Obedience a Lesson to Be Learned

Obedience a Lesson to be learned

What is obedience and why must it be learned? Why did Jesus have to learn that lesson (Hebrews 5:8 “

Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered”)? Why do we have to learn it again and again?

First of all, it is not just doing what someone else wants. Jesus from Eternity past had always done the Father’s will yet he never obeyed. Doing what we want to do that agrees with another person’s desire is not obedience. True obedience involves a conflict of wills and it can only be learned by suffering.

In Jesus’ case His conflict with His Father came into conflict with His human nature. You find this coming at the point of death. Human nature does not welcome death. The Bible shares Christ’s most intimate moment with His eternal Father.

Jesus begged His Father to find another way, any way but the cross. When people speak of a salvation without the cross, I wonder what they must think of God the Father. He loved His Son. He said so at the Jordan river and again in Matthew 17:5

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

How can the God of Love not love His own Son enough to spare Him the cross? He could Not! If there were another way, say Good Works, He would have told His own Son about it. He would have allowed His Only Begotten Son to strike a “Plea Bargain!” that included no cross.

Thus Jesus learned to obey after His first Gethsemane experience. But he had two more conflicts with His Father’s will. He prayed again to be spared (not death this time) but pain. The human experience tries to avoid pain. Jesus was given no anesthetic. His beard was torn, His back was ripped, His crown was thorny and the nail split his hand and his feet.

Again, He reasons with his Father, “Some other way!” But NO, he must endure shame. He had his heart torn by the taunting of the crowd, the taunting of the thieves and the desertion of His friends.

Three very painful lessons learned as He learned to obey.

Obedience is not just submission. Not just changing your mind. Not the bipartisanship of the Politician for He never gave up his will. Too many parents try to break the will of the child not so with this heavenly Father.

Jesus did not give up his will. He said, “Not my will but thine be done” Submitting His own will to that of the Father.

Even if you can not happily say to your Lord, “I want your will” but to do His will (without complaining) that is obedience. -- Dr. George ("Van") Van Sandt is a contributor for Freedom Fighters and is a dear friend of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 22; Joshua 10-12; Luke 1:39-56

Great Quote: Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing. It is the reverse of happiness. Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort. Joy has its springs deep down inside. And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens. Only Jesus gives that joy. He had joy, singing its music within, even under the shadow of the cross. S.D. Gordon