Sermon Nuggets Tues Sept 16 2008
Theme- Our Special Counselor.
Verses John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
21-24 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."
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
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. 24 He 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.
The Part We Play.
Do we have any part in receiving Spiritual blessings? Jesus puts Spiritual relationship not in works of men, but in the grace of God. When Jesus says, “If you love me, you will obey me”, does this describe the true Christian, or does it challenge the Christian? I think it does both. We are in the process of being like Jesus. Let’s not make mistakes about that. We are growing. If we do not grow then we are dead.
Jesus teaches us that we need to continue to put in practice His teachings. He also makes it clear this is the will of God for each follower. Of course, "if we don't use it we lose it." I'm speaking also of spiritual vitality.
I played the drums growing up. My high school had 3,000 students in 3 grades. The competition in all activities was very strong including among the drummers in the band and orchestra. I worked hard and grew in my proficiency for concert percussion. However, when I went to Bethel College, there really wasn't that much competition even though it was on a college level. I did continue, but I wasn't pushed. I took band more as recreational activity not serious student of music or percussion. My abilities diminished. I had other demands then.
I never practice any more. Now, in fact, when I pick up the drum sticks I find I am rather rusty. They don’t do what they once did. I also never learned on a drum set, just the individual percussion instruments. Practice keeps us growing. Lack of practice and commitment results in diminished proficiency.
How does this principle carry over into Christ’s teaching? The more we commit to spiritual disciples the greater the intimacy and spiritual comfort we experience. Maybe there is a reason why some older saints exhibit a spiritual vitaity. They have through the years not only learned lifes lessons, but have dialy walked with the Lord in devotion. II Cor. 4:16 "Though our outward nature is wasting away, our inward nature isbeing renewed day by day."
One older saint wrote to me, "Dear Pastor, Related to our previous discussion, when I said I felt closer to God, what I meant is that as I am free from responsibilities of work and family, He has been especially close to me. We spend times together throughout the day talking about everything and everyone His word seems to come alive in a greater way than before. When he take my memory I think of the people that I should pray for, write, or visit. So often it is just at a time when they need it. Yes I have a newness Spiritually that I have not known before and to God be the glory."
Don't you desire that closeness and expression of intimacy in love with God? With love comes obedience, with obedience also grows love. One does not live under the rules if they love someone, they are free to be who they are and desire to please the other. The sign of maturity in the Christian is whether they do what they do because of command, or because of love. There are times I do things out of obligation. But with repeated obedience comes joy in being in the will of God. He changes our desires.
There are many believers that have a misunderstanding thinking there is nothing wrong with carnal Christianity. They are saved and going to heaven and that is all they care about. There is no love for the Lord, or for other believers, or for the lost, or for anyone but themselves. Jesus is saying if you do not have love you will not obey. If you do not love or obey my Father's love is not in you.
Some obey because their religion teaches it. Others obey because the relationship is enhanced and they are the one’s who understand spiritual comfort.
Pastor Dale
