Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. –
Hebrews 5:8
Acts 5:1-4
1 But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property.
2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.
4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”
If you’ve recently become the proud owner of a new puppy, it’s crucial to understand that one of the initial steps is for them to obey. Dog obedience schools are one of the most effective methods to achieve this. Typically, this entails enrolling them in classes where they are taught to obey and follow their leader’s commands. With the rise of digital streaming, organizations like SPCA have endorsed video training programs. These programs allow dogs to benefit from premium training, regardless of where they are in the world, without ever leaving home.
Every training routine should commence with clear communication. Effective training does not involve force but respect, love, and trust. The training should be tailored to suit the dog’s temperament and inclinations – it’s not a “one size fits all” situation.
Dog training encompasses an array of issues, including common concerns such as:
- Disobedience
- Aggression toward other dogs and people
- Barking
- Anxiety, nervousness, and separation anxiety
- Chewing, mouthing, and stealing objects or food
- Potty training
- Hyperactivity
- Selective hearing
- Unpredictable behavior
The Father has provided a training school for each child of the King. His program begins with developing an intimate personal bond with each of His children, starting with clear communication. He does not use force but rather respect, love, and trust. Each of His training programs is individually suited to that particular child of the King. He trains every child of the King according to the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6).
REFLECT & PRAY
It is sad to say that some children of the King are often obedient only when they want to be. “God didn’t say be perfect. He said be obedient” (Stanley).
Father I want to want to be obedient. Engender within me tremendous love, respect, and trust for You. Obedience will be the natural outcome.
INSIGHT
“Partial obedience is the greatest enemy of obedience” (Stanley). However, what’s more crucial to understand is that partial obedience is, in fact, disobedience.
It appears embedded in human DNA to echo Frank Sinatra’s sentiment, “I did it my way.” The Scriptures abound with individuals who show obedience up to a point but fail to follow through completely.
In the early church, people exhibited remarkable generosity, setting a high bar. Ananias and Sapphira aspired to appear generous in their giving. They wanted to look good while deceit was lurking within. They were only partially obedient, which led to deadly consequences for both of them. They sold some property and donated money to the apostles in a spirit of generosity. They pretended to give the entire amount but secretly held some back. They overlooked the fact that the Father is omniscient. He knows everything all the time, and nothing can be hidden from Him. Peter was given prophetic insight and confronted them. Both Ananias and Sapphira died on the spot, three hours apart (Acts 5:5, 10).
Peter pulls back the curtain on what was happening within their hearts, revealing a terrifying truth. They had lied not just to the apostles but also to the Father.
Acts 5:3-4
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.
4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”
It’s disheartening to realize that this could occur to any child of the King. It likely already has, and we were simply oblivious to it.
How can we rectify this? The answer lies in following the example set by the Lord Jesus Christ. He was tempted in every way, yet he never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). He was always obedient to the Father’s will.
John 6:38: I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.
However, it seems there were times when He faced challenges.
Hebrews 5:8 says, “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.”
It is the standard operating procedure for children to learn obedience as they grow up. But the Lord Jesus Christ was no ordinary son; He was the Son of God. This raises a paradox: How could He always be obedient yet learn obedience through His suffering?
The answer to this conundrum is found in His experience in the Garden of Gethsemane on the eve of His crucifixion. Recall that the Lord Jesus Christ was the God-man: undiminished deity and true humanity in one person. From a human perspective, He dreaded the impending events leading up to the crucifixion. In His humanity, He was reluctant to proceed. He didn’t want to go through with it. He searched for an alternative. He appealed to the Father and asked if avoiding this fate was possible. He made appeals to the Father. Yet, at the same time, He knew that He came into the world for this very reason: to die for sin. However, He had already resolved the issue within Himself. Even as He asked the question, He knew the answer and was resolved in His own heart to obey. He stated, “I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Matthew 26:39 records that He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Luke 22:44 adds, “He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.”
Amid immense distress, along with even greater suffering, humiliation, shame, pain, and ultimately death, He learned in real-time and, for all time, to obey.
“‘To learn obedience,’ then, meant coming to appreciate fully what conforming to God’s will involved. But this is not to suggest that Jesus had previously been disobedient and now needed to grasp what it meant to obey the will of God. Rather, authentic obedience is practiced in particular, concrete circumstances. So, as Jesus encountered fresh situations – and the focus of the text is on his suffering – his faithfulness to God was challenged, and his unfailing obedience to the Father’s will was tested again and again” (O’Brien).
As a human being, He acquired knowledge and experience just as other people do. “He especially came to know firsthand what it cost to maintain obedience in the midst of suffering” (O’Brien).
“Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence” (Vince Lombardi).
Children of the King are required to chase complete obedience. But we know we will never obtain it, being imperfect people. But along the way, we will humble ourselves before our Lord and Master, submit to His authority, and willfully obey to the best of our ability.
Paul put it like this.
Philippians 3:12-14
12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 12-03-1
© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 