OBEDIENCE TO GOD

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 4  "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!  5  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6  "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 

1. Obedience flows from your love for God (verse 5)

Matthew 22:37-40 37  Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'  38  This is the first and great commandment.  39  And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' 40  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." 

2.           Obedience flows from the fear of God

Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 

3. Benefits to loving and obeying God

Exodus 20:4-6 4  "You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;  5  you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,  6  but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 

Responsibility of the parents and guardians

verses 6-7 6  "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  7  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 

1. Teach the children

2. Introduce them to Christ

3. Invest in their spiritual development

Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; 

Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. 

4.           Know your children’s friends and help them to choose their company wisely

Conclusion:

To walk in obedience to God, you need to be

• centered in God’s word

• walk in the company of those who fear God

• keep His commandments

Psalms 119:57-64 57  You are my portion, O LORD; I have said that I would keep Your words.  58  I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful 59  I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies.  60  I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.  61  The cords of the wicked have bound me, But I have not forgotten Your law.  62  At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments.  63  I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.  64  The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes. 

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The Harvest

Matthew 9:35-38 KJVS And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. [36] But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. [37] Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; [38] Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

John 4:30-45

Jesus is introducing a concept that seemed to be contrary to what the understanding was back then and even more today.

He is giving His disciples and all of His followers an understanding as to the assignment at hand.

He is metaphorically using a harvest to convey the nature of this assignment.

• It is a specific assignment of just reaping.

• It is not an event but a process

• It requires effort

• The end goal is to discover and separate the usable part.

  
  

The harvest was a crucial agricultural event that brought significant joy, thanksgiving and celebration to the entire community.

It signified the reward for tremendous sacrifice made in the process of clearing the fields, planting and even protecting the crop from animals and other enemies that it can get to this point.

It was marked by the feast of weeks or what we call Pentecost.

Considering the intense labour and the tremendous investment that went into this process there was first:

The Preparation for a Harvest

Both texts begin with an observation made by Christ, one of which he seems to draw the attention of the disciples to.

• Observe the stage of the crop

• Develop an attitude to work

• Appreciate the investment and sacrifice made for this field

• Get the store houses ready both in capacity and safety

• Recruit and ready the labourers for the task

• Mismatch between amount of work and availability of workers.

  
  

The Picture of a Harvest

• Marked by thanksgiving.

• Marked by a change of atmosphere with strong anticipation.

• All focus is on the field

• A readiness to work because the reward is sure.

• Harvesting becomes the activity of the community

The Process of a Harvest

Harvesting

• Cutting with a sharp sickle

• Binding stalks into bundles or sheaves

• Transport to a flat open area on a hilltop called the threshing floor

  
  

Threshing

• Animals were used to tread and crush the stalks to release the grain

winnowing

• Separating the grain from chaff by throwing it into the air

• Wind separates the chaff from the wheat

• The grain is properly stored

Application

1. His perspective of the condition of the people prompted Him. How do you see people?

2. We will not move unless the conditions of humanity moves us. How are the conditions of persons impacting us?

3. We are partakers of the joyous part of an entire process that we made no initial investment in. Are we appreciative of the privilege to be invited just for the reaping?

4. Appreciation of His sacrificial redemptive work must motivate every believer to commit to the harvest. Are we grateful for the work He has done in preparation?

5. We must find our assigned role in the harvest and seek the empowerment of Holy Spirit to effectively fulfill it. What is my role in the process?

6. The harvest is complete when Wheat is finally separated from the chaff. Have I gone through the complete process?

7. The process is to strip away everything that must have assisted in its past development but useless in its future purpose. From potential to usable.

   
   

This message is for two sets of persons:

A. The Convert

• You cannot be too busy to be discipled. Matthew 4:19-20 KJVS “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. [20] And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”

• Baptism is not a transaction that satisfies the entire deal.

B. The Christian and Leader

• Discipleship is what produces the usable article.

• Discipleship is the mandate of the kingdom. Matthew 28:19-20 KJVS Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

• My responsibility is to ensure that someone is discipled by me.

• Pray that God sends His labourers to His harvest.

  
  

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The Paradox of Relationship

Luke 18:9-14 KJVS And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: [10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. [11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. [12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Paradox defined is a situation, or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities.

There could not be a more paradoxical episode than two people attempting the same act with possibly the same objective with such contrasting methods and outcomes.

This parable all others proposes a central thought.

“Our relationship with God and His response to us is solely based on our humility and openness before Him”

The first character is the Pharisee

• He is one who knows the law and prides himself in its practice.

• He was seen as one who was very close to God by the society and respected as that.

• He was an example and dream of most of society.

• He had special access to the temple.

• Their spiritual acts were deliberately public and attention seeking.

Paradox - The most famous Pharisee is the great apostle Paul

Acts 23:6 KJVS But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

Philippians 3:5-6 KJVS Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; [6] Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Acts 26:5 KJVS Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

What we can see from the life of Paul is sincere and passionate in His error and committed to it.

Paradox - Publican was the tax collector of the day

• Politically, regarded as a traitor to the Jewish people.

• Socially, an outcast of society. The lowest form of a human.

• Religiously, excommunicated and viewed as beyond redemption.

Paradox - These two men now have a desire to come to God.

• One comes out of religious duty (prayed with himself) and the other out of a need for mercy (God be merciful to me a sinner).

• One comes out of the desire to praise himself but the other to present himself before God.

• One called on God to validate his claim of righteousness the other called on God to deliver him from his poor state.

• One goes to his appointed place of prayer but the other goes as far as his status will allow him (stood afar off).

• One had the possibility of getting even closer as he is elevated in his religious position, the other is stuck at that distance for life.

• One spoke with arrogant confidence to impress the other smote his chest repeatedly to confess.

1. Human access does not equate to spiritual access.

2. Religion compares but spirituality confesses.

3. Self righteousness is a dangerous illusion of spiritual relationship

4. Regardless of our sense of entitlement and self righteousness God is not moved.

5. God will respond to your humble desperate cry and not a proud comparative rant.

6. Call out to God from where you are and in the condition you are.

The paradox - Two men, one exercise, different results.

This is exactly the reason Jesus came. He came to reach those who by every other matrix cannot come close but He has drawn near.

He went away justified (rendered, declared or exhibited to be righteous)

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