March 25
Deut 4:1-49| PS 68:1-18 | Prov 11:28 | Luke 6:39-7:10
There is a very unpopular four letter word, “obey”. This may not be appropriate for things that are passed down from the educational system, from corrupt governmental systems, etc. But, when it comes to God, He is always right, He is always fair, His directions and commands can always be trusted. So, yes, when it comes to the things of God, obey every time, without questioning. Consider the clear and unambiguous statement made in Deuteronomy 4:1-2, “And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you.” Notice the strong command not to add or subtract. We are not to adjust or try to make God’s clear commands more relevant for our current circumstances. When anyone does this, without even realizing it, they are attempting to raise their thoughts and opinions above God.
Moses emphasizes the point once again, as we read in Deuteronomy 4:5-6, “Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy. Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’” Some might mistakenly think that was for those people or only in the Old Testament, but we read around 1400 years later from the lips of Jesus, Himself, in Luke 6:46-49, “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.” Notice Jesus was clearly stating it is important to listen to His teachings, but unless one obeys His teachings one is in peril of crumbling, having no foundation in which to support oneself.
We, in the faith, have all been given a commission, the Great Commission as stated in Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Notice this commission involves making disciples and teaching those who will listen to obey God’s commands. The sad thing is most, even in the church, choose to be biblically illiterate. How can one teach new disciples to obey these commands, if they don’t know them themselves. Please, do not take this directive lightly. We need to move forward in our mission fields empowered with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God and teach others to obey God’s commands unequivocally.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: