Christian Living

Obedience

by Thomas Kirkpatrick
11/19/20
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“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-17)

Certainly, in the day that Jesus walked the earth and performed His gospel ministry, many did not believe Him to be the Messiah. The religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the Sanhedrin members did not believe Him to be the Savior of humanity. The same as it is today that many deny Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God. Sadly God has given many a man over the desires of their heart, “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.” (Romans 1:24) Without the hedge of protection that only God can give, Satan has made a stronghold in them and blinded them to the truth of God’s Word. “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) For this reason, the truth of God’s Word is foolishness to the carnal man unless the Spirit of truth opens their mind to receive it.

Jesus was teaching in the district of Caesarea Philippi and asked His disciples, who the people said that He was. They answered that some thought He was John the Baptist, who had been slain for his testimony. Others said Jesus was Elijah, while others thought Jeremiah. Then Jesus asked who they, the Disciples thought He was, and Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) Then Jesus replied to Peter with a very insightful response. “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17) It takes the power of God’s Spirit to open our minds and hearts to the truth of God’s Word. As Christians, we work through our mission to place the gospel into every ear that will hear and pray that God will prepare their hearts to receive it and that God will cause the seed of His truth to grow and flourish.

Again, he was teaching in Capernaum and comparing Himself to the manna that God had sent down to feed them while they were in the wilderness traveling to the Promised Land. Jesus went on to say, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” (John 6:35) His claim was the He came down from Heaven from the Father as the manna had, and those who believe in Him will never hunger or thirst. It caused many of those listening to His teaching to grumble and leave Him, including some of His Disciples. But Jesus knew who would not believe and stated, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” (John 6:65) Again we see that because of the power that Satan has over carnal men that God has to reopen the heart and minds that they can receive the truth of God’s Word.

Jesus then turned to the chosen twelve and asked them if they wanted to leave Him also. Again Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) Most, if not all, are familiar with the verse, John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” God so loved the world is a statement inclusive of everyone who has ever walked upon this earth. Jesus didn’t just die for the sins of the righteous but also the unrighteous. As we all at one time were unrighteous. Jesus said that He came to save that which is lost, not just some that are lost, as at one point we all were. God does not desire even one of us to perish. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

God has revealed Himself in three ways that no man has an excuse not to acknowledge that He exists. Yet so many completely deny God or think of God as something that He isn’t and rationalizes His presence right out of their lives. I have a hard time accepting that people cannot believe in God. It is not that I grew up in the Christian faith, as many are very knowledgeable of the faith but yet do not live by that faith. Many claim to be God-fearing but will truly learn fear when Jesus says, “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:22-23)

By His creation, God has revealed Himself. Yet many believe in a Big Bang theory. By its title, it is false. Can you imagine how large a form of matter would have to be to result in an ever-expanding universe? The power to disperse it as it continues to this day to expand? That, amid this expanding matter, the right dead elements came together and formed a living creature? Some believe that and yet deny God the Creator. By their complacency of obvious facts, they are without excuse. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

We all are spiritual beings in a physical body designed to take us through this world. We all have been given the breath of life breathed into us by God. We are alive because He has given us a spirit. God speaks certainly to the righteous, as the righteous were not always so, and His Spirit speaks to the unrighteous as all are or were unrighteous. But we do not listen; we quiche that quiet inner voice that speaks to us, telling us right from wrong. Many do listen and then reject what the Spirit is saying. Either way, we are not listening to what He is saying. Yet there is no better word we can receive than those from Him who created us and knows us better than ourselves. “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10).

God reveals Himself by His Word written before the creation with the enduring power to exist at the border of eternity before us. We will read novels that hold no eternal value for our souls; we will read the news in the morning paper, which is the day’s real history. But we will not read the true history of God’s prophecy that has already happened before us and ahead of us, for not one Word of God has not to be found untrue. That which has yet not come to pass is coming quickly upon us. We fail to obey what we have seen to be true and discount what is proven to come to the truth.

If we truly want to know God, serve God, and further His Kingdom to come, then we will show our love to Him in obedience. If we love Him, we will obey Him and have the abundant life here and the glorious abundant life for eternity. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

Thomas N Kirkpatrick

First Baptist Church of Durant, July 24, 2018