{"id":724,"date":"2014-06-13T21:34:15","date_gmt":"2014-06-14T02:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/redeemerhouston.org\/?p=724"},"modified":"2015-02-07T10:18:03","modified_gmt":"2015-02-07T16:18:03","slug":"sermon-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redeemerhouston.org\/?p=724","title":{"rendered":"The Blessings of Obedience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Deuteronomy 30:15-30\u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 Psalm 119:105\u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 Matthew 5:21-37\u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 John 6:39-40<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Rev. Dr. Israel Ahimbisibwe<\/span><\/p>\n

The Old Testament scripture for today from the book of Deuteronomy is known as the farewell speech of Moses to the Israelites; the Gospel reading from Matthew is a portion of the sermon Jesus gave in the place the Israelites call Har Zey-tin, or the Mount of Olives. These scriptures speak of the blessings that come with obedience to God\u2019s word and the curses that come with disobedience. Today I will focus on the blessings that come with obedience.<\/p>\n

From the list of things that Jesus mentioned in the Gospel \u2013 whether it is anger or insulting another person or murder, whether it is a lustful thought or actual unfaithfulness in marriage, whether it is swearing falsely or giving a \u201cyes\u201d answer when we mean \u201cno,\u201d and vice versa \u2013 He wants us to know that all parts of our bodies, beginning with the brain, should be holy and pure.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere He said, \u201cYour bodies are the temple of God.\u201d This means that we need to have self-control of our actions and thought-control of our brains. When we are angry we violate God\u2019s commandment of love, and you know He said that lustful thoughts are as bad as the sin of adultery. So it is imperative that we remain pure and holy all the time.<\/p>\n

Jesus mentioned these things to us in order that we make conscious choices not to do them \u2013 what Moses called \u201cwalking in the ways of God,\u201d which is to choose life.<\/p>\n

Now for Jesus, life is not 60 or 80 or 100 or even 1,000 years. It is everlasting life, and about this we can take Him at His word because He said, \u201cThe will of my father is that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my father\u2019s will is that everyone who looks at the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.\u201d John 6:39-40.<\/p>\n

So you can see that obeying the word of God is both reasonable and of great benefit.<\/p>\n

But some people say and actually complain that it is complicated and difficult to obey what God requires. This is a mistaken notion. Saint Paul gives us an idea on how to start in his letter to the church in Rome: \u201cIf you believe in your heart and say with your mouth that Christ is the risen Lord, then you will be saved.\u201d Romans 10:8.<\/p>\n

This suggests that the most difficult part of obeying God is simply making the decision to start now.<\/p>\n

After you invite Jesus to save you from the sins of this world, He gives you two gifts that will enable you to live in accordance with God\u2019s will: His Word and His Spirit.<\/p>\n

Let us first consider the Word of God. As the Psalmist described it, \u201cYour word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.\u201d Psalm 119:105.<\/p>\n

We live in a world of evil, and walking in it is like walking at night in a thick and dark forest. We need a light so that we don\u2019t trip over roots or fall into holes in this forest. The Word of God is the light that shows us the entangling roots of temptations, false values, and the false philosophies of life.<\/p>\n

It is the Bible, the written Word of God, that will help us to see our way clear enough to stay on the right path that leads to abundant life.<\/p>\n

Temptations will continue to come, but you will always be able to overcome the devil by saying \u201cno\u201d to his suggestions and by referring him to what the Word of God says in those particular circumstances:<\/p>\n