Obedience Matters

Intro

In 2001 there was a wedding celebration happening in Jerusalem, Israel. The party had been going on for hours: dancing, shouting, singing, celebrating this wonderful occasion! Then at about 10:45 pm, the dance floor collapsed, plunging three floors down through the center of the building. Hundreds were injured and 23 died.

Such joy so suddenly turned to horror.

The sad thing is…this was avoidable. The floor had been constructed using a cheap method that had been outlawed five years earlier and regular calls for maintenance and repair had been ignored.

The rules weren’t followed and there were deadly consequences.

The passage that was just read to us is one of the most shocking and sudden punishments in Scripture. Why was Uzzah punished so severely? Such joy turned to tragedy in an instant.

But what happened wasn’t as sudden as it seems. There were several layers of disobedience that led to Uzzah’s death...Which teaches us that...

Because God has told us what he requires of us, obedience matters.

Background

But before we dive in…we need to do some background work.

What is the ark?

Often referred to as the ark of God or the ark of the covenant.

It is a small box that God told Moses to have made as the central part of the tabernacle (the mobile place of Israel’s worship until they could build a temple).

It is the object that most clearly symbolizes the presence of God with Israel.

It is not magic (no face-melting like in Indiana Jones), yet as we see from Scripture it is meant to be handled with care, not because of the physical object itself, but because of the awesome reality of the presence of God. And the importance of obedience regarding how God’s people approached God.

Vitally: The ark was the central symbol of the presence of God himself with his people.

So where is it and why does David have to go get it?

Over 20 years prior to the story we read tonight, the ark had been captured by the Philistines. While they had it, God gave them tumors and generally made them miserable so they sent the ark away on a new cart to go back to Israel.

The ark ended up in the house of Abinidab in Kiriath-jearim and remained there for 20 years.

The ark was a unique object that directly pointed to the presence of almighty God with his people…yet it was often disregarded and overlooked.

We have to remember the Chronicler is writing to people who are returning from exile and one of his main hopes is that they would not repeat the same mistakes.

He wants them to worship and obey God correctly. In the way that God desired to be worshiped.

Tonight we are going to see the importance of obeying God through three instances of disobedience.

First, the failure of Saul shows us the importance of seeking God

Saul’s disobedience (We must seek God)

English Standard Version Chapter 13

2 And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the LORD our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. 3 Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”

ISRAEL

Have you noticed that there is one phrase that has been repeated in every single passage we have preached on so far? “ALL ISRAEL”

This is going to continue - watch for it. The Chronicler deeply cares about unity for the people of God.

The kingdom is now united under David and David’s first order of business is to get the entire nation on the same page and seek the presence of God once again.

For Saul’s entire reign, he disobeyed God by not seeking him. Instead...

...Saul “broke faith with the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the LORD. (10:13-14)

God had given clear instructions for how a king was to act in Deuteronomy 17

Saul disobeyed and there were consequences. Not only did his disobedience mean the kingdom would be taken from him, it led to disarray in the whole kingdom.

Saul disobeyed, BUT GOD SHOWED GRACE - by raising up David, a man after God’s own heart.

David called ALL ISRAEL to once again place God at the center of their lives, their worship, and their hearts. He brought them together to seek God

In 1 Chronicles 16:11 David says “Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his presence continually!”

David understood how important it was to seek God, to keep him at the center.

THE EXILES

The Chronicler includes this information because he wants the exiles to be united in their worship of God. He wants God to be the center of their lives as they return.

Unfortunately we know from the book of Malachi that the exiles didn’t keep God at the center of their worship

They said that obeying God in worship was a “weariness”

But even then…God showed grace because the end of that book - that strongly reprimands the people - points to the coming Christ who would set things right.

THE CHURCH - Application

Just like the exiles had something to learn, the church needs to learn from Saul’s mistake as well.

God has called the church for a purpose. He has called us to declare his name to a world that is lost and dying. He has called us to worship and glorify him alone. He has called us to SEEK HIM.

Unfortunately, the church has a tendency to drift - we become complacent. We stop seeking God as we should.

BUT GOD SHOWS GRACE in restoring and renewing his church

Look at God’s faithfulness through history. When the church drifts, he sends reformation, he sends revival, he shakes us out of our stupor and brings us back to a right focus on him.

He reminds us that HE ALONE should be the center of the life and worship of the church.

I’m not saying that any of us can single-handedly fix all the problems with the church - but we can AND SHOULD pray regularly for the church. We should seek God.

Do you pray for the church? Do you pray WITH the church?

Hebrews 11:6

English Standard Version Chapter 11

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

God has told us that we need to seek him…let’s learn from the sins of the past and do it!

We’re blessed when we seek him, we face discipline when we refuse.

God told us what he requires of us: Seek him! Obedience matters.

Saul disobeyed God by failing to seek him, David went right to work fixing that error…

But from David we learn that enthusiasm is no substitute for obedience.

David’s disobedience (Enthusiasm is no substitute for obedience)

ISRAEL

English Standard Version Chapter 13

7 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio were driving the cart. 8 And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.

This was not a presbyterian worship service!

Think what Detroit might look like if the Lions were ever to win a Super Bowl…finally something being set right after SUCH a long time.

But this was exuberant, praise of God!

David recognized Saul’s disobedience, went to get the ark - to once again recognize the rightful place of God at the center of Israel’s life - and now is bringing it back to Jerusalem in celebration!

What is there to fault David for here??

But David didn’t care for the ark properly. There were rules regarding how it was to be carried...

Specifically - it was to be carried on poles (Deuteronomy 25) by the Levites (Deuteronomy 10:8)

Yet we read here that the ark was placed on a new cart to be transported.

It seemed like a good idea to put the ark on a cart, it was even a new cart!

Yet this is an example of following worldly wisdom rather than obeying commands that God had already given.

The Philistines also thought it was a good idea to put the ark on a cart when they sent it back after God sent plagues on them for having the ark.

This seems like a small disobedience but it emphasizes that point that EVERY word of God must be obeyed.

David and all Israel were enthusiastic in their worship and celebration…but failed to obey the word of the Lord.

Enthusiasm is no substitute for obedience (repeat)

EXILES

The Chronicler wants the exiles to see how important it is to pay attention to and obey EVERY word of the Lord.

When the exiles returned to Jerusalem they were excited to see the temple being rebuilt

Ezra

English Standard Version Chapter 3

10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD,

“For he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”

And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

The exiles are showing the same kind of enthusiasm that David and ALL ISRAEL did.

And here we actually get to see a success from the exiles! After the wall of the city was rebuilt, Ezra (a teacher of the law) read the law to the people.

They were convicted of the fact that they had intermarried when God had commanded them not to - and they actually put away their foreign wives.

They could have stopped short saying, “we already praised God pretty passionately…we’re not going to deal with the whole foreign wives thing right now”

Enthusiasm was no substitute for obedience.

US - Application

Now I know that Presbyterians aren’t exactly known for our wild displays of emotion (although an amen every now and then would be greatly appreciated...)

But how often do we get excited about some new theological truth that we’ve learned or want to argue or talk about some book that we read...

Yet we still refuse to give up those things in our lives that don’t please our Lord.

How dare we rejoice in the theological genius of Calvin, Edwards, or Sproul - while we continue to saturate our minds with filthy tv shows and movies.

While we laugh at jokes that dishonor the name of Christ.

While we gossip about others in the church under the guise of care...

I AM PREACHING TO MYSELF HERE.

God wants obedience from his people. He wants our hearts. Not just our mouths. Not just our emotions. HE WANTS ALL OF US.

David messed up. But David is called a man after God’s own heart because he knew how to repent.

We must do the same thing. When we see our sin - repent! Turn from it and obey.

The NT reinforces this in 1 Peter

English Standard Version Chapter 1

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

English Standard Version Chapter 1

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

We have been ransomed by Jesus blood. Jesus is the pure one. He is the only one without blemish or spot.

It is because he lived perfectly. Because he is holy that we are called to holy obedience like him. Our obedience can’t buy us salvation…but it’s called for as a grateful response to the grace that has been shown to us!

Be holy because or God is holy. Be holy because our Savior is holy. Be holy because we belong to the holy one!

Be excited about Calvin and Sproul! Sing loudly! Shout amen! Those are good things!

But without lives that glorify the Lord, without obedience to his word, they mean nothing.

Enthusiasm is no substitute for obedience. God has told us what he requires of us, Obedience matters.

I think we’re starting to see that things didn’t escalate quite as quickly as it seemed at first. Uzzah was put in a bad situation, but he is at fault as well.

Uzzah’s death teaches us that we have no excuse for disobedience.

Uzzah’s disobedience (We have no excuse for disobedience)

ISRAEL

English Standard Version Chapter 13

9 And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.

Poor Uzzah right? All he did was try to keep the ark from falling to the ground.

Why did God judge Uzzah so harshly here?! Wasn’t it David’s fault that he was in this position in the first place?

Yes! But that doesn’t release Uzzah from personal responsibility before God.

In the law, God made it abundantly clear that only people from a select segment of Levites were allowed to touch the ark.

As a member of the covenant community, Uzzah was responsible to know this and to obey.

Uzzah had no excuse for his disobedience.

EXILES

The Chronicler wants the returning exiles to see the importance of individual obedience as well as corporate obedience.

He makes a big deal about ALL ISRAEL, but all Israel is made up of individuals.

Look at the huge list of names that we read in the first 9 chapters. Look at the list of names of mighty men and the others who joined David in chapter 12. All of these individuals mattered to David, they mattered to the Chronicler, and they matter to God.

God continued to send prophets to teach the returned exiles.

This is why the Chronicler is writing - this is why Ezra preached to the returned exiles!

They weren’t left to guess at what God required!

The exiles would have no excuse for disobedience.

US

As members of the covenant community, we are given the privileges of being in that community… and we also carry responsibility.

We sit under the preaching of the Word and therefore we know what God requires of us. We have no excuse when we continue in our own sin.

“I didn’t hear you” is a commonly heard excuse in my household. If I ask one of the kids to let the dog out…and then find a mess on the floor…you better believe “I didn’t hear you” is not going to be an acceptable excuse. First, they know it’s their responsibility to let the dog out. Second, I reminded them to let the dog out. And you know why they didn’t hear me? They were too wrapped up in a video game or something that THEY wanted to do. They heard my voice (I’m pretty loud)…but they didn’t LISTEN to it.

We are blessed because we are able to draw near to God as part of the covenant community.

But we must be careful that we do it on HIS terms…not our own.

WE HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR DISOBEDIENCE.

We live in a time where even in a pandemic, you can hear the word preached by YOUR pastor each week.

We have no excuse to not hear the word preached.

We live in a time where not only is there a Bible or ten on our shelves, it’s in our pockets on our phones and available at any second.

We have no excuse not to read the word.

We live in a time, after the resurrection of Christ, in which there is no more need for priests to mediate between us and God because Christ is the one mediator between God and man.

We have no excuse not to seek God daily, hourly, constantly in prayer.

We sin because we place something other than God at the center of our lives. No excuse will fly before God.

As the people of God, we have have no excuse for disobedience. God has told us what he requires of us, Obedience matters.

Conclusion

When all this happened, David’s response was to Freak. Out.

First he got angry and God and then he was afraid of God.

He decided he couldn’t take the ark back to Jerusalem - God was just too scary to be that close.

Yet when he left it at the house of Obed-edom, Obed-edom was blessed.

The presence of God is a blessing! God desires to bless his people. He desires to give good gifts.

And he has given good gifts! The best gift of all to those of us who have been saved by Christ and given everlasting life instead of death!

We’re the ones who mess it up by insisting on our own way!

Our own obedience doesn’t buy our salvation. It can’t. Because our obedience will always be imperfect.

Philippians

English Standard Version Chapter 2

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Because Christ has obeyed perfectly… we are free to obey!

Don’t walk out of here thinking about someone else who needs to hear this. YOU need to hear this. I need to hear this.

We know we can’t obey perfectly. Not one of us can.

That means there are two possible appropriate responses tonight. If you haven’t put your faith in Jesus, you’re counting on your own obedience to be enough…and it never will be - put your faith in him

If you are in Christ. If you’re part of the community of believers - examine yourself and obey. Oh how much pain would be avoided if we would simply obey our Lord.