Aren’t you glad that sermon cam isn’t permanent? I am. But what if someone followed you around with that camera for a week or a month. Would it be obvious from your thoughts, words, and actions, that you are a Christian? We’re saved by grace alone through faith alone, but your faith is true by looking at what you do. That was the basic idea behind Vince’s message yesterday: the test of obedience. What is a Christian? A Christian obeys the commands of God.

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:1-6

From these verses, Vince helped us see that sin is the obstacle to obedience and Jesus Christ has shown us the way of obedience. We are now called to live as forgiven sinners.

Vince explained that there are some common excuses we give for not obeying:

• “I don’t feel like it.” This is what we say when we focus on our subjective feelings rather than the objective truth of the Word of God.
• “Everyone else is doing it.” This excuse reveals that we have the wrong standard, letting ourselves off the hook because we are looking at others rather than at Jesus.
• “It’s just too hard. I just can’t do it.” Actually, this statement is right, but it can’t be used as an excuse for sin. We need God’s grace and help to obey, so let’s cry out for it in prayer and go get that help from parents and the church.
• “I’m under grace now, I don’t have to obey.” This excuse shows that someone doesn’t understand what grace is or how it works. Through salvation, we’ve been given the power now to obey, not the freedom to disobey.
• “God loves me and wants me to be happy!” OR: “God will forgive me!” That’s only half the truth. Happiness is found in obeying. Forgiveness comes when we repent. Forgiveness is a promise God offers to us, not an excuse for sin.

Vince summed up his message with these words from Martin Luther:

“This life, therefore,
is not righteousness but growth in righteousness,
not health but healing,
not being but becoming,
not rest but exercise.
We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it;
the process is not yet finished but it is going on.
This is not the end but it is the road;
all does not yet gleam in glory but all is being purified.”

Talk to your parents about this message. Ask them:

• How am I making excuses for my sin? Where do you see me letting myself off the hook?
• Where do I need to obey the commands of God more carefully?
• Confess any areas of sin in which you have not been obeying God.

Categories: Monday Matters, five15 blog