Obedience - Isaiah 15:22

      1 Sam 15:22  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.

Introduction:

1.                   Obedience as a child verifies submission whether it be to physical  parents or unto the Lord.

2.                   Failure to be obedient indicates the true relationship of a child to a parent.  It also indicates the true relationship between a professed believer and his God.

3.                   Obedience as a child of God is motivated not by the externals of religion but by the internal working of God in the life.

I.    Obedience is proof that a person is one of the Lord’s sheep.

      John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:   

A.    The Lord’s sheep hear His voice and follow Him with great assurance.

      Psa 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

B.    The Lord’s sheep hear His voice and follow Him with great anticipation of security.

      John 10:27-30 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.

C.    The Lord’s sheep hear His voice and follow Him without reservation.

      2 Timothy 1:8-12 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:  Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

II.  Obedience gives meaning to the word “Faith.”

      Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

A.    Obedience in going when the destination is unclear gives meaning to the word “faith.”

1.     Abraham.

B.    Obedience in doing when the doing has never been done before gives meaning to the word “faith.”

1.     Noah

C.    Obedience in believing when the believing is difficult gives meaning to the word “faith.”

1.     Gideon.

III. Obedience is the proper response of genuine love for the Lord.

      Deuteronomy 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

A.    Obedience is motivated by love.

      John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

B.    Obedience is manifested with love.

      Deuteronomy 11:13-14 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

IV. Obedience is one mark of abiding in Christ.

      1 John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

A.    Obedience necessitates a heart willing to suffer.

      2 Corinthians 11:23-28 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

B.    Obedience brings with it reward and a crown of righteousness.

      2 Timothy 4:6-8 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Conclusion:

1.                   Obedience gives a witness that one is genuinely a child of God.

2.                   Obedience testifies to the fact that one knows he is not his own.

3.                   Obedience unto the Lord speaks louder than words alone.

4.                   Obedience is necessary to validate the believer’s faith.