Governed By The Authority of God's Word

Intro:

Good morning!!!! We are continuing our Disciple Series. Passionately Pursue Jesus, Have Extraordinary Love for Other People, Has a Servants Heart.

Craziness is probably the topic of the day if not the hour.

World of information at our fingertips. Even though we can get information quicker and more abundantly, I’m not so sure its good for us. It’s super easy to be governed by information that might not be accurate. For some when they discover they have been duped by false information they become frustrated and angry. Others become skeptical, unable to trust anything or anyone. There is danger in this fast paced world of information especially during a major crisis like the one we are in now.

The problem is we can be controlled or “Governed” by almost anything, including information. This is an issue that can cause anyone to stumble. The reality is we don’t want to be ruled over but as humans we easily allow ourselves to be ruled over.

Now that we have defined what the problem is, let’s allow God to give us the way out.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

6. We may struggle with allowing ourselves to be ruled over but God will always provide a way out. The question is will you and I take the way out God provides and are we willing to submit to God.

7. I’m sure we can all agree that a disciple loves God.

John 14:23 NIV

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

1 John 2:4–6 NIV

Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

John 1:1–14 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So here’s the deal, whether you like it or not, we are all going to be governed by something. That is a fact just as much as Jesus is alive. The choice is each one of us has to make is by whom or what we allow to rule over us. That should be great news. We get to choose.

One of the major complaints of folks who wear glasses is that they fog up and they can’t see clearly. Even though I don’t wear glasses to see I have experienced this wearing sunglasses and safety glasses. The same is true in our walk with Jesus. If we are going to be disciples, we must be governed by the authority of God’s Word.

The problem is our lens tend to fog sometimes and then we stray away from being governed by God’s word to being governed by an idol that dishes out promises but never delivers and leads away from Jesus.

What are some causes of our lenses fogging?

We exalt our feelings over God’s Word

A. “If it Feels Good, do it.” motto of the culture.

B. We want What we want and we want it now.

C. God created us with emotions, the emotions in themselves aren’t wrong, bu they must be submitted to God.

D. Emotions: Do we feel justified in our outbursts when someone cuts us off driving. Do we feel justified in using people and twisting the truth to get what we want. Examples of unsubmitted emotions.

E. Believers continue to be controlled by their emotions. VS. Disciples are controlled by the truth of Scripture. I’m not saying powerful emotions will change instanly, but disciples make choices based on truth, not feelings.

We get trapped in only hearing the Word and not doing it or obeying it.

A. Believers hear messages and wait to be moved, they wait to be convinced that it matters to them, and they wait until all their questions are answered. Disciples act on what they hear and read in God’s Word. Disciples don’t come to church to be entertained. They come to be directed by God.

B. Be doers of the Word not just hearers. Sometimes we will have to make decisions without all the answers.

Circumstances get us to doubt that God’s Word never fails.

A. Sometimes circumstances will cause us to doubt God’s Word. This shouldn’t be a surprise to us. The heroes of Hebrews 11 doesn’t include people who had it easy.

B. Story of coming to Parkside, trusting God even when the circumstances were trying to cause me to doubt.

C. Disciples trust God even when circumstances and hurdles get in the way. Disciples know God’s Word never fails.

The only way we will ever allow God’s Word to govern us, is by choosing to be people of God’s Word: reading, meditating on it, memorizing it, and studying God’s Word. It’s an intentional choice. And we have to trust God.

Can you imagine if you allowed yourself to be governed by God’s Word all the time not just when it’s convenient. Think about that for a moment. The awesome decisions you would make, if your emotions didn’t get in the way, if God’s Word was real and not just a piece of philosophy or theology, and regardless of the circumstances or hurdles. Think of the confidence you would have. Absolutely endless in what God can do in life that allows His Word to govern.

What about the church? What would it look like if all of us collectively were governed by God’s Word? Salvations, baptisms, miracles, healings, peace, comfort, unity, they wouldn’t be just occasional, these things would be happening all of the time.

As you leave today give God permission to govern you with His Word. If you are willing to do that, I promise you people in your life will notice a difference. I promise you that you will be more like Jesus, you will become a radical disciple.