Love & Obedience

INTRO: We are starting a short summer series on Our life of Devotion to God. What is Christianity except, a group of people who are devoted to Jesus Christ and His Cause.

It may sound like a very obvious thing to talk about, but it is in fact a huge part of our Christian faith. It’s not just something that we talk about, it is also a huge part of what we sing about in our times of worship. Here Stuart Townend at his best...

"For the cause of Christ the King

‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.’

We give our lives, an offering

'Til all the earth resounds

With ceaseless praise To the Son

It may sound like a very obvious thing to talk about, but it is in fact a huge part of our Christian faith. This morning, I want to talk about our Devotion in terms of...

The chorus says,

Christ we proclaim,

The Name above every name:

For all creation, Ev'ry nation,

God's salvation Through the Son!

So then, this morning, I want to talk about our Devotion in terms of...

This morning, I want to talk about our Devotion in terms of...

1. It’s Love & Obedience:

Love & Obedience:

Ingrid and I recently celebrated our 35th Wedding Anniversary; yes, 35 years (I am just going to pause for a moment … for the applause…. (For Ingrid – she deserves it!) :)

There is a phrase in the traditional marriage vows that many people, when they get married, have removed, and it the phrase which the bride would normally say, namely: ‘I promise to love, honour and obey’.

There is a phrase in the traditional marriage vows that many people have removed and it the phrase which the bride would normally say, namely: ‘I promise to love, honour and obey’. It has not been popular because the Groom does not have to say these words.

It has not been popular because the Groom does not have to say these words.

If I remember right, when Ingrid & I got married, Ingrid did not use that phrase in her marriage vows ... Most people who get married these days drop that part of the ‘promise’. It’s a no-brainer really; who in their right mind is going to make a commitment like that?

People are going to say, ‘No way am I going to do a stupid thing like that. Then I realised that when we make a commitment to Jesus Christ, it is exactly like that because it seems that...

simply because it seems to be ‘One sided’!

2. It’s One Sided:

Let me just take a moment and point out how One-Sided it seems to be… Here is one of the Key passages from the OT. It is the first and greatest commandment.

Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

While this may be the first and Greatest Commandment, here is the Greatest Statement God has ever made...

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

But this is nothing compared to the one-sided love God evidently has for all of us. There are millions of people in the West who live life totally unaware of the existence of Loving-Kindness of God in Christ Jesus, the Creator of everything around us. Even that seems very one-sided. It’s as if people live life from the cradle to the grave and say, ‘I’ve never seen a God; where is he, what does he look like.

But this is nothing compared to the one-sided love God evidently has for all of us. There are millions of people in the West who live life totally unaware of the existence of Loving-Kindness of God in Christ Jesus, the Creator of everything around us. Even that seems very one-sided. It’s as if people live life from the cradle to the grave and say, ‘I’ve never seen a God; where is he, what does he look like.

While we have to make the decision to love Him; and that is completely up to us. I want to tell you this morning that it is in God’s nature to to love us unconditionally! Now that’s One-Sided!

Here’s another verse that appears to be One-sided from our point of view...

Romans 12:1–2 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

It looks quite generous of people to make such an offer. However, as I read it, Paul is ‘urging’ believers to make this decision. He say, ‘Go on, in view of God’s Mercy’.

3. It’s Our Response:

However generous a believer's decision to believe and live for God’s love in Christ, it can only be a Response!

Idea of the church as the Bride of Christ

Idea of the church as the Bride of Christ