obedience

Get to it

“Whatever He says to you, do it” John 2:5

The relationship between a mother and son is special among relationships. Mary’s relationship with Jesus had the added aspect that she and He both knew who He really is. As Jesus grew to adulthood she carefully observed His development in knowledge and behaviour.

Jesus is an adult a little over thirty years of age and apparently still living with His mother at the time of this event recorded in John 2:1-11. Joseph is not mentioned in the Gospels after the event when He was twelve years old so we could assume that he died somewhere between these events.

In the passage we see that there was a need to be met and Jesus’ response to his mother seemed to perplex her. She knew He would do something but she did not know just what He would do.

Mary was a woman like any other but God had chosen to borrow her womb for the incarnation. She knew Jesus in a way no one else has or will and her instruction to the servants, over whom she apparently had authority, is of value to us. Let us take the words independently and see if they help us in our relationship with Jesus.

  • Whatever: This is extremely broad, encompassing all without limitation. This word does not give room to discriminate in any respect; personal likes, dislikes, ambitions or desires. If we start questioning or discriminating it shows that we do not trust Him.
  • He: This is very important. Jesus frequently did and said things that provoked people to consider or ask who He is. Even the Father said on two occasions that we should “Hear Him.” We are often inclined to hear many other people in preference to Him. This was one of the reasons the disciples were often confused. They gave too much authority to men and too little to Jesus’ words.
  • Says: For the servants to obey Mary’s instruction they must first listen to what Jesus says. We have the Bible but it is of no value unless we first spend time reading, meditating and studying it. Jesus has given us gifted teachers and counsellors but they should never replace the wisdom of God’s own word.
  • To you: We are to receive His word personally. Quite often we think that His words may be for the person next to us or someone else we know. In many cases the Bible is written to someone else but it has been written for us (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
  • Do it: Get on with it now. Make the decision and get the ball rolling with no looking or turning back. Don’t wait to see if anyone else is doing what Jesus said before starting. One can only wonder how many people never got going in serving Jesus because they were waiting to see if someone else would lead the way.

Mary is not instructing the servants to do her will but the will of Jesus Christ. Her instruction to the servants is one we can take on board in our relationship with Jesus. How we do so will give us insight into our personal relationship with Him.

Making a Point

“You will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe My words which will be fulfilled in their own time” Luke 1:20

As we read the Bible it doesn’t take us long to realise that God knows how to make a point when He wants to do so. Sometimes we may wish He would do so more often in order to make our path clearer.

When “Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God,” (v19) told Zacharias that God would answer his prayer and grant him a son (v 13) he didn’t believe him. Perhaps part of the reason for him not believing was that he and his wife, Elizabeth, had been praying for a child for many years without answer and were now past child bearing. Now the time was right and Gabriel made it clear that the child would have a unique role in preparing Israel for the arrival of Messiah. Gabriel even gave Zacharias the name for his son. His name was to be John which means “God is gracious.”

Because Zacharias did not believe God’s messenger God made him mute. He would not speak again until the word of the Lord was fulfilled. Any person who does not believe what God has said is spiritually mute. It was a prophetic word that Zacharias did not believe and there are many who follow his example in our time. Just because we have prayed long or because it seems impossible is no reason to disbelieve the normal literary meaning of God’s word, including the prophetic word (v 37). If we choose not to believe God’s word we are mute so far as understanding what God is doing in the world and unable to bring comfort to those distressed by world events. God is making a point through Zacharias’ experience from which we can learn.

Zacharias’ unbelief was made public at the temple and so his restoration would also be made public at the temple. For nine months he had been speechless although he had obviously been able to communicate by signs and by writing notes.

When Zacharias and Elizabeth brought the baby to the temple for circumcision many relatives came also. Since Zacharias was still mute the relatives apparently stepped in and wanted to name the baby after him but Elizabeth objected saying that he would be called John. Zacharias must have communicated that to her, probably when explaining why he had been made mute. Fearing that the relatives would override his wife Zacharias took a writing tablet and wrote on it, “His name is John” (v 63). He did not write, “His name will be John” but “His name IS John.” We are told that immediately he did this he was able to speak and the first words he spoke were in praise of God (v 64). His praise was not about being able to speak again but because their son was part of God’s program to fulfil the Abrahamic Covenant (vv 67-79).

Certainly God has made His point. When we believe God and take His word in its normal literary sense we will have a valid spiritual voice. If we interpret God’s word to suit our inability to believe what God has actually said or to make His word fit our own theology we will be spiritually mute. The evidence that Zacharias believed the word given him by Gabriel was his obedience to that word. If Zacharias had believed God’s word from the beginning life would have been a much better experience for him and so will it be for us.

You’re Doing it Wrong


“Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” Matthew 4:19

Many years ago when I read this verse the Lord seemed to impress me that this was His promise to me personally. Consequently, since that time, I have made decisions and choices with that promise in the back of my mind. In the Lord’s grace I have been able to witness a number of people receive Christ as Lord and Saviour and be a part of that process.

The other end of the “bookend” in Matthew is making disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. That too has been one of life’s highlights. There is no greater joy than this but it still falls short of the joy that ensues from a personal and intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

These many years later my heart longs even more for that promise to be fulfilled and to obey Him in making disciples. The fact is that these statements of Jesus are just that; statements of fact and not promises.

As with much of the Bible’s teaching there are conditions to meet before the Lord fulfils His word. In this case it is our responsibility to follow Him as a disciple, learning from the Master, going with the Master and obeying the Master just as the twelve did so long ago. As we follow Him He will fulfil His part and bring in the “catch.”

How is it that most people who claim to be Christians rarely if ever experience the “catch?” Since Jesus is faithful to His word the answer must lie in our following.

After Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead He reminded His disciples that He had told them He would meet them in Galilee. When they eventually arrived in Galilee at least seven of the disciples decided to go fishing (John 21:2, 3). At least four of them were seasoned fishermen who knew how and when to catch fish. The fact that they caught nothing had nothing to do with their knowledge or skill. They caught nothing because they were not following Jesus.

Many of us who have fished all day or night and caught nothing have some idea how they felt. They didn’t need anyone to rub it in so Jesus’ question, “Children, have you any food” must have hurt as they responded with a quiet, “No.”

Though they were past the time and not in the right place to catch fish Jesus told them to cast their net over the right hand side of the boat and He affirmed that if they did, they would have a catch. Perhaps somewhat dispirited they grudgingly agreed and cast the net. In total amazement they found their net full to breaking. What was the difference? The difference was that they were following Jesus’ word and command.

We are inclined to think that we will please the Lord with a catch of our own. However, just like the disciples, we cannot make a catch unless we are acting in and under the authority of Jesus. We may think that with our training and experience we can win souls to Christ but we cannot. When we listen to Jesus and obey His word He will ensure a catch.

One who “follows” Jesus is one who listens carefully to His word and does as He says. If we do not experience the wonder and joy of making disciples and witnessing people receive Jesus Christ, it may be because we are following the disciples’ example and not following Jesus Himself.

The Moses Syndrome

 “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock? Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly” Numbers 20:10, 11

The language of Moses and the context of this event suggest that Moses had lost his cool with the people over their continuing disobedience, lack of faith in the Lord and their rebellious nature toward the Lord. Only one who has never had to lead or manage another person or people would have difficulty identifying with his frustration.

However, for Moses and Aaron, prophet and priest, this single act of Moses would bar them from entering the Promised Land. What was it that Moses had done that invoked such a reaction from God? It may seem such a trivial and excusable action to us that we cannot fathom why the Lord would so humiliate Moses before all Israel.

Understanding as to why the Lord took such a strong action is evident in the passage. That evidence also reveals why many Christian never enter the rest of God (Psalm 95; Hebrews 4).

The command of God was to “speak to the rock” (v 8) but Moses “struck the rock twice with his rod.” The rod is symbolic of the authority of God which is evident throughout the exodus. This can be more readily seen in Numbers 21 when a bronze serpent is mounted on Moses’ rod. The question arises, “Was Moses prevented from entering the Promised Land because he was disobedient?” That might seem the case but we need to look deeper. Why didn’t Moses obey the exact literal word of the Lord?

The reason given by the Lord in verse twelve has two linked parts in it. Firstly Moses did not “believe” the Lord. As we read the history of Moses to this point it is very evident that Moses did believe the word of the Lord or he would not be where he was doing what he was. What has happened? Secondly, the Lord says that Moses did not “hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel.” To “hallow” is to esteem as holy or separate from that which is unholy.

When we combine the words of the Lord with the words and actions of Moses in verses ten and eleven we can see that Moses had made a huge shift in his own identification. He was identifying himself (intrinsically unholy) with the Lord (intrinsically holy) instead of the people Israel (intrinsically unholy). For a moment in his life spiritual pride arose in Moses’ heart and he spoke to Israel as if he was God. He had momentarily forgotten that he was also a rebel. In so doing he forgot his place and stole away the people’s concept of the holiness of God. In effect, he made himself equal with God (intrinsically holy). This may have been part of the reason for the murderous attitude of the Pharisees and scribes toward Jesus when He claimed equality with the Father.

Since Moses was the leader of God’s people there would have to be a significant consequence if the people of Israel were to have a true concept of the holiness of God restored in their minds.

When we have a critical spirit we are the same as Moses as he was at that time. Instead of pleading with our holy God on behalf of other believers we criticise them from a proud and arrogant heart. We could emulate King David as revealed in Psalm 35:11-14. A critical person will not experience the “rest” of God and they will darken, if not destroy, other people’s perception of the holiness of God.

Please, Take a Seat

“Be filled with the Spirit” Ephesians 5:18

Every couple of months I take time to have my hair cut. In preparation I wash my hair within twenty four hours of going. When I arrive, I sit in the seat and let the hairdresser go about cutting my hair. The first few times I visited this hairdresser I explained what I expected the end product to look like. When it is all over I make a quick inspection to see if he has fulfilled my expectations.

There are parallels with having a hair cut and being filled with the Spirit. Paul expresses this as a commandment in Ephesians 5:18. Further, the grammar used means that we are to be continually submitting to being filled with the Spirit and also that it is not something we do. How can it be a commandment to believers if they can’t do it?

When I was conscripted into the army one of the first commands I received was to have a hair cut. I didn’t cut my own hair. The hairdresser did it. Being filled with the Spirit is similar in that we are commanded to be filled but it is not we who do the filling. It is God who does the filling. Our part is to ensure that we are in the right place spiritually and ready to receive this Gift of God.

The Holy Spirit can only “fill” a clean and holy vessel. We may be able to wash our hair before going to the hairdresser but only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us in the way necessary for the Holy Spirit to fill us. This requires confession of particular sins, not generalisations about being a sinner (1 John 1:9). What is the end product we desire? For a true disciple of Jesus the end product is to be just like Jesus. The New Testament writers express that in several ways (Romans 12:1, 2; 1 Peter 1:8, 9; 1 John 3:2, 3). At the hairdresser there is a mirror so that we can observe progress to see that the hairdresser is conforming to our desire. Likewise we have the Bible as a mirror so that we can see how we are progressing in becoming Christ-like.

With the hairdresser we have no more assurance than past experience that he will achieve the goal. However, with Jesus Christ we have God’s Word that guarantees that He is working all He can to complete the task (Philippians 2:12, 13). The main obstruction to His getting the job done right is how well we submit to His working. If we squirm in the chair or turn our head, the hairdresser may make a mistake. It won’t be his fault but ours.

We are inclined to be “stiff-necked” and resist the working of the Holy Spirit but James gives us the remedy – if we will accept it. “Submit to God … Draw near to God … Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord … For God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6-10).

Wisdom Needs Help

“Therefore give to your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.”  1 Kings 3:9

There is a huge mistake in thinking that wisdom can overcome ignorance or lack of deliberate obedience to God’s Word. Solomon asked the Lord for “an understanding heart” to “discern between good and evil.” God granted his request because he asked it for the benefit of God’s people and not for himself. Solomon became and remains famous for the wisdom he espoused. Much of that wisdom is recorded in the Bible for us to read.

As we read through the life of King Solomon we cannot help but notice that wisdom of itself could not protect him or the people from corruption and destruction. We look up to the wisdom of Solomon and yet his kingdom was split as a result of his failing in obedience to the Lord. Everything that made the kingdom great was lost.

Wisdom without obedience to the will and word of God will always lead to destruction. For all his wisdom Solomon was not obedient to the Lord.

In Deuteronomy 17:14-20 God gives five instructions for any king of Israel:

  1. He shall not enlarge military resources by number or alliances (v 16)
  2. He shall not have multiple wives (v 17)
  3. He shall not accrue personal wealth (v 17)
  4. He shall write his own personal copy of the Law (the first five books of our Bible) (v 18)
  5. He shall read it, meditate on it and study it every day and live in accordance with it (v 19)

Since we know from the Bible that Solomon did not observe the first three of these we can assume he did not keep the other two either. Yes, he had wisdom but it could not be applied in the vacuum of ignorance or out of a rebellious heart.

We must not allow ourselves to be content to live as Solomon did. Claiming to be wise in discerning the will of the Lord it may be that we are ignorant of what the lord has said. There is no suggestion that we should write out the whole Bible but there are multitudes of admonitions in the Bible that encourage us to read it, meditate on it and study it. Of course the one who does not read it won’t know this.

Solomon had one of the best possible heritages but it was wasted because he did not obey the Lord. He did not obey the Lord because he did not know or believe, to the point of obedience, the command of the Lord.

May it never be that your name could be written in place of the name “Solomon” in the preceding paragraph.

A Monument for Himself

“Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord … Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams” 1 Samuel 15:1, 22

The warning from the Lord to Saul came because the Lord knew what was in Saul’s heart. The occasion described in this chapter is a lesson to all people that the word of the Lord should be taken at face value. The command given to Saul (v 3) is quite explicit but it is apparent that Saul interpreted it with a measure of liberality for his own honour among the people.

When challenged regarding his failure to “heed the voice of the words of the Lord” Saul’s response was “I have performed the commandment of the Lord” (v 13). It appears that he genuinely believed that he had obeyed the command of the Lord. However, this is not the Lord’s assessment. Saul did not take the words of the Lord literally but interpreted them to suit his own agenda which was to exalt himself in the eyes of the people.

The evidence for this is plain to see. Saul did not kill king Agag but brought him back to parade him before the people to hear their praise. Secondly he did not kill all the livestock as commanded. On the pretense of offering them to the Lord he brought back the best of the flocks and herds. Parading them before the people would also result in him receiving the praise of the people. They could now feast long on the spoils of war. Thirdly, Saul built a monument to himself at Carmel (v 12). Saul had used the gifts of God and the command of God for his own glorification. This would be the root of his jealousy of David when the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (18:7; 21:11).

This is still common among people who claim the name of Christ in our day. The really sad part of this is that, like Saul, most do not realise they are doing this. Saul apparently believed that he had obeyed the Lord (vv 13, 20) and did not understand why Samuel was accusing him of not doing so.

Throughout history men have sought to steal the glory that belongs only to God. We see it repeated frequently in the Bible, in church history and in the church today. Such people may put on a pretense that the glory is God’s but the reality in the heart is quite different. Saul was able to deceive the undiscerning but he could not deceive the Lord.

The problem lay in his heart attitude toward God. The consequence to Saul was that he lost the kingdom and the enabling of the Holy Spirit (16:14). It also meant that none of his descendants would ever rule God’s people.

When Samuel said, “to obey is better than sacrifice” he was saying that to obey by taking God’s word at face value is better than any other option. Not taking God at His word is to say that we know better than God. Woe to the person who fails to take God at His word literally. This is one of numerous occasions in the Bible where this truth is brought out.

The Pragmatic Approach

“Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few.” Joshua 7:3

This is the counsel that Joshua received from the spies he sent to assess the strength of Ai. This is the pragmatic approach to serving the Lord. It ended with the deaths of thirty six men and the humiliation of the nation. How is it that from the glorious triumph over Jericho Israel slumps rapidly complaining that God should not have brought them across the river Jordan?

Unlike his approach to Jericho Joshua did not wait before the Lord. It is possible in both our personal life and the communal life of our church that we follow Joshua’s example and wonder why we have the same result that he did. Unfortunately we nearly always end up blaming someone else. We find our “Achan” by the same means we evaluated our “Ai.” Instead we should take to look inward at our own motives and actions.

We probably have no idea how many times we have made decisions and choices and acted on them without having a thought of consulting the Lord. When we do think to consult Him we are prone to hurry on without waiting for His answer. Instead of waiting for the Lord’s response we act pragmatically. We act according to our own logic based on previous experience and hope the Lord will bless the choice made. That would not have worked against Jericho, it didn’t work against Ai and it won’t work in our walk with Jesus either.

The pragmatists in Israel complained when they were trapped between the sea and the army; they complained when they had little food and water; they refused to enter “the rest of God” because the men of Canaan were too big and the walls of the cities too strong. They could argue their case with evidence but Moses could not argue a case for looking at a bronze serpent on a staff as a remedy for a poisonous snake bite. The pragmatic person would have thought it ridiculous, not heeded the remedy and died. The woman who gave her last meal to Elijah was not a pragmatist and neither was the woman who gave her last two coins into the temple’s treasury.

The Christian who thinks in a pragmatic way will follow the examples we observe in Israel during their wilderness wanderings. They successfully debate the spiritual person because they can argue their point of view with human logic. The spiritual person thinks and acts on the plain of obedience to God derived from a close and intimate relationship. Generally there is no logical argument that will persuade the pragmatic Christian to agree with them. There is a gulf between the two and confusion in “language” comparable to that at Babel.

The reason for Israel’s defeat at Ai was not lack of numbers or wisdom in battle. Neither of these had helped against Jericho and neither would help as Israel entered the Promised Land and the “rest of God.” The pragmatic approach to Christian living and service will not succeed but will result in failure and complaint.

 “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thought.’” (Isaiah 55:9).

They Presumed Too Much

“They did not ask counsel of the Lord” Joshua 9:14

Before any one points the finger at Joshua and the other rulers of Israel we would do well to look at ourselves first.

Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Head of the church has been made more like the Queen of England. The people make the decisions and then ask the Queen to sign off on them. We are in danger of living our lives like that both individually and corporately. We make our plans and then ask Jesus to bless them. Anyone who thinks about this for even a few moments will see how preposterous that is. Jesus is made to be our servant existing for our benefit to do our will. What an abomination that is! He will have no part in it.

When Joshua approached Ai he consulted his leaders and they sent spies ahead, as they did with Jericho, and on receiving their report made the decision to send a modest but sufficient army against Ai. The size of the force was inconsequential; they had not first met the Lord, their Commander in Chief.

When the Gibeonites came to Joshua with their lie hidden amongst plenty of truth, though initially suspicious, Joshua and the rulers believed the lie. They thought they knew all the facts and they thought they were wise enough to make a correct assessment and response without asking the Lord.

Joshua and Israel’s rulers acted just as we do. Being wise in our own eyes we do not “ask counsel of the Lord.” The consequences of not asking counsel of the Lord can have long lasting devastating effects even for many generations.

At the commencement of a meeting we may ask the Lord’s blessing much as we sing the National Anthem at a significant event. We may even thank the Lord at the end as we presume He had some influence but in between He is relegated to the role of figurehead who only has to sign off on what we have decided.

Again, before we point fingers, we all do this and it is a gross shame to our Lord. There is a remedy as Paul writes, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 7:24-25.

Paul also writes, “He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the Head of the body, the church” Colossians 1:17-18.

Jesus Christ is the active Head of the church not a powerless figurehead so let us humble ourselves before Him, not asking Him to bless our plans but to genuinely come to Him for His will that we might truly serve Him.