A Journey of Obedience

Sermon on 5th Apr by Ps Daniel Khong of Faith Community Baptist Church.

Scripture: John 15:9-17 happens during the Last Supper where Jesus talks about God's command to love one another, and the phrase that the greatest love is to lay down one's life for a friend.

Background

To recap the previous week, we need to be connected to the vine, which is God, in order to grow spiritually. In John 15, another word that appears multiple times (other than "love") is command. God is commanding us to love and we need to obey.

What is obedience to God?

1. Compliance with God's commands

Compliance is to do as one is told. Just as Jesus kept the Father's commands, we have to live as per God's commands so that we can remain in his love. To be like Christ means to have the same mindset as Christ, it means to obey God's commands so that we can be called God's friends.

Be obedient even when you do not know where obedience may lead you - Sinclair Ferguson

2. Conviction for God's ways

Conviction is a firm belief that is God-given and spirit held. It is knowing that it is God's idea and therefore a must-do. The prophet Jonah, did not want to obey God's commands but he did it anyway and the entire city was blessed. Jonah was unhappy but the issue is not Jonah but that God loves the sinful city Nineveh.

2 questions to ask:
How will others lose out because of my obedience?
How will others be blessed because of my obedience?

Another aspect of being obedient is joy. if we obey, there is joy. Trust and obey - to be happy in Jesus is to trust and obey.

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