Gospel-Grounded Obedience

March 17, 2009

Gospel-Grounded Obedience

This past Sunday my good friend Anthony preached an outstanding sermon on Acts 5:12-42. He made the point that much opposition to the gospel that happens in our country happens within the walls of the church, not outside of it. And he said that one of the ways this resistance to the gospel has been spread is through preaching that is more focused on application than on doctrine and theology.

He then shared four simple steps to show that the way to help people become more practically obedient is to help them see God’s love revealed in the Gospel:

1. We want people to become obedient and live God-pleasing lives in every sphere.

2. Jesus says, ‘If you love me, you will obey my commandments.’ Obedience in the practical issues of life is the fruit of loving God.

3. The Apostle John says that we love God because He first loved us.

4. The love of God is most clearly seen and revealed in the events of the Gospel: Christ’s perfect life, substitutionary death and resurrection.

Therefore, if we want people to become obedient, we must saturate them with the gospel in our sermons week after week after week. I was thankful for the exhortation, and thought I would add to Anthony’s words by showing some specific places in the New Testament where we see the writers of Scripture doing the very thing that Anthony said we all must do:

 

  • To stir them up to generosity with their finances, Paul says, “9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8)
  • To help them overcome pride and arrogance he tells the Philippians, “5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2)
  • To help them overcome anger, Paul told the Colossians, “12Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Colossians 3)
  • To help them handle mistreatment and suffering, Peter encouraged the suffering saints, “21For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2)
  • When admonishing the believers for their indifference to the poor, John reminded them of true love, “16By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3)

More examples could be given, but that should suffice. All that to say, I think Anthony is onto something!

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Scripture Meditation, Seeking Him 

Comments

4 Responses to “Gospel-Grounded Obedience”

  1. Will on March 17th, 2009 12:16 pm

    Larry,

    If I had to name one truth God has taught me in the last few years that has had the greatest effect on my faith, it is this! It must all flow from the Gospel. We must each “preach nothing but Christ, and him crucified.” Anything else we do may be helpful to someone or practical, but without the Gospel, it is no different than Oprah or Habitat for Humanity or the Knights of Columbus.

    It is my hope that our church would point again and again to the Gospel, front the pulpit to the dining room table! “Redeeming love has been my theme and shall be till I die!”

    Will

  2. Rob on March 17th, 2009 1:34 pm

    Thanks for being an encouragement Larry and Will. Lets all keep reminding one another, for we are so quick to forget!

  3. Matt on March 18th, 2009 7:34 am

    Larry,

    Thanks for posting the Word. It accomplishes much in us through Christ!

    Matt

    For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

  4. tim on March 18th, 2009 7:52 pm

    Great reminder of how we become pragmatic and how that is problematic. Gospel Gospel Gospel!!!!!

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