Practice: Obey 4.3 - December 20, 2009

Practice #4 – Obedience
4.3 – Ultimate Obedience

Philippians 2:5-8 (New International Version)
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, 
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

The Christmas Season is a perfect example of what Jesus meant when He said, “If you love Me, you will obey Me.”

Some thoughts on Christmas as a model for Obedience:

1.    Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus…
John 13:15 (New International Version)
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
When you look at people, what do you see?

Ephesians 2:10 (New International Version)
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The model of the Christmas story is this:
Whether a wise man or ignorant, rich or poor, a king or a servant, we must all follow Jesus’ lead and become a servant – both classes bowed before the king.  This was by His own choice, and His great pleasure to do.  Just as it should be for us.

2.    Jesus Modeled for Us What it Looks Like to Obey…
Matthew 16:24-25 (New International Version)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

3.    He Gave Up Everything to be Nothing…
Philippians 2:7 (New International Version)
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

John 19:9-11 (New International Version)
and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

Daniel 2:20-21 (New International Version)
and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”

Job 1:20-21 (New International Version)
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. 
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

Acts 4:8-20 (New International Version)
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is 
 " 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone,’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name." Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

The Christmas story gives us a model of how we obey Jesus.  And every example in Scripture of those who lived by faith follows the same pattern.

*May this Christmas be filled with the reality of a love for Christ that leads to obedience.