Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: As Yet

The Pattern For Christian Obedience

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2016-08-19

Synopsis: John Weaver examines John 8:29 to show that Jesus Christ is the pattern for Christian obedience. He argues that just as Christ was sent by the Father and lived in the Father's presence, believers are sent ones who must obey God's law. Obedience is not optional but the very expression of love and sanctification, and God's law remains the standard for pleasing Him.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to John chapter 8 and verse 29. John 8 verse 29. And again, you will probably think that I'm not going to preach on this verse, but I am going to, Lord willing. But this whole conference is dealing with Christian obedience. And my subject today is the pattern of Christian obedience. So if you look in John 8 and verse 29, our Lord speaks and he says this, When we talk about the pattern of Christian obedience, we stop and think about the word pattern.

[John Weaver] In fact, we use that word pattern almost daily, and we never really stop to consider its actual usage or its meaning. So you'd have to ask yourself this question, is there a pattern in Christian obedience? Is there a pattern for our lives as believers? We have to remember in 1 Corinthians 14 verse 33, the Bible tells us that God is not the author of confusion. So obviously if there was no pattern, and everyone was doing their own thing, there would be absolutely nothing but confusion. The Apostle Paul, in praying for the Colossian Christians, in Colossians 1 and verse 10, gave a very pointed prayer request.

[John Weaver] He petitioned the Father that you might walk worthy unto the Lord in all pleasing, being fruitful under every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Now, obviously, you cannot walk pleasing unto the Lord unless you know what pleases Him. There has to be a pattern. There has to be, obviously, some direction somewhere. Do you think that God would be so fastidious in some areas and then leave the area of Christian obedience up to ourselves or to the whim of men? When you stop and consider the direction that God gave concerning just the tabernacle, the Bible says in Exodus chapter 25 and verse 9, according to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shalt thou make it. And then again in Exodus 25 and verse 40, And look thou, that thou makest them after their pattern which was shown thee in the mount. And then of course in Numbers chapter 8 in verse 4, and this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold unto the shaft thereof and the flowers thereof, and was beaten work according to the pattern which the Lord God had showed Moses.

[John Weaver] And, of course, all of this is reiterated in the New Testament when you get to the book of Hebrews, chapter 8, in verse 5, where he says, For they, talking about the Old Testament priests, serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished by God when he was about to make the tabernacle. For see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was shown thee in the mount. So God gave the pattern for absolutely everything in the tabernacle. God also gave the pattern for everything in the temple. God gave specific directions to David and to Solomon. When you get to 1 Chronicles chapter 28, listen to verses 11 and 12. Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern for the porch, and the house thereof, and the treasures thereof, and the upper chambers thereof, and the inner parlors thereof, and the place of the mercy seat, and all the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, And of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and all the treasuries of dedicated things.

[John Weaver] And then when you get to chapter 28 verses 18 and 19, he talks about the pattern for the altar of incense, and the cherubim, and everything, God gave express details. Nothing was left to chance, nothing was left to fate or fortune or to the whim of man, or to the desires or feelings of man. Moses certainly could not make the tabernacle, neither David nor Solomon make the temple according to what they wanted. They had to follow the pattern that God gave them. Have you ever stopped to think about this, that God has graciously given us patterns in many areas of life. For instance, in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 16, did you know that God has given us a pattern for conversion?

[John Weaver] In fact, the Apostle Paul said it like this, how be it for this cause I obtain mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life. So the Apostle's conversion was a pattern. That doesn't mean that we're going to have the exact same experience that the Apostle Paul had, but it does mean that we certainly will have conviction of sin, we'll have repentance, we'll have faith. All of those things are a pattern that's been given unto us. And likewise, in Titus chapter 2 and verse 7, Paul told Titus, in all things, showing thyself a pattern of good works in doctrine, showing uncorruptness, gravity, and sincerity.

[John Weaver] Now, the word pattern is used many times in Scripture. You're going to say, well, I have never seen the word pattern when it comes to Christian obedience. Well, you have, but it's just translated differently. It is the same Greek word, but often times it is translated as example. For instance, listen carefully. In 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 12, Paul writes to Timothy and he says this, Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to stop and think about this. Timothy was a pastor. And Paul tells Timothy, as a pastor, that he is to be an example to believers. The word example is the Greek word tupos. It's where we get our English word example or type or pattern. It's exactly the same word. And so Paul now is telling Timothy that he is to be, as pastor, an example to believers.

[John Weaver] When I read that, I thought of this. I wonder how many people today would be more holy, more godly, and more obedient if they patterned their lives after their pastor. Wow. Did you know the Apostle Paul often asked people to follow him? For instance, in 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 16, he says, Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. And then, of course, in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11, verse 1, he says, Be ye followers of me, even as I am a follower of Christ. And then when he gets to Philippians 3, verse 17, he says, Brethren, be followers of me, and mark them which so walk that you have us for an example. So the Apostle Paul then is saying, Follow me as I follow the Lord Jesus Christ. And when Paul told Timothy he was to be an example to the believers, the sad truth is today if most people followed their pastor, most of them would follow him almost straight to hell.

[John Weaver] Or at least into sin and hypocrisy and all kinds of disobedience. God does indeed give us examples. Do you realize that we even have an example when it comes to suffering and persecution? Have you ever considered James chapter 5 and verse 10 where he said, take my brethren, they're prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. And of course he goes on to talk about the patience of Job.

[John Weaver] So, the truth of the matter is this. If we want to understand how we are to suffer, and how we are to endure afflictions, and how we are to live as we are being persecuted, we need to study the lives of the prophets. In other words, God says, here is the pattern. Here is the example.

[John Weaver] Now I want to slow down, and I want you to turn in your Bibles if you would hold John 8. But I want you to turn to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. And notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse, oh, let's see, verse 21. Notice, if you would, what the word of God says concerning Jesus Christ. For even here unto where you called. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps.

[John Weaver] Now, let me go back. I want you to look at this verse very carefully. The Bible says, for even here unto where you called. So God has a calling for you in this reference because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in his steps. Now, the interesting thing about the word example here. is that it is a very unique word, and it is also a word that is very explanatory. The Greek word happens to be hypogramos, and here's what the word literally means. Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] Number one, it means a writing copy, including all of the letters of the alphabet, given to beginners so that they may learn to write. Secondly, it means an example set before one so that he may be quickly an emulation of that example. In other words, what he's saying is the example of Christ is so simple. It is so obvious. It is so perfect that we need to follow in His steps, which literally means that we place our feet in the Prince that He left. It's a very simple word. So, He is telling us that we are to walk in His steps, follow His directions, and live our lives as He lived.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of John, chapter 8, and I want you to look at verse 29 with me. Having understood that there are indeed patterns and examples that have been given unto us, I want you to look at John 8 and verse 29 again in this light. Jesus Christ says, and he that sent me is with me. The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him. Now, there are several very wonderful truths that are given to us in this verse. First, I want you to notice that Jesus Christ was sent by the Father.

[John Weaver] He did not come on His own. He came in obedience and in submission to His Father. He said, He that sent Me is with Me. And interestingly, when you read through the Bible, one of the most noteworthy titles of Jesus Christ is the Sent One. He reveled in and gloried in the fact that He was sent by His Father. It was not a humiliation for Him, nor was it burdensome for Him to be the servant of His Father. He was sent by the Father. You know, when you read a passage like Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1, the Bible says, Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Jesus Christ. So God now admonishes us to consider the apostle and high priest of our profession. Do you know that the word apostle literally means sent one? So he says you are to consider the sent one, the Lord Jesus Christ. So Jesus Christ gloried in the fact that he had been sent by the Father. Do you realize, listen carefully now, there's a method to my madness in trying to explain this, but do you realize as Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, so likewise we have been sent.

[John Weaver] You remember what he told his disciples in John 20 and verse 21, listen carefully. Then said Jesus unto them, peace be unto you, as my Father hath sent me, so send I you." Now, wait a minute. As my Father hath sent me, so send I you. So, the Father sent Jesus Christ on a mission, and now Jesus Christ sends us on a mission. Now, listen carefully, as my father hath sent me, so send I you. So Christians. Should be rightly called sent ones, and since our Lord sent us as his father sent him. Then our sending should emulate copy demonstrate and typify the way that he was sent. Well, how was he sent? He was sent with a divine conviction, that is for sure, but he was sent in obedience to his Heavenly Father.

[John Weaver] Let me make a statement. I want you to think about this. And I know you've probably never thought of it, but that's okay. Do you realize when our Lord said, As my father has sent me, so send I you." Our obedience is to emulate and typify his obedience.

[John Weaver] Now, if I were to ask you to open your Bibles to Ephesians 5, and I'm not going to do that. You know what is in Ephesians 5. The Bible says wives be in subjection to your husbands in all things. Why? Because the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church and he is the Savior of the body. And so I don't have to stand up here and preach to you and tell you that the man is the head of the house and as the head of the house he is to represent Jesus Christ. And the wife represents the church and the wife's submission to her husband typifies and emplifies and demonstrates the submission of the church to Jesus Christ. All that's very typical. Everybody understands that. But do we understand that our obedience is to shatter forth and to demonstrate the obedience that Jesus Christ gave unto his father? That's a bit startling to recognize the fact that our obedience is to show forth His obedience. And I understand that frequently husbands and wives fail in the typology of marriage, in their marriage.

[John Weaver] The husband often times fails in representing Christ's head. And the wife often fails in representing the church and its submission to Jesus Christ. But the truth of the matter is probably every one of us has failed miserably in representing the obedience of Jesus Christ. As the Father has sent me, so send I you.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look back in John 8, verse 29. He said, He that sent me is with me. The Father hath not left me alone. So here's the second truth. We must equally comprehend the presence of the Father in our lives, just as our Lord did when He said, The Father hath not left me alone. Do you realize, as His children, we are never, ever left alone?

[John Weaver] He has promised to lead us, to guide us, and direct us. One of the promises that he gave us is found in John 14 in verse 23, where he said, Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Everyone in this room can quote Hebrews 13 verse 5, for he said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

[John Weaver] Before I get to the meat of my text, I want you to put these two truths together in your mind. Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, and Jesus Christ lived in the Father's presence. He understood that His commission was from God, and He also understood that the Father's presence and the Father's power would enable Him to accomplish that for which he was sent. Consequently, as a result of these two truths, he did always those things which pleased his father. Moreover, the more he pleased the father, the more he was assured of his presence and power. Here it is.

[John Weaver] If you and I wish to be holy, godly, submissive, and obedient, then first of all, we must consider our calling. We must consider the fact that we are sent ones, as the Father has sent Christ, so Christ has sent us. We have a real, genuine calling. We have a real, genuine commission. We have been effectually sent by the Sovereign of heaven and earth. And the second thing we must do is we must recognize the Father's presence. We must live in light of both of these. We must understand that God has not only sent us and commissioned us, but we are surrounded by His omnipotence and His omnipresence, and none of us can escape the presence or the power of God. What did David say? David said, He knows my rising and my setting. He knows the words before they form in my tongue. He knows my thoughts. He said there's no way to escape the omnipresence of God. Have you ever really considered the fact that you are surrounded by omnipresence and omnipotence?

[John Weaver] You talk about encouraging And you talk about giving courage. Wow.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm going to be honest with you, I've thought about this verse innumerable times. And I've often in my prayers said, Oh, Lord. If I could just truly say. I do always those things that please you. Wow. Would it not be wonderful if every Christian could truthfully say, for I do always those things that please him. So if you and I are going to truly seek to please him and pattern our lives after Jesus Christ, we must remember our commission and we must remember the presence and the power of God.

[John Weaver] Let me give you a quote. Calvin said on this passage, Because I do always those things which please Him. We must observe the reason why Christ declares that God is on His side and that He will never be deprived of His assistance. It is because He is regulated entirely by His will and serves Him in sincerity. For this is what he means by the word always, and that he does not obey God only in part, but is entirely and unreservedly devoted to his service. Wherefore, if we desire to enjoy the same presence of God, our whole reason must be subjected to his authority. For if our senses hold government in any degree, we want to share it with God, All of our exertions will be fruitless, because the blessings of God will not be upon them.

[John Weaver] And though for a time we may be delighted with the joyful prospect of success, yet the final result will be dismal." So what is he saying? If we want to enjoy the blessings of God, we must understand that God is sovereign, God is in control, God has sent us, and we must live in His presence and delight in His power. John Gill said it like this, For I do always those things that please him, by submitting to gospel ordinances, as to baptism, at which the Father declared his well-pleasedness in him, and by complying with the ordinances of the ceremonial law, which were typical of him, and by perfectly obeying the precepts of the moral law, and bearing the penalty of it, or by suffering and dying in the room instead of his people, all of which were the will of God, and well-pleasing unto him. Interesting.

[John Weaver] And there's a passage that is quoted in the Old Testament and also in the New Testament that relates to Jesus Christ. I want you to go back to Psalm 40 and look, if you would please, at verses six through eight. Psalm 40. This verse was already mentioned earlier, but I want you to see it in the light of the context of which I'm preaching. Psalm 40, beginning there with verse 6, David said, Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire. Mine ears hast thou opened. Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

[John Weaver] Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book that is written of me. I delight to do thy will, O my God. Yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation, who have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid my righteousness within my heart. I have declared my faithfulness and my salvation. I have not concealed my lovingkindness and my truth from the great congregation."

[John Weaver] And of course this passage is applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. You can find that in Hebrews 10, verses 5-9. I'm not going to turn there and read that because it's basically the same thing. But notice he said, Then said I, Lo, I come, and the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight in thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart. So, the very first emphasis that we find in Psalm 40 is this.

[John Weaver] It is upon our Lord's servitude. Have you ever stopped to think that our Lord is the preeminent servant? He's the preeminent slave of his father. People don't like that word slave. But you know, when you get to the Greek word doulos, which is translated servant, sometimes it's translated slave. It's one in the same. A servant is a slave. Oh, you said, well, I'm not a slave. Well, let me ask you, have you ever borrowed any money? The Bible says that the borrower is servant or slave to the lender. So you go down to the bank and you borrow some money, and guess what? You are actually the slave of that bank until you pay it back.

[John Weaver] You're not working for yourself, you're working for them. Yeah. It deals with our Lord's servitude.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to show you something. You see, our Lord loved His Father supremely. Watch, hold Psalm 40, turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 21, and look if you would please, beginning there with verse 5. I want to show you this from the scripture, hang on. Exodus chapter 21, notice if you would please verse 5 and 6. The Bible said, and if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife and my children, I will not go free. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever." Permanent servitude. Permanent slavery. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 15. Deuteronomy chapter 15. And notice verses 16 and 17. Deuteronomy chapter 15. There's a passage I'm going to show it to you a little bit later, not just Psalm 40, but where scripture says concerning Christ, mine ear hast thou opened.

[John Weaver] Notice if you would, Deuteronomy chapter 15, notice verse 16, the Bible says this, and it shall be, if he that is a servant shall say unto thee, I will not go away from thee, because he loveth thee in thine house, and because it is well with thee, Then thou shalt take an awl and thrust it through his ear into the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant shalt thou do likewise." So notice, if you would, he said, Thou hast opened mine ears. There's another passage that says, Thou hast opened his ear. So Jesus Christ was sent as the servant to the Father, and He loved Him supremely. And I want to show you Jesus Christ is the perfect servant. I want you to hold Psalm 40, but turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. I want you to see this in light of these Old Testament passages. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning there with verse 24. Look what the Bible says. Talking about Jesus Christ, watching the perfect servant.

[John Weaver] Watch carefully. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, that is Jesus Christ who has accomplished everything, he is going to deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he, Jesus Christ, must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he that put all things under his feet, but when he saith all things put under him, it is manifest that he, that is God the Father, is accepted who did put all things under him. Watch! And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him. that God may be all in all.

[John Weaver] What is that telling us? Jesus Christ, after he accomplishes the perfect will of God the Father, delivers everything up to him, and he's willing to be his permanent servant forever. And I know that Jesus Christ is God. There's only one God. But yet the scripture is showing us his absolute perfect servitude. So when you look at Psalm 40 and you read this passage, the very first thing you have to understand is the emphasis is upon his servitude. And secondly, the emphasis is upon his perfect obedience.

[John Weaver] Lo, I come, in the volume of this book it is written of me, to do thy will. O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart. So Jesus Christ It's not only the perfect servant, he is also perfect in his obedience. His ears were opened. He heard the Word of God. Do you realize that man by nature does not hear? Then man by nature is absolutely deaf.

[John Weaver] For instance, since you're in Psalms, turn right over to Psalm 58. Psalm 58. And notice if you would please beginning there with verse 3. Psalm 58 verse 3, God talks about the wicked and He says this, The wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent. They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. So what does God say about the wicked? They've got deaf ears. They will not hear. They will not listen. Man by nature does not want to hear God. He does not want to see God. He does not want to be with God.

[John Weaver] He's totally and absolutely depraved, and he has no desire for anything spiritual. I want you to turn, if you would please, to Isaiah, and I want you to look at chapter 48, and then chapter 50. Isaiah 48, and then Isaiah 50. I want to show you the distinction between the servants of God and the servant of God. In Isaiah chapter 48, we're talking about Israel, particularly, and how deaf they were to the things of God. You know, you study Israel, and you look in the New Testament and everything they did, and you can't help but think those people would never learn.

[John Weaver] I mean, they tempted, they provoked, they were judged over and over and over. And I get tickled every time I read that passage when the Bible says, but many of them God was not well pleased and they were thrown in the wilderness. With many of them? With many of them? Only two got into the land. He killed all the rest of them. And I look at Israel in the Old Testament And I think they never learned, then I look at us, and I say, oh God, we're in the same boat. We'll never learn either unless you open our eyes. But watch. Look in Isaiah 48, and let's just take the time to read the first eight verses. Watch it. Hearing ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters, of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, not in righteousness, the Lord say, were hypocrites. For they call themselves of the holy city, and say themselves upon the God of Israel.

[John Weaver] The Lord of hosts is his name. I have declared the former things from the beginning, and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them, and I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass. I have even from the beginning declared it unto thee, before it came to pass. I showed it thee, lest thou should say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image hath commanded them. Thou hast heard, see all this, and will not ye declare it? I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now, And not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them. Yea, thou heardest not. Yea, thou knewest not. Yea, from that time thine ear was not opened, for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and was called a transgressor from the womb.

[John Weaver] So even Israel refused to hear. If you will look, in Isaiah chapter 50 at the difference now between Israel, who were to be his servants, and the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the servant par excellence. Notice, if you would, I'm going to read verse 6 just to show you we're talking about Christ. So look in Isaiah chapter 50 in verse 4. He says, The Lord God had given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. Watch, he waketh morning by morning, he waketh mine ear to hear, as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear, just like that servant who had the awl and the whole board in his ear. The Lord hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

[John Weaver] I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. And I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Wow. I included verse 6 just so that you could understand this was in reference to the perfect servant, the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you ever understood this? His life was a life that was lived for the Father. His life was a life that was consumed with obedience. You know what he said in John 4 and verse 34? Jesus said to them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and finish his work. If Jesus Christ is our pattern, we must ask then, how did he obey?

[John Weaver] Years ago, many of you will remember it, there was a fad that went around and a lot of people wore jewelry. Some even had it on shirts and caps that would have printed WWJD. What would Jesus do? I used to see that. I would get so grieved and I would get so upset. I wanted to snatch a knot in him every time I saw it. But I would try to say very sweetly and calmly, I can answer your question. What would Jesus do?

[John Weaver] He would obey His Father. He would obey God's law. That's what He would do. So you don't really have to ask that question. The answer is obvious. I want you to look at Isaiah 42. Watch carefully. Isaiah 42. Notice, if you would please, verse 21. We're still talking about Jesus Christ. Isaiah 42. Look, if you would, at verse 21, what the Bible says concerning our Lord. Notice, if you would, the Lord is well pleased for His righteousness sake. He, that is Messiah, will magnify the law and make it Honorable. He will magnify the law and make it honorable. Now, the Hebrew word for magnify means to make great. It means to promote, to make powerful and to nourish up. He's going to magnify the law. He's going to make it powerful. He's going to nourish it up. And the word honorable means to make glorious. to make honorable, to make majestic, to make wide and noble. Have you ever stopped to think that when God sent Jesus Christ, He sent Him made of woman, made under the law?

[John Weaver] That's what the Bible says in Galatians 4, verses 4 and 5. But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. What was He doing? He was making it honorable. He was magnifying God's law. He was making it majestic. He was making it noble. Now, because Jesus Christ honored and magnified the law and made it honorable, Do you think it is now right as Christians to dishonor it, to disannul it, and disobey it? No, God's law is still His standard.

[John Weaver] His word is forever settled in the heavens. His word is likened to Himself, immutable, unchangeable. A large part of our Lord's public ministry including His atonement, was to magnify the law and to make it honorable, to vindicate its equity, to urge its binding obligations, to sustain its claim, and to show that it could not be violated with impunity, and to demonstrate that the penalty was just. The whole effect of our Lord's life and person and work was to magnify and to honor God's law.

[John Weaver] Shall you and I then, disanoly, Disobey it? Disregard it? How can I please my Heavenly Father? I want to answer that. I want to show you something. Look in your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7. And notice, if you would please, verse 12. Very interesting verse. Our Lord tells us, Matthew 7 and verse 12, He says this, Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them.

[John Weaver] Watch, for this is the law and the prophets. Now I'm going to stop there just for a moment. Our Lord does not intend to say that this is the only point of doctrine laid down in the law and the prophets. But he is saying, if you understand what law really is, And if you understand the biblical doctrine of love and charity, this is a simple way to maintain justice and to maintain equity.

[John Weaver] For instance, if I want Brother Tim to honor my wife, I need to honor his wife. Okay? If I want Brother Daniel to help me when I need help, then I need to help him when he needs help. And if I do not want Kurt to steal from me, then I should not steal from him. Isn't this very simple? What does our Lord say? He says, Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, Do you also treat them the way you want to be treated?

[John Weaver] This is the law and the prophets. Do you know what the Bible says in Romans 13 verse 10? Let me just quote it. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is not some kind of esoteric little something that's floating around somewhere in the universe. Love is obedience. Love is the fulfilling of the law. If you love me, keep my commandments. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them not, loveth me not. Love is the fulfilling of the law. So I could look at Brother Shelby and say, Brother, I love you.

[John Weaver] and at the same time be stealing money from him. Do I love him? No. Because love is the fulfilling of the law. If I love him, I may never tell him I love him, but as long as I honor him and his wife and his family and his property and do what God commands me to do, I love him biblically. Love is the fulfilling of the law.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make a statement. I want you to listen to me, please. It is impossible to live a holy sanctified and godly life apart from the law of God. It's impossible. Certainly, the Holy Spirit is the agent in sanctification. And love is the motivation in sanctification. But the law is the direction in sanctification. There's no such thing as a sanctified whoremonger. There's no such thing as a sanctified murderer. There's no such thing as a sanctified drunkard. You cannot, you cannot be a holy, godly, sanctified, obedient individual and violate God's law. It's impossible. It's impossible. I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

[John Weaver] I'm not just blowing smoke when I'm telling you this. You see, there are people today who think that, well, you know, I can just live my own life as long as I profess to be a Christian and all is well. No, that is not true. I want you to look at what the Bible says. We're talking about the pattern for obedience. And Jesus Christ is our pattern, for He says, I do always those things that please Thee. If you want to please our Father, how do you do it?

[John Weaver] You do so by keeping His law. You do so by obeying the totality of His Word. Here it is. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, and let's begin reading there verse 3. Watch carefully. For this is the will of God. This is the will of God. Even your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication. Whoa, wait a minute. That's keeping the law, isn't it? That's obeying God's law. This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.

[John Weaver] Now watch that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we have also forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given us his Holy Spirit."

[John Weaver] Now, how do you live a sanctified life? Well, let's see. In this passage, God says, if you're going to be sanctified, you have to keep the seventh commandment. I shall not commit adultery. You must keep the eighth commandment, thou shalt not steal, because defrauding someone is a form of theft. And you have to keep the tenth commandment, thou shalt not covet. And at the same time you have to keep the first commandment, thou shalt have no other gods before me, because when you deny God, That is when you begin sinning. You cannot violate any of God's law without violating the first commandment, because the very time you begin to violate God's law, you've already dethroned God in your life and enthroned yourself, which is idolatry. Which is idolatry. This is the will of God, even your sanctification. That you know how to possess your vessel in sanctification and honor. Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.

[John Weaver] That no man go beyond and defraud his brother. That's theft. That's theft. So God is telling us how we are to please Him.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to one last passage. I want you to turn to the book of Hosea chapter 4. Most of you can quote at least half of this verse. It's the second part that is very, very convicting. And the second part that is very, very enlightening as well. Hosea chapter 4. Look at verse 6. Watch carefully. God says, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Now we can quote that verse. We know that verse. And that is true. We are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Have you ever understood that you never have a problem if you know what to do? You only have problems when you don't know what to do. So your ignorance is your problem. So he says, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. OK, now watch carefully. My people were destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge that is of His will and word and way, I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no priest to me." And God says, you reject Me, I reject you.

[John Weaver] Seeing thou hast forgotten the law by God, I will also forget thy children.

[John Weaver] You want to know what is happening and christened them today? Our children are being forgotten. Because we have forgotten God and his law. This is called the Lex Talionis. It's the law of retribution. It is when God makes the punishment fit the crime. What is God's law? Plain and simple, God's law is an expression of His will for His people. That's it. What are our children? They're expressions of our will. We wanted them. We had them. Now, God says, if you forget the expression of my will, I'll forget the expression of your will. You want to know why our families have such hellions today and such rebellious kids? Because they have such rebellious parents. We think that we can live our lives apart from God and everything's going to be alright. We think that we can live our lives and disregard Him and disobey His law and everything is going to work out. It will not. It will not.

[John Weaver] If we genuinely and truly want to please our Heavenly Father and do always those things which please Him, we must be obedient in the totality of our lives and bring our lives in conformity to His Word. He, the Lord Jesus Christ, magnified the law and made it honorable. We're not keeping it for salvation. Our Lord Jesus Christ is our salvation. But if he honored God's law, we must honor God's law. If he fulfilled the law, we must fulfill in our lives. We must walk in his steps.

[John Weaver] He's given us the example. How did he please him? By fulfilling his word and his will in all things.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you this question. Can you truthfully say? I do always those things that please him. You say no. No, I can't say that. Well, let me ask you another way. Can you say, I really, genuinely, truly want to always do those things that please Him. And it grieves me so greatly when I disobey Him. And it breaks my heart that I'm so impotent and so unable to please Him always. Well, at least you're on the right track. We are not perfect. We're sinners.

[John Weaver] But I will tell you this, folks. It takes discipline to train your mind and to train your life and to stop and think before you act and before you speak. And you say, Father, I want to please thee in this, would you please help me, surround me by your presence and your power, because I confess without thee I can do nothing. You must learn to live not only in his presence, but that he has sent you and you need him Because without Him, you are absolutely, totally helpless.

[John Weaver] Can you make it a prayer? Lord, help me. Teach me. Enable me to desire to do only those things that will always please Thee. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. And oh Lord, how we have to confess that we've sinned against Thee so greatly, and we have failed Thee so miserably. Our lives unhappily have not set forth Jesus Christ as the standard in obedience.

[John Weaver] We pick and choose so many times. O Lord, help us. Teach us, Lord, to do always those things that please Thee. and help us to bring honor and glory to Thy great and awesome name, the one true and living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, the great I AM. In Thy name we ask and pray. Amen.

The Pattern For Christian Obedience

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	821161221115
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: As Yet
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-08-19
Dictation Name
Book	Book 078: Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover - Volume 1 — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	68

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Need for a Pattern

Weaver introduces the concept of a pattern for Christian obedience, noting that God is not the author of confusion and has provided patterns in Scripture for the tabernacle, temple, and conversion.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to John chapter 8 and verse 29. John 8 verse 29. And again, you will probably think that I'm not going to preach on this verse, but I am going to, Lord willing. But this whole conference is dealing with Christian obedience. And my subject today is the pattern of Christian obedience. So if you look in John 8 and verse 29, our Lord speaks and he says this, When we talk about the pattern of Christian obedience, we stop and think about the word pattern.

In fact, we use that word pattern almost daily, and we never really stop to consider its actual usage or its meaning. So you'd have to ask yourself this question, is there a pattern in Christian obedience? Is there a pattern for our lives as believers? We have to remember in 1 Corinthians 14 verse 33, the Bible tells us that God is not the author of confusion. So obviously if there was no pattern, and everyone was doing their own thing, there would be absolutely nothing but confusion. The Apostle Paul, in praying for the Colossian Christians, in Colossians 1 and verse 10, gave a very pointed prayer request. He petitioned the Father that you might walk worthy unto the Lord in all pleasing, being fruitful under every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Now, obviously, you cannot walk pleasing unto the Lord unless you know what pleases Him. There has to be a pattern. There has to be, obviously, some direction somewhere. Do you think that God would be so fastidious in some areas and then leave the area of Christian obedience up to ourselves or to the whim of men? When you stop and consider the direction that God gave concerning just the tabernacle, the Bible says in Exodus chapter 25 and verse 9, according to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shalt thou make it. And then again in Exodus 25 and verse 40, And look thou, that thou makest them after their pattern which was shown thee in the mount. And then of course in Numbers chapter 8 in verse 4, and this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold unto the shaft thereof and the flowers thereof, and was beaten work according to the pattern which the Lord God had showed Moses.

Biblical Usage of 'Pattern' and 'Example'

The word 'pattern' is often translated 'example' (Greek tupos). Paul told Timothy to be an example to believers, and believers are to follow Paul as he followed Christ.

Now, the word pattern is used many times in Scripture. You're going to say, well, I have never seen the word pattern when it comes to Christian obedience. Well, you have, but it's just translated differently. It is the same Greek word, but often times it is translated as example. For instance, listen carefully. In 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 12, Paul writes to Timothy and he says this, Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

Now I want you to stop and think about this. Timothy was a pastor. And Paul tells Timothy, as a pastor, that he is to be an example to believers. The word example is the Greek word tupos. It's where we get our English word example or type or pattern. It's exactly the same word. And so Paul now is telling Timothy that he is to be, as pastor, an example to believers.

When I read that, I thought of this. I wonder how many people today would be more holy, more godly, and more obedient if they patterned their lives after their pastor. Wow. Did you know the Apostle Paul often asked people to follow him? For instance, in 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 16, he says, Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. And then, of course, in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11, verse 1, he says, Be ye followers of me, even as I am a follower of Christ. And then when he gets to Philippians 3, verse 17, he says, Brethren, be followers of me, and mark them which so walk that you have us for an example. So the Apostle Paul then is saying, Follow me as I follow the Lord Jesus Christ. And when Paul told Timothy he was to be an example to the believers, the sad truth is today if most people followed their pastor, most of them would follow him almost straight to hell.

Or at least into sin and hypocrisy and all kinds of disobedience. God does indeed give us examples. Do you realize that we even have an example when it comes to suffering and persecution? Have you ever considered James chapter 5 and verse 10 where he said, take my brethren, they're prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. And of course he goes on to talk about the patience of Job.

Christ as the Supreme Example (1 Peter 2:21)

Christ left us an example (hypogrammos) that we should follow His steps. The word means a writing copy for beginners, emphasizing simplicity and clarity.

Now I want to slow down, and I want you to turn in your Bibles if you would hold John 8. But I want you to turn to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. And notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse, oh, let's see, verse 21. Notice, if you would, what the word of God says concerning Jesus Christ. For even here unto where you called. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps.

Now, let me go back. I want you to look at this verse very carefully. The Bible says, for even here unto where you called. So God has a calling for you in this reference because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in his steps. Now, the interesting thing about the word example here. is that it is a very unique word, and it is also a word that is very explanatory. The Greek word happens to be hypogramos, and here's what the word literally means. Listen carefully.

Number one, it means a writing copy, including all of the letters of the alphabet, given to beginners so that they may learn to write. Secondly, it means an example set before one so that he may be quickly an emulation of that example. In other words, what he's saying is the example of Christ is so simple. It is so obvious. It is so perfect that we need to follow in His steps, which literally means that we place our feet in the Prince that He left. It's a very simple word. So, He is telling us that we are to walk in His steps, follow His directions, and live our lives as He lived.

Christ's Sending and Our Sending (John 8:29; 20:21)

Jesus was sent by the Father and lived in the Father's presence. As the Father sent Him, so He sends us, making our obedience a reflection of His.

He did not come on His own. He came in obedience and in submission to His Father. He said, He that sent Me is with Me. And interestingly, when you read through the Bible, one of the most noteworthy titles of Jesus Christ is the Sent One. He reveled in and gloried in the fact that He was sent by His Father. It was not a humiliation for Him, nor was it burdensome for Him to be the servant of His Father. He was sent by the Father. You know, when you read a passage like Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1, the Bible says, Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Jesus Christ. So God now admonishes us to consider the apostle and high priest of our profession. Do you know that the word apostle literally means sent one? So he says you are to consider the sent one, the Lord Jesus Christ. So Jesus Christ gloried in the fact that he had been sent by the Father. Do you realize, listen carefully now, there's a method to my madness in trying to explain this, but do you realize as Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, so likewise we have been sent.

You remember what he told his disciples in John 20 and verse 21, listen carefully. Then said Jesus unto them, peace be unto you, as my Father hath sent me, so send I you.

Scripture Reading — John 20:21

" Now, wait a minute. As my Father hath sent me, so send I you. So, the Father sent Jesus Christ on a mission, and now Jesus Christ sends us on a mission. Now, listen carefully, as my father hath sent me, so send I you. So Christians. Should be rightly called sent ones, and since our Lord sent us as his father sent him. Then our sending should emulate copy demonstrate and typify the way that he was sent. Well, how was he sent? He was sent with a divine conviction, that is for sure, but he was sent in obedience to his Heavenly Father.

Let me make a statement. I want you to think about this. And I know you've probably never thought of it, but that's okay. Do you realize when our Lord said, As my father has sent me, so send I you." Our obedience is to emulate and typify his obedience.

Now, if I were to ask you to open your Bibles to Ephesians 5, and I'm not going to do that. You know what is in Ephesians 5. The Bible says wives be in subjection to your husbands in all things. Why? Because the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church and he is the Savior of the body. And so I don't have to stand up here and preach to you and tell you that the man is the head of the house and as the head of the house he is to represent Jesus Christ. And the wife represents the church and the wife's submission to her husband typifies and exemplifies and demonstrates the submission of the church to Jesus Christ. All that's very typical. Everybody understands that. But do we understand that our obedience is to shadow forth and to demonstrate the obedience that Jesus Christ gave unto his father? That's a bit startling to recognize the fact that our obedience is to show forth His obedience. And I understand that frequently husbands and wives fail in the typology of marriage, in their marriage.

The husband often times fails in representing Christ's head. And the wife often fails in representing the church and its submission to Jesus Christ. But the truth of the matter is probably every one of us has failed miserably in representing the obedience of Jesus Christ. As the Father has sent me, so send I you.

The Servant's Ear and Perfect Obedience (Psalm 40; Exodus 21; Deuteronomy 15)

Christ is the perfect servant whose ear was opened. The Old Testament servant who loved his master had his ear bored, signifying permanent servitude. Christ delighted to do the Father's will.

Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book that is written of me. I delight to do thy will, O my God. Yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation, who have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid my righteousness within my heart. I have declared my faithfulness and my salvation. I have not concealed my lovingkindness and my truth from the great congregation."

And of course this passage is applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. You can find that in Hebrews 10, verses 5-9. I'm not going to turn there and read that because it's basically the same thing. But notice he said, Then said I, Lo, I come, and the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight in thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart. So, the very first emphasis that we find in Psalm 40 is this. It is upon our Lord's servitude. Have you ever stopped to think that our Lord is the preeminent servant? He's the preeminent slave of his father. People don't like that word slave. But you know, when you get to the Greek word doulos, which is translated servant, sometimes it's translated slave. It's one in the same. A servant is a slave. Oh, you said, well, I'm not a slave. Well, let me ask you, have you ever borrowed any money? The Bible says that the borrower is servant or slave to the lender. So you go down to the bank and you borrow some money, and guess what? You are actually the slave of that bank until you pay it back.

You're not working for yourself, you're working for them. Yeah. It deals with our Lord's servitude. Now, I want to show you something. You see, our Lord loved His Father supremely. Watch, hold Psalm 40, turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 21, and look if you would please, beginning there with verse 5. I want to show you this from the scripture, hang on. Exodus chapter 21, notice if you would please verse 5 and 6. The Bible said,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 21:5-6; Deuteronomy 15:16-17

and if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife and my children, I will not go free. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever."

Permanent servitude. Permanent slavery. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 15. Deuteronomy chapter 15. And notice verses 16 and 17. Deuteronomy chapter 15. There's a passage I'm going to show it to you a little bit later, not just Psalm 40, but where scripture says concerning Christ, mine ear hast thou opened.

Notice if you would, Deuteronomy chapter 15, notice verse 16, the Bible says this, and it shall be, if he that is a servant shall say unto thee, I will not go away from thee, because he loveth thee in thine house, and because it is well with thee, Then thou shalt take an awl and thrust it through his ear into the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant shalt thou do likewise." So notice, if you would, he said, Thou hast opened mine ears. There's another passage that says, Thou hast opened his ear. So Jesus Christ was sent as the servant to the Father, and He loved Him supremely. And I want to show you Jesus Christ is the perfect servant. I want you to hold Psalm 40, but turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. I want you to see this in light of these Old Testament passages. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning there with verse 24. Look what the Bible says. Talking about Jesus Christ, watching the perfect servant.

Christ Magnified the Law (Isaiah 42:21; Galatians 4:4-5)

Jesus came to magnify the law and make it honorable. He was made under the law to redeem us, not to abolish it. Believers must honor God's law as Christ did.

He would obey His Father. He would obey God's law. That's what He would do. So you don't really have to ask that question. The answer is obvious. I want you to look at Isaiah 42. Watch carefully. Isaiah 42. Notice, if you would please, verse 21. We're still talking about Jesus Christ. Isaiah 42. Look, if you would, at verse 21, what the Bible says concerning our Lord. Notice, if you would, the Lord is well pleased for His righteousness sake. He, that is Messiah, will magnify the law and make it Honorable. He will magnify the law and make it honorable. Now, the Hebrew word for magnify means to make great. It means to promote, to make powerful and to nourish up. He's going to magnify the law. He's going to make it powerful. He's going to nourish it up. And the word honorable means to make glorious. to make honorable, to make majestic, to make wide and noble. Have you ever stopped to think that when God sent Jesus Christ, He sent Him made of woman, made under the law?

That's what the Bible says in Galatians 4, verses 4 and 5. But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. What was He doing? He was making it honorable. He was magnifying God's law. He was making it majestic. He was making it noble. Now, because Jesus Christ honored and magnified the law and made it honorable, Do you think it is now right as Christians to dishonor it, to disannul it, and disobey it? No, God's law is still His standard.

His word is forever settled in the heavens. His word is likened to Himself, immutable, unchangeable. A large part of our Lord's public ministry including His atonement, was to magnify the law and to make it honorable, to vindicate its equity, to urge its binding obligations, to sustain its claim, and to show that it could not be violated with impunity, and to demonstrate that the penalty was just. The whole effect of our Lord's life and person and work was to magnify and to honor God's law.

Love Fulfills the Law (Matthew 7:12; Romans 13:10)

Love is not an abstract feeling but obedience to God's commandments. The Golden Rule summarizes the law and the prophets, and love works no ill to a neighbor.

Watch, for this is the law and the prophets. Now I'm going to stop there just for a moment. Our Lord does not intend to say that this is the only point of doctrine laid down in the law and the prophets. But he is saying, if you understand what law really is, And if you understand the biblical doctrine of love and charity, this is a simple way to maintain justice and to maintain equity. For instance, if I want Brother Tim to honor my wife, I need to honor his wife. Okay? If I want Brother Daniel to help me when I need help, then I need to help him when he needs help. And if I do not want Kurt to steal from me, then I should not steal from him. Isn't this very simple? What does our Lord say? He says, Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, Do you also treat them the way you want to be treated?

This is the law and the prophets. Do you know what the Bible says in Romans 13 verse 10? Let me just quote it. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is not some kind of esoteric little something that's floating around somewhere in the universe. Love is obedience. Love is the fulfilling of the law. If you love me, keep my commandments. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them not, loveth me not. Love is the fulfilling of the law. So I could look at Brother Shelby and say, Brother, I love you.

and at the same time be stealing money from him. Do I love him? No. Because love is the fulfilling of the law. If I love him, I may never tell him I love him, but as long as I honor him and his wife and his family and his property and do what God commands me to do, I love him biblically. Love is the fulfilling of the law.

Sanctification and the Law (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)

God's will is our sanctification, which involves keeping the seventh, eighth, and tenth commandments. Violating any law dethrones God and enthrones self.

You do so by keeping His law. You do so by obeying the totality of His Word. Here it is. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, and let's begin reading there verse 3. Watch carefully. For this is the will of God. This is the will of God. Even your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication. Whoa, wait a minute. That's keeping the law, isn't it? That's obeying God's law. This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.

Now watch that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we have also forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given us his Holy Spirit." Now, how do you live a sanctified life? Well, let's see. In this passage, God says, if you're going to be sanctified, you have to keep the seventh commandment. I shall not commit adultery. You must keep the eighth commandment, thou shalt not steal, because defrauding someone is a form of theft. And you have to keep the tenth commandment, thou shalt not covet. And at the same time you have to keep the first commandment, thou shalt have no other gods before me, because when you deny God, That is when you begin sinning. You cannot violate any of God's law without violating the first commandment, because the very time you begin to violate God's law, you've already dethroned God in your life and enthroned yourself, which is idolatry. Which is idolatry. This is the will of God, even your sanctification. That you know how to possess your vessel in sanctification and honor. Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.

That no man go beyond and defraud his brother. That's theft. That's theft. So God is telling us how we are to please Him.

The Consequence of Forgetting God's Law (Hosea 4:6)

God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Rejecting God's law leads to God rejecting us and forgetting our children, a principle of divine retribution.

Seeing thou hast forgotten the law by God, I will also forget thy children.

You want to know what is happening and christened them today? Our children are being forgotten. Because we have forgotten God and his law. This is called the Lex Talionis. It's the law of retribution. It is when God makes the punishment fit the crime. What is God's law? Plain and simple, God's law is an expression of His will for His people. That's it. What are our children? They're expressions of our will. We wanted them. We had them. Now, God says, if you forget the expression of my will, I'll forget the expression of your will. You want to know why our families have such hellions today and such rebellious kids? Because they have such rebellious parents. We think that we can live our lives apart from God and everything's going to be alright. We think that we can live our lives and disregard Him and disobey His law and everything is going to work out. It will not. It will not.

Conclusion: Pleading for Grace to Obey

We cannot perfectly obey, but we must desire to please God always. We need discipline, prayer, and reliance on God's presence and power to walk in Christ's steps.

Now, let me ask you this question. Can you truthfully say? I do always those things that please him. You say no. No, I can't say that. Well, let me ask you another way. Can you say, I really, genuinely, truly want to always do those things that please Him. And it grieves me so greatly when I disobey Him. And it breaks my heart that I'm so impotent and so unable to please Him always. Well, at least you're on the right track. We are not perfect. We're sinners.

But I will tell you this, folks. It takes discipline to train your mind and to train your life and to stop and think before you act and before you speak. And you say, Father, I want to please thee in this, would you please help me, surround me by your presence and your power, because I confess without thee I can do nothing. You must learn to live not only in his presence, but that he has sent you and you need him Because without Him, you are absolutely, totally helpless. Can you make it a prayer? Lord, help me. Teach me. Enable me to desire to do only those things that will always please Thee. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. And oh Lord, how we have to confess that we've sinned against Thee so greatly, and we have failed Thee so miserably. Our lives unhappily have not set forth Jesus Christ as the standard in obedience.

We pick and choose so many times. O Lord, help us. Teach us, Lord, to do always those things that please Thee. and help us to bring honor and glory to Thy great and awesome name, the one true and living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, the great I AM. In Thy name we ask and pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Christ as the Pattern for Obedience

Summary: Jesus Christ is the ultimate example and pattern for Christian obedience, having always done what pleases the Father.

Evidence: John 8:29: 'I do always those things that please him.' 1 Peter 2:21: 'Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps.'

The Sending of Christ and Believers

Summary: As the Father sent Christ, so Christ sends believers. Our obedience should emulate Christ's obedience to the Father.

Evidence: John 20:21: 'As my Father hath sent me, so send I you.'

The Law as the Standard for Pleasing God

Summary: God's law is the expression of His will, and obedience to it is necessary for sanctification and pleasing God.

Evidence: Isaiah 42:21: 'He will magnify the law and make it honorable.' 1 Thessalonians 4:3: 'This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication.'

Love as Obedience to the Law

Summary: Biblical love is not mere sentiment but the fulfilling of God's law through obedience to His commandments.

Evidence: Romans 13:10: 'Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.' Matthew 7:12: 'Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.'

The Consequences of Disobedience

Summary: Forgetting God's law leads to personal and familial destruction, as God's retributive justice matches the punishment to the sin.

Evidence: Hosea 4:6: 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee... seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.'

Dependence on God's Presence and Power

Summary: Believers must recognize they are sent by God and live in His presence, relying on His power to obey.

Evidence: John 8:29: 'He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone.' John 14:23: 'If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.'

Key Arguments

God provides patterns for obedience

Summary: God is not the author of confusion; He gave detailed patterns for the tabernacle, temple, and conversion, so He certainly provides a pattern for Christian obedience.

Evidence: Exodus 25:9, 40; 1 Chronicles 28:11-12; 1 Timothy 1:16.

Christ's obedience is the pattern for believers

Summary: Jesus always did what pleased the Father, and His example is a simple, clear pattern for believers to follow.

Evidence: John 8:29; 1 Peter 2:21 (hypogrammos meaning a writing copy).

Our sending mirrors Christ's sending

Summary: As the Father sent Christ in obedience, so Christ sends us, and our obedience should reflect His.

Evidence: John 20:21: 'As my Father hath sent me, so send I you.'

Christ magnified the law, so must we

Summary: Jesus came to magnify the law and make it honorable; believers must not dishonor or disobey it.

Evidence: Isaiah 42:21; Galatians 4:4-5.

Love is defined by law-keeping

Summary: Love is not an emotion but the fulfilling of the law; if we love God, we keep His commandments.

Evidence: Romans 13:10; Matthew 7:12; John 14:15.

Sanctification requires law-keeping

Summary: It is impossible to live a holy life apart from God's law; sanctification involves abstaining from fornication, theft, and covetousness.

Evidence: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.

Disobedience brings divine retribution

Summary: Rejecting God's law leads to God rejecting us and forgetting our children, a principle of Lex Talionis.

Evidence: Hosea 4:6.

Scripture References

John 8:29

Context: Jesus declares He always does what pleases the Father, establishing the pattern for obedience.

1 Corinthians 14:33

Context: God is not the author of confusion, implying He provides order and patterns.

Colossians 1:10

Context: Paul prays that believers walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him, which requires a pattern.

Exodus 25:9, 40

Context: God gave Moses the pattern for the tabernacle and its instruments.

Numbers 8:4

Context: The candlestick was made according to the pattern God showed Moses.

Hebrews 8:5

Context: Moses was admonished to make all things according to the pattern shown on the mount.

1 Chronicles 28:11-12, 18-19

Context: David gave Solomon the pattern for the temple, including the porch, treasuries, and altar of incense.

1 Timothy 1:16

Context: Paul's conversion is a pattern for those who would believe on Christ.

Titus 2:7

Context: Titus is to show himself a pattern of good works.

1 Timothy 4:12

Context: Timothy is to be an example (tupos) to believers in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity.

1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; Philippians 3:17

Context: Paul urges believers to follow him as he follows Christ.

James 5:10

Context: The prophets are an example of suffering affliction and patience.

1 Peter 2:21

Context: Christ suffered for us, leaving an example (hypogrammos) that we should follow His steps.

John 20:21

Context: As the Father sent Christ, so Christ sends His disciples.

John 14:23

Context: If we love Christ and keep His words, the Father and Son will make their abode with us.

Hebrews 13:5

Context: God has promised never to leave nor forsake us.

Psalm 40:6-8

Context: Christ delights to do God's will; His law is within His heart.

Exodus 21:5-6; Deuteronomy 15:16-17

Context: The servant who loves his master has his ear bored, signifying permanent servitude, typifying Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:24-28

Context: Christ will deliver the kingdom to the Father and be subject to Him, showing perfect servitude.

Psalm 58:3-5

Context: The wicked are like deaf adders that stop their ears, illustrating man's natural deafness to God.

Historical References

John Calvin's commentary on John 8:29

Context: Calvin observed that Christ declares God is on His side because He is entirely devoted to God's service, and if we desire God's presence, our reason must be subject to His authority.

John Gill's commentary on John 8:29

Context: Gill noted that Christ pleased the Father by submitting to gospel ordinances, complying with ceremonial law, obeying moral law, and bearing its penalty.

Important Quotes

I do always those things that please him.

Significance: This is the central verse of the sermon, establishing Christ as the pattern for obedience.

For even here unto where you called. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps.

Significance: Highlights that Christ's suffering and example are the pattern believers must follow.

As my Father hath sent me, so send I you.

Significance: Establishes the parallel between Christ's sending and the believer's sending, making our obedience a reflection of His.

He will magnify the law and make it Honorable.

Significance: Shows that Christ's mission included honoring God's law, which believers must also do.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Significance: Defines biblical love as obedience to God's commandments, not mere sentiment.

This is the will of God. Even your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication.

Significance: Directly ties sanctification to keeping God's moral law.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean that Christ is the 'pattern' for Christian obedience, and how does this differ from merely following rules?

Context: The sermon emphasizes that Christ's example is a simple, clear pattern (hypogrammos) for believers to trace.

How does understanding ourselves as 'sent ones' change our perspective on daily obedience?

Context: Weaver argues that as the Father sent Christ, so Christ sends us, making our obedience a reflection of His.

In what ways have we failed to represent Christ's obedience, and how can we grow in this area?

Context: The sermon acknowledges that believers often fail to emulate Christ's obedience and need discipline and prayer.

Why is it impossible to live a holy life apart from God's law, and what role does the law play in sanctification?

Context: Weaver states that the law is the direction in sanctification, while the Spirit is the agent and love is the motivation.

How does the principle of Lex Talionis in Hosea 4:6 apply to families and churches today?

Context: The sermon warns that forgetting God's law leads to God forgetting our children, a form of divine retribution.

What practical steps can we take to train our minds to stop and consider God's will before acting or speaking?

Context: Weaver emphasizes the need for discipline and prayer to please God in all things.

Applications

Follow Christ's pattern of obedience

Summary: Believers must study Christ's life and strive to walk in His steps, doing always what pleases the Father.

Evidence: 1 Peter 2:21: 'leaving us an example that you should follow his steps.'

Live as sent ones with a divine commission

Summary: Recognize that we are sent by Christ just as He was sent by the Father, and our obedience should emulate His.

Evidence: John 20:21: 'As my Father hath sent me, so send I you.'

Honor and obey God's law

Summary: Since Christ magnified the law, believers must not dishonor or disobey it but uphold it as the standard for pleasing God.

Evidence: Isaiah 42:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.

Define love as obedience

Summary: True love for God and neighbor is demonstrated by keeping God's commandments, not by mere feelings.

Evidence: Romans 13:10; Matthew 7:12.

Pursue sanctification through law-keeping

Summary: Sanctification involves abstaining from sexual immorality, theft, and covetousness, as these violate God's law.

Evidence: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.

Heed the warning of Hosea 4:6

Summary: To avoid personal and familial destruction, we must not reject the knowledge of God's law but diligently teach and obey it.

Evidence: Hosea 4:6.

Depend on God's presence and power

Summary: We must pray for help, recognizing that without Christ we can do nothing, and live conscious of His omnipresence and omnipotence.

Evidence: John 8:29; John 14:23; Hebrews 13:5.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:08:08Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T02:10:24Z

Clean Transcript

The Pattern For Christian Obedience

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to John chapter 8 and verse 29. John 8 verse 29. And again, you will probably think that I'm not going to preach on this verse, but I am going to, Lord willing. But this whole conference is dealing with Christian obedience. And my subject today is the pattern of Christian obedience. So if you look in John 8 and verse 29, our Lord speaks and he says this, When we talk about the pattern of Christian obedience, we stop and think about the word pattern.
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In fact, we use that word pattern almost daily, and we never really stop to consider its actual usage or its meaning. So you'd have to ask yourself this question, is there a pattern in Christian obedience? Is there a pattern for our lives as believers? We have to remember in 1 Corinthians 14 verse 33, the Bible tells us that God is not the author of confusion. So obviously if there was no pattern, and everyone was doing their own thing, there would be absolutely nothing but confusion. The Apostle Paul, in praying for the Colossian Christians, in Colossians 1 and verse 10, gave a very pointed prayer request.
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He petitioned the Father that you might walk worthy unto the Lord in all pleasing, being fruitful under every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Now, obviously, you cannot walk pleasing unto the Lord unless you know what pleases Him. There has to be a pattern. There has to be, obviously, some direction somewhere. Do you think that God would be so fastidious in some areas and then leave the area of Christian obedience up to ourselves or to the whim of men? When you stop and consider the direction that God gave concerning just the tabernacle, the Bible says in Exodus chapter 25 and verse 9, according to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shalt thou make it. And then again in Exodus 25 and verse 40, And look thou, that thou makest them after their pattern which was shown thee in the mount. And then of course in Numbers chapter 8 in verse 4, and this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold unto the shaft thereof and the flowers thereof, and was beaten work according to the pattern which the Lord God had showed Moses.
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And, of course, all of this is reiterated in the New Testament when you get to the book of Hebrews, chapter 8, in verse 5, where he says, For they, talking about the Old Testament priests, serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished by God when he was about to make the tabernacle. For see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was shown thee in the mount. So God gave the pattern for absolutely everything in the tabernacle. God also gave the pattern for everything in the temple. God gave specific directions to David and to Solomon. When you get to 1 Chronicles chapter 28, listen to verses 11 and 12. Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern for the porch, and the house thereof, and the treasures thereof, and the upper chambers thereof, and the inner parlors thereof, and the place of the mercy seat, and all the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, And of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and all the treasuries of dedicated things.
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And then when you get to chapter 28 verses 18 and 19, he talks about the pattern for the altar of incense, and the cherubim, and everything, God gave express details. Nothing was left to chance, nothing was left to fate or fortune or to the whim of man, or to the desires or feelings of man. Moses certainly could not make the tabernacle, neither David nor Solomon make the temple according to what they wanted. They had to follow the pattern that God gave them. Have you ever stopped to think about this, that God has graciously given us patterns in many areas of life. For instance, in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 16, did you know that God has given us a pattern for conversion?
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In fact, the Apostle Paul said it like this, how be it for this cause I obtain mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life. So the Apostle's conversion was a pattern. That doesn't mean that we're going to have the exact same experience that the Apostle Paul had, but it does mean that we certainly will have conviction of sin, we'll have repentance, we'll have faith. All of those things are a pattern that's been given unto us. And likewise, in Titus chapter 2 and verse 7, Paul told Titus, in all things, showing thyself a pattern of good works in doctrine, showing uncorruptness, gravity, and sincerity.
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Now, the word pattern is used many times in Scripture. You're going to say, well, I have never seen the word pattern when it comes to Christian obedience. Well, you have, but it's just translated differently. It is the same Greek word, but often times it is translated as example. For instance, listen carefully. In 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 12, Paul writes to Timothy and he says this, Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.
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Now I want you to stop and think about this. Timothy was a pastor. And Paul tells Timothy, as a pastor, that he is to be an example to believers. The word example is the Greek word tupos. It's where we get our English word example or type or pattern. It's exactly the same word. And so Paul now is telling Timothy that he is to be, as pastor, an example to believers.
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When I read that, I thought of this. I wonder how many people today would be more holy, more godly, and more obedient if they patterned their lives after their pastor. Wow. Did you know the Apostle Paul often asked people to follow him? For instance, in 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 16, he says, Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. And then, of course, in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11, verse 1, he says, Be ye followers of me, even as I am a follower of Christ. And then when he gets to Philippians 3, verse 17, he says, Brethren, be followers of me, and mark them which so walk that you have us for an example. So the Apostle Paul then is saying, Follow me as I follow the Lord Jesus Christ. And when Paul told Timothy he was to be an example to the believers, the sad truth is today if most people followed their pastor, most of them would follow him almost straight to hell.
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Or at least into sin and hypocrisy and all kinds of disobedience. God does indeed give us examples. Do you realize that we even have an example when it comes to suffering and persecution? Have you ever considered James chapter 5 and verse 10 where he said, take my brethren, they're prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. And of course he goes on to talk about the patience of Job.
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So, the truth of the matter is this. If we want to understand how we are to suffer, and how we are to endure afflictions, and how we are to live as we are being persecuted, we need to study the lives of the prophets. In other words, God says, here is the pattern. Here is the example.
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Now I want to slow down, and I want you to turn in your Bibles if you would hold John 8. But I want you to turn to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. And notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse, oh, let's see, verse 21. Notice, if you would, what the word of God says concerning Jesus Christ. For even here unto where you called. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps.
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Now, let me go back. I want you to look at this verse very carefully. The Bible says, for even here unto where you called. So God has a calling for you in this reference because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in his steps. Now, the interesting thing about the word example here. is that it is a very unique word, and it is also a word that is very explanatory. The Greek word happens to be hypogramos, and here's what the word literally means. Listen carefully.
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Number one, it means a writing copy, including all of the letters of the alphabet, given to beginners so that they may learn to write. Secondly, it means an example set before one so that he may be quickly an emulation of that example. In other words, what he's saying is the example of Christ is so simple. It is so obvious. It is so perfect that we need to follow in His steps, which literally means that we place our feet in the Prince that He left. It's a very simple word. So, He is telling us that we are to walk in His steps, follow His directions, and live our lives as He lived.
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Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of John, chapter 8, and I want you to look at verse 29 with me. Having understood that there are indeed patterns and examples that have been given unto us, I want you to look at John 8 and verse 29 again in this light. Jesus Christ says, and he that sent me is with me. The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him. Now, there are several very wonderful truths that are given to us in this verse. First, I want you to notice that Jesus Christ was sent by the Father.
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He did not come on His own. He came in obedience and in submission to His Father. He said, He that sent Me is with Me. And interestingly, when you read through the Bible, one of the most noteworthy titles of Jesus Christ is the Sent One. He reveled in and gloried in the fact that He was sent by His Father. It was not a humiliation for Him, nor was it burdensome for Him to be the servant of His Father. He was sent by the Father. You know, when you read a passage like Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1, the Bible says, Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Jesus Christ. So God now admonishes us to consider the apostle and high priest of our profession. Do you know that the word apostle literally means sent one? So he says you are to consider the sent one, the Lord Jesus Christ. So Jesus Christ gloried in the fact that he had been sent by the Father. Do you realize, listen carefully now, there's a method to my madness in trying to explain this, but do you realize as Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, so likewise we have been sent.
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You remember what he told his disciples in John 20 and verse 21, listen carefully. Then said Jesus unto them, peace be unto you, as my Father hath sent me, so send I you." Now, wait a minute. As my Father hath sent me, so send I you. So, the Father sent Jesus Christ on a mission, and now Jesus Christ sends us on a mission. Now, listen carefully, as my father hath sent me, so send I you. So Christians. Should be rightly called sent ones, and since our Lord sent us as his father sent him. Then our sending should emulate copy demonstrate and typify the way that he was sent. Well, how was he sent? He was sent with a divine conviction, that is for sure, but he was sent in obedience to his Heavenly Father.
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Let me make a statement. I want you to think about this. And I know you've probably never thought of it, but that's okay. Do you realize when our Lord said, As my father has sent me, so send I you." Our obedience is to emulate and typify his obedience.
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Now, if I were to ask you to open your Bibles to Ephesians 5, and I'm not going to do that. You know what is in Ephesians 5. The Bible says wives be in subjection to your husbands in all things. Why? Because the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church and he is the Savior of the body. And so I don't have to stand up here and preach to you and tell you that the man is the head of the house and as the head of the house he is to represent Jesus Christ. And the wife represents the church and the wife's submission to her husband typifies and exemplifies and demonstrates the submission of the church to Jesus Christ. All that's very typical. Everybody understands that. But do we understand that our obedience is to shadow forth and to demonstrate the obedience that Jesus Christ gave unto his father? That's a bit startling to recognize the fact that our obedience is to show forth His obedience. And I understand that frequently husbands and wives fail in the typology of marriage, in their marriage.
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The husband often times fails in representing Christ's head. And the wife often fails in representing the church and its submission to Jesus Christ. But the truth of the matter is probably every one of us has failed miserably in representing the obedience of Jesus Christ. As the Father has sent me, so send I you.
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Now, I want you to look back in John 8, verse 29. He said, He that sent me is with me. The Father hath not left me alone. So here's the second truth. We must equally comprehend the presence of the Father in our lives, just as our Lord did when He said, The Father hath not left me alone. Do you realize, as His children, we are never, ever left alone?
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He has promised to lead us, to guide us, and direct us. One of the promises that he gave us is found in John 14 in verse 23, where he said, Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Everyone in this room can quote Hebrews 13 verse 5, for he said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
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Before I get to the meat of my text, I want you to put these two truths together in your mind. Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, and Jesus Christ lived in the Father's presence. He understood that His commission was from God, and He also understood that the Father's presence and the Father's power would enable Him to accomplish that for which he was sent. Consequently, as a result of these two truths, he did always those things which pleased his father. Moreover, the more he pleased the father, the more he was assured of his presence and power. Here it is.
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If you and I wish to be holy, godly, submissive, and obedient, then first of all, we must consider our calling. We must consider the fact that we are sent ones, as the Father has sent Christ, so Christ has sent us. We have a real, genuine calling. We have a real, genuine commission. We have been effectually sent by the Sovereign of heaven and earth. And the second thing we must do is we must recognize the Father's presence. We must live in light of both of these. We must understand that God has not only sent us and commissioned us, but we are surrounded by His omnipotence and His omnipresence, and none of us can escape the presence or the power of God. What did David say? David said, He knows my rising and my setting. He knows the words before they form in my tongue. He knows my thoughts. He said there's no way to escape the omnipresence of God. Have you ever really considered the fact that you are surrounded by omnipresence and omnipotence?
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You talk about encouraging And you talk about giving courage. Wow.
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Now, I'm going to be honest with you, I've thought about this verse innumerable times. And I've often in my prayers said, Oh, Lord. If I could just truly say. I do always those things that please you. Wow. Would it not be wonderful if every Christian could truthfully say, for I do always those things that please him. So if you and I are going to truly seek to please him and pattern our lives after Jesus Christ, we must remember our commission and we must remember the presence and the power of God.
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Let me give you a quote. Calvin said on this passage, Because I do always those things which please Him. We must observe the reason why Christ declares that God is on His side and that He will never be deprived of His assistance. It is because He is regulated entirely by His will and serves Him in sincerity. For this is what he means by the word always, and that he does not obey God only in part, but is entirely and unreservedly devoted to his service. Wherefore, if we desire to enjoy the same presence of God, our whole reason must be subjected to his authority. For if our senses hold government in any degree, we want to share it with God, All of our exertions will be fruitless, because the blessings of God will not be upon them.
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And though for a time we may be delighted with the joyful prospect of success, yet the final result will be dismal." So what is he saying? If we want to enjoy the blessings of God, we must understand that God is sovereign, God is in control, God has sent us, and we must live in His presence and delight in His power. John Gill said it like this, For I do always those things that please him, by submitting to gospel ordinances, as to baptism, at which the Father declared his well-pleasedness in him, and by complying with the ordinances of the ceremonial law, which were typical of him, and by perfectly obeying the precepts of the moral law, and bearing the penalty of it, or by suffering and dying in the room instead of his people, all of which were the will of God, and well-pleasing unto him. Interesting.
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And there's a passage that is quoted in the Old Testament and also in the New Testament that relates to Jesus Christ. I want you to go back to Psalm 40 and look, if you would please, at verses six through eight. Psalm 40. This verse was already mentioned earlier, but I want you to see it in the light of the context of which I'm preaching. Psalm 40, beginning there with verse 6, David said, Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire. Mine ears hast thou opened. Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
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Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book that is written of me. I delight to do thy will, O my God. Yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation, who have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid my righteousness within my heart. I have declared my faithfulness and my salvation. I have not concealed my lovingkindness and my truth from the great congregation."
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And of course this passage is applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. You can find that in Hebrews 10, verses 5-9. I'm not going to turn there and read that because it's basically the same thing. But notice he said, Then said I, Lo, I come, and the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight in thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart. So, the very first emphasis that we find in Psalm 40 is this.
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It is upon our Lord's servitude. Have you ever stopped to think that our Lord is the preeminent servant? He's the preeminent slave of his father. People don't like that word slave. But you know, when you get to the Greek word doulos, which is translated servant, sometimes it's translated slave. It's one in the same. A servant is a slave. Oh, you said, well, I'm not a slave. Well, let me ask you, have you ever borrowed any money? The Bible says that the borrower is servant or slave to the lender. So you go down to the bank and you borrow some money, and guess what? You are actually the slave of that bank until you pay it back.
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You're not working for yourself, you're working for them. Yeah. It deals with our Lord's servitude.
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Now, I want to show you something. You see, our Lord loved His Father supremely. Watch, hold Psalm 40, turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 21, and look if you would please, beginning there with verse 5. I want to show you this from the scripture, hang on. Exodus chapter 21, notice if you would please verse 5 and 6. The Bible said, and if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife and my children, I will not go free. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever." Permanent servitude. Permanent slavery. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 15. Deuteronomy chapter 15. And notice verses 16 and 17. Deuteronomy chapter 15. There's a passage I'm going to show it to you a little bit later, not just Psalm 40, but where scripture says concerning Christ, mine ear hast thou opened.
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Notice if you would, Deuteronomy chapter 15, notice verse 16, the Bible says this, and it shall be, if he that is a servant shall say unto thee, I will not go away from thee, because he loveth thee in thine house, and because it is well with thee, Then thou shalt take an awl and thrust it through his ear into the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant shalt thou do likewise." So notice, if you would, he said, Thou hast opened mine ears. There's another passage that says, Thou hast opened his ear. So Jesus Christ was sent as the servant to the Father, and He loved Him supremely. And I want to show you Jesus Christ is the perfect servant. I want you to hold Psalm 40, but turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. I want you to see this in light of these Old Testament passages. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning there with verse 24. Look what the Bible says. Talking about Jesus Christ, watching the perfect servant.
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Watch carefully. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, that is Jesus Christ who has accomplished everything, he is going to deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he, Jesus Christ, must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he that put all things under his feet, but when he saith all things put under him, it is manifest that he, that is God the Father, is accepted who did put all things under him. Watch! And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him. that God may be all in all.
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What is that telling us? Jesus Christ, after he accomplishes the perfect will of God the Father, delivers everything up to him, and he's willing to be his permanent servant forever. And I know that Jesus Christ is God. There's only one God. But yet the scripture is showing us his absolute perfect servitude. So when you look at Psalm 40 and you read this passage, the very first thing you have to understand is the emphasis is upon his servitude. And secondly, the emphasis is upon his perfect obedience.
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Lo, I come, in the volume of this book it is written of me, to do thy will. O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart. So Jesus Christ It's not only the perfect servant, he is also perfect in his obedience. His ears were opened. He heard the Word of God. Do you realize that man by nature does not hear? Then man by nature is absolutely deaf.
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For instance, since you're in Psalms, turn right over to Psalm 58. Psalm 58. And notice if you would please beginning there with verse 3. Psalm 58 verse 3, God talks about the wicked and He says this, The wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent. They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. So what does God say about the wicked? They've got deaf ears. They will not hear. They will not listen. Man by nature does not want to hear God. He does not want to see God. He does not want to be with God.
#39 | 31:02 to 31:49 | cleaned
He's totally and absolutely depraved, and he has no desire for anything spiritual. I want you to turn, if you would please, to Isaiah, and I want you to look at chapter 48, and then chapter 50. Isaiah 48, and then Isaiah 50. I want to show you the distinction between the servants of God and the servant of God. In Isaiah chapter 48, we're talking about Israel, particularly, and how deaf they were to the things of God. You know, you study Israel, and you look in the New Testament and everything they did, and you can't help but think those people would never learn.
#40 | 31:50 to 32:42 | cleaned
I mean, they tempted, they provoked, they were judged over and over and over. And I get tickled every time I read that passage when the Bible says, but many of them God was not well pleased and they were thrown in the wilderness. With many of them? With many of them? Only two got into the land. He killed all the rest of them. And I look at Israel in the Old Testament And I think they never learned, then I look at us, and I say, oh God, we're in the same boat. We'll never learn either unless you open our eyes. But watch. Look in Isaiah 48, and let's just take the time to read the first eight verses. Watch it. Hearing ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters, of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, not in righteousness, the Lord say, were hypocrites. For they call themselves of the holy city, and say themselves upon the God of Israel.
#41 | 32:44 to 33:47 | cleaned
The Lord of hosts is his name. I have declared the former things from the beginning, and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them, and I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass. I have even from the beginning declared it unto thee, before it came to pass. I showed it thee, lest thou should say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image hath commanded them. Thou hast heard, see all this, and will not ye declare it? I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now, And not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them. Yea, thou heardest not. Yea, thou knewest not. Yea, from that time thine ear was not opened, for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and was called a transgressor from the womb.
#42 | 33:47 to 34:50 | cleaned
So even Israel refused to hear. If you will look, in Isaiah chapter 50 at the difference now between Israel, who were to be his servants, and the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the servant par excellence. Notice, if you would, I'm going to read verse 6 just to show you we're talking about Christ. So look in Isaiah chapter 50 in verse 4. He says, The Lord God had given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. Watch, he waketh morning by morning, he waketh mine ear to hear, as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear, just like that servant who had the awl and the whole board in his ear. The Lord hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
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I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. And I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Wow. I included verse 6 just so that you could understand this was in reference to the perfect servant, the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you ever understood this? His life was a life that was lived for the Father. His life was a life that was consumed with obedience. You know what he said in John 4 and verse 34? Jesus said to them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and finish his work. If Jesus Christ is our pattern, we must ask then, how did he obey?
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Years ago, many of you will remember it, there was a fad that went around and a lot of people wore jewelry. Some even had it on shirts and caps that would have printed WWJD. What would Jesus do? I used to see that. I would get so grieved and I would get so upset. I wanted to snatch a knot in him every time I saw it. But I would try to say very sweetly and calmly, I can answer your question. What would Jesus do?
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He would obey His Father. He would obey God's law. That's what He would do. So you don't really have to ask that question. The answer is obvious. I want you to look at Isaiah 42. Watch carefully. Isaiah 42. Notice, if you would please, verse 21. We're still talking about Jesus Christ. Isaiah 42. Look, if you would, at verse 21, what the Bible says concerning our Lord. Notice, if you would, the Lord is well pleased for His righteousness sake. He, that is Messiah, will magnify the law and make it Honorable. He will magnify the law and make it honorable. Now, the Hebrew word for magnify means to make great. It means to promote, to make powerful and to nourish up. He's going to magnify the law. He's going to make it powerful. He's going to nourish it up. And the word honorable means to make glorious. to make honorable, to make majestic, to make wide and noble. Have you ever stopped to think that when God sent Jesus Christ, He sent Him made of woman, made under the law?
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That's what the Bible says in Galatians 4, verses 4 and 5. But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons. What was He doing? He was making it honorable. He was magnifying God's law. He was making it majestic. He was making it noble. Now, because Jesus Christ honored and magnified the law and made it honorable, Do you think it is now right as Christians to dishonor it, to disannul it, and disobey it? No, God's law is still His standard.
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His word is forever settled in the heavens. His word is likened to Himself, immutable, unchangeable. A large part of our Lord's public ministry including His atonement, was to magnify the law and to make it honorable, to vindicate its equity, to urge its binding obligations, to sustain its claim, and to show that it could not be violated with impunity, and to demonstrate that the penalty was just. The whole effect of our Lord's life and person and work was to magnify and to honor God's law.
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Shall you and I then, disannul, Disobey it? Disregard it? How can I please my Heavenly Father? I want to answer that. I want to show you something. Look in your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7. And notice, if you would please, verse 12. Very interesting verse. Our Lord tells us, Matthew 7 and verse 12, He says this, Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them.
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Watch, for this is the law and the prophets. Now I'm going to stop there just for a moment. Our Lord does not intend to say that this is the only point of doctrine laid down in the law and the prophets. But he is saying, if you understand what law really is, And if you understand the biblical doctrine of love and charity, this is a simple way to maintain justice and to maintain equity.
#50 | 41:16 to 41:48 | cleaned
For instance, if I want Brother Tim to honor my wife, I need to honor his wife. Okay? If I want Brother Daniel to help me when I need help, then I need to help him when he needs help. And if I do not want Kurt to steal from me, then I should not steal from him. Isn't this very simple? What does our Lord say? He says, Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, Do you also treat them the way you want to be treated?
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This is the law and the prophets. Do you know what the Bible says in Romans 13 verse 10? Let me just quote it. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is not some kind of esoteric little something that's floating around somewhere in the universe. Love is obedience. Love is the fulfilling of the law. If you love me, keep my commandments. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them not, loveth me not. Love is the fulfilling of the law. So I could look at Brother Shelby and say, Brother, I love you.
#52 | 42:40 to 43:30 | cleaned
and at the same time be stealing money from him. Do I love him? No. Because love is the fulfilling of the law. If I love him, I may never tell him I love him, but as long as I honor him and his wife and his family and his property and do what God commands me to do, I love him biblically. Love is the fulfilling of the law.
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Now, let me make a statement. I want you to listen to me, please. It is impossible to live a holy sanctified and godly life apart from the law of God. It's impossible. Certainly, the Holy Spirit is the agent in sanctification. And love is the motivation in sanctification. But the law is the direction in sanctification. There's no such thing as a sanctified whoremonger. There's no such thing as a sanctified murderer. There's no such thing as a sanctified drunkard. You cannot, you cannot be a holy, godly, sanctified, obedient individual and violate God's law. It's impossible. It's impossible. I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.
#54 | 43:54 to 44:53 | cleaned
I'm not just blowing smoke when I'm telling you this. You see, there are people today who think that, well, you know, I can just live my own life as long as I profess to be a Christian and all is well. No, that is not true. I want you to look at what the Bible says. We're talking about the pattern for obedience. And Jesus Christ is our pattern, for He says, I do always those things that please Thee. If you want to please our Father, how do you do it?
#55 | 44:53 to 45:22 | cleaned
You do so by keeping His law. You do so by obeying the totality of His Word. Here it is. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, and let's begin reading there verse 3. Watch carefully. For this is the will of God. This is the will of God. Even your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication. Whoa, wait a minute. That's keeping the law, isn't it? That's obeying God's law. This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.
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Now watch that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we have also forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given us his Holy Spirit."
#57 | 46:02 to 46:25 | cleaned
Now, how do you live a sanctified life? Well, let's see. In this passage, God says, if you're going to be sanctified, you have to keep the seventh commandment. I shall not commit adultery. You must keep the eighth commandment, thou shalt not steal, because defrauding someone is a form of theft. And you have to keep the tenth commandment, thou shalt not covet. And at the same time you have to keep the first commandment, thou shalt have no other gods before me, because when you deny God, That is when you begin sinning. You cannot violate any of God's law without violating the first commandment, because the very time you begin to violate God's law, you've already dethroned God in your life and enthroned yourself, which is idolatry. Which is idolatry. This is the will of God, even your sanctification. That you know how to possess your vessel in sanctification and honor. Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.
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That no man go beyond and defraud his brother. That's theft. That's theft. So God is telling us how we are to please Him.
#59 | 47:31 to 47:42 | cleaned
Now, I want you to turn to one last passage. I want you to turn to the book of Hosea chapter 4. Most of you can quote at least half of this verse. It's the second part that is very, very convicting. And the second part that is very, very enlightening as well. Hosea chapter 4. Look at verse 6. Watch carefully. God says, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Now we can quote that verse. We know that verse. And that is true. We are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Have you ever understood that you never have a problem if you know what to do? You only have problems when you don't know what to do. So your ignorance is your problem. So he says, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. OK, now watch carefully. My people were destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge that is of His will and word and way, I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no priest to me." And God says, you reject Me, I reject you.
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Seeing thou hast forgotten the law by God, I will also forget thy children.
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You want to know what is happening and christened them today? Our children are being forgotten. Because we have forgotten God and his law. This is called the Lex Talionis. It's the law of retribution. It is when God makes the punishment fit the crime. What is God's law? Plain and simple, God's law is an expression of His will for His people. That's it. What are our children? They're expressions of our will. We wanted them. We had them. Now, God says, if you forget the expression of my will, I'll forget the expression of your will. You want to know why our families have such hellions today and such rebellious kids? Because they have such rebellious parents. We think that we can live our lives apart from God and everything's going to be alright. We think that we can live our lives and disregard Him and disobey His law and everything is going to work out. It will not. It will not.
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If we genuinely and truly want to please our Heavenly Father and do always those things which please Him, we must be obedient in the totality of our lives and bring our lives in conformity to His Word. He, the Lord Jesus Christ, magnified the law and made it honorable. We're not keeping it for salvation. Our Lord Jesus Christ is our salvation. But if he honored God's law, we must honor God's law. If he fulfilled the law, we must fulfill in our lives. We must walk in his steps.
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He's given us the example. How did he please him? By fulfilling his word and his will in all things.
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Now, let me ask you this question. Can you truthfully say? I do always those things that please him. You say no. No, I can't say that. Well, let me ask you another way. Can you say, I really, genuinely, truly want to always do those things that please Him. And it grieves me so greatly when I disobey Him. And it breaks my heart that I'm so impotent and so unable to please Him always. Well, at least you're on the right track. We are not perfect. We're sinners.
#65 | 52:13 to 53:21 | cleaned
But I will tell you this, folks. It takes discipline to train your mind and to train your life and to stop and think before you act and before you speak. And you say, Father, I want to please thee in this, would you please help me, surround me by your presence and your power, because I confess without thee I can do nothing. You must learn to live not only in his presence, but that he has sent you and you need him Because without Him, you are absolutely, totally helpless.
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Can you make it a prayer? Lord, help me. Teach me. Enable me to desire to do only those things that will always please Thee. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. And oh Lord, how we have to confess that we've sinned against Thee so greatly, and we have failed Thee so miserably. Our lives unhappily have not set forth Jesus Christ as the standard in obedience.
#67 | 54:16 to 54:53 | cleaned
We pick and choose so many times. O Lord, help us. Teach us, Lord, to do always those things that please Thee. and help us to bring honor and glory to Thy great and awesome name, the one true and living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, the great I AM. In Thy name we ask and pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:08:08Z

The Pattern For Christian Obedience

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines John 8:29 to show that Jesus Christ is the pattern for Christian obedience. He argues that just as Christ was sent by the Father and lived in the Father's presence, believers are sent ones who must obey God's law. Obedience is not optional but the very expression of love and sanctification, and God's law remains the standard for pleasing Him.

Introduction: The Need for a Pattern

Weaver introduces the concept of a pattern for Christian obedience, noting that God is not the author of confusion and has provided patterns in Scripture for the tabernacle, temple, and conversion.

Biblical Usage of 'Pattern' and 'Example'

The word 'pattern' is often translated 'example' (Greek tupos). Paul told Timothy to be an example to believers, and believers are to follow Paul as he followed Christ.

Christ as the Supreme Example (1 Peter 2:21)

Christ left us an example (hypogrammos) that we should follow His steps. The word means a writing copy for beginners, emphasizing simplicity and clarity.

Christ's Sending and Our Sending (John 8:29; 20:21)

Jesus was sent by the Father and lived in the Father's presence. As the Father sent Him, so He sends us, making our obedience a reflection of His.

You remember what he told his disciples in John 20 and verse 21, listen carefully. Then said Jesus unto them, peace be unto you, as my Father hath sent me, so send I you.

Scripture Reading — John 20:21

" Now, wait a minute. As my Father hath sent me, so send I you. So, the Father sent Jesus Christ on a mission, and now Jesus Christ sends us on a mission. Now, listen carefully, as my father hath sent me, so send I you. So Christians. Should be rightly called sent ones, and since our Lord sent us as his father sent him. Then our sending should emulate copy demonstrate and typify the way that he was sent. Well, how was he sent? He was sent with a divine conviction, that is for sure, but he was sent in obedience to his Heavenly Father.

The Servant's Ear and Perfect Obedience (Psalm 40; Exodus 21; Deuteronomy 15)

Christ is the perfect servant whose ear was opened. The Old Testament servant who loved his master had his ear bored, signifying permanent servitude. Christ delighted to do the Father's will.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 21:5-6; Deuteronomy 15:16-17

and if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife and my children, I will not go free. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever."

Christ Magnified the Law (Isaiah 42:21; Galatians 4:4-5)

Jesus came to magnify the law and make it honorable. He was made under the law to redeem us, not to abolish it. Believers must honor God's law as Christ did.

Love Fulfills the Law (Matthew 7:12; Romans 13:10)

Love is not an abstract feeling but obedience to God's commandments. The Golden Rule summarizes the law and the prophets, and love works no ill to a neighbor.

Sanctification and the Law (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)

God's will is our sanctification, which involves keeping the seventh, eighth, and tenth commandments. Violating any law dethrones God and enthrones self.

That no man go beyond and defraud his brother. That's theft. That's theft. So God is telling us how we are to please Him.

The Consequence of Forgetting God's Law (Hosea 4:6)

God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Rejecting God's law leads to God rejecting us and forgetting our children, a principle of divine retribution.

Seeing thou hast forgotten the law by God, I will also forget thy children.

Conclusion: Pleading for Grace to Obey

We cannot perfectly obey, but we must desire to please God always. We need discipline, prayer, and reliance on God's presence and power to walk in Christ's steps.

The Pattern For Christian Obedience

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	821161221115
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: As Yet
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-08-19
Dictation Name
Book	Book 078: Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover - Volume 1 — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	68

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Need for a Pattern: Weaver introduces the concept of a pattern for Christian obedience, noting that God is not the author of confusion and has provided patterns in Scripture for the tabernacle, temple, and conversion.
Biblical Usage of 'Pattern' and 'Example': The word 'pattern' is often translated 'example' (Greek tupos). Paul told Timothy to be an example to believers, and believers are to follow Paul as he followed Christ.
Christ as the Supreme Example (1 Peter 2:21): Christ left us an example (hypogrammos) that we should follow His steps. The word means a writing copy for beginners, emphasizing simplicity and clarity.
Christ's Sending and Our Sending (John 8:29; 20:21): Jesus was sent by the Father and lived in the Father's presence. As the Father sent Him, so He sends us, making our obedience a reflection of His.
The Servant's Ear and Perfect Obedience (Psalm 40; Exodus 21; Deuteronomy 15): Christ is the perfect servant whose ear was opened. The Old Testament servant who loved his master had his ear bored, signifying permanent servitude. Christ delighted to do the Father's will.
Christ Magnified the Law (Isaiah 42:21; Galatians 4:4-5): Jesus came to magnify the law and make it honorable. He was made under the law to redeem us, not to abolish it. Believers must honor God's law as Christ did.
Love Fulfills the Law (Matthew 7:12; Romans 13:10): Love is not an abstract feeling but obedience to God's commandments. The Golden Rule summarizes the law and the prophets, and love works no ill to a neighbor.
Sanctification and the Law (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8): God's will is our sanctification, which involves keeping the seventh, eighth, and tenth commandments. Violating any law dethrones God and enthrones self.
The Consequence of Forgetting God's Law (Hosea 4:6): God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Rejecting God's law leads to God rejecting us and forgetting our children, a principle of divine retribution.
Conclusion: Pleading for Grace to Obey: We cannot perfectly obey, but we must desire to please God always. We need discipline, prayer, and reliance on God's presence and power to walk in Christ's steps.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God provides patterns for obedience

God is not the author of confusion; He gave detailed patterns for the tabernacle, temple, and conversion, so He certainly provides a pattern for Christian obedience.

Exodus 25:9, 40; 1 Chronicles 28:11-12; 1 Timothy 1:16.

Christ's obedience is the pattern for believers

Jesus always did what pleased the Father, and His example is a simple, clear pattern for believers to follow.

John 8:29; 1 Peter 2:21 (hypogrammos meaning a writing copy).

Our sending mirrors Christ's sending

As the Father sent Christ in obedience, so Christ sends us, and our obedience should reflect His.

John 20:21: 'As my Father hath sent me, so send I you.'

Christ magnified the law, so must we

Jesus came to magnify the law and make it honorable; believers must not dishonor or disobey it.

Isaiah 42:21; Galatians 4:4-5.

Love is defined by law-keeping

Love is not an emotion but the fulfilling of the law; if we love God, we keep His commandments.

Romans 13:10; Matthew 7:12; John 14:15.

Sanctification requires law-keeping

It is impossible to live a holy life apart from God's law; sanctification involves abstaining from fornication, theft, and covetousness.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.

Disobedience brings divine retribution

Rejecting God's law leads to God rejecting us and forgetting our children, a principle of Lex Talionis.

Hosea 4:6.

Scripture References

John 8:29: Jesus declares He always does what pleases the Father, establishing the pattern for obedience.
1 Corinthians 14:33: God is not the author of confusion, implying He provides order and patterns.
Colossians 1:10: Paul prays that believers walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him, which requires a pattern.
Exodus 25:9, 40: God gave Moses the pattern for the tabernacle and its instruments.
Numbers 8:4: The candlestick was made according to the pattern God showed Moses.
Hebrews 8:5: Moses was admonished to make all things according to the pattern shown on the mount.
1 Chronicles 28:11-12, 18-19: David gave Solomon the pattern for the temple, including the porch, treasuries, and altar of incense.
1 Timothy 1:16: Paul's conversion is a pattern for those who would believe on Christ.
Titus 2:7: Titus is to show himself a pattern of good works.
1 Timothy 4:12: Timothy is to be an example (tupos) to believers in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity.
1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; Philippians 3:17: Paul urges believers to follow him as he follows Christ.
James 5:10: The prophets are an example of suffering affliction and patience.
1 Peter 2:21: Christ suffered for us, leaving an example (hypogrammos) that we should follow His steps.
John 20:21: As the Father sent Christ, so Christ sends His disciples.
John 14:23: If we love Christ and keep His words, the Father and Son will make their abode with us.
Hebrews 13:5: God has promised never to leave nor forsake us.
Psalm 40:6-8: Christ delights to do God's will; His law is within His heart.
Exodus 21:5-6; Deuteronomy 15:16-17: The servant who loves his master has his ear bored, signifying permanent servitude, typifying Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:24-28: Christ will deliver the kingdom to the Father and be subject to Him, showing perfect servitude.
Psalm 58:3-5: The wicked are like deaf adders that stop their ears, illustrating man's natural deafness to God.

Historical References

John Calvin's commentary on John 8:29: Calvin observed that Christ declares God is on His side because He is entirely devoted to God's service, and if we desire God's presence, our reason must be subject to His authority.
John Gill's commentary on John 8:29: Gill noted that Christ pleased the Father by submitting to gospel ordinances, complying with ceremonial law, obeying moral law, and bearing its penalty.

Important Quotes

I do always those things that please him.

This is the central verse of the sermon, establishing Christ as the pattern for obedience.

For even here unto where you called. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps.

Highlights that Christ's suffering and example are the pattern believers must follow.

As my Father hath sent me, so send I you.

Establishes the parallel between Christ's sending and the believer's sending, making our obedience a reflection of His.

He will magnify the law and make it Honorable.

Shows that Christ's mission included honoring God's law, which believers must also do.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Defines biblical love as obedience to God's commandments, not mere sentiment.

This is the will of God. Even your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication.

Directly ties sanctification to keeping God's moral law.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean that Christ is the 'pattern' for Christian obedience, and how does this differ from merely following rules?

[Context]

The sermon emphasizes that Christ's example is a simple, clear pattern (hypogrammos) for believers to trace.

[Question]

How does understanding ourselves as 'sent ones' change our perspective on daily obedience?

[Context]

Weaver argues that as the Father sent Christ, so Christ sends us, making our obedience a reflection of His.

[Question]

In what ways have we failed to represent Christ's obedience, and how can we grow in this area?

[Context]

The sermon acknowledges that believers often fail to emulate Christ's obedience and need discipline and prayer.

[Question]

Why is it impossible to live a holy life apart from God's law, and what role does the law play in sanctification?

[Context]

Weaver states that the law is the direction in sanctification, while the Spirit is the agent and love is the motivation.

[Question]

How does the principle of Lex Talionis in Hosea 4:6 apply to families and churches today?

[Context]

The sermon warns that forgetting God's law leads to God forgetting our children, a form of divine retribution.

[Question]

What practical steps can we take to train our minds to stop and consider God's will before acting or speaking?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes the need for discipline and prayer to please God in all things.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T02:10:24Z