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"The Key to Worship:"

Obedience

Throughout history, God has demanded nothing less than total and complete obedience from His people. The pages of the Bible are full of accounts of men and women who have been favored and blessed by God because they listened, and were obedient to His word. There are several things that God wants us to know about obedience.

Obedience is the greatest form of worship.

Without obedience to God, any form of worship is hollow. It is an empty gesture, not pleasing to God. It is our willingness to submit to Him, and obey Him, that is highly valued.
In 2 Samuel 6 - We see the result of a mind trying to improve on God's perfect will. The ark of the Covenant was constructed that it could be carried on two long wooden poles by priests of the tribe of Levi. These were God's instructions to His people. But the ark was placed on a cart which two young men guided down a bumpy road.
This way of carrying the ark was man's invention. It was not obedience to God's word. Verse 6 tells the fatal story. "And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, & took hold of it; for the oxen shook it." The first act of disobedience was putting the ark on a cart. This action led to the second disobedient act, touching the sacred ark which God had expressly forbidden. The 7th verse tells of God's reaction. "And, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and tere he died by the ark of God." God didn't want Uzzah's better idea, He wanted Uzzah's obedience.

Obedience is believing God's Word.

Obedience means we believe God's Word. Certainly we would not obey a set of laws in which we had no faith. The same must be true with God's laws. Saul brought sheep and cattle back from the land of the Amalakites in order to make burnt offerings to God. No doubt in his mind, it was a great idea. But it was not what God had commanded. In 1 Samuel 15 we read that Samuel spoke these words to Saul. "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king." Saul paid the price for his lack of faith in God's law. He fell from grace, & was removed as king over Isreal. The last sentence in the 15th chapter underscores God's attitude toward Saul. "And the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel."

Obedience means that we are determined to follow God.

Obedience means we are dedicated to God and determined to follow Him. It is always easier to do as our flesh suggests, to give in and return to a sinful life. Obedience to God implies strength of mind, and determination of spirit. In the 22nd chapter of Genisis we read that God told Abraham - "...take now thy son, thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell the of." There is no suggestion that Abraham hesitated even for a moment. Genisis 22:3 begins with these words. "And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him."
Abraham proved himself to be the obedient servant. He quietly set out to obey. And because he was obedient, the Lord told him, " By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."

Obedience means separation from the world

Obedience means that we have come out of the world and away from its standards to a higher, & better place. It means we see with different eyes, & hear with different ears. Obedience to God speaks loudly to all that we are set apart and seperate for His sake. In Acts 5:29 we read "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."

Obedience brings reward from God.

In John 14, we discover the fullness of the rewards which await the obedient servant. Jesus said, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." From Genisis to Revelation we see accounts of servants being rewarded for their obedience. Jesus makes it clear, that if we say we love him we must obey Him.(John 14:15) It is through our obedience that we prove our love for Christ. Obedience is the key which makes our worship pleasing and worthy. It is the key that unlocks the door to God's rich blessings. "And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him. (Hebrews 5:9)

Rev. Gerald Capps pastor:
Church of the Lord Jesus Christ
8611 Old Pascagoula Rd.
Theodore, Al. 36582
Ph. 251-653-4472


Lord bless,
Elder Jim