Obey Like Jesus

Does anyone else sometimes struggle with obeying God like Jesus did? You are not alone. I was recently doing a short 5 Day devotional about obedience and found it very helpful. Most of this material is a combination of the author's topics and my own scripture diving. My hope is that it will encourage you and draw you closer to our Heavenly Father. Our obedience brings God joy. 

1. Obedience must happen immediately. No hesitation or negotiation. When God commands something, whether it be in His Word or in our spirit, it is important to obey instantly. Jesus gives us two examples of men who wanted to follow Him but hesitated. And right after their hesitation He shows us what they missed out on.

(Luke 9:59-62 NKJV) Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

• These two men didn’t desire to do wicked things. These things were not evil. The problem was not that they wanted to do them; it was that they wanted to do them FIRST. They didn’t immediately obey Jesus’ words. They put their own desires before God. Now let’s see in the very next verse what they missed out on…

(Luke 10:1 NKJV) After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.

• They could have been counted among those who were appointed by Jesus Himself to go ahead of Him and prepare the cities and towns for His arrival. Can you imagine having that job, given to you, BY JESUS.
  • (BTW)…All of us that are Christians and believe in the Bible actually do have that job, given to us, BY JESUS. He is coming again and it is our absolute privilege to share the Gospel; to prepare the world for His arrival.
  • To do this we must be obedient, immediately, and not just once, every time.

2. Obedience must happen even when it doesn’t make sense. Many of the things that God commands do not make sense. Why? Because we live in a fallen world and this world has framed and molded our perception of what is normal. “Normal” in our eyes is to look out for ourselves. Our perception is carnal and not spiritual. God’s perception is truth. His “Normal” is to place others before ourselves. His perception is spiritual and not carnal. So, when He tells us to do things, sometimes it does not conform to our perception of “Normal”.

(Matthew 5:38-42 NKJV) "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

• See, to a carnal perception, these commands are NOT normal. They do not “look out for #1” so to speak. “So, I have to let people beat me up and steal all of my stuff? I can’t even resist? That doesn't make any sense!”
• Though these commands make absolutely no sense, I must obey God. Even if it is something that we think of as random. There is a reason that God is asking it of us.

Story Time: I can remember, about a year after I was saved, I just randomly felt conviction about wearing red fingernail polish to church. Only red, other colors were fine. I had no idea why; I still don’t. I didn’t question it because I knew in my heart that God was speaking to me. For years I carried this conviction. Is red fingernail polish sinful? I do not believe so at all. But for a time, the Lord didn’t permit me to wear it. It seemed random and insignificant, but I obeyed. I have since been released from that conviction and can wear it if I choose. I don’t, but I could.

3. Obedience cannot depend on personal benefit. We must obey God whether or not a reward is obvious. In today’s culture, it is rare to find someone willing to do something for someone else without wondering “What’s in it for me?” Even within our own family this is often true. This can easily spill over into our Christian walk. Before we know it, we are serving God with a checklist. “I need a financial blessing, so I’ll give a little in offering. Then God will bless me.” Or “I really feel empty in spirit, so I’ll lift my hands higher in worship. Then the Spirit will touch me.” It is not about what God will do for me. I obey because He has already done enough for me.

(Luke 6:27-28 NKJV) "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.”

• For instance, this passage does not reveal an obvious benefit to us. Yet, we must obey it.
• What matters most is that we obey everything Jesus commands, not what we will gain because of it.

4. Obedience must happen even if it is painful. Sometimes it will cost us something to obey God. It can be painful. But pain can be beneficial at times. Childbirth hurts but the result is new life. Exercising can hurt but the result is a healthier body. God will never bring us pain just for pain’s sake. But He will use every second of the pain to strengthen us and bring glory to Himself. Human nature does not lead us to embrace pain. Our “Normal” is to avoid it or run away from it. When it comes to obedience we must not run away just because it presents pain. Jesus didn’t. He is our example.

(Matthew 26:38-39 NKJV) Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

(Luke 22:44 NKJV) And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

• Jesus was facing the single most painful event there ever had been or will ever be.
• He begged God to find another way yet chose to do God’s will.
• The conflict between obeying the Father and self-preservation was so intense that His sweat was “great drops of blood”. Yet He chose obedience. Even in the face of pain.

5. Obedience must be complete all the way to completion. Partial obedience is actually disobedience. We have to obey “all parts” of God’s commands and we must continue to obey until His commands are finished. When is that? I suspect it is when we are with Jesus in eternity. Again, look to Jesus as our example. What if He only partially obeyed God? What if He obeyed in all of it except the cross? He had opportunities to run from the pain and choose not to go through with it.

(Luke 4:5-7 NKJV) Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."

• He could have taken the offer and refused the cross. Yet He chose God’s will.

(Mark 15:29-30 NKJV) And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"

• He had the power to come down. He could have chosen to save himself. Yet he obeyed. He was determined to obey His Father.

This is what our obedience should look like: we should obey immediately, even when it makes no sense, even if we see no reward in it, even when it may hurt or cost us something, and we should obey completely until God’s will is finished.

If I’m honest, this doesn’t really resemble my obedience. But you know what? God is good. He is such a loving Father that He knows this, He sees me keep trying, and He showers me with mercy and grace. Let’s all take a moment to thank Him for His compassion to us. Let’s repent for missing this mark. And let’s wake up tomorrow with a newfound determination to obey like Jesus. Let’s love our Heavenly Father with a love that makes us more afraid to disappoint Him than we are to disobey Him. And know that He loves us with a love so great that even in our floundering, He is not disappointed in us at all.

May the Lord bless and keep you; make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.