To Sin Has Either Seen Jesus Or
Known Him.” “No One Who Is Born Of God Will
Continue To Sin, Because Gods Seed Is In Him; He
Cannot Go On Sinning Because He Has Been Born Of
God.” 1 John 3:6&9
B. You Cannot Obey God Unless You Love Him
Obedience Without Love Is Legalism
Ill: I Can Demand Everyone Else Meet My
Standard Of Obedience And Holiness And I
Don’t Have To Love Them Unless They Do.
Woman Called Into The Ministry Went To
Pastor. Pastor Told Her Women Could
Not Be Called Into The Gospel Ministry
And If She Felt That She Was Being Called
She Was Lost And Would Burn In Hell. Pastor Felt
He Was Obedient To Gods Word, He Listened To It
And Heard It But His Actions Had No Love And The
Result Was A Proclamation Of His Standard Of
Legalism, It Was Not Of God.
Love And Obedience They Are Inseparable.
Gods Word Tells Time And Again That He Expects His People To Obey His Command. He Says His Commands Are Not Burdensome But Are A Joy And Are Evidence That We Are Saved. 1 Jn. 5:1-3
Follow – Believe – Obey
Are You Willing To Listen, Hear And Obey The One Who Died For You?
Pray
Christian If We Don’t Obey God It Is Sin. Our Love Is Not Strong For God. We Don’t Have To Say A Word To Him, Our Sin Speaks For Us,
“I Love My Sin More Than You Jesus”
What Sin Is There In Your Life This Morning That Is Speaking On Your Behalf To God?
I Don’t Love You Enough Lord To Turn From My Sin And Turn Face To Face With You. The Solution To This Sin Is Simple…
Obey! Listen To Gods Voice! Hear What He Is Saying To You!
Confess Your Sin To Him
Repent Of Your Sin And Turn Away From It Right Now
Ask Holy Spirit To Help You Obey!
Will You Do This Today? Yes
Gospel
Pray
