“Obedient” What does it mean? Part 1

o·bey [oh-bey] verb to comply with or follow (a command, restriction, wish, instruction, etc.).

Despicable Me Setting Rules

Why have rules?

Rules at School?

At home?

At church?

Our Society needs Rules And like it or not, we need to obey rules.

Exodus 12: “ Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 28 The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 20: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me… 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy… 12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal. 16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Christians are given… The law to obey.

“Obedient” What does it mean? Part 2

o·bey [oh-bey] verb to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, or instructions of another: to obey one's parents.

Finding Nemo Following Rules

Rules and Relationships

Tending the Relationship

Ephesians 6:1-9 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”— which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. 5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. 9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Christians … obey out of their relationship with God

“Obedient” What does it mean? Part 3

o·bey [oh-bey] verb to respond conformably in action to: The car obeyed the slightest

Monsters, Inc. Trusting the Rules

Obeying as a response to action.

Response = action Repeated action = trustworthy Witness to God’s love in the world

John 14: “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

James 1: But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

Christians … obey as a response.

“Obedient” What does it mean? Part 4

o·bey [oh-bey] verb to submit or conform in action to: some guiding principle, impulse, one's conscience, etc..

Happy Feet Obeying our Inner Spirit

Obeying as a way of life = guidelines for life

Acts 5: Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead— whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

1 Peter 1:22 22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

Obeying as a Way of Life and as a Witness

Obeying as rules to follow as relationship as action as guidelines and witness