“UPGRADE MY OBEDIENCE”

23 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. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”   John 14:23-24 NIV

Obedience is defined as “dutiful or submissive compliance to the commands of one in authority.”

GOD DESIRES OBEDIENCE.

22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”  

1 Samuel 15:22-23 NLT

• Partial obedience is still disobedience.
• Delayed obedience is still disobedience.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  James 1:22 NIV

• Obedience is obedience.

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  Romans 6:1-4 NIV

WHAT DID JESUS COMMAND US TO DO?

• Love God with everything we’ve got
• Love one another
• Pray for our enemies
• Repent
• Take up your cross and follow me
• Pray always
• Go make disciples

13 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”  15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him. 16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” Matthew 3:13-17 NLT

WHEN WE ARE BAPTIZED:

• We identify with Jesus Christ.

26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.  Galatians 3:26-28 NLT

• We follow Jesus’ example.
• We follow Jesus’ command.

15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him. Matthew 3:15 NLT

Baptism is not essential for salvation, but it is essential for following Jesus Christ.

• We go public with our faith.

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Romans 1:16-17 NLT

• We fulfill a part of the great commission.

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20 NLT

 

Next steps for me today…

• To accept Jesus Christ by faith.
• To follow Jesus Christ by faith that is expressed in obedience.
• To go public with my faith in Christ by believers baptism.