Dare to Obey
1 John 3:21-24
October 15, 2006
Morning Service
Introduction
Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers require absolute obedience from the horses, and test them to see if they are completely trained. The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any living thing. The trainers force the horses to do without water for many days. Then he turns them loose and of course they start running toward the water, but just as they get to the edge, ready to plunge in and drink, the trainer blows his whistle. The horses who have been completely trained and who have learned perfect obedience, stop. They turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand there quivering, wanting water, but they wait in perfect obedience. When the trainer is sure that he has their obedience he gives them a signal to go back to drink.
Now this may be severe but when you are on the trackless desert of Arabia and your life is entrusted to a horse, you had better have a trained obedient horse. We must accept God’s training and obey Him.
Obedience is one of those issues that we seem to struggle with. We tend to think that obedience is for animals or children. We often think like this because we forget the simple fact that we are not in control. Obedience is an act of surrendering your eill to the will of the Master. An essential trait to living as a disciple of Jesus.
The issue of obedience is one that you deal with every day. Each day you make the decision to obey the traffic laws and drive the speed limit. You make the decision to obey the guidelines set by your employer. You decide to obey your conscience. You decide to obey the divine direction that God gives you.
Each time that you live with an obeient heart you add to the foundation of your life. Each time that you decide to disobey you tear away and piece of that foundation. Every day you are either building your foudation or you are tearing it apart.
This morning I want to look at what one of the closest disciples to Jesus had to say about the issue of obedience. If you have your Bibles with you this morning please open them to 1 John 3:21-24
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. 1 John 3:21-24
I. Blessing flows through Obedience
The Biblical benefits of obedience. Being obedient brings the blessing of God upon our lives. God lists for His people the blessings that he promises for those who obey. (Deuteronomy 28:1- 14)
1.) Blessed wherever we are v. 3
2.) Blessings for our children v. 4
3.) Blessings in your professions v. 4, 8, 12
4.) Blessings upon our possessions v. 4, 11
5.) Blessings on our provisions v. 5, 12
6.) Blessing in our protection v. 7,
7.) Blessing in our position - holy people v. 9-10,
This past week, I was at the school and a girl was crying. I asked what the problem was and she had lost her money for her milk. I saw that she had nothing to drink with the lunch that she had packed. In that moment, the Lord reminded me that I had money in my pocket and that money was there because He gave it to me. One question flooded my mind: are you going to allow this girl to go without what she needs when you have the money in your pocket?
I handed her the money she needed for her milk and she came back with what she needed. I have never been so blessed by spare change.
It is clear that the blessing of God flows to those who obey Him. Disobedience is one of the things we least like to talk about because deep down we know we are guilty. At some point we know that we are disobedient.
"Those who believe in the Holy Scriptures are bound to observe its teachings. Those who do not are to be bound by its consequences." William Bradford
Why do so many choose to stay in their disobedience?
1.) Pleasure
We are creatures of pleasure. Our society promotes an attitude: If it feels good do it. Like fools we buy into it. We may not do things that are “sinful” in our own minds. Maybe you eat a little too much of that food you like so well. Maybe you flirt with the co-worker because you like the attention. Maybe you spend money for the thrill that the purchase gives you. Even if you’re not willing to admit it, you do things that make you happy or feel good.
2.) Comfort
We are also creature of comfort and there are times when we would kill rather than leave our comfort zone. We strive to that which we are comfortable with. This is why we often settle for far less than God wants for us. Growing spiritually is seldom comfortable. God stretches us and expands our limits. We like what we are comfortable with. Things that are comfortable give us a sense of security.
3.) Change
The simple fact is that it is incredibly hard for people to change. People only change when they have enough information to make a decision or when they are hurting bad enough that they have to change. Change is hard but often difficult.
II. Obedience is part of knowing Christ
The secret of true obedience is the clear and close personal relationship to God. All our attempts after full obedience will be failures until we get access to his abiding fellowship. It is God’s holy presence consciously abiding with us that keeps us from disobeying Him. I must consciously include the Lord in every thought, activity, and conversation until the habit is established.
-- Andrew Murray
Obedience is the completion of our relationship with Christ. When you obey Christ, comes and dwells within your life. The obedience to Jesus allows Him the opportunity to take up residence in your life. The more you obey, the greater place He can have in life. When you disobey it gives Jesus less and less place.
We live in Jesus
A few years ago, one of the families in my church had suffered from a fire and that fire totally destroyed their home. The house was not burned to the ground but it was a complete loss. They used the insurance money to build a new home on a piece of ground they already owned outside of town.
When Christ comes into your life, it is like building a new home. Our old life has been gutted by the power of sin and a new home is needed. How many of you would build a new home and then not move in? When we live in Jesus it is like moving into a new home. Jesus becomes the center of our lives. He becomes what fills us, surrounds us and keeps us.
Jesus lives in us
The most amazing thing about all of this is the fact that God Himself wants to live within our lives. Jesus comes and makes a place of residence in us. He comes to live in our life. Why would he do this? God once had a dymnamic personal relationship with humanity. He literally walked side by side with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This dynamic of that special relationship was lost when Adam and Eve sinned. Through Jesus coming and living in us that aspect of the divine human relationship is restored.
If this were not enough, God sends the Holy Spirit to live within us as well. So we are given a double portion of the presence of God to fill our lives and draw us closer to Him.
III. Obedience gives us victory
Over and over again John writes in his first letter about the issue of obedience and it’s vital role in the life of a disciple. Obedience brings us a share of the eternal victory of Christ Jesus.
2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 5:2-4
When we make the commitment to obey Christ, we win. We win the blessing of God Almighty. We win the power of the resurrection. We win with the prescene of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
Dr Charles Stanley defined obedience in action. Obedience is doing...
* What He says
* When He says
* How He says
* all He says
Anything less than this is not obedience, but disobedience
Let me ask you a few questions this morning, by that definition are you living in obedience with Jesus? Are you truly living your life as a disciple?
