Flex Our Obedience Muscles

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February 5, 2017

Flex Our Obedience Muscles

Exodus 20 & John 6

Our earlier reading for this morning and the few moments with the children were about the Ten Commandments….not something we study all that often but very important when it comes to our focus for today and that’s about flexing our obedience muscles. We’ve been into a little physical and spiritual exercise this January and now into February, and today’s spiritual exercise is about the word “obedience” muscles.

You may remember the Ten Commandments were part of God’s covenant with God’s chosen people, the Hebrew nation, Israel. Covenant is a contract, an agreement, a commitment. The Ten Commandments were the “rules” that would govern the covenant relationship between God and his chosen people.

We don’t like rules, do we? But understand that the purpose of the rules to the people then and yes, even us today, were there to help maintain a right relationship with God and one another. God’s chosen then and us today are to be an example to the world of the existence and character of Jehovah God. Israel’s commitment – Israel’s obedience - our obedience, our commitment to God’s covenant rules brings God’s blessing

Now this evening is the Super Bowl if you hadn’t already picked up on that. In the game of football there are also rules, right? And when rules are followed by everyone the game progresses until somebody decides to break a rule. What happens then? Everything comes to a stop. No plays…maybe another of those multi-million dollar commercials, but no plays until it’s sorted out and most often somebody is punished.

Now with the Ten Commandments sometimes folks get hung up on the “don’t do this and the don’t do that” stuff. But it’s not so much that don’t do this and don’t do because there’s gonna be a penalty as much as it is “when you obey God, you’re gonna see God’s blessings.” Things will progress.

Well, you see God’s sole purpose with his originally chosen people was to bring forth a people who God could use through their obedience to bring salvation to the world. The Ten Commandments, then, were rules to help keep the people focused on OBEDIENCE…keeping God first and foremost.

God’s covenant with Israel was a foreshadowing of the new covenant that would be established in Jesus Christ..and that we celebrate today in Holy Communion.

You see the prophecies of a Savior who would bring salvation for all people was proclaimed to the world through the chosen people, the Hebrew nation of Israel.

The Ten Commandments were called the tablets of testimony – of witness that they were and we are God’s chosen. Located in the tabernacle in the center of the camp (where the presence of God was) the tablets of testimony, those commandments would serve as a constant reminder of God’s covenant with Israel. Throughout Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness and then their inheritance of the promised land, knowledge of the testimony of the covenant then wasn’t confined to the borders of Israel. Their“testimony” preceded them. It went before them….like your reputation sometimes goes before you even before you show your face. The New England Patriots have a reputation….and part of that is that they know how to win Super Bowls.

So here in the Bible we see that other nations had heard the testimony…they knew the reputation of the chosen people…..and would-be enemies of God’s people just knew they could not stand against the God of Israel. I’ll bet in many instances they knew the rules as well.

Now here’s the best part. Yes, God’s covenant was with Israel originally and specifically, but this fact didn’t exclude non-jews from making the God of Israel their God too. Others could be participants in God’s covenant. (Ie: Rahab the harlot, the city of Ninevah, Nebuchadnezzar, Ruth((read that one this afternoon))). God’s covenant was made with Israel but was a witness to ALL people. And through Israel all people would be introduced to the Savior of all mankind – Jesus Christ.

Now there were penalties……red flags if you will…..when Israel disobeyed God’s Ten Commandments. Breaking the rules was synonymous with breaking covenant. As example Israel didn’t alwayus want to let God be God….and they were often accused of unbelief and rebellion. These attitudes and their accompanying bouts of disobedience and disregard for the law, brought severe punishment on the people….God allowed them to experience some very tough times. The thing is you see, Israel’s disobedience and unbelief reflected on God’s reputation. God desired and still desires our obedience so we can continue to be God’s light against the darkness of the world.

Now when folks broke the Ten Commandments –– (like as if we could actually obey every one of them), it didn’t mean folks in first testament times couldn’t be saved. This isn’t about salvation by keeping the laws anyway.

Under the old covenant people were still saved in the same way we are – by grace through FAITH – the faithin which we now can live. Faith that a Messiah, a Savior was coming…..we see in hindsight that the Savior, the Messiah has come and is coming again.

So here we sit today in New Testament times….and maybe you’re thinking about the rules today and maybe the rules you’re thinking about aren’t about the Ten Commandments.

Maybe you’re mind is already off to about 6 o’clock and you’re thinking about holding – 15 yards; offsides – 5 yards; block in the back – 15 yards….and all the rest. Fans of the New England Patriots or the Atlanta Falcons are hoping their team won’t break the rules. Don’t you think there were those back in first testament time who were hoping their team – the Hebrew nation – wouldn’t break the rules either?

Again, thankfully their salvation and our salvation too doesn’t depend on keeping every nuance of every rule, every commandment…..like the Hebrew nation, we are saved by grace, through faith…..and you know I’m a big fan of those little words – grace and faith.

Now I’m guessing that there aren’t too many of us in the room are what you’d call truly “fans” of either the Patriots or the Falcons, but since that’s the game, maybe you’re gonna choose one side or the other for some reason or another. Maybe you’ve got a bit of faith in your chosen team. Lots of folks like to choose the underdog….I hear folks think that’s the Falcons since they haven’t been to this thing called a Super Bowl in like forever. No matter……folks are folks and fans are fans.

Fans. To be a fan really doesn’t require much of a commitment. Fans display certain characteristics – but they aren’t very loyal. When a fan doesn’t get what he or she hoped for, they turn away.

The Hebrew nation did that….they turned away time and again, yet God offered forgiveness after forgiveness and so they continued to be the ones to usher in the Light of Jesus Christ until Jesus Christ himself showed up on the scene. And when Jesus showed up, well I wonder how many fans he had.

You know the old nugget – there’s nothing new under the sun? Well, get this – being a fickle fan is in the New Testament of the Bible too.

John 6 ( Page 1116) 35 – 44

So you see for some time Jesus had a lot of fans, but that’s not what he wants. He wants committed, faithful, obedient followers….not fickle fans. Jesus wants people who will follow him through thick and thin. He wants people who are not in it for their own gain, but are following him to hear God’s word, live into God’s word and help build God’s kingdom.

Earlier here in John 6 there were thousands of people chasing after this Jesus, listening to his word and trying to hear more. When the time came for them to be fed, Jesus blessed a small boys’ meal of five small loaves of bread and two small fish and proceeded to feed more than 5,000 people with them. The people were fed and were amazed at Jesus’ miracle. The next day when they woke up they were hungry again….so they went and found that Jesus had moved on to the other side of the lake and they chased after him there, too. When they arrived Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.”

Jesus went on to tell them how he came from heaven and that he was the bread of life. They didn’t understand all that and no longer wanted to associate with him.

Fickle fans. In verse 66 of chapter 6 it says, “from this time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”

Are you a committed follower of Jesus or are you simply a fan? Are you ready to follow him all the days of your life or are you just in it to win it on an “as needed” basis, meaning it’s OK to follow this Jesus when I need him, but when things start to not go so good for me, I begin to slip away.”

The first step in forming a habit of obedience to God is experiencing his forgiveness. Just like God’s first chosen people, asking forgiveness is so, so important.

And the Bible teaches that confession is prerequisite to God’s forgiveness, whether for salvation or for daily fellowship. Our booklet, “God At The Center” (which you can get a copy in the back if you haven’t got one) cites a first testament passage, Proverbs 28:13, which says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

Our booklet also asks if we’ve ever taken the Ten Commandments seriously.

Have you ever studied those Ten? I’ll bet many have….even if it was only when you were kids…..but have you ever since? I pray you have. It was God’s moral law then,and it’s still good today. The apostle Paul called God’s laws “holy, righteous and good” in Romans 7.

God didn’t give these commandments to put a burden on folks that they couldn’t bear – then or now - those were first given to his chosen people to give them a framework for a life of obedience – forming a nation of followers. When the Lord gave Israel the Ten Commandments, God says, in effect, “Listen, O Israel, I brought you out of bondage not to create another bondage for you, but to give you freedom – freedom to obey me and be liberated. If you remain in the boundaries I am giving you, you will be free. You’ll have plenty of room to maneuver. Enjoy it. I’ve given it all for you.”

The Ten Commandments were given, ALL of God’s word friends, is still very real today to help us build a life of love, freedom and obedience.Jesus was the fulfillment of the promises of God, but Jesus gave his commandments as well. “Go and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” I’m gonna be with you….you don’t go it alone.”

The one who has the bread of life…the one who is the bread of life offers this command – love God and love others…..that’s what the 10 Commandments were really about --- instructions on how to show your love for God and God’s love to others.

Before long we’ll be entering the season of Lent – those 40 days that lead up to the celebration of Easter. I’m thinking that if I were in the crowds of Jerusalem I’d see lots of fans gathering to see the promised Messiah come in to Jerusalem to beat the enemy that day……and then maybe, just maybe they were there for the post-Super Bowl Parade of that day – when Jesus has risen…..after the Resurrection and at the time of the giving of the Holy Spirit. But how many of them were around when Jesus suffered and died for your sins and mine? Very, very few.

I invite you to look inside yourself to see whether you’re just a fan or a fully devoted, fully obedient follower of Jesus Christ.Jesus is not looking for FANS. Instead he seeks fully devotedFOLLOWERS.

All you have to do is pray to Jesus. Ask him to walk with you through this life-changing time of moving from a fan to a follower. Call a friend, a relative or your pastor and ask them to pray with you. Now is as good a time as any.

And you know what? Then those early commandments and Jesus commandments as well will finally start to make sense – because they will be pointing you toward the life you, in your heart of hearts, really desire to live in the first place.

A life that shows your love of God, and your love for others….others God loves too, just as much as you.