Introduction: From the beginning, man has had difficulties to obey God, we see it from Adam, who despite knowing the divine advice did what he wanted and we see the sad results. Today Christ, the last Adam, lives in us and through him we can obey God…
Sermon: Christ is the greatest example of obedience.
The Lord Jesus with his earthly life taught us obedience, Hebrews 5:7-8
“And Christ in the days of his flesh, offering supplications and supplications with loud crying and tears to him who could deliver him from death, was heard because of his reverent fear. And although he was a Son, by what he suffered he learned obedience”.
Comment 1: In verse seven we are allowed to see the human facet of Jesus, where, being God, he begs his Father for strength and help in the difficult moment he had to live, and he was heard, that is, heeded.
Comment 2: Verse eight teaches us that in God there is no exception of persons. For “although he was a Son” he suffered and learned obedience, that is, in God there are no shortcuts, nor can we deceive him, neither arguments nor excuses can avoid the processes that are part of the divine plan.
Comment 3: The expression “by what he suffered he learned obedience” tells us several things:
a) The word “suffer” also means: to go through an experience that involves pain. This tells us of his suffering on the cross.
b) The word “learn” does not mean that the Lord had to learn something that he did not know; Rather, it refers to the experience of the cross in his human nature, something that the Word (Jesus Christ) had never experienced before. In other words, this experience led him to live obedience to the fullest, this was the greatest evidence of his obedience to the heavenly Father.
c) The word “obedience” here is translated from the Greek term “jupakoe” which also means “to listen attentively”. Then the first phase of obedience is in hearing the word of God, since it comes loaded with power to do what it is sent for. The ideal ground is a meek heart, because the hard ground resists the seed of the word.
Comment 4: It is very interesting to see that Jesus prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane saying the same words: Matthew 26:44-46 “And he left them and went away again, and prayed a third time, saying the same words. Then he came to his disciples and said to them: Sleep now, and rest. Behold, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Get up, let’s go, see the one who betrays me is coming.”
As we can see Jesus was not the fourth or the fifth or more times. Let us keep in mind that in the Bible the number three means: “perfection in testimony”, when the Lord rose the third time, the will of the Father was absolutely clear (I believe that there again the Father confirmed the need to give his life in sacrifice) . He had to go to the cross, and strengthened there he went out to do the divine will.
Conclusion: As Jesus teaches us, we may experience difficult moments in life, we must go to the presence of God and strengthen ourselves in prayer, the good and powerful Lord will strengthen us to move forward, and achieve wonderful results from his hand.
(Written by pastor Gonzalo Sanabria).
(Written by pastor Gonzalo Sanabria).
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