13. Long Obedience Requires A Daily Decision

Welcome to Iowa City Church! I’m glad you are here as we begin to wrap up this sermon series, Long Obedience In The Same Direction.

The reason I called this series, Long Obedience In The Same Direction, is because it’s the phrase which best sums up the faith journey of a Christian (it’s also the title of a book on discipleship written by Eugene Peterson). It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It’s not buying a ticket to heaven and coasting, it’s a daily, life long journey of faith…of obedience.

The word we have been using to describe this journey is discipleship: committed to Jesus, being transformed by Jesus, and living on mission with Jesus. A lot of people say they like Jesus…even follow Jesus. However, many people get stalled out when it comes to being transformed by Jesus. Do you know why? It’s because Jesus is an unconventional teacher! Maybe even difficult.

One of the generational examples of this we can all relate to is found in the movie, Karate Kid…thanks to Cobra Kai. Skinny teenager Daniel LaRusso is transformed into a Valley Karate Champion because of his unconventional teacher, Mr. Miyagi. Daniel’s karate training includes sanding the wooden deck, painting the fence and of course waxing the cars. Who can forget, “Wax on. Wax off.” Daniel of course thinks this training is ridiculous. He hates it and pushes back, but because Mr. Miyagi has rescued him and helped him, he is obedient. One could put it this way: But because of who Mr. Miyagi was, Daniel obeyed. What we learn is that because of Daniel’s obedience to the unconventional methods, he has in fact developed muscle memory in those tasks to begin to apply to his karate matches.

On this discipleship journey of following Jesus, we are going to be asked to do some very challenging, difficult, even unconventional lifestyle choices. The question is this: Will we obey what Jesus asks us to do?

Thankfully, the Bible is full of examples of people, just like you and me who wrestle with these same issues of being obedient and trusting God’s way. If you have a Bible or device, find Psalm 132. We will also have the Scriptures up the screen as well. Also, if you are using the YouVersion Bible app, look for Events. Then you should see Iowa City Church. Click on that and all of the sermon notes and Scriptures will be right there on your device.

If you are new with us, we are on this journey through the Psalms of Ascent. 15 Worship songs the Jewish pilgrims would sing as they journeyed to Jerusalem for one of their big feasts. As they traveled up the mountain to Jerusalem they would sing these worship songs as reminders of their long journey of obedience following God. We are using them in a similar manner, reminding each of us of our long journey of obedience following Jesus.

If you would join me in standing, I’ll read these words of worship:

Psalm 132:1–18 NIV

1 Lord, remember David and all his self-denial. 2 He swore an oath to the Lord, he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: 3 “I will not enter my house or go to my bed, 4 I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, 5 till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 6 We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar: 7 “Let us go to his dwelling place, let us worship at his footstool, saying, 8 ‘Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. 9 May your priests be clothed with your righteousness; may your faithful people sing for joy.’ ” 10 For the sake of your servant David, do not reject your anointed one. 11 The Lord swore an oath to David, a sure oath he will not revoke: “One of your own descendants I will place on your throne. 12 If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever.” 13 For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying, 14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it. 15 I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor I will satisfy with food. 16 I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will ever sing for joy. 17 “Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one. 18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”

PRAY

This psalm is a song that summarizes David’s desire to bring the ark of the covenant, this footstool of God, to Jerusalem. However, he didn’t want to just bring the ark to Jerusalem, he want to build a magnificent temple for it. He want to make Jerusalem the center of worship for Yahweh. However, God says, not so fast. He appreciates David’s desire, but tells him that he’s not the right one for the job. Instead one of his sons will be the person to build the temple. You can read all about this in 2 Samuel chapter 7. But God is challenging David to trust him and his plan, because this is bigger then just a Temple in Jerusalem. The promise is that from the line of David will come a kingdom that will never end.

This psalm is also referred to as a messianic psalm because it does point to a future messiah from the family line of David. Look at verse 17 for example.

Psalm 132:17 NIV

17 “Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one.

A “horn” demonstrates power or strength. Anointed one, is one who set apart and usually points to a coming messiah.

This psalm was sung with joy…and hope because of David’s obedience to God and how God had and was going to work through David and his descendants. However, there is a curious and important verse we need to focus on. Look at verse 12 again.

Psalm 132:12 NIV

12 If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever.”

A covenant, is like a contract, where two parties agree to the terms. There is mutual benefits if both parties uphold their end of the agreement. If you read through the Bible you see God entering into covenant relationships with people and nations. The challenge is for David’s sons to keep their covenant relationship with God. God always upholds his end of the deal. But will David’s sons? Will they be obedient to the covenant?

Let me introduce you to Solomon. David’s son who took the throne following David’s death. He was the one who built the temple in Jerusalem. It was Solomon who brought the ark into the Temple and dedicated it. It was Solomon who asked God for wisdom. It was Solomon who build a magnificent and powerful kingdom.

It was Solomon who also became so smart and sophisticated that he decided he didn’t need to follow the antiquated terms of the covenant. The things God commanded a hundred years ago, they don’t apply to me anymore…at least that is what he thought. Here is what happened.

1 Kings 11:1–8 (NIV)

1 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done. 7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

For Solomon, being obedient to the terms of the covenant weren’t applicable to him. He was king. He was the wise. He was sophisticated. That idea of marrying a foreign wife or even wives for that matter didn’t apply to him. The rulers of mighty nations operated this way. This was how treaties were formed and agreements made. He didn’t need to follow this minor, unreasonable command.

However he did. His heart did change…and the kingdom began to crumble…divide. As one reads through First and Second Kings you see that things are really never really the same. It’s a roller coaster of up’s and mostly downs, resulting in exile. However, even after being brought back, it was never the same. One would think that it’s the end of the story, but God always keeps his promises…and out of the darkness is born Jesus…a descendant of King David.

This new king is inviting people into God’s new kingdom. However, it’s unconventional…unsophisticated…even upside down. It’s a kingdom for the down and outers....not the insiders. It’s a kingdom where the first are last and the last are first. This isn’t any ordinary kingdom!

Here’s the catch though. Jesus is going to call you to be obedient to him, no matter how strange it may seem. He’s going to call you to be obedient to the covenant relationship you make with him. You see, he wants to transform you, he wants to change you into something brand new. In a way you could say that Jesus was the first Mr. Miyagi. Oh, it’s not “wax on, wax off” but it’s close.

Jesus’ ministry has begun and large crowds are starting to follow him because of his ability to heal, cast out demons and his teaching is unlike anything people have heard. One day, Jesus is beside the Sea of Galilee teaching this massive crowd. The people start pushing in on him, so he gets into a boat belonging to Simon, also known as Peter. After he is done speaking, this is what happens.

Luke 5:4–5 NIV

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Simon-Peter was a fisherman by trade. Fishermen on the lake would usually fish in the evening when it was cooler and the fish were closer to the surface. Simon is a fisherman, Jesus is not. Simon makes this clear in responding to Jesus’ nonsensical request.

Put yourself in Simon’s sandals for a moment. You’ve just spend the night fishing and you didn’t catch anything. You are cleaning up your nets and putting away your boat so you can go get some sleep. Here comes this rabbi who uses your boat as a podium and then tells you the fisherman to go out into the deep water and let down your nets. It was going to be more work for a request that was very unreasonable. However, Simon had seen the miracles and had heard Jesus’ teaching so he responds with maybe the most important sentence we could ever say: “But because you say so.”

It didn’t make sense, but because it was Jesus he was obedient. So Simon Peter and his crew go out, and let down their nets only to have them so full of fish that they begin to sink. Here is Simon Peter’s response.

Luke 5:8–11 NIV

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Simon is recognizing that this Jesus is Lord over all Creation. Who does this? Simon is recognizing Jesus as LORD, but also realizing his own sinfulness. But here is the beauty of the moment. Jesus invites Simon Peter to join him on mission. That is what Peter does. He leaves everything and follows him. This is a moment of transformation and mission. Simon Peter found his mission because he was obedient to an inconvenient request.

Well, that was Peter. How do I know that I can trust what Jesus wants me to do? These are different times. We have more information. People are different. There are a lot of smart people out there with books, and podcasts and TED talks, how can I trust Jesus that he has my best interest at heart?

Two words: The Cross. The cross proves that you are worth it to Jesus. The cross proves that Jesus is serious about you. The cross proves that Jesus can be trusted. Listen, if Jesus was willing to die for you…don’t you think he wants what is best for you? Because of the cross, we can know that Jesus is not only serious, but can be trusted.

If your life is stalled out. If your life as a Christian has plateaued. If your ready to experience life transformation then understand this truth:

Being a disciple of Jesus requires you to say daily, “It doesn’t make sense, but because you say so I will do it.”