Part 4: Relentless Obedience

Transcription

1 1 Part 4: Relentless Obedience Let s turn in our Bibles and read John 14:15-31 If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world? 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. 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. All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. You heard me say, I am going away and I am coming back to you. If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. Come now; let us leave. KEY QUESTION: How can I find joy in obedience even when I m afraid? 1. Relentlessly pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus. In John 14:20 Jesus says: On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. a. It s okay to ask Jesus the difficult questions.

2 2 No one should be surprised at the difficulty of faith, if there is some part of his life where he is consciously resisting or disobeying the commandment of Jesus. Is there some part of your life which you are refusing to surrender at his behest, some sinful passion, maybe, or some animosity, some hope, perhaps your ambition or your reason?... How can you hope to enter into communion with him when at some point in your life you are running away from him? -Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship What would you say is the most difficult part of your faith right now? What questions are you wrestling with? What are you doing about them? John 14:22 says: Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world? KEY QUESTION: Am I willing to lean in and hear what Jesus is saying to me? b. The closer I get to Jesus the more I understand the heart of His teachings. In John 14:23 Jesus replied: If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. c. It becomes easier to obey when I know I am loved. [To have Faith in Christ] means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward

3 3 for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you. -C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity What resonates with you after reading this quote? How does this relate to you and your relationship with the Lord right now? 2. Daily invite the Holy Spirit into my life. a. So what does the Holy Spirit do? i. Comes alongside me when I m scared. ii. Counsels me when I m confused. iii. Comforts me when I m crying. iv. Coaches me into obedience. v. Calms me when I m angry. vi. Convicts me when I m sinning. There is a good chance that you have experienced some or all of these things. Share a time when the Holy Spirit counseled, comforted, coached, etc. you through one of the experiences listed above. b. How do you listen to Him?

4 4 How does God speak to you and what are the ways that you listen? 3. Choose to trust, and watch what happens. In John 14:18 Jesus says: I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. a. One step of obedience leads to an adventure of obedience. In John 14:21 Jesus explains that: Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. Does it make sense to pray for guidance about the future if we are not obeying in the thing that lies before us today? How many momentous events in Scripture depended on one person's seemingly small act of obedience! Rest assured: Do what God tells you to do now, and, depend upon it, you will be shown what to do next. -Elisabeth Elliot, Quest for Love: True Stories of Passion and Purity KEY THOUGHT: Each time we take a step of obedience God shows us something. The obedient life becomes an adventure! b. Experience the peace that comes with obedience.

5 5 John 14:27 says: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. LIFE GROUP ACTIVITIES FACILITATOR & HOST HOME TRAINING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 6:30 P.M. 8:30 P.M. CHILDCARE: FREE. FOOD AND DRINKS PROVIDED Is there anyone in your life group that you ve ever thought, Wow, that person would be a great Facilitator or Host Home! If so, encourage him or her to take that first step in training to be a facilitator or opening up their home to hosting a life group! We want everyone at Newbreak to be a part of life group, but in order for that to happen, we need more leaders like you who passionately love the Lord! Sign up online at newbreak.org/events or lifegroups@newbreak.org.