Obedience

Genesis chapter 2. I think what's on my mind this afternoon will bring every message and tie it all together. Genesis chapter 2 verse number 16. And the Lord God commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Chapter 3 verse 1. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field and you know the rest of the story. Romans please. Romans chapter 5 verse number 19.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Philippians please. Chapter 2 verse 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Hebrews chapter 5 for one more. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 8. Though he were a son yet he yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

And the Lord will bless to us the reading of his precious word. We've heard this afternoon as it started out about the primary thing in the Christian life is to know him. I'd like to focus on one aspect of him at the close of this meeting and that is his obedience.

His obedience. To know him. We were reminded of our enemy.

We were reminded of things that start small and end big. We were reminded of abiding in the vine. And I just like to consider obedience of Christ.

Obedience for you and I. Found an example through obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is to me one of the primary primary goals every day is to be obedient to the things that I know. And maybe there's a young Christian here and you've maybe only been saved a few weeks or maybe a few months and you're wondering what is your what is your lot in life what are you to do for God.

Or maybe you've been saved a long time and you haven't yet figured out what it is that that makes a person sets a person off on the spiritual road. You look at all your gray haired men and you look at them with with wonder and you wonder how they got to where they are and you appreciate them and you respect them and we should. And we listen to the overseers and the teachers teach Sunday by Sunday and we come to a conference and we listen to men try to take the Word of God in hand and we wonder and we hear about being spiritual or being carnal.

But I want to speak to those that are saved just for a little while. Obey what you know. Obey what you know.

That is being spiritual. God doesn't expect you to know every single thing in the Bible right now. But God has given you something already that you know and when you obey what you know he will give you more.

Not until you obey what you know. That's why a lot of us if we were if Paul was writing to us he would have to say I'm writing to you as babes. You need to start over.

You never got off on the right foot. You never got off on anything. You didn't obey what you knew.

And a young person a young child that's been saved says what is it that I know? You know to obey your parents. That is spiritual living. To know to obey your parents.

You know to respect your elders. Those that are older than you. You know to do good.

Don't you? So just simply obey what you know. And as you obey what you know God will be sure to give you more. And one step at a time you'll abide in the vine.

Just one step at a time. Be obedient to the will of God. We read of the obedience of one many were made righteous.

For the sake of time I'd like to look at two aspects of obedience. I would like to look at the importance of it and the impact of it. The importance of you and I being obedient.

First of all number one disobedience is sin. That's important to know isn't it? So just to keep things exceedingly simple this afternoon it's important to obey because disobedience is sin. He that knows to do good and does it not to him it is sin.

I remember one day I live in Amish country driving by and there was a horseshoe stuck in the tire of the road and all the nails were sticking up. And I saw it in time and I straddled it and I thought next guy's gonna get it. And just like that this verse come to mind.

He that knows to do good and does it not it was it is sin. I had to turn around and go get the thing. Still in my shed.

Disobedience is sin. And if you're going to walk with God and if you're going to be spiritual and to the extent of what you know you must know and must obey what you do know. In all of its simplicity however meaningless it might seem the details matter when it comes to obedience.

Every detail matters. So it is important because disobedience is sin. It is an indicator of salvation.

What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? You see salvation is very much linked with obedience isn't it? We obey the gospel. There is repentance that is found. There is faith in Christ just as God has said.

And so it is an indication of salvation. And if the tenor of your life if you profess to be saved is disobedience examine yourself whether you're in the faith. If that is the tenor of your life is that and if that is the appetite of your life because obedience is an indicator of life.

It is an indicator of salvation. This is why obedience is important. The third one it is because it is our identity.

Our identity is shown through our obedience to the things that we know. When we're obedient to the truth that we know we are showing the world that we are Christ. That we belong to Christ.

Our identity is being revealed. Isn't it? We heard about nailing our colors to the wall early as a Christian experience. How do you do that by your obedience? And as people see you do what you do and they say that is strange.

Why does she do that? That is interesting. Why does he do that? Because that's what the Bible says to do. Obedience is important because of our identity.

You see if you were an identity thief what would it be that you would be after? You wouldn't be after my name. There are actually more than one Brandon Dahl in America. Can't believe it.

Thought I was one of a dying breed. But there are more of us. And so that wouldn't be what you were after.

Nor would you be after my address or my my zip code where I live. But what you would be after would be my details. Those passwords.

Those pin numbers. Those social security numbers. Those thumbprints.

Whatever the details are. And you see what what is it that our adversary is after to steal our identity. It's obedience to the details.

And we were reminded that there's a line here and when you cross that line the next one is there. And it's one step at a time. Dear brother and dear sisters it's the details.

Maybe your grandpa told you like mine told me. You watch the pennies the dollars will take care of himself. You watch the details and the rest will take care of itself.

The details. It is our identity. There is the attention to detail.

There is the attitude of discipline. It takes discipline to day by day. Seek to live out what you know.

It never goes away. Does it brethren? Some of you have been saved for 60 years. It still takes discipline to live out the truth that you know.

One day at a time by the grace of God. It takes an attitude of discipline. It takes an anticipation of death.

You say what does that mean? Death to self and death to the world. And the Lord Jesus was obedient unto death even the death of the cross. So we see him there that through the obedience of one many were made righteous.

We're going to get to the impact of it in a minute. And that he was obedient unto death even the death of the cross. And so there is something there in your life that you love and that is very much dear to you.

Something you like to do. Something that is all for yourself. We might have to die.

Let me change that. We will have to die. We have to anticipate that because God is going to put us to the test.

What's first in your life? What's most important in your life? And we can come to a conference and we can be challenged like we were yesterday. And we can be encouraged like we were today and instructed. And we can go tomorrow is a new day.

How important is what you learned this weekend? Has it changed us? Has it motivated us? Has it really affected us? Anticipation of death. I am going to have to say no to something every day. The Lord Jesus Christ anticipated Calvary.

Think of him there in the garden. He was so amazed. He was obedient unto death.

Even the death of the cross. So there is the anticipation of death. It's going to take an adoration of deity.

An adoration of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope your heart was warm this weekend. Mine was warmed.

Part of Saturday I was kicked across the floor. It was good for me. But my heart has been warmed.

And I hope we go away from this conference with a greater affection for our Lord Jesus Christ and his presence and his people and his power. Because when we adore him, it's easy to obey him. When you love someone, it's easy to obey them.

You know what's interesting is you're raising your children and day by day you teach them to obey. And they obey because they're scared of the stick or whatever you're going to use. And then all of a sudden there's a magic line.

And it seems like they cross. And all of a sudden they want to obey just because they know that's what you want. And that would please you.

Because they love you. The importance of obedience. It is required for serenity.

Obedience to what you know is required for peace of soul and peace of mind, isn't it? We can't live our life with truth of God, not living it out and be at complete peace in the soul. It's really impossible for the believer to know that they're living in disobedience, to not have anything in their conscience whatsoever, anything in the back of their mind, anything in their soul that is reminding them that this isn't right. This way is right.

And so obedience is required to enjoy our salvation as it is meant to be enjoyed. The peace of God that passes all understanding. And it is instrumental for service.

When we obey what we know, God gives us more. I said that already, but that is important to understand. Not until, not until we bring into action everything that we know.

Are we given any further to go? And I look back over years of being stunted. And so do you. And you know why.

You know why. The impact of it. And time is gone.

Four impacts very quickly. Number one, obedience impacts the throne of God. It is pleasing to God.

And there he sees a child of his and they're obedient to him. And his hand is outstretched with grace. And he is giving power.

He is pleased with what is taking place. And there he is to help. It is satisfying to God.

And God speaks and God communes. And he shows himself strong on behalf of those that are obeying him. It's an example to the angels.

And we think of the head covering of the sisters. And there they are in obedience to that, the truth of headship. And it's an example to the angels.

And I wonder what they think as they look down on women that have never seen heaven itself. And there they are and their heads are covered and they're displaying headship. It must be a marvel to them.

It's an example to the angels. It impacts the saints. When you see a saint that is obedient, doesn't it not bring joy into your soul? I hope, brethren, when young Christians are baptized, you're thrilled.

You're thrilled. I've sensed lately that with baptisms, the thrill and the joy just isn't what it used to be years ago. There is a newborn Christian, not saved long, obeying the Lord in baptism.

Taking a step of obedience for him. You know what's next? The Lord's going to show him the assembly. One step at a time.

And it thrills the believer. And so there's impact by our obedience. And there's impact to the lost.

You say, how is that? Because they notice our disobedience. They notice. They watch us.

They marvel at the things that we do because the Bible says to do them. But the things that they latch on to most are the things that they expect from the Christian and they don't do. Obedience.

Our example is our Lord Jesus Christ. And I hope as we leave this conference, as we've been exhorted rightly and properly, that our focus would be to know him. And might it start just now to know him in his obedience.