Young People's Group

Yet He Learnt Obedience

by Mitchell Tan
March 29, 2018

THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF ONE WHO OBEYED THE LORD IN SUFFERING

One of the key things that the Lord God looks for in our life is obedience. There is nothing that delights Him more than for His servants to obey His will (1 Samuel 15:22). To obey the voice of the Lord and to give heed to it is far greater than any external offerings. The perfect example of one who sought to obey the will of God fully is the Lord Jesus Christ. He fully submitted Himself to doing the will of the Father, even going through the death of the cross.

“Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.”
Hebrews 5:8

The Lord Jesus, when He was on earth, was in no way intrinsically lesser in being the Son of Man. He was both human and divine at the same time. Yet, He too had to learn to obey. He learnt it through the things He suffered. He was born in a poor family. During His ministry, He was constantly being questioned and resented. He was betrayed by His own disciple and was falsely accused by others. The soldiers scourged His back (Matthew 27:26). They placed a crown of thorns on His head. And finally, He was crucified on the cross. How did He learn to obey through so much suffering?

1. PRACTISING WHAT HE HAD TAUGHT ABOUT SUFFERING

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.’”
Matthew 16:24

The Lord Jesus had just begun to show to His disciples that He was going to suffer and to be killed. And He would be raised on the third day (Matthew 16:21). Peter rebuked Him for saying such things. Of course, the Lord Jesus rebuked him in return. He taught those who desired to follow Him that they must be ready to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him. He had taught this to His disciples. He Himself must now show that He would take up His own cross of suffering.

2. BEING AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HE HAD TAUGHT

The Lord Jesus practised what He had taught. He did not just teach others to suffer. He learnt to obey the Lord God thoroughly through what He had to suffer. He became an example to His disciples about setting aside one’s self totally and taking up one’s own cross of suffering.

THE RAMIFICATION OF HIS OBEDEINCE – BEING PERFECTED

“And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him”
Hebrews 5:9

Through His suffering and death on the cross, the Lord was able to fulfil what was prophesied of Him. “Perfected” meant that He was fully obedient to God’s will. He became the author of eternal salvation. He became the originator of our redemption and eternal life in heaven. This would be given to all who obey Him. All glory goes to the Lord for being the captain of our salvation.

THE CHALLENGE TO GIVE OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD

“To all who obey Him”
Hebrews 5:9

Young people, let’s seek to obey the Lord and His word despite the challenges of life, even if means going through some suffering. Let’s follow the perfect example of the Lord Jesus in doing His will. Let’s learn to submit and obey Him this Easter and always.

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