OBEDIENCE


A. "WHATSOEVER HE SAITH UNTO YOU, DO IT"
  1. Setting of our text:
    1. A wedding feast at Cana of Galilee.
    2. Our Saviour's first miracle in turning water into wine.
  2. The advice of the mother of Christ to the servants:
    1. "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it".
    2. The result was the miracle of the Lord.
B. "WHATSOEVER HE SAITH UNTO YOU, DO IT"
  1. Implication of the words of our opening text:
    1. Mary knew that her son was no ordinary man, He was the God- Man.
    2. He is, in fact, our Creator - John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-17
    3. He is, also, our Redeemer - Isa. 43:1; Eph. 1:7; John 1:4; 1 John 5:11; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19
  2. "Whatsoever He saith do it":
    1. Many do what He does not say; that is the same disobedience as not doing what He saith.
    2. What He says is in the Bible; so if we do what the Bible teaches, we do what He wants us to do - John 5:39-46; 6:63; 7:37, 38
    3. To hear what He says and not do it is self-deception - Matt. 7:24-27; Jas. 1:22, 23
    4. A question that demands an answer by all professed Christians - "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" - Luke 6:46
  3. "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it"
    1. That means that to obey the Lord means to do all He commands us to do, not just what we are pleased to do.
    2. God is very particular that we obey Him in all things - EXAMPLES -
      1. Moses learned this truth the hard way - Ex. 4:24-27
      2. The man of God that had been sent to speak against an idolatrous king, too, learned it the hard way - 1 Ki. 13:1-24
    3. These things have been written for our admonition - Rom. 15:4
C. A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR OPENING TEXT
  1. Many profess to believe on Him, about whom our opening text speaks:
    1. But of them the prophet Ezekiel has these memorable words, "And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness" - Ezek. 33:31
    2. Others have good intentions; they plan to do the will of God, but not now - Acts 24:25
    3. Not so with Paul, "Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood" - Gal. 1:16
    4. Not so with Abraham; he obeyed the Lord even though he did not understand all the details - Gen. 22:1-12
  2. Salvation is based upon obedience:
    1. Said Jesus, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you" - John 15:14
    2. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified" - Rom. 2:13
    3. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own self" - Jas. 1:22; Heb. 12:25
  3. Blessing of obedience:
    1. Had Moses obeyed the Lord and spoken to the rock, he would have been permitted to lead his people into the promised land.
    2. Had Peter not obeyed the Lord and caught the fish that had the money needed for their taxes, he would never have known the knowledge and power of his Master.
    3. Said the prophet to Saul, "Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" - 1 Sam. 15:22
    4. God will have a people that obey His Commandments - Rev. 14:12
    5. Angels love to obey the Word of God - Ps. 103:20
    6. The last days of this world's history are marked by a rebellion against the will of God - Luke 17:26-29
    7. "Blessed are they that do His commandments that they may have a right to the tree of life" - Rev. 22:14


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