TOPIC:‌“The Rediscovery of Obedience”

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌Hebrews 13:15-22

 

“Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit” (13:17, NLT).

 

‌Has anyone of you noticed of late a word that is hardly ever mentioned TODAY? It is one of our missing words. There is a silence regarding its use. It is the word “obedience.”

 

‌If as the writer of Hebrews states in verse 7 that former spiritual leaders who have died were to be remembered and their teachings retained, then here in verse 17 their present spiritual leaders were to be obeyed. The pastor's leadership was to be recognized and their ministry must not be complicated by disobedient believers.

 

‌In this message I would like to discover where this missing word “obedience” went and what we must do to rediscover it. Let's begin our search.

 

I.

 

‌Think, to begin with, of the OBLIGATION of obedience. The writer states in verse 17: “Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say.” Though this is a lost virtue among many so-called Christians, God has never softened up on our duty of obedience. He has talked to man about it since the human race began.

 

‌Check the record throughout the pages of the Old Testament. To Abraham God said: “All the nations of the earth will be blessed - all because you have obeyed me” (Genesis 22:18). To Israel God said: “Now if you obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth” (Exodus 19:5). To King Saul through His prophet Samuel God said: “Obedience is far better than sacrifice” (I Samuel 15:22). Here in these verses God wanted His people to obey Him with a whole heart rather than maintain a superficial commitment based on ceremonial or traditional systems. Religious ceremonies or rituals are empty unless as far as God is concerned they are performed with an attitude of obedience.

 

‌Or look at what the New Testament has to say about the obedience of those early Christians. It speaks of Christians who felt the need of obedience: “We must obey God rather than human authority” (Acts 5:29). It speaks of Christians who experienced the blessing of obedience: “the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:32). It speaks of Christians who were given a command for obedience: “Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say” . . .