We begin this week with a passage of
scripture found in 1 Samuel 15:22 where the prophet is speaking to King
Saul concerning his disobedience in carrying out the command of God to
slay every thing in the camp and now Samuel speaks these words
"Hath The Lord as great delight
in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of God?
Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of
rams."
We find that Saul was rejected as being
king for this act of disobedience.
Let's go to some scripture verses in the
new testament and find out how the Son of God lived an obedient life in
response to his heavenly father. I want to insert here that with every command
given by the word of God there must be a choice to either obey or disobey.
God leaves the choice entirely up to the individual. However He has given
us The Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth and thus aid us in
our decision if we allow Him to. Lets look at the words Jesus speaks in
Johns' gospel chapter 8:29, "I do always those things that please
him."
Jesus was conveying this statement to the
Pharisees. If you will read from verse 1 to verse 32 of this chapter you
will understand Jesus discourse with the Pharisees.
We now can understand through this verse
one of the most important passages concerning (OBEDIENCE
TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S WILL FOR OUR LIVES every decision, Jesus made it
came about through prayer and communication with his Heavenly Father.
Jesus left us a model prayer specifically for this purpose which is called
The Lords Prayer.)
Now then lets see
how we can learn and apply what Jesus is conveying in John Chapter 8:29.
The scripture says in Hebrews 5:8, "Though
he were a son yet learned he obedience by the things he suffered."
I want to discuss
this word learned in
this passage of scripture. The special obedience needed here for Jesus to
qualify as our High Priest, He learned experimentally in practical
suffering. Philippians Chapter 2:6-8 bears this out . To learn
something you must have some kind of experience whether it be natural or
spiritual there must be an experience of some kind. Living a Christian
life is not a game but is a daily experience of being obedient to Our
Heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "Take
up your cross daily and follow me." Nobody wants to suffer
rejection, go through hardships etc. but that's all part of our Christian
walk. Jesus makes this statement in John 16:33, "These things have I
spoken to you that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall
have tribulation (earthly experiences of rejection, etc.) but be of good
cheer. I have overcome the world. We can be obedient to Gods will
for our lives by allowing The Holy spirit to lead and guide us in our
daily walk with God.
Let me caution you as to
what the bible says concerning making choices of our own without first
talking to our heavenly Father. In Proverbs 14:12 it says "there is a
way which seemeth right unto man but the end thereof are the ways of
death. |
