Times When Obedience Is Hard

A. Heb. 5:7-8. Following the path of least resistance makes both men, and rivers crooked. Always
doing the easy thing is not only the wrong way to live. But, it is the most dangerous way to live as well. 1. First of all, you cannot please God if you always try to do the easy thing. Why is that so? Because,
sometimes God requires us to do things that are not easy.
a. Jas. 2:10, “Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”
You cannot pick and choose which part of God’s law you want to obey and ignore the rest of the
law. What that’ saying is this, “Sometimes obedience is not really obedience.” The test of true
faith is whether, or not, we obey when it is hard to obey. Not just when it’s easy, convenient or
feels good.
(2) Can I justify not obeying God’s law when I’m not in the mood to obey? Are we truly committed to God when our compliance reflects that kind of attitude? Paul’s spiritual word to Timothy does not reflect that. He says, in 2 Tim. 4:1- 3, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ.....Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will no endure sound doctrine.” What does that tell us about our involvement with God. It’s not a sometime thing. We don’t do it just when we feel like it or when it’s convenient for us.
(1) What does it mean, “When it’s not convenient?” God gives us the perfect example of a
person postponing doing the right thing until “a more convenient time.” in Acts 24:25.
Felix thought that delaying obedience would make it easier. But, it never does. In
fact it only makes it harder. Matt. 19:21-22. The cost of discipleship usually rises with
time.
(a) If we are not careful we may reveal that our schedules, routines, habits are more
important to us than the Lord’s will. It is possible to be so possessed by our usual
routine in life, that the Lord has to “make an appointment” if He needs us for
anything.
(1) The real work of the Lord rarely fits into the neat pattern of “convenient” openings in our lives. It can be as inconvenient as the disruptions of a new born baby in your household.
The big question? What do I do, when I do not I understand why God has requires something. We may not always comprehend the “why” of God’s will. Or how more good than bad can come from doing what God expects me to do. How you answer? How you respond depends on how much faith your really have in your heart.
People of true faith, genuine faith, have always trusted God enough to obey, even when they had personal doubts or did not understand God fully. Noah, Gen. 6:7-8, “The LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

In Vs. 13-22, “And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it......” Then God gave him specific instructions how to build the ark... Vs. 22, says, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him.”

The same was true of Abrahlam, Gen. 12:1-4. He did not know where he was going or or how he would get there. But, he trusted God and did what God asked and he was protected and blessed in all that he did. And the same was true of Moses in EX. 3:1-22. Saw the burning bush. God spoke to him and told him he would deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage. By himself that was an impossible task for Moses or any man. Vs. 22, God promised him, “You will plunder the Egyptians.” And he did.
(3) What’s the point of all this? The point is this: When God speaks, no man has the right to an opinion. You don’t hesitate, you don’t try to reason it out with human wisdom. You do not have to understand everything you think you need to know. Understanding can wait; obedience cannot.
(1) Nine times out of four, human “wisdom,” and “emotion,” will interfere with genuine obedience. But, again, people of true faith have always been willing to subordinate self?will to God’s will: Many Examples.
(1) Of Abraham, Heb. 11:8, says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”
(2) Gen. 22:1?4, “Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you. So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
(2) Greatest of all examples is Jesus Himself, Heb. 5:7-9.
(1) In the face of the most difficult trial of all. Making the ultimate sacrifice of dying in our place for our sins, Jesus said, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Matt. 26:39.
(2) Yes, in it’s true perspective, disobedience is “hard” and obedience is “easy.” That is the wisdom of Jesus in Matt. 11:28-29. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." He is the example we are to follow, “Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:2.
(3) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 09/15/02 pm