Christian Growth Lesson 20

Obedience

Obedience 

Outline 

1.  Obedience Defined. 

2.  God’s Attitude Regarding Obedience. 

3.  God’s Obedience Regarding Disobedience. 

4.  The Source of True Obedience. 

5.  Promises and Blessing Relating to Obedience. 

6.  The Right Attitude in Obedience. 

7.  Areas of God-Directed Obedience. 

• The Lord Jesus was an obedient son. 

• Five areas of authority requiring a Christian’s obedience. Obedience 

In his excellent book, Growing Up God’s Way, John A Stormer has these things to say: “Obey” is the most important single word in the Bible.

Being obedient is the key to receiving God’s blessings.

To be saved from sin and Hell, a person must obey God’s command…

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Acts 16:31 KJV 1900

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

There are a multitude of other material spiritual and material blessings for those who obey the Lord. 

This current age is characterized by rebellion

. Rebellion and disobedience come directly from man’s sinful nature: 

2 Timothy 3:1-5    Romans 5:19                    We see rebellion in the home, in our society, and even in our churches – all stemming from the basic rebellious attitude toward God.

2 Timothy 3:1–5 KJV 1900

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Romans 5:19 KJV 1900

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Now as never before, we need to concern ourselves with the subject of obedience. 

1.  Obedience Defined. 

      A.  John A. Stormer gives the following explanation of obedience: “Obedience is doing what those in authority request or want.

It is the opposite of ‘doing your own thing.’ 

True obedience involves doing what an authority wants immediately, respectfully, joyfully, and completely.

Obedience requires the submission of the will of the individual to those in charge.

True obedience ultimately stems from submission to God.” 

       WILLING OBEDIENCE! 

2.  God’s Attitude Regarding Obedience. 

     A.  1 Samuel 15:22 

      Gods says OBEDIENCE is better than offerings [people mask disobedience with offering… seen in teenagers!] 

1 Samuel 15:22 KJV 1900

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to hearken than the fat of rams.

      B.  Acts 13:22       

Acts 13:22 KJV 1900

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

The Lord described David as a man after His own heart.

     C.  Obedience example:

One of the real undeniable actions of David that shows this was his attitude and response when God informed him he was not allowed to build the Temple;

David's response was disappointment but obedience and after having planned and collected material and finery for years he steps down from the throne (while still well able to rule) and installs the son who God had said would build and then provides all the material and plans for the most glorious construction in that era and area.

I don't think that sounds like the self obsessed despot that you all are trying to make him out to be.

Read the stories of David again and the Psalms and try (honestly) to see the thoughts running through his mind. 

3.  God’s Obedience Regarding Disobedience. 

        A.  1 Samuel 15:22-23 (starting with verse 22)           

1 Samuel 15:22–23 KJV 1900

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.

        B.  What was the penalty required for rebellion in sons under Mosiac Law: Deuteronomy 21:18-21        

Deuteronomy 21:18–21 KJV 1900

If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

4.  The Source of True Obedience. 

        A.  John 14:15 

John 14:15 KJV 1900

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

        B.  John 14:23         

John 14:23 KJV 1900

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

        C.  1 John 5:3   

1 John 5:3 KJV 1900

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

        D.  1 John 4:19-21       

          Fear comments: Proverbs 1:7         . (applies to some young people of today). 

1 John 4:19–21 KJV 1900

We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Proverbs 1:7 KJV 1900

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

5.  Promises and Blessing Relating to Obedience. 

        A.  1 John 3:22           

1 John 3:22 KJV 1900

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

        B.  John 15:10                             Where does an obedient Christian abide? IN HIS LOVE  - keeping his commandments!

John 15:10 KJV 1900

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

        C.  Matthew 6:31-33         

                                          Three (3) things does God promise to take care of if we put HIM first:                                                                                      1) Food                                                                                      2) Drink                                                                                      3) Clothing 

Matthew 6:31–33 KJV 1900

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

        D.  According to John 15:14-15, obedience makes us:             

John 15:14–15 KJV 1900

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

E.  1 John 2:5            

1 John 2:5 KJV 1900

But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

        F.  If we hear the Word of God and do nothing: James 1:22             

James 1:22 KJV 1900

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

        G. What does the Bible call this inactivity? James 4:17 

                                           What if we hear the Word of God, yet do nothing about it? What is the result? SIN.  

James 4:17 KJV 1900

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

      H. According to Matthew 7:24-27         

Matthew 7:24–27 KJV 1900

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

6.  The Right Attitude in Obedience.

IT IS AGAINST HUMAN (sinful) nature to obey.    Obedience comes as a result of training, and attitude is all important here. 

        A.  Obedience ought to be a delight!  Psalms 40:8           

Psalm 40:8 KJV 1900

I delight to do thy will, O my God: Yea, thy law is within my heart.

        B.  Obedience is to be done with the whole heart and soul. Deuteronomy 26:16       

Deuteronomy 26:16 KJV 1900

This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

        C.  Obedience requires us to be strong and very courageous. Joshua 1:7            

Joshua 1:7 KJV 1900

Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

        D. Psalms 119:15- 22 

Psalm 119:15–22 KJV 1900

I will meditate in thy precepts, And have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, And keep thy word. Open thou mine eyes, That I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. I am a stranger in the earth: Hide not thy commandments from me. My soul breaketh for the longing That it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, Which do err from thy commandments. Remove from me reproach and contempt; For I have kept thy testimonies.

E.  When obeying the Lord, we need to make haste and not delay! Psalms 119:60     

Psalm 119:60 KJV 1900

I made haste, and delayed not To keep thy commandments.

        F.  According to Luke 5:4-7 what should be our attitude when God’s Word seems to conflict with our own judgment?           

Luke 5:4–7 KJV 1900

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

  G. According to Matthew 21:28-31, are good intentions alone sufficient for obedience?

            You must walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

Matthew 21:28–31 KJV 1900

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

7.  Areas of God-Directed Obedience.

    Every Christian needs to recognize what has been termed Gods’ Chain of Command. 

By this we mean that not every action required of us is commanded directly from Heaven.

God has placed others over us in various segments of life, who will be used by  Him to accomplish His perfect will in our lives. 

                             We are to submit to these authorities as unto the Lord.   

   An example of this chain of command is given in 1 Corinthians 11:3        

The order of submission: God the Father -> God the Son -> Husband -> Wife.

A wife who truly loves God will never “run” her husband, but lovingly submit to his leadership as unto the Lord. NOTE: This has NOTHING to do with equality or inequality as the first example below shows.   

1 Corinthians 11:3 KJV 1900

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

    A. The Lord Jesus was an obedient son. 

                1) He was obedient to God the Father’s – John 6:38, 39. 

                 2) He was not in any way unequal with the Father, declaring “I and my Father are one.” John 10:27- 30 (from verse 27)

                 3) Christ thought it not robbery (something He had to steal) to be equal with God. Philippians 2:4- 6 (from verse 4) 

               4) According to Philippians 2:8 

     5) According to Luke 2:51, as a child, Jesus was obedient to His earthly mother and Joseph.  

John 6:38 KJV 1900

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

John 6:39 KJV 1900

And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

John 10:27–30 KJV 1900

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.

Philippians 2:4–6 KJV 1900

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Philippians 2:8 KJV 1900

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Luke 2:51 KJV 1900

And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

  B. Five areas of authority requiring a Christian’s obedience. 

               1) In Marriage: The wife is to submit to her husband. (This seems to have been a problem through all the ages.)            • Ephesians 5:22                            • Colossians 3:18            • 1 Peter 3:1-6                                 2) In the home: Children are to obey their parents.            • Ephesians 6:1

Ephesians 5:22 KJV 1900

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Colossians 3:18 KJV 1900

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

1 Peter 3:1–6 KJV 1900

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Ephesians 6:1 KJV 1900

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

          • Colossians 3:20             

Colossians 3:20 KJV 1900

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

3) In the workplace:  Servants are obedient to their masters.           • Ephesians 6:5-7                        • Colossians 3:22               

Ephesians 6:5–7 KJV 1900

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

Colossians 3:22 KJV 1900

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

                4) In Society: Every citizen is to be subject to the higher powers            • Romans 13:1-7            5) In our church: Every member is to remember  to those that have rule over them(I.e., the pastors)           • Hebrews 13:7                          • Hebrews 13:17                  In each of these areas, God expects you to obey those in authority just as you would (and with the same [submissive] attitude) Him.

Romans 13:1–7 KJV 1900

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Hebrews 13:7 KJV 1900

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

Hebrews 13:17 KJV 1900

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Yet it is in each of these areas we find the most rebellion today:  

         • Bossy, domineering wives (i.e., weak, spineless husbands)           • Rampant, bratty children           • Militant unions           • Anarchists           • Church members who continually “buck” the pastor                          Read Isaiah 3:12 (Isaiah telling the Jews how goofed up they had become) . As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.                                           Let not these things be named in your life – we have already read about God’s opinion of rebellion!      If the one in authority is failing to give leadership or be responsible, God will deal with him. Leave these things to God. Do not try to rectify the situation by usurping authority.  See that a wife CAN win her husband.  Read 1 Peter 3:1- 7 

Isaiah 3:12 KJV 1900

As for my people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, And destroy the way of thy paths.

1 Peter 3:1–7 KJV 1900

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.