"OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH"
by Jim Haga
Eph. 2:8
"An being found in the fashion of a man, He humbled Himself,and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
I n the book of Luke chapter 15 :11 and following we saw a story of two boys living at home with their Father. One of them was obedient to his father in everything he did, I can imagine he did every thing his father ask him to, with out opening his mouth to argue or dispute the subject. That was the eldest Brother. the younger one however was at home enjoying all the father had, but not quite so obedient, He probably fussed at every thing his father did or his brother did. just like Cain and Abel. Cain hated Abel for what he stood for. He didn't hate him because he was his brother he hated him because he was obedient to his Father, He worshiped in the right way. This younger brother hate his older brother, because he was in subjection to the father's will , he served without griping. You see I don't believe that when the younger brother came to his father and asked to give him that portion of goods that falleth to him, was just an instant whim of his, he had probably been planning at for some time, probably instead of out in the field working ,where he should have been, he was off down the road looking at the world of sin and what pleasure it had to offer. He probably longed to go and try out some of the pleasures he had seen in the world, and who knows how long he had been looking at it. Don't you imagine Eve looked a couple of times , before she made the move to touch the fruit. and maybe she touched it a couple of times before she finally decided to eat thereof. Most people do not fall in to sin (Christians that is )don't fall all at once they are gradually sucked into it by Satan himself. This is what happened here in this story. He gradually feel into the sin of REBELLION, and eventually he acted on it. and went to his daddy and said Dad give me what ever you are going to leave me when you die , give it to me now. and it took him a couple of days to pack his stuff and leave the father's house. Also notice that the father did not try to stop him. Your heavenly Father will not try to stop you either. If you get away from this book you won't know when he is talking to you. He will let you go till you come to the place in your life where you are about to go under. and then you will remember your fathers house.
Now lets look at another scripture, on Obedience. That is found in Gen. Chapter 22, and following, Abraham, was obedient to God in his faith to do all God told him to without complaining, and God blessed him For it. It was counted unto him for righteousness. but I want us to look at Isaac, who is a type in the old testament of The Lord Jesus Christ, who was obedient unto death. As we read this story of Abraham doing what God told him to do, which was to sacrifice his only Son on the alter. . Abraham was obedient to do so. But look at Isaac. this son was obedient to his Father to. He did not yell and scream and kick and bag his father not to kill him. he was obedient to both of his Fathers unto death he would have done what his father said to do even if it killed him. I don't know how old Isaac was when this took place but you can bet he was big enough to take his part with Abraham if he would have decided to do so. But this boy was raised right , he was raised to be obedient to his elders, So he went along with every thing his Father Abraham told him to do. even when he put him on the Alter of sacrifice. He was like his elder Brother The Lord Jesus. He was lead to the slaughter but opened not his mouth to desputite the discision that Abraham and God had made. If people would just do today what God tells them to do and not argue about it this world would be a better place.
Isaac was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. God want's his children to be a type of Christ in this day and age. I could give you a lot of scripture that says we as Christians should be like Christ. One is found right here in our text, in verse 5, "Let this mind be in you which is in Christ Jesus.". If the mind of Christ is in you you are not going to rebel against all that God is trying to do in your life. If you want to be like Jesus and have the mind of Christ, them obey your Father, BOTH OF THEM; Jesus did , he had an earthy father by adoption. and the Bible says he was subject to his earthly parents, as he was subject to his Heavenly Father. Luke 2:51 At 12 years of age he was subject to his earthly parents. Kids now days at 12 years of age are divorcing their parents. and taking them to court to get their part of their inheritance. ,Kids now days are in total rebellion to parents and Government. Even in our churches, even among our Christian Kids. some , not all but some ,will even tell their earthly parents that they are saved now and they must listen to their heavenly Father, but fail to realize that their heavenly father told them to first obey their parents. If you are not subject to your parents on this earth how can you be subject to your Father which is in Heaven. when you are breaking his commandment to obey your parents so that your life will be long on this earth.
If we are going to do the will of God in our lives ,on this earth, and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the globe, we as Christians must first keep the commandments of God our Father. And the first is to Love him with all our heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, "Thou shall love thy neighbor as thy self. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. If we are ever going to do anything for God we as Christians must learn to love God the FATHER First then one another and then our neighbor, We must quit coveting our neighbor's property, land ,wife,cattle,cars, campers,boats, anything that is thy neighbor's.
Proverbs. 4: 1 "HEAR, ye children the instruction of a Father,and attend to know understanding. Verse 7 " Wisdom is the principle thing: Therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding." Verse 10, "Hear O My son, and receive my saying, and the years of thy life shall be many". V-19 The way of the wicked is as darkness, they know not at what they stumble". V-23 Keep thy heart with all diligence, For out of it are the issues of life" V-26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established"
Children of the most high God, He loves you He gave his only Son to die on Calvary for you, Keep his commendents and LIVE" Life is a precious thing cherish it ,protect it, by listening to the words of your father, "Both of Them"
If you read this and you are not saved, God the father is calling you to repentance. Jesus died to set you free from your sin. want you please accept him to day as your personal Lord and Saviour, so you can go to Heaven when you die.