Obedience: The Best Thing I've Ever Done

Introduction

Obedience. Such an unfamiliar word and concept in our post-modern culture where individualism, personal rights, and relativism is so prevalent in our lives. This is also a concept that we are not inherently born with; it is something we have to learn. Even my two year old son is showing signs that he wants to do whatever he wants--you ask him if he wants to eat and he replies, "no..no..no..." you ask him if he doesn't want to eat and he replies, "no...no...no..." Makes us laugh every time. It is also very puzzling to us though, as we are asking ourselves, "where did he learn this?" As we are introducing obedience I would propose to you that we are all born with rebellion into our hearts, and that obedience is something that is learned, and it is also something that is very valuable to our lives, as we will see here.

Childlikeness

Because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. -Proverbs 3:12 NIV 

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. -Hebrews 12:5-11 NIV

Discipline is an often hard idea to grasp of a loving God because not all of our experiences with so-called "discipline" has been life giving to us; for some discipline was the mask for punishment enforced by fear or manipulation and control. That is not the kind of discipline we see here in Scripture! The kind we see here is that of a loving Father, a Father who does correct us, while at the same time is also making us. Discipline is not only corrective, it is also formative at the same time. Discipline is a unison of correction and formation, so that as we are being "trained by it" we are not only being moved away from the thing that is killing us, we are also being led into the thing that will give us abundant life. God is not mean, and using his omnipotent power through discipline to control humanity; he is treating us like beloved children, correcting us from the things that will kill us and showing us the way of life. I do the same thing with my son. He is now tall enough to reach the top of the stove and burn his hand. The first time he tried to touch a hot stove I was very stern with him in telling him not to touch it because I did not want him to get hurt, I wanted him to live an enjoyable life without third degree burns--I discipline him with correction to save his life while also forming him in teaching him that the stove will hurt him and that life is better when he doesn't touch it. The same happens for us, we have a loving Father who disciplines us to keep us from death and into life.

We Hate it, but we Need it

I'll be honest, discipline is hard, it's not glamours by any means, it's gritty, but it's also like getting two for the price of one at the vending machine--what we put in is less than what we will get out of it. Here is the simple truth: we need discipline because it produces obedience in our life. Discipline helps us carry the promises of God and our obedience helps us carry the blessings of God. 

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them...“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. -John 14:21, 23-24 NIV

No one who disobeyed ever inherited the promises and blessings of God. We need discipline if we want to carry our inheritance (we will look at that more next week).

I hope that this week I can help you begin to value discipline in your life, because we have a good Father who is raising us as his children, and it is his children that he disciplines because he loves them, and wants to see them walk in wholeness and abundance. The discipline of the Father is not like anything you've ever experienced--anything unlike it is a counterfeit, meaning that the real things is way better than the fake thing, and if discipline has been polluted over your life then the real things must be really good! Know this: the Father loves you and disciplines you from his love! The Father is producing a garden of life within you through discipline--it may be hard now, but the fruit of it is so enjoyable!