Obedience to Jesus: The Impossible Made Possible
As I strive to follow Jesus’s final command to “make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20), I am reminded that this task is not just about imparting knowledge, but about inspiring obedience. The difference between the two is crucial. Anyone can teach someone to recite Jesus’s commandments, but only God can empower them to live them out.
The Power of God in Obedience
Jesus himself acknowledged that true obedience is impossible for humans to achieve on their own. When a rich man struggled to let go of his wealth and follow Jesus, Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God… With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:25-27). This is why I believe that the greatest challenge in writing about Jesus’s commands is to understand how God makes the impossible possible.
Teaching for Impossible Obedience
In his final commission, Jesus emphasized the importance of teaching in making disciples. “Make disciples… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” This teaching is not just about conveying information, but about inspiring a deep transformation in the hearts of those who follow Jesus. I believe that God has chosen to do the impossible through the teaching of all that Jesus commanded, and it is my prayer that this message will be used to bring about such impossible obedience.
The Ultimate Goal: God’s Glory
But why is obedience to Jesus’s commands so crucial? The answer lies in the ultimate goal of Jesus’s teachings: the glory of God. As Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). The obedience of good works is important, but it is penultimate to the ultimate goal of glorifying God. In our obedient lives, God is displayed as the most beautiful reality in the world, and this is Jesus’s ultimate goal and mine.
Keeping God’s Glory at the Center
So, how do we keep the beauty of God in proper focus in relation to Jesus’s commandments? By treating the meaning and motivation of the commands in connection with the person and work of Jesus. The person and work of Jesus are the primary means by which God has glorified himself in the world. No revelation of God’s glory is greater. When we see what Jesus achieved and how he did it, we see the majesty and greatness of God.
Displaying the Worth of Jesus
As I have probed the meaning and motivation of Jesus’s commands, I have found that what he is commanding is a life that displays the worth of his person and the effect of his work. His intention is that we not disconnect what he commands from who he is and what he has done. When obedience to his commands happens, what the world sees is the fruit of Jesus’s glorious work and the worth of his glorious person. In other words, they see the glory of God. This is why Jesus came and why his mission remains until he comes.
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