“We must obey God rather than man.” That verse contains some cringe-worthy words
– “God”, “obey”, and “must”. Whenever those
three words show up in a verse you know there’s going to be trouble. Most people these days don’t think in such “fanatical”
terms as “God”, “obey”, “must”. If you
try to throw that combination of words into a sermon these days, it’s a major
downer, a downright preacher faux pas.
In today’s world it is unwise to talk
about “obedience” when it comes to the topic of God. It conjures up images of that “angry old man”
sitting on the throne ready to send everybody to Hell because we’ve been
naughty rather than nice. It is rather
more prudent to stick to “Jesus loves me, this I know”. We simply have a problem with the word “obey”
and especially when it’s used in proximity to the word “God” and intensified by
the word “must”. Obey is what
well-trained dogs do. Compelled
obedience is what that cruel institution of slavery was rooted in. Religious groups that use the word so often
tend towards spiritual abuse. Ever since
we discovered basic human rights we do not feel comfortable using the word obey
in any context that involves humans.
So that said, what do we do with this
verse, “We must obey God rather than man”?
Well, if Randy were here we could expect a lesson in New Testament Greek
right about now. But he’s not so we’ll just
ponder the question, “Have you ever felt like God wanted you to do something
and you were restless until you did it?”
If so, then that’s what we’re talking about here – a God thing that we
know we have to do.
The Apostles felt compelled by the
Holy Spirit to do what God was calling them to do in the name Jesus. They were filling Jerusalem with blessing. They were teaching what Jesus taught. They were healing the ill and casting out
demons. As a group they were effectively
eliminating poverty among themselves by sharing everything in common. They were proclaiming that God had raised Jesus
from the dead; Jesus, whom everyone knew had been crucified wrongly for treason
by the Romans and blasphemy by the Temple authorities. Yet, here they were saying the things he said
and doing the things he did in his name to the same awesome effect.
This was possible because the Holy
Spirit was upon them. The Apostles were
proclaiming that a new age was upon them, a time foretold by prophets long
ago. A few weeks after the Resurrection
during the Festival of Pentecost, which celebrated the giving of the Law at Mt.
Sinai, God poured out the Holy Spirit upon the followers of Jesus and they
began to tell about Jesus in many different languages. Accused of public drunkenness at only nine
o’clock in the morning, Peter gave a rousing sermon explaining that this was
the fulfillment of the prophecies of the prophet Joel about the end of times
when God would pour his Spirit upon his people.
This had happened. Jesus was
therefore the Messiah. He was truly
bodily raised from the dead. The Holy
Spirit was indeed poured upon them as promised. A new day of salvation had dawned. This was God’s truth and the Apostles were
compelled by the Holy Spirit to proclaim it.
Yet, the Apostles got in
trouble. The Sanhedrin, the religious
authorities, their power threatened, got jealous. They tried to compel the Apostles with
threats to stop teaching in the name of Jesus and implicating the Sanhedrin in
his wrongful death. Finally, after one
healing too many the High Priest had the Apostles jailed only to find them the
next day again publicly preaching in the name of Jesus and claiming an angel
had set them free.
Oddly, the Sanhedrin thought that
intimidation could stop the Apostles; that fear of their power could compel the
followers of Jesus not to speak in his name.
Yet, their life-threatening abuse of power was no match for the life-giving
power of the Holy Spirit who was compelling the Apostles to preach the Truth that
Jesus, whom the Sanhedrin had crucified but God had raised and who was truly
the Son of God and the Messiah for whom they were hoping. Just as the Apostles and many others were
filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, so we find the Sanhedrin saying that
the Apostles had filled (or rather fulfilled) all Jerusalem with their teaching
in the name of Jesus.
Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Jerusalem was being
fulfilled:
2 In the
last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be
established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
3 Many
peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into ploughshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into ploughshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of
Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Is. 2:2-5)
As we can see obedience here isn’t
about doing the right moral thing as opposed to the wrong for fear God will get
you, which is the typical thought that comes up when we hear “God”, “obey”, and
“must” in the same sentence. Christian
obedience is acting out of the compulsion that the Holy Spirit places in us to
act on Jesus’ behalf. The result of this
compulsion to obey God by proclaiming the truth of Jesus in what we say and do
is that the surrounding community begins to get transformed to look more and
more like God is with us.
So, how do we as individuals and as a
church let ourselves be compelled by the Holy Spirit to act according to the
Truth of Jesus and his resurrection?
Well, do you ever feel like you need to read your Bible more, or take a
moment to sit and listen, or see a need and feel like “I’m the one to do
something.” That’s likely the Holy
Spirit. Sometimes the opportunity to
talk faith with others comes up. That’s
a Holy Spirit created opportunity to listen and to share. As far as we as a congregation, well, God
places people in our midst who get hunches like we should have a Bible study,
or we should have a potluck, or we should give that extra money to a particular
need as Latona did when Willamsford flooded to the tune of $15,000. We should listen to those people who have
those hunches. One thing that’s for
sure, the more we all gather together, prayerfully and open to the Spirit’s
leading, the Holy Spirit will lead us to something. Things like Bible Studies are important. Our enemy shows itself in the fear that tells
us we are too old and too small, but the last time I checked the Holy Spirit
provides the energy and the people and the JOY to do what he compels us to do. We are under compulsion to bear the name of
Christ, let’s discover the joy and the wonder of “obeying”. Amen.
