I believe the most direct path to unity and love for our church family is through conscious obedience to God
I would like to look at three things which I believe are necessary for obedience
What is obedience? An act or instance of obeying
1. could mean- submissiveness; subservient (cringe)
2. could also mean- willingness, respectfulness, meekness- (a quiet,humble spirit based on security in God’s strength)
Please turn in your Bible to Isaiah 6:1-8
Verses 1-4 I marvel sometimes at the wonders and glory that the Bible says awaits us in heaven, don’t you ? That vision must have been an overwhelming sight and I believe that God has a vision just as wonderful for our church family.
Verse 5 The first thing Isaiah did was confessed himself a sinner- either because of fear or the realization that he was in the presence of the most Holy God
You and I are all sinners. In Psalm 51:5 David said,
“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me”
1. sinners from birth - Stained since Adam
2. live in a world of sinners
We must confess our sin before we can even begin a relationship, because that sin is the gulf that separates us from God
Now, let’s look at verses 6-7
Atonement- Payment for sin- making reconciliation to God possible.
The payment for Isaiah’s sin was through cleansing with hot coal. Our payment was the shed blood of Jesus Christ who suffered and died on the cross for our sins. So we wouldn’t have to!
Just as our church family needs unity, we as individuals need unity with God.
In Romans 3:25 Paul wrote " God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. So Jesus became the bridge across the gulf of sin that reunited us with our God.
Verse 8
Now with the confession of sinfulness and the acceptance by faith of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ for our sins, this is the beginning of obedience. This is what God wants for every man, woman and child on this earth.
But It Doesn’t Stop There!
God called Isaiah to prophesy judgment against Judah and to provide for their repentance. Yet God did not say this was a direct order. He presented the need--and Isaiah volunteered with enthusiasm. Why? Because Isaiah now had the vision of how great God really is, and this made him eager to obey. Because of his obedience, he became one of Israel’s greatest prophets. Did he bring all of Israel back to God? No, but he did what God wanted--proclaim His word. And Isaiah was the prophet quoted by Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth when our Lord began His ministry.
For us to be obedient and fulfill the purpose God has for each of us and for this church, we need to be willing to obey. This obedience will perfect our love and our unity. And we need to have a strong vision of how great God really is--how great His love is in giving Jesus Christ for our sins and for the whole world around us. If we could grasp this vision, we would not hesitate to say, "Here am I! Send me!"
I believe God led each one of us to the Nenana Community Church for a reason and I believe that reason is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and minister to the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of our church family and the community
We need to look at God’s calling in each of our lives and in the church family as a whole.
If we continue to move forward in obedience by strengthening this body
through love, unity and prayer then God will bless this church family and use us to fulfill his vision in our lives.
