YOU ARE INVITED, THE DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN: JESUS HAS EXTENDED THE INVITATION, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED IN TO SPEND THIS LIFE AND YOUR LIFE AFTER THIS WITH HIM. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS OPEN UP YOUR MOUTH AND HEART SO HE CAN SAVE YOU, MOLD YOU INTO A NEW CREATION. WILL YOU ACCEPT, WILL YOU SAY YES TODAY?
INTRODUCTION: THE SACRIFICE OF LOVE: OUR LOVE FOR JESUS REQUIRES OBEDIENCE!
John 14:15- “If you love me, keep my command!”
We are now under grace - and if we love Jesus like we claim we do, then we’ll keep His commandments. If our love for God is not real, your love for others won't be either!
John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Jesus knew the cross was drawing close. After washing his disciple’s feet. Jesus talked of leaving them… going away to a place where they could not follow Him, and then came the shocking realization of His forthcoming death. It was at this time of intense sorrow and deep, deep passion that the disciples heard their Good Shepherd say: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, so love you one another.
Obedience is our best way to show that we believe, partial obedience is disobedience and there are consequences. In the Bible, obedience is the flip side of love; it’s the expression of love. In several places, Jesus says, “If you love me you will obey what I command.” Our attempts to impress God with giving, volunteering, etc.—ways to try to earn salvation—are acts of disobedience.
To obey God is not some difficult duty placed on us. It’s just the overflow of our gratitude for all that the Lord has done for us. Jesus said “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
The relationship between love and obedience is easy to see here. If we truly love God, we will seek to know and keep His commands. If we are not keeping His commands, we cannot honestly claim to love Him. Actions speak louder than words. When we obey God, we prove that we love Him. Our disobedience is saying that we know what is better for us than God.
For unbelievers, there is the decision to obey by accepting Jesus as the Lord and Savior, this is our first decision to show God our willingness to obey. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”. “This is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son, Jesus Christ”
SCRIPTURES TO LIVE BY:
1 Samuel 15:22-23-22 But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”
John 15:10-11- 10 “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
NEXT WEEK, WE WILL A NEW SERIES: TRANSFORMATIONAL LIVING: PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
Next week read: John 14:26-27/John 16:7-8
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REMEMBER MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS, IT TAKES GRACE TO MAKE IT!
Remember my sisters and brothers, it takes GRACE TO MAKE IT!