Obedience Is Entrance To A Life Of Substance

September 8th 2013

We often talk about going deep in football, deep sea fishing, falling deep in love…

Why do we add that adjective?

Trying to mine the riches of something. It means we recognize that nothing really good happens if you just stay on the surface. What would the world be like if trees didn't have deep roots? Houses didn't have deep foundations, one storm and your house would fall apart. We know if you just stay on the surface/shallow end of life, not much good every really happens.

This new series will be talking about Going Deep, and we will be utilizing Paul's book to the Romans to help us with this.
We are going to look at the depths of the Gospel of Christ as Paul records it.

Read the book of John - Because it really talks about the life of Jesus as God and Man.

Read the book of Acts - Because it gives you the history of the early church and God moving in that church.

Read the book of Romans - Because Romans gives you the theology, the core truth that hold it all together.

Romans 1:1-9

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God -

Paul use to be called Saul and he persecuted the church, who persecuted Christians, then one day on the road to Damascus God reached out and touched him and changed him from a guy who hated Christians to a guy who served them. That is why he calls himself a servant. He was

"Called to be an apostle"

What is an apostle?

Means - sent one.

What was he sent to do?

He was sent to be

"Set apart for the gospel of God"

Gospel of God what does that mean?

The good news of God
The message of God/The Truth of God is meant to be good news to every single one of us.

2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures

Promise - The Bible is about the promise of God, from Genesis to Revelations it's about a God who makes promises and always keeps them.

3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus was the Son of God in God's eternal plan that began in the incarnation, God reserved that term Son, for when Jesus would come and take on human flesh. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. What does Son mean? What is Paul getting to, or what is God getting to when He speaks of the Trinity Father -Son - Spirit. A good son submits to the will of his father

The Son that came put aside all of his divine privileges his divine rights.

In Philippians

He humbled himself and took on the likeness/essence of a man. Still God but he came into this world.

Father sent his son - the son comes and set aside all the divine power - and the Holy Spirit acts on his behalf. The spirit was there at Jesus incarnation and the spirit was there resurrection/baptism/during the miracles, not that Jesus couldn't do it on his own - he set aside all his divine power. In this truth of the trinity you see how God works incredible ways.

This gospel we have is a rich gospel, a gospel of life. Before Jesus died on the cross we were just dead, we were condemned people who could nothing to be right before God. Jesus died on the cross so we would no longer be dead people. We been saved to move beyond shallowness.

5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name's sake.

"grace" that is what this gospel is about, grace is a gift, getting what you don't deserve, grace was God sending his Son to die on the cross, why because you deserve it? No.
He died on the cross so you can live and go deep.
What makes this gospel so great?
it's not obedience that gives us faith, it's not faith without obedience, it's a faith that makes it possible for you to be obedient.

6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and Called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 8 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you

Notice "spirit in preaching the gospel of his son" in the beginning it was the gospel of God, it is the same gospel, because it is the same person

Obedience Is Entrance To A Life Of Substance

When we obey God, we are saying this: I'm going after the deep stuff, and the only way to get there is to follow the trail that God has left me.

I. When We Claim His Name:

Paul said earlier - faith that leads to obedience in the name of Christ. Obedience comes when we claim the name of Christ

II. When We Call On Spirit of Christ:

What God did in Jesus, is what he wants to do in you. He wants you to call on his name as his follower, and then call on his spirit just as Jesus called on the spirit and just as the spirit interceded for Jesus, He'll intercede for you. Jesus said if you pray in my name you will do far greater things than I done.

III. When We Continue His Mission:

What is the mission of Christ? To go out and share the Gospel of God/Son.
Can you live that mission out without obedience?
Obedience is what shows the substance of God's power and the love he has for us.

If you want deep, Obedience is the entrance to it.

Notes taken by: lorelllawrence@comcast.net

Any errors or miscommunication please refer to me not the pastor, the intent is for you to have the notes for review in the series, also to reflect on during the week.

God Bless,