This week in our Discipleship Group, we were talking about obedience. We’ve made it all the way through Level 1 and I found it so interesting that the final lesson would be on something that almost felt like a loose end? Why end with a lesson that can be so tough and then not have another one lined up for the following week?
I think a big part of it is that the lessons leading up to it were filled with teaching about what being a disciple ought to look like and how we can live out a different kind of lifestyle. For the lessons to end with obedience actually makes perfect sense.
We know more of how to be living out our walk with Jesus, and now it’s time to live it!
At Kidz Harbour, just the day before that (before decorating some of the coolest food drive cardboard boxes EVER) we talked a bit about John the Baptist.
Around this time of year, we reflect a lot about the birth of Jesus (and rightfully so, haha). We spend much less time thinking about his cousin John… who would’ve been born just a little while before Jesus had been!
John is an awesome example of a radically obedient individual.
Super bizarre.
But an inspiring model of obedience nonetheless.
The message that he had for the people of his time echoed the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
And all people will see God’s salvation.’”
(Luke 3:4-6)
The reason we were talking about John’s teaching had to do with the ways people could put this into action! When the people heard John teaching about God and calling them to repent and to turn back to God, they cried out and asked for practical next steps.
John directed them to give away their shirt/cloak if they had two but saw someone without one. He taught that the same should be done with food too! He directed the tax collectors not to collect extra taxes and for the soldiers to be content with their pay (rather than extorting others or accusing people falsely).
All of these things were not simply hypothetical examples, nor were they directions for some of the people. He gave instructions to many different demographics of people because living out an obedient life to God will look a little different for each person.
It will always involve obedience though, and the choice to obey, or not to obey.
Obedience is not easy. It can definitely get easier over time, but obedience also involves sacrificing something else, almost every single time.
Obedience is vital for growing in our faith and in our walk with God. As we learn to listen for what God is directing us to do, we begin to collect data that proves God’s faithfulness to us and the ways in which he is trustworthy and good!
The rest of the passage John quoted from Isaiah writes about directions to give comfort to Israel, and I feel like maybe lots of us might also need this ancient reminder of who our God is. Why our God is trustworthy and why practicing obedience with God is also one of the safest things we can do.
“Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.”
Isaiah 40:28-31