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Add a can him I'm so thankful that I am a wife that when you begin to think lofty thoughts
she is just there to bring you back to earth I believe you husbands have what I want like
that so last night on my study at home and going over my message and making sure that
it's an order and praying that God would use me this morning to speak it's all of us Mike
him on my study my wife hands me a pair scissors I say what's this for she said take care of
your nose hairs just in case there's a close-up Desiderio rep you know that yet why I didn't
say that at first service onto their self at any rate we all tell her Albion trouble
so now with all those things taken care of a think were ready to begin I have my son
Jonathan and I have been playing golf since he was about a now is going on 27 so that's
that's quite a while what we don't play golf that much anymore and I'm not sure whether
it's because we are so incredibly busy or because he beats me how regular basis but
either way we don't I got that much but somewhere along the lines of those that that 20 year
journey of playing golf together we developed a bad habit and that that habitus is this
specifically demonstrated on the first hole and the first grain of that personal in those
of you play golf sometimes you know when you're not able to go to practice range and you just
get you did out to the first all you don't have time to get the kinks out his length
as I here's a bad habit one of our some not saying who will stand over his plot and will
say something like this again I'm not saying who this doesn't count unless it goes in or
anybody plays the game of golf notes that that's not high play the game golf every shot
counts every plaque counts in fact one most frustrating things about playing golf is to
play golf with someone who doesn't know how to count a friend would you be unable 55 your
first shot off the T-1 into the water so there's a penalty shot now you're getting three it
had a scribbler down the fairway then you put in the sand trip he took four hacks to
get out of the trap not a couple shots to get on agreeing it took three parts to put
in the hole and somehow all of that mass ends up to five apparently realized the Fred what
he wants to do as he wants to decide what shots he's going to count and what shots he's
not going to count and you know that that's not how you play the game while under the
same thing in August as the bills begin to play preseason if they go one and three will
say that's okay because it didn't At they go for now in preseason will say why can't
they do that when it looks we recognize that we really want to divide things into what
counts and what doesn't Count sometimes you want to do that with lots I want that decision
that part of my life to count but we recognize in life there are no preseason games and there
are no mall again everything counts everything counts and if it all counts then maybe we
ought to give consideration to doing that which is going to count I think we forget
that sometimes the wasted weekend the missed opportunities to spend time with our children
the resources that we once had we no longer had because they were blown on something that
really been out all demonstrates to us that we sometimes find ourselves pursuing that
which doesn't towns rather than that which does and fact long pursuits in that which
does not count is the very definition of regret we all have them we all have regrets because
we've all pursued things that but don't count so much so that if I sent to you.what would
you like to recruit regret proof your life I'm sure most of us if not hopefully all of
us would say yes I would like to regret proof my life and the only way I can figure out
how to do that is rusted to that which counts and the only way for us to do that which counts
is to find out what God says counts and so fortunately were not in the dark because God
has breathed into his very words some reminders that were going to look at in this brief series
where he tells us specifically listen this is what counts and where to start this morning
by looking at first Corinthians 7 Pastor Jerry has already made reference to that text and
when we look at first Corinthians were dealing with a community of believers at Corinth and
we've already had a lot of our homework done because just a few months ago we found ourselves
in that series when I grow up and we looked at the culture the spiritual community that
was core and if there were something that would describe the church at Corinth it would
it would be nice their babies bus the title when I grow up they they needed grow up because
if there's one thing that's true about babies is that they have absolutely no concept of
what really counts what counts to you as a parent of a baby is a good nights sleep your
baby doesn't care about that what counts to you is the food that you lovingly prepare
for them but they'll spit it out and tell her all that bowl across the kitchen floor
if they don't like it doesn't count for them doesn't matter to them what counts to you
is maybe the furniture that you selected for your living room or some some valuable items
that you placed here and there in your home but they'll take a permanent marker to it
and write all over it if you blinked twice it doesn't count to them to you understand
that the quality of babies is that they don't know what counts they have no idea and so
they needed to grow up as someone we come to chapter 7 there's a few issues that emerge
out of the text that demonstrate their need to be to be instructed to be talk about what
really counts here's the text are with her 17 nevertheless each person should live as
a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them just as God is called
the this is the role I lay down all the churches was a man already circumcised when he was
called he should not become uncircumcised was a man uncircumcised when he was called
fusion not be circumcised circumcision is nothing in on circumcision is nothing keeping
God's commands is what counts many give you the context in and back into this text the
context is that they didn't understand their status in life and how valuable it was in
this context of living as a believer the scenario of course those of you familiar with chapter
7 was that single people were getting married in a hurry and not giving consideration the
ramifications of the choice so Paul says yada yada's day where God has assigned you unless
you know that he's called you to a different status and then he was talking to people who
were married in Christian husbands were divorcing their Christian wives and vice a versa because
they didn't give consideration to the ramifications of their choice and and Paul says you need
to stay in the assignment that God has given you that status and none in the text that
we just writing talks about labels circumcision was a label synonymous with being Jewish on
circumcision was a label synonymous with being a Gentile Paul says listen why your status
is important and you want to stay where God is called you and while your label may seem
important to you or something higher it's this that you live as a believer work ab per
God has placed you and I could hand right now not going to but I could end right now
if you put your arms around that particular idea that we are to live as a believer you
have what you need to know what I'm going to do is what Paul does somebody give you
how how do I live is a believer and says these words I want tell you what counts here's what
counts keeping God's commands he's talking about live thing as a believer is really equated
with live thing in obedience and given the fact that when you look at the Scriptures
in its entirety from Genesis to Revelation there are over 250 references to derivatives
of the word obedience I would say the Paul's nailed it pretty well that obedience is pretty
important to God and of obedience is important to God and if my obedience counts to God that
must count to me that's where I want to land this thing just a few moments that you would
walk out of here with this idea if my obedience counts to God so much so that he spends 250
times reminding me of its necessity in my life then it must count to me and the gap
might be this where is it not important to me right now in one area of my life right
now is obedience not important to me so what I'm hoping to be able to do is to introduce
to you five different what I hope are reasonable explanations as to why obedience counts so
that you can begin processing this information for yourself here's the first obedience counts
because it on and complicates my life it on complicates my life and I have this ball of
made up of rubber bands and it started with one rubberbanded usually sits on the desk
of Lorne Parker is a young Christian lady that works in our worship ministry made up
of one rubber band I understand from passenger and it's also used in business circles and
some of you might've seen this because one rubber band lying on the floor can't do much
but you have a whole bunch rubber bands together yet some energy to get some things that really
works out best number one reason for there is a starving rubber band in this find find
in a hurry you can because while it's shaped like a ball what I see is of a menagerie of
rubber bands one together and it looks like a mass the reason I use it under this point
is because if I were to bring in Mike my brother Pastor David was the counseling pastor Pastor
Rick and I and all of our lay counselors together and I were safely describe the situation that
most likely will hit you across the desk was someone telling you their problems it will
probably start with this that's my life fix-it and it's like I don't even know where to begin
but if as you begin to peel back these rubber bands you will find one rubber band that started
off and I will guarantee you nine times out of 10 that one rubber band is a choice of
disobedience disobedience complicates our lives obedience on complicates our lives here's
the way Jerry has set it to us before obedience brings blessing disobedience brings consequences
here's how the ancients say it Moses for example set this way in Deuteronomy 6 dear Israel
and the careful tool base of it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly
in a land flowing with milk and honey just as the Lord the God of your ancestors promise
you Moses says if you obey God it will go well with you in the Jeremiah said almost
the same thing but I gave them this command obey me and I will be your God and you will
be my people walk in obedience to all I command you that it may go well with you the Jerry
says it this way obedience brings blessing the ancient said okay and it will go well
with you I'm saying this morning {and it will on complicate your life but in order for you
do get that you need to be honest with yourself right now assault a lasting questions tell
me line not telling truth Isaac on for is that complicated your life or uncomplicated
your life not handling conflicts the way Jesus tells us to but rather being filled with resentment
and bitterness and involving other people who aren't involved has that complicating
your life or uncomplicated your life being dishonest in your business dealings your income
tax has that complicated your life or on complicated your life whether you're single or married
being intimate with someone who is not your husband or wife is that complicated your life
or uncomplicated your life and even if you did not want it and violently protested it
would your children say your divorce has complicated their lives or uncomplicated their lives would
we at least be able to start here and be honest and admit that maybe Solomon was right when
he said these words in Ecclesiastes yet I did spot one ray of light in this Merck God
made men and women true and upright were the ones who made a mess of things and we know
that to be so just ask the reverse kinds of questions so telling the truth is that complicated
your life or uncomplicated your life when you have obeyed God has that complicated your
life or uncomplicated your life walking in your integrity has that complicated your life
or uncomplicated your life so obedient scouts because first of all in on complicates my
life secondly it identifies me as a disciple it identifies me as a disciple of hopefully
when I'm done with these five points none of you will say I think he made some of that
up hopefully what I'm saying to you this morning will be tethered so closely to Scripture that
you will realize this is exactly what God has called us to and Jesus makes it very clear
that obedience identifies me as a disciple and therefore disobedience brings some confusion
to that Jesus right before he went back to heaven gave what has been called the great
commission Matthew 2819 therefore go and make disciples of all nations and ongoing to tell
you what a disciple is baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and the
Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you and surely I'm with you
always to the very end of the age so who's making disciples disciples are making disciples
and how does he identify these disciples two ways first of all baptizing them the name
of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit making a public declaration that from
this point on I am going to be a lifelong follower of Jesus Christ that's what he's
talking about and as wonderful as what goes on on the Sunday morning over there is it
probably doesn't look like what it meant when Jesus said to this original audience as if
you made a public declaration that you are going to be from this point on a lifelong
follower of Jesus Christ in that culture and even in some cultures around the world today
it would cost to your job it would cost you relationships and a very high probability
that would cost you your life and Jesus says that's what I'm calling you to do to make
a public declaration where you are that from this point on I am going to be a follower
of Jesus Christ the second component of this teaching is that these disciples would obey
and Murray thing I have commanded everything that Jesus has commanded that's what a disciple
is known by his obedience to what Jesus has taught them I look back at my childhood and
while there some trappings in my home that weren't all that healthy I think I got a pretty
good understanding of what it meant to be obedient and what it meant to the OB was doing
what I was told when I was told in the way I was taught to do so in the summer of 1973
when I'm about to turn 15 and my mother's going off to work and she leaves a piece of
paper with seven different things on it than I am to do called chores I knew what I was
to do both seven things I knew him when I was to do it before she got home and I knew
I was to do it in the way I was taught for example one of my favorites washing dishes
now I've been taught how to wash dishes this apparently there's a way there's a school
you go to learn how to wash dishes but but I've been taught how to wash dishes here's
where I wanted to do I would take every singles for in spoon and knife that could possibly
fit into the stubby little fingers and baptize them all in the name of Jesus I thought I
wanted to do my mother on the other hand was more particular that we minister one pork
at a time and give love in but I knew what I was to do when I was to do it and in the
way that I was told to do it and there was one explanation that I was not to give when
she got home as to why one of those things was not done mom fully retuning edit go well
and the reason I bring that appears because sometimes I think that has to be de-escalation
that we have for wine were not obedient to everything that he commanded Jesus when you
sent for me to love my enemies I thought you were kidding I'm in and be the reason right
that we don't love the difficult people in our life because we thought Jesus was getting
*** is when you sent for me to forgive 70×7 the reason I'm filled with resentment
and bitterness and will let go after decades must be that I thought you were kidding and
Jesus went went when you sent for me to take up my cross and deny myself and follow you
I thought you're kidding that must be the reason why I'm leaving all the time for me
but he wasn't kidding obedience radical obedience is the very essence of the disciple of course
it is that was the understanding of what it meant to be a disciple you look at the way
your master was doing and you sought to do it his way that's why every single time if
you go on golf course and you see me on the first day the first thing I'll do is outfield
my head to the right as that's what Jack Nicholas does and I wanted to be just like him laughing
I appreciate that but that's why I watched Jesus as he handles conflict and I say I want
to enlighten and I do it his way and it's why I see how Jesus loves his enemies I say
I want to do it that way is exactly what he teaches in Luke 640 it's this the student
is not above the teacher but everyone was fully trained will be like their teacher and
saw him obedient because that identifies me as a disciple but more than that it identifies
that I have a Rabbi the following and I want to be like him song telling the world in my
obedience but I want to be like the Rabbi you have to stop and think in my disobedience
one of my communicating to that world number three it tells everyone who's on the throne
of my heart it tells everyone who's on the throne of my heart you've heard the set often
from the spot right here the seating capacity of my heart's throne is one and that's the
battle for every single one of us who is going to be on the throne of my heart is it going
to be me or is it going to be Christ because every single decision I make it is revealed
to those around me has told you who's on the throne of my heart Paul said it this way in
Romans six don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone is obedient slaves you
are slaves of the one you obey what you are slaves to sin which leads to death or to obedience
which leads to righteousness but thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to
sin you have, to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that is now claimed your
allegiance sit on those words for a while that is now claimed your allegiance the one
you all day whether it's yourself or Christ has your allegiance and therefore disobedience
means that I have pledged my allegiance to the wrong King it's not about just this once
it is not about who's going to know it's not about making such a big deal about this for
it's about this where and to whom is my allegiance and as critically clear as Paul has made it
Jesus just pierces my heart when he says these words in Luke six why do you call me Lord
Lord in do not do what I say what what he sang their is that obedience the man's lordship
and calling him lord and being disobedient is an oxymoron it's a contradiction now the
only way to navigate through this point is to use myself as an example is a `and myself
only person to get mad as me and I'm not going to so I I come in here on a Sunday morning
and I'm always sitting right over there with my wife in the 9 o'clock service and as we
come to worship part of seeing songs back to God like it always is is so amazing I'm
starting to get into it you and me and I'm not a very demonstrative person Boyle tell
you that saw the songs are so meaningful that I almost feel like sticking my hand up in
the air and and you know what is really getting good none the own the going with both there
there that's saying something as almost like when I'm putting my hand up in the year the
Holy Spirit is saying to me and today and down until you deal with how you spoke to
your wife this week because why you stick your hand up in the air so that everyone sees
your declaring him Lord I'm not impressed what impresses me is spirit produced obedience
Annette isn't what you just heard isn't the signal for you not to raise your hand in worship
it's to give some substance behind you raising hand because raising my hand does not declare
my allegiance my obedience does it declares who's on the throne of my life for it confirms
my salvation it confirms my salvation obedience is an indication that God has begun a good
work in me 90 day you need to stay with because I need to explain this clearly I hope I can
let me describe my life before July 17, 1976 three weeks after graduating from high school
five weeks before my 18th birthday I gave my life to Christ but it always been church
and always been religious and there were something that would describe me to it was that I was
going to work really hard at being a good boy so that he would like me because of there's
one thing that I couldn't stand was that God did not like me Matalin God angry with me
either that's not what this point says what this point says is that when you give your
life to Christ you are born again the Holy Spirit begins to dwell in you and the Holy
Spirit begins to produce a obedience you so much so that life long obedience becomes a
characteristic of a genuine believer I make that up and I'm glad because I don't want
that weight on my shoulders deciding who saved and was not John makes it very clear when
he writes these words we know that we have come to know him here's how we know that we
know God if we keep his commands whoever says I know him but does not do what he commands
is a liar and the truth is not in that person but if anyone obeys his word love for God
is truly made complete in them this this obedience is how we know that we are in him it's pretty
black and white is an it's not mincing words is it I think the reason why John does that
is because he does not want the true child of God Unnecessary fear and the one who is
not a child of God have a fault security but the words that he uses the verbs that he uses
you need to understand in the context of first John is talking about present active continual
an action and this passage in the amplified Bible from first John might help us understand
that no one who abides in him who lives in remains in communion with an obedience to
him deliberately knowingly and habitually commits practices sin no one who will ***
Lee since has either seen or known him recognize perceived or understood him or has had an
ex parental acquaintance with him when we factor in the Bible teaches spiritual growth
this might be the best way to navigate through what John is said you look at the trajectory
of your life from when you made a confession of faith in him and is that the trajectory
of your life to become increasingly obedient to him is your heart's desire to be obedient
to him that's a general principle and then as God begins to work more and more in your
heart it becomes more specific more specific what area of your life right now is not in
an area of obedience to him but the reason why this is a valid point in that it confirms
our salvation is because of what I said before that the Holy Spirit when he takes up residence
begin to work in our heart and this is what he produces first Peter chapter 1 the apostle
of Jesus Christ to God's elect exiles scattered throughout the provinces a Pontus Galatia
Cappadocia Asian that the knee and women chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the
father to the sanctifying work of the spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ so you recognize
the disobedience or talking about is not you trying to be a good person but it's rather
the Holy Spirit produces a desire in your heart to be obedient to him and the true follower
of Christ find that if you don't find it there if you do not find the spirit of God within
you compelling you to be obedient you do business with God you need to do business with gunmen
lastly number five it tells everyone that I love Jesus it tells everyone that I love
Jesus this I think speaks towards the motivation of why were obedient the said before when
I was growing up I obeyed God that way was it was out of a paralyzing fear certain that
God had a lightning bolt with my name on it the next time I messed up and there a lot
of people religious people who live in fear of God and that's the reason they'll do what
God says out of this beer and oh even look at a passage like this through that lens Psalm
128 verse one blessed are all who fear the Lord who walk in obedience to him and no be
justified in this paralyzing fear that obeys God to comply or to keep them off your back
when you see that passage under this point about the only way I can have you do that
is to go back in your mind when you are really little child like three years old because
this is a gross thing and maybe when you're three or four you you did what you were supposed
to do because your parents told to do it is you are afraid of the warping you get right
and some people keep their relationship with God at that level hopefully by the time you
get to be 16 or 17 or 18 years old and you're still in your parents home you obey them why
could you have such great respect for them and you know they have your best in mind and
so you you will pay them out of this respect and love and it is your desire so please them
how healthy is that it's very healthy because then you can see that your motivation for
being obedient to him is out of this incredible hot for him I hope that God not because I'm
worried about getting grounded for three years and have been I don't obey God for those paralyzing
fear reasons I hope they have because I love him so much because I live in such all of
him and I want nothing more than the world around me did you see how great he is how
wonderful of a master he is that what Isaiah meant when he wrote these words in Chapter
26% is not a new screen your name and renown are the desire of our hearts that's what they
desire my heart is that I am obedient to him because I want to make his name famous and
the only way I can get there is to connect love for God with my obedience that's exactly
where God wants us the land Moses wrote these words in Deuteronomy and now Israel what does
the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God to walk in obedience to him
to love him and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart while all your soul Deuteronomy
11 if you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow to love the Lord
your God to walk in obedience to him and hold fast to him Jesus set up this way John 1421
whoever has my commands and keeps them he is the one who loves me the one who loves
me will be loved by my father I too will love them and show myself to them and then brilliant
John writes these words and this is love that we walk in obedience to his commands as you
have heard from the beginning his command is that you walk in love to get there from
it he see how Brady has he says this is love that we walk in obedience and this is obedience
that we walk in love you can't separate the two and the reason why we are obedient is
because we love him that's me all that I spoke of and that's what motivated Jesus to be obedient
to his father he writes these words in John 829 the one who sent me is with me he is not
left me alone for I always do what pleases him and you just imagine what would be like
if we released and in the community as you left a people who got up every day this week
and said God for your renown in your name only I him going to do that which pleases
you can you just imagine how your world would change and how mine would I guess this is
the best way for me to close Pastor Jerry mentioned a moment ago that the he was going
to Israel my wife and I were going to we get to go we were very disappointed our hoping
that will be able to go but we were disappointed because I studied the word of God enough to
know that because something it would be great to walk where Jesus walked it just what it
would be great to walk or Jesus walked and and and the thing that I was never been there
but one thing that I was looking forward to it is because of conversation that I had with
Patty Manning Pastors assistant she talked about being on the Temple Mount Andy that
the guide talking about this stonewall that there that that represents the eastern part
of the Temple where these were the words are Messiah someday is is going to come can you
just want to shout out to but thank the Lord is coming again and he's going to do just
what he said and Zacharias can sound onto the mount of olives and can proceed up to
the Temple and through the Eastern gate and declare to the Israel into the world that
he is the King of kings and Lord of lords so it would be great to walk where Jesus walked
but I began to realize in my disappointment that that's not really what my world the people
that I come in contact with really need I believe it's going to be a life-changing experience
but that's not really what the people around me need let's not what the people around you
need if it was much chatter on 50 planes and let's all go over there that's not what they
need so while it would be great to walk were Jesus walked it would be greater to walk as
Jesus walked I don't clip for me to study and make that up either John did he said this
he who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just is he walked that's what
your world needs that's what my world news and that's my understanding of obedience if
I can put it down in simple terms am going to his as we close the only thing I could
think of when I look at that verse about walking as Jesus walked was dance to remember when
when when your children work were young and Robinett annuls the bad analogy does word
on the snow but the snow was deep and it's up to your child's waist there's no way he's
going to be held to navigate through that's no so what does a loving father do he shortens
his stride and he makes footprints for his child to walk in that's the only thing that
I could think of but that's exactly what Jesus did he lay down put transfer roster walking
and as we walk in them we are walking in obedience but we recognize that there's a greater responsibility
for us to those that are around us and we recognize that were laying down tracks to
as I began to think if the if if if God were to grant me lots of years like well past 80
I would want to walk into the footprints of someone like Matt machin going on 95 or 96
because I believe that if I walked into those footprints I'd be closer to Jesus than one
before ahead but it's not just about being older I look at the team that God is placed
here to team up of on our staff and many of that will actually now a move most of them
are old younger than me most of them are and I look at these people God is called and got
a sent our way and realize that a lot of them have figured out better than I have what it
means to walk closely to Jesus and I hope that I would have the humility to walk in
those footprints even if the younger and then I began to think what God when you call us
again my wife and I like you did three years ago to walk through the valley of the shadow
of death not knowing the outcome I'd like to walk in the footprints of a Jill Kelly
and amid the sound as I have a feeling of I walked in those footprints I be a whole
lot closer to Jesus than I am right now so I want you to look at your footprints in two
directions I want you look at the footprints that you're putting down right now and look
backwards because there's someone following them and him asking you to ask a serious question
as I lay down these footprints and if someone walks behind me and Watson are those with
baby closer or further from Jesus but I also want you to look forward at the footprints
you're making and ask yourself the question are the footprints I am walking in are they
bringing me closer further from Jesus that obedience and if it is really something that
the Spirit produces and if you belong to him when would you allow him right now to identify
in your heart maybe he already has and maybe he didn't even need to do it as you already
know an area where you are laying down footprints and if you look at forward they're nowhere
near Jesus and you're living a life of particular part of your life that is taking further and
further further away from Jesus and the Holy Spirit because you belong to is asking you
right now to change your path and only you and only I can have the spiritual courage
to do that you also might be within the sound of my voice and realize as I look at my footprints
Jesus isn't even on my map the fact that there were one thing that I finally realized today
it is that I am loss I have no idea where I am you sir you ma'am you're in the perfect
position to say I need the footprints of Jesus to come near to me and to rescue me from myself
and give my life to Christ would you do that today what's foreheads and as we close this
time together I recognize that while my voice is the one being heard my voice doesn't matter
the Holy Spirit does would you allow him to speak to your heart as I allow him to speak
to mine and would you allow him to put the magnifying glass on those footprints that
are taking you farther away from Jesus and would you make a decision would you drive
the marker deep in your heart right now and say from this point on I'm going to walk in
this area whether it's my heart my attitude my marriage my thought life on the drive the
marker in deep right now and him going to be from this point on is obedient as the Holy
Spirit will allow me to be I'm talking right now let them talk you right now maybe you're
in this room or maybe you're listening and you've not given your life to Christ and you
recognize that your footprints are taking you way of course you might even be scared
right now. You don't know where your life is really going I would love to tell you the
Jesus Christ can find you he is the only one who can and he can turn your life around father
for all of us I pray that you have been able to show us how important obedience is that
accounts to you and therefore must come to me I pray Lord that above all and I would
not be the person who just spoke on Sunday morning from this point on that I would drive
the market deep and that people would notice that I'm seeking to live in obedience to for
all of us for one reason to make your name famous in all the earth we pray this in your
name the name of Jesus amen