The Great Disobedience with Pastor Doug

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Now let's get started.

Hello, this is Pastor Doug.

Last time we were together, we talked about the Great Omission.

This time we're going to talk about the Great Disobedience.

Many moons ago, late 70s, in a land far, far away, Pensacola, lived a young man, 16 years old, powered by a rebuilt tricked out type one air-cooled VW engine with a Baja chassis and an ego to match.

He was given a test of obedience through a divine allowance, a car wreck.

How did this young man respond to this test?

We'll get to that in a minute.

But first we must get to that divine storyteller, Jesus.

And his parable of two sons as recorded in Matthew 21.

It reads, What do you think?

There was a man who had two sons.

He went to the first and said, Son, go and work today in the vineyard.

I will not, he answered.

But later he changed his mind and he went.

Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.

He answered, I will, sir.

But he did not go.

Now which of the two did what his father wanted?

The first they answered, Jesus said to them, Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him.

But the tax collectors and the prostitutes did.

And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Jesus uses this to show that the actual repentant obedience beats empty religious lip service every time.

Who did Jesus share this powerful parable with?

The chief priest and the elders of the people, aka the religious establishment.

They talked the talk, but they did not walk the walk.

In the next chapter we read in Matthew 22, starting in verse 37, hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?

Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind.

This is the first and greatest commandment, and the second is like it.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.

I want to give you a portrait of obedience.

That command requires choice, and choice requires action.

This command was nothing new that Jesus introduced.

It is woven into all of Scripture, but none more directly than Deuteronomy 6, in what is called the Shema.

The Jews saw this as their central declaration of faith and were recite it twice daily, in the morning and in the evening.

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

Remember that portrait of obedience?

That command requires choice, and choice requires action.

Let's go back to the parable of the two sons.

What was the father's command to each son?

Son, go and work today in the vineyard.

What was the initial choice of the first son?

I will not.

What was the initial choice of the second son?

I will, sir.

But what was the action of the first son?

But later he changed his mind and went.

What was the action of the second son?

But he did not go.

Then Jesus asked them for the obvious conclusion.

Which of these two did what his father wanted?

The religious leaders had to give the answer, the first.

Jesus, never known for pulling punches when talking to self-righteous religious folk, said to them, Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him.

But the tax collectors and the prostitutes did.

Even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Jesus uses this to show that actual repentant obedience beats religious lip service every time.

What is the command?

The command is to love God.

Our initial choice is to go our own way.

But thanks be to God, we changed our minds, took the action to respond in repentant obedience, and now dwell in that love relationship with God through Jesus Christ, all made possible by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Jesus told his disciples in the upper room, as recorded in John 14, anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.

My Father will love them, and we will come with them and make our home with them.

Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.

These words you hear are not my own.

They belong to the Father who sent me.

All this I have spoken while you are still with me, but the advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.

So what is that portrait of obedience?

It is that command requires choice, and choice requires action.

The aforementioned young man initially did not choose to obey God's call in his life, but later he changed his mind, awakened by a car wreck to take the action of repenting and surrendering the rest of his life to the one who made him, loves him, and has the best plan for his life.

I should know that young man was me.

Thanks for joining us on the Celebration Baptist Church podcast.

We hope today's conversation helped you take another step in your faith journey.

For more resources, upcoming events, and to join us live, visit iCelebration.org.

Until next time, keep connecting with God, connecting with others, and living on mission.