Obedience: The Pathway to Joy and Fellowship

Devotional

Day 1: Obedience Flows from Knowing Christ as Lord

True obedience is not about dull compliance or mere rule-following, but about submitting to Jesus as Lord and treasuring His commands as the guiding stars of our lives. When we truly know Him, our hearts are transformed to desire obedience, not out of fear or obligation, but because we value His word above all else. This kind of obedience is a community project, shaping not just individual choices but the direction of our church family as we collectively steer by God's word. Examine your heart: do you treasure God's commands as precious, and does His lordship shape the whole direction of your life? [13:21]

1 John 2:3-4 (ESV)
"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."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to let Jesus’ lordship—not your own preferences—set the direction, and what would it look like to treasure His word in that area today?

Day 2: Living as Jesus Lived—A Lifestyle of Humility, Holiness, and Power

To live an obedient life is to seek to walk as Jesus walked, reflecting His humility, holiness, and Spirit-empowered life. Humility is the root, as we set aside self-reliance and acknowledge our need for God’s grace; holiness is the fruit, growing as we abide in Christ; and true power comes not from our own willpower but from the Holy Spirit working within us. Just as a song only exists while the musician plays, so holiness and obedience flow from ongoing union with Christ, not from mechanical effort or pride. Are you trying to keep the glow of faith alive in your own strength, or are you daily depending on the Spirit to empower your obedience? [23:33]

1 John 2:5-6 (ESV)
"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."

Reflection: Where do you need to let go of self-reliance and humbly ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to live more like Jesus today?

Day 3: Love as the Ultimate Expression of Obedience

Obedience to Christ is ultimately expressed in how we love one another, for love and obedience are inseparable in the life of a believer. The command to love is both old and new—renewed and deepened by Jesus’ sacrificial, servant-hearted example—and to walk in the light means to love our brothers and sisters with that same unstoppable love. When we harbor hatred or unresolved conflict, we stumble in darkness, but when we forgive, serve, and bear with one another, the world sees Jesus in us. Is there any relationship where you need to move from darkness to light by choosing love and reconciliation? [29:36]

1 John 2:9-10 (ESV)
"Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling."

Reflection: Is there someone in your church family or life with whom you need to seek reconciliation or extend forgiveness today, so that you can walk in the light of Christ’s love?

Day 4: The Privilege and Responsibility of Belonging to God’s Family

Being part of God’s family is a profound privilege—our sins are forgiven, we know the Father, and His word lives in us—but it also comes with the responsibility to decide daily to walk in obedience, humility, holiness, and love. We do not drift into these qualities; they grow as we yield to the Spirit and make intentional choices, refusing to delay obedience or love until it’s convenient. Every stage of life offers excuses, but spiritual growth happens when we choose now to walk as Jesus walked, depending on the Spirit even when it costs us comfort or pride. [34:17]

1 John 2:12-14 (ESV)
"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one."

Reflection: What is one specific area where you have been delaying obedience or love, and what step can you take today to yield to the Spirit and walk as a true member of God’s family?

Day 5: Decide Today—Joyful, Complete Obedience by the Spirit

Obedience to Christ is not about trying harder or turning over a new leaf, but about making a decisive, Spirit-empowered commitment to follow Jesus as both Savior and Lord. Conditional or casual obedience only trains our hearts to resist God’s voice, but joyful, complete obedience—no matter the cost—lets the light of Christ shine brightest in us and through us. The moment to decide is now: will you depend on the Spirit daily, letting Him fuel your obedience and love, so that your confession and your life truly match? [37:22]

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Reflection: What bold, specific decision can you make today to present yourself to God in joyful, Spirit-dependent obedience, and how will you mark that commitment in a tangible way?

Sermon Summary

Obedience is often misunderstood as a burden or a limitation on our freedom, but in reality, it is the pathway to true joy and deep fellowship with God. Many of us approach obedience with a conditional mindset, willing to follow God only when it aligns with our desires or comfort. Yet, this is not genuine obedience—it is negotiation. The ancient lie that disobedience will make us happier still whispers in our ears, but it always leads to darkness and disappointment. Jesus teaches that real joy is found in loving Him and walking in His ways, and that obedience is not a drain but a doorway to the richest communion with God.

Obedience flows from truly knowing Christ, and it manifests in three key areas: lordship, lifestyle, and love. First, submitting to Jesus as Lord means that His word becomes the authority and guiding star of our lives. We treasure His commands, not as mere rules, but as life-giving truths that we guard and steer by, even when we stumble. Second, obedience shapes our lifestyle, calling us to live as Jesus lived—with humility, holiness, and power. Humility is the root, as we recognize our helplessness apart from God and open ourselves to His grace. Holiness is the fruit of abiding in Christ, not a mechanical effort but a relational outflow of union with Him. The power to live this way comes not from our own willpower, but from the Holy Spirit working within us, keeping the light of Christ burning in our hearts.

Finally, obedience is ultimately expressed in love. The command to love is both ancient and ever new, made fresh by the life and teaching of Jesus. To walk in the light is to love our brothers and sisters sacrificially and persistently, refusing to harbor hatred or division. When we love in this way, our community becomes a beacon that points others to Jesus Himself. The privileges of being in God’s family—being forgiven, knowing the Father, overcoming evil—come with the call to decide: will we live in joyful, complete obedience, depending daily on the Spirit, or will we settle for casual, convenient faith? The invitation is to choose now, to yield to the Spirit, and to walk as Jesus walked—in humility, holiness, power, and love.

Key Takeaways

1. Obedience is not negotiation, but wholehearted trust. Many of us fall into the trap of conditional obedience, following God only when it suits us. True obedience is not about bargaining with God, but about surrendering our will and trusting that His commands lead to life and joy, even when they challenge our comfort or expectations. [06:06]
2. The lordship of Jesus means treasuring His word above all else. To call Jesus “Lord” is to let His word set the direction of our lives, much like sailors once steered by the stars. This involves guarding His commands as precious, allowing them to shape every area of life, and returning to them even when we’ve strayed. [13:21]
3. Humility is the foundation for real obedience and spiritual power. Obedience begins with recognizing our helplessness apart from God and letting go of self-reliance. Only when we humble ourselves can God’s grace bring about true transformation and victory in our lives. [17:57]
4. Holiness and power are the fruit of abiding in Christ, not self-effort. Holiness is not a mechanical or individualistic pursuit, but a relational reality that flows from union with Jesus. The power to live as He lived comes from the Holy Spirit, who keeps the light of Christ burning in us and enables us to walk in obedience. [23:33]
5. Love is the ultimate expression and test of obedience. The command to love is both old and new, continually renewed by the Spirit in the life of the believer. If we harbor hatred or division, we walk in darkness; but when we love sacrificially and persistently, we live in the light and reveal Jesus to the world. [28:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:57] - The Air Conditioning Parable: Obedience in Everyday Life
[04:51] - Our Resistance to Obedience
[06:06] - Conditional Obedience vs. True Obedience
[06:54] - The Lie of Disobedience and the Promise of Joy
[07:49] - Obedience Begins with Lordship
[09:33] - Obedience as a Community Project
[10:48] - Jesus’ Diagnosis: Lordship and Desire
[11:43] - Treasuring God’s Commands
[13:21] - Steering by God’s Word
[17:57] - The Lifestyle of Jesus: Humility, Holiness, Power
[21:52] - Holiness as Abiding in Christ
[23:33] - The Power of the Spirit in Obedience
[25:50] - Love as the Fulfillment of Obedience
[26:43] - Walking in the Light: Love and Community
[28:30] - The Newness of Christ’s Love
[29:36] - The Danger of Division and the Call to Unity
[31:25] - The Privilege and Decision of Obedience
[34:17] - Depending on the Spirit, Not Self
[35:31] - The Call to Bold Decision
[36:22] - Responding to God’s Call
[37:22] - Praying for Obedience and Celebration

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 John 2:3-11 (ESV) — > 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
>
> 7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Luke 6:46 (ESV) — > “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV) — > 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Observation Questions

According to 1 John 2:3-6, what is the evidence that someone truly knows Jesus?
In the sermon, what is the difference between “conditional obedience” and true obedience? [06:06]
What does John say about the relationship between loving others and walking in the light? (1 John 2:9-11)
How does Philippians 2 describe the humility of Jesus and its connection to obedience?

Interpretation Questions

Why does the sermon say that obedience is not about negotiation, but about wholehearted trust? How does this challenge the way people often approach following God? [06:06]
What does it mean to “treasure” God’s commands, and how is this different from just following rules out of duty? [13:21]
The sermon says that humility is the foundation for real obedience and spiritual power. Why is humility so essential, and what happens if we try to obey God without it? [17:57]
Why is love described as the ultimate test and expression of obedience? How does this connect to the idea of walking in the light? [28:30]

Application Questions

The sermon talks about “conditional obedience”—only following God when it’s comfortable or convenient. Can you think of a recent time when you negotiated with God instead of simply obeying? What would it look like to trust Him fully in that area? [06:06]
Are there specific commands of Jesus that you find hard to treasure or submit to? What keeps you from seeing them as life-giving rather than burdensome? [13:21]
The pastor said that humility is the starting point for real obedience. Is there an area in your life where pride or self-reliance is keeping you from depending on God? What would it look like to “go low” and invite God’s grace there? [17:57]
The sermon described holiness as the fruit of abiding in Christ, not just trying harder. Are you trying to “keep the glow alive” in your own strength? How can you depend more on the Holy Spirit this week? [23:33]
Is there anyone in your life—maybe even in this group or church—whom you struggle to love or forgive? What practical step could you take this week to move toward reconciliation or sacrificial love? [29:36]
The message ended with a call to “decide” to walk in joyful, complete obedience. What is one area where you sense God is asking you to make a clear decision, rather than drifting or delaying? [31:25]
The privileges of being in God’s family come with the call to love and obey. How can you help our church community become a “lighthouse” that points others to Jesus through the way we love and serve each other? [30:29]

Sermon Clips

The root of conditional obedience is the same old lie that sin has been whispering in the ears of human beings since the garden. And that is this, the lie that disobedience will somehow make you happier. We get tricked into this. We believe this lie. We believe that disobedience will bring us more joy, more freedom, more life, that it's somehow better. But here's the thing. Disobedience never does produce results. Disobedience promises light, but it always delivers and leads to darkness. Some of you are feeling the pain of it even now in your life. That's what disobedience does. [00:06:22] (44 seconds) #disobedienceliesdarkness

Keep his commands doesn't mean, by the way, that you grit your teeth and you get through them. That's what we try to do. Let's rewire our brains because there's something deeper. Looking at the original language, we could see that the word that we know is keep actually means to guard. To guard. And it's like to guard as you would guard a treasure. You know, if someone handed you Aunt Margie's famous pierogi recipe, scribbled on the back of a giant eagle receipt, you would keep it safe because you love those pierogues. You want that recipe to live on. You treat it as precious. That's the heart of obedience. We treasure God's commands, not because they're rules on a page, but because they're life to us. We treasure them. [00:12:07] (49 seconds) #treasurethecommands

The power to live as Jesus lived is not by human willpower. It's not that way. It's the Holy Spirit working in us. Again, I turn to 1 John. Look at chapter 4, verse 4. There's this powerful verse that says, Dear children, you are from God. And you have overcome them, the world, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. There's this idea that without the Spirit, even your strongest intentions fade. Your victory is through the power of God residing in you through the person of the Holy Spirit. [00:22:55] (38 seconds) #spiritpowervictory

Obedience is not about your strength. I can't say it's enough. It's about letting the Spirit fuel the fire in you. This is how this works. This is real power. A life that is humbly dependent on God, set apart in Christ. Sustained by the Spirit. Power enables us to walk as Jesus walked. And if you walk as Jesus walked, you will inevitably love as Jesus loved. [00:25:34] (35 seconds) #spiritfuelobedience

Will our obedience be casual, convenient, or will it be joyful, complete? And so here's what I say, Christ Church at Grove Farm. Decide. Decide. Decide not just to call Him Lord, but to live life by the Spirit in His love. Decide what you will do with your body, with your mind, with your relationships. Decide that you won't walk alone, that you'll engage with God's people, the church. Decide. But listen, don't do it in self -reliance. That's the antithesis of what we're saying here. Decide to depend on the Spirit of God every day, even when it costs to your comfort, even when it costs to your reputation, even when it costs to your pride, because that is where the light will shine brightest. [00:33:48] (57 seconds) #decideobedientdepend

John says that obedience and love are the proof that you really know Jesus. So I suppose the question is this. It's not, will I try to do better? The question is, do I even know him at all? [00:35:31] (19 seconds) #knowjesusproof

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