Category: Obedience
Subject: Obedience
Sermon: “I am the true vine”
The text of John 15:1-8 contains Jesus statement of self-identification, “I am the true vine…” This text teaches us not only about Jesus, but about our responsibilities toward Him.
Sermon: God’s Mirror
The text of James 1:21-25 supplies thoughts regarding the 1) Importance of knowing how we look to God; 2) Importance of improving our spiritual appearance; and 3) God’s word is the only reliable mirror to determine how we appear to God.
Let Your Conduct be Worthy
In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul gave them this charge, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (1:27). He also noted of what that worthy walk consists.
- “That you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” This was important to Paul, and he wrote about it often. In 1 Corinthians, he made the same call to the brethren there, “that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1:10).
This unity of mind has the common purpose of serving the Lord. We work together for the faith. This is why unity can only be based upon God’s revealed will. This is why the concept of unity in diversity (agree to disagree) is so misguided. Our one mind must be centered on the gospel of our Lord.
- That you “not in any way [be] terrified by your adversaries” (28). Such fear of those who oppose right can discourage and even defeat our will to walk in a worthy way. Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
Put simply, a worthy walk is found in working together with other Christians in obedience to God, no matter the obstacles and enemies that might seek to prevent it. To do this is to secure salvation!
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Sermon: The Christian’s Responsibility to God
The most important of our responsibilities is toward the eternal God of Heaven, our creator and the author of our redemption. We should worship, fear, obey & love Him with all our heart, soul, strength and mind.
Sermon: Rejected in His Own Country
The rejection of Jesus by his hometown of Nazareth serves to teach us important lessons about perseverence, respect for the will of God, and ridding ourselves of personal prejudices. (Lesson text: Matthew 13:53-58).
The Patternists: Children, Obey!
In Ephesians 6:1-3, Paul gives instructions to children:
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise: ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’”
Consider the following truths about this text:
- Children are commanded to obey their parents
- Such obedience is “right” (as it should be)
- Such obedience shows “honor” (a respect for their authority)
- The commandment is accompanied with a promise of God’s blessings
Now, consider how this call for obedience parallels our responsibility to God. (After all, we are His children, cf. Romans 8:16-17):
- As God’s children, we too are commanded to obey Him. (His will is revealed in the holy scriptures). There are dire consequences for those who do not obey! (cf. 1 Peter 4:17).
- Such obedience to God is as it should be, considering that He is God! (cf. Psalm 50:6).
- Such obedience shows honor to God. Conversely, disobedience shows great disrespect, bringing God’s judgment! (cf. Leviticus 10:1-3).
- The command to obey God is accompanied with the promise of everlasting life! (cf. Hebrews 5:9).
Any argument or doctrine that denies the necessity of obedience to obtain standing with God is illogical and unscriptural. Children, obey your God!
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Sermon: Building for the Lord
The book of Nehemiah reveals a people successful in building for the Lord because they had a working mentality, a balanced approach, were hindrance resistant, and were conscious of their responsibilities to God.
Sermon: Thoughts about the Word of God
Sermon preached by Josh Cox
The sermon is an examination of 1 Peter 1:22-2:5, with applications.
The Patternists: Christ Does ALL the Work?
A woman, in commenting on an article I had written, stated her belief that we are saved by grace (which is a given), then stated regarding her eternal salvation that yes, we need to follow Jesus, but that He does all the work. And, regarding her life, maybe Jesus hasn’t gone through all the steps as of yet.
This idea is a bit different from what is commonly stated by those who teach salvation by faith alone. They claim we do nothing, rather that we trust in the finished work of Christ.
To be clear, Jesus secured our hope for redemption when he shed His blood for our sins (cf. Matthew 26:28). After His resurrection, He ascended to the right hand of the Father. His work in redeeming men is finished. The gift of grace has been extended. But, if nothing else is clear in scripture, this is – God expects us to do our part!
Consider Hebrews 5:9, “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” If we want to be with Christ in eternity, there is work we too must do!
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Sermon: The Faithful Few
Throughout history, God’s faithful have been few. But, those few have preserved humanity, relied upon God’s wisdom and strength, found the way of life, and have been found worthy!
Sermon: The Show Me Religion
We should always back our claims of faithfulness with obedience. Christianity is the “Show Me” Religion.
FB: Blessed is the nation who God is the Lord
“The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance” (Psalm 33:11-12).
In the verses previous to our text, the Psalmist notes, “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing…” (10). Men (and nations) have long sought to establish their will without regarding the will of the God of heaven. Such efforts are foolish. Regarding the nations, Paul said that God, “has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” He does so, “that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:26-27).
The Psalmist notes that if God has chosen a people, they are blessed. That was certainly the case with Israel, who obtained and gloried in God’s protection, so long as they were obedient to His will.
In these last days, Christians are the people of God. As such we are blessed and protected by our God. This is important to know and to meditate upon, as we face opposition from the world around us. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32).
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Sermon: Beloved
In the face of those who denied the coming judgment of God, the apostle Peter warned his readers, whom he refers to as “Beloved”, to be mindful of God’s word and diligent to live righteously before Him.
The Patternists: “They hear your words”
Ezekiel 33 records an attitude toward the word of God that existed in that time, and in ours as well. The text verses 30-33) relate God’s words to the prophet regarding the reception of his message by the people.
“…they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them” (30-32).
Back in 1871, Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown published a commentary on Ezekiel, where they attributed the following quote regarding this text to Jerome (4th century), “They praise thy eloquence, but care not for the subject of it as a real and personal thing; just as many do in the modern church.”
In Ezekiel’s day; in Jerome’s day; in the 19th century; in the 21st century; indeed in every age, among every people, there is the tendency to give lip service to God’s word.
“Oh, how beautiful it is, how soothing, how wonderful. It’s beautiful music to our ears.”
“…For they hear your words, but do not do them.”
How about you. Do you hear God’s words? Do you recognize how important it is to submit to Him? Do you obey God’s will for you?
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