Introduction: The Concept of a Pattern

Weaver introduces the idea that God is not the author of confusion and therefore provides patterns for His people, including a pattern for Christian obedience.

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'm 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 unto 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.

Biblical Examples of Patterns

God gave explicit patterns for the tabernacle and temple, demonstrating that He leaves nothing to human whim. Patterns also exist for conversion and good works.

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 shall you make it. And then again in Exodus 25 and verse 40, and look thou that thou make 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. And, of course, all of this is reiterated in the New Testament when you get to the book of Hebrews 8, 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 makest 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. 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, verse 16, did you know that God has given us a pattern for conversion? 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. 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 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.

The Pattern of Christ's Obedience

Jesus Christ is the ultimate example (hypogrammos) for believers, and His statement in John 8:29 reveals that He always pleased the Father by being sent and living in the Father's presence.

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 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, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and patience. And of course, he goes on to talk about the patience of Job.

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.

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 2, and notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 21. Notice if you would, what the Word of God says concerning Jesus Christ. For even here unto were 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 were 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 hypogrammos, 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 prints 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.

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.

Our Commission as Sent Ones

As the Father sent Christ, so Christ sends believers. Our obedience should emulate His, and we must recognize our divine calling and commission.

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. 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 probably never thought of it, but that's OK. Do you realize when our Lord said, as my Father hath 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 oftentimes 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.

Living in the Father's Presence

Just as Christ was never alone, believers are promised God's abiding presence and power, which enables obedience.

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? He's promised to lead us, to guide us, and direct us. One of the promises that He gave us is found in John 14, 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.

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.

Christ as the Perfect Servant

Using Psalm 40 and Exodus 21, Weaver shows that Christ is the preeminent servant whose ears were opened to obey, and He will ultimately deliver the kingdom to the Father.

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?

You talk about encouraging. And you talk about giving courage. Wow. Now, I'm going to be honest with you, I've thought about this verse innumerable times. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 chapter 10 verses 5 through 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 and the same. A servant is a slave. You say, 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. 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,

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,

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 a 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, watch Him, the perfect servant.

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 manifested 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."

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. Lo, I come, in the volume of this book it is written of me, to do thy will. Oh my God, yea, thy law is within my heart. So Jesus Christ is 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.

Obedience and the Law of God

Christ magnified the law and made it honorable. Believers please God by keeping His law, which is the direction for sanctification, motivated by love.

Lo, I come, in the volume of this book it is written of me, to do thy will. Oh my God, yea, thy law is within my heart. So Jesus Christ is 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.

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're like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming ever 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.

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. 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 overthrown 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'll never learn. 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's they were hypocrites. For they call themselves of the holy city, and state themselves upon the God of Israel.

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 eye will have 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 shouldst 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."

So even Israel refused to hear. If you 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 has given me the tongue of the learned.

then 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. 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 can 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?

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? 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 the 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. Shall you and I then disacknowledge, disobey it? Disregard it?

How can I please my Heavenly Father? I'm going 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. Watch.

For this is the law and the prophets. Now, I want 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. OK. 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.

Practical Sanctification and Consequences

Sanctification involves obeying specific commandments (e.g., against fornication, theft, coveting). Rejecting God's law leads to destruction and affects future generations.

For this is the law and the prophets. Now, I want 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. OK. 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.

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.

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 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?

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? Let's see, in this passage, God says, if you're going to be sanctified, you have to keep the seventh commandment, thou shalt 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 no 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. Now, I want you to turn to one last passage. I want you to turn to the book of Hosea, chapter four. 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 four. Look at you at verse six. 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." God says, you reject Me, I reject you. Seeing thou hast forgotten the law by God, I will also forget thy children.

You want to know what is happening in Christendom 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: A Call to Desire Obedience

While believers cannot perfectly obey, they should genuinely desire to please God, grieve over sin, and rely on His presence and power to live obediently.

You want to know what is happening in Christendom 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.

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.

He's given us the example. How did he please him? By fulfilling his word and his will in all things. 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. 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're 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 the living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, the great I Am. In Thy name we ask and pray. Amen.