Living Life to the Full3. The Secret of Remaining is

Obeying

Looking at the “Living the Full Life,” we’ve seen

• The secret to living is bearing fruit– Bearing fruit gives joy, happiness, assurance & peace

• The secret to bearing fruit is remaining in Christ – John 15:5 NIV I am the vine; you are the branches. If

a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

• But what is the secret to remaining in Christ? • Again we turn to John 15

THE SECRET OF REMAINING IN CHRIST IS

OBEDIENCE

John 15:10-14 NIV

• If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. (11) I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (12) My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (13) Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (14) You are my friends if you do what I command.

The importance of keeping His commands

• By keeping His commands we abide in His love– John 15:10 NIV If you obey my commands, you will

remain in my love …• By keeping His commands we will be His friends– John 15:14 NIV You are my friends if you do what I

command.• Restated by John– 1 John 3:24 NIV Those who obey his commands live in

him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

REMAINING THROUGH OBEYING

John 15:10 NIV … just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and

remain in his love.

Passages that illustrate Jesus’ desire to keep His Father’s Will

• John 4:34 NIV “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”

• John 5:30 NIV By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

• John 6:38 NIV For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

• Should govern our conduct as Christians as well

We remain in Christ by keeping His commandments

• 1 John 2:3-6 NIV We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. (4) The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (5) But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: (6) Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

So “The Secret To Remaining Is Obeying”

• This may surprise some, but “obedience” is stressed throughout the Bible

THE OLD TESTAMENT ON OBEDIENCE

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 NIV

• And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, (13) and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Isaiah 1:18-20 NIV

• "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (19) If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; (20) but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

1 Samuel 15:22-23 NIV

• But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (23) For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."

Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV

• Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

THE NEW TESTAMENT ON OBEDIENCE

Matthew 7:21-27 NIV

• "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' (23) Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Matthew 7:21-27 NIV

• "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (25) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (26) But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (27) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

Luke 6:46 NIV

• "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?

Mark 3:31-35 NIV

• Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. (32) A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." (33) "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. (34) Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! (35) Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

• Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Acts 10:34-35, 48 NIV

• Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism (35) but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

• (48) So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Acts 17:30 NIV

• In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

Romans 6:17-18 NIV

• But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. (18) You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

HAVE YOU OBEYED CHRIST?

Obedience is essential if we want to enjoy God’s blessings!

• Hebrews 5:8-9 NIV Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered (9) and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

Have you obeyed these commands?

• Believe on the name of Jesus Christ– 1 John 3:23 NIV And this is his command: to

believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

• Repent of your sins– Acts 17:30 NIV In the past God overlooked such

ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

Have you obeyed these commands?

• Be baptized– Matthew 28:18-20 NIV Then Jesus came to them

and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Have you obeyed these commands?

• Grow in the knowledge of Christ– 2 Peter 3:18 NIV But grow in the grace and

knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

• Devote yourself to prayer– Colossians 4:2 NIV Devote yourselves to prayer,

being watchful and thankful.

The secrets, so far

• The secret to living is bearing fruit• The secret to bearing fruit is remaining• The secret to remaining is obeying• Have you obeyed Jesus?