Learning Obedience: A Lesson from Hebrews 5 with Reagan

Reagan delves into Hebrews chapter 5 to discuss the concept of learning obedience through suffering, reflecting on both Jesus' and our own experiences. Reagan encourages us to remember our earliest lessons in obedience, and relates this to the life of Jesus, who also had to learn and practice obedience through his trials and suffering. He underscores the importance of obeying God's commands, using various Scriptures to highlight that obedience is a learned and essential attribute for living a life pleasing to God.

00:00 Introduction and Opening Prayer
00:26 Reflecting on Early Lessons
02:41 Did Jesus Learn Obedience?
04:00 Jesus as the High Priest
06:07 Learning Obedience Through Suffering
12:59 The First Commandment for Children
18:58 Parental Role in Teaching Obedience
29:54 Conclusion and Call to Obedience

Transcript

Good morning. It is so good to see the presence of all. If you'll take out your Bible, please and turn to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter five, and we're gonna read some verses there from the fifth chapter of Hebrews. We'll refer to some others but our text for the lesson this morning will come from Hebrews chapter five, beginning in verse seven.

Hebrews chapter five, beginning in verse seven. As you're turning there, I'm gonna ask you to stretch yourself a little bit this morning to to, to sweep out some of the cobwebs in your mind and, and reach back as far as you can remember. And specifically, I want you to think back and see if you can remember the first thing.

You ever learned? Now, I know that you're not gonna be able to remember literally the first thing you ever learned, but what is the first thing that you remember learning? What is the first thing you, you look back and you look back to when you're little bitty and you say, that is the first thing that I remember being taught and actually learning from somebody else.

I mean, I think back, I, I don't remember learning to walk or. To talk. I don't even remember learning to read or to ride a bike. I distinctly remember not learning how to swim when I was five years old. That was an absolute traumatizing disaster. But around the same time, around five years old, the first thing that I think I remember ever learning is that I was on the farm, our, our family land that my grandparents had.

And I remember my granddad teaching me to close a gate. Not unlike this one. And I remember it so distinctly that he, that he took me to the gate and he showed me how to do it, and he told me how to do it. And then he made me do it in front of him just for good measure. And then he made me do it again to make sure that I, I got it because it was important.

It was important for me to learn it so that the cows wouldn't get out and all those sorts of things. And I remember that. I remember that clearly in my mind, learning that from him. That's the first thing I remember learning to do. I was supposed to obey his instructions, obey his directions, and obey his commands, and he made me promise him that I would always do it the way that he had taught me.

Even at that young age, I was learning obedience. And since that time I've learned to do thousands of others things, some better than others. And my question then is, as you think back to the first thing you ever learned or remember learning, did Jesus have to do that? It's crazy to think about Jesus learning to do things.

Isn't it the eternal God who knows all things learning. Jesus as a man learning to walk, learning to use a saw and a hammer, or build a wall from his father, his earthly father, learning to ride a donkey. We know he knew how to do that. Surely he learned it. Or to close a gate, maybe like I had to do, and I will be the first to admit.

I'm. I'm not entirely sure or even mostly sure how all of that worked. What did he know and when did he know it? What did he have to learn and what did he just know? But I know it to be true that Jesus indeed learned things while he was on this earth. And one of the things that we know he learned that I want us to consider this morning is that he learned obedience.

I want us to think for just a moment from the perspective of Jesus about this concept of learning obedience and what his learning of obedience means for you and for me. If you're there in Hebrews chapter five, the Hebrew writer is in the midst of an argument about the priesthood of Jesus, and he's telling the, the listeners, those who were Hebrews, that Jesus is a different kind of priest.

He's not from the family of Aaron, like the priests were under the Mosaical law. He's not the kind of priest who just served for a few years and then would die or retire. No, he is a priest forever, and he is not the kind of priest who has to first offer sacrifices for himself because he lived perfectly and didn't need a sacrifice for sins for himself.

And yet, in the midst of all of this description of a priest after the order of Mel. He says that this priest don't get the wrong idea. It's almost like the Hebrew writer is saying This priest had to be made like his brethren, that he is like you and me, that he is tempted in all points as we are yet without sin, as he tells us there at the end of chapter four.

And so in this context of this idea of a different kind of priest who empathizes and sympathizes with us, who is tempted in all points as we are yet without sin, it's in that context that the Hebrew writer says what he does beginning in verse seven, who that is? Jesus, in the days of his flesh, when he was here living as a man.

When he had offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death and was heard because of his godly fear, though he was a son, listen, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered, and having been perfected or completed in this way. He became the author of Eternal Salvation to All Who Obey Him.

Now there are at least three things that I want us to consider this morning as we look at learning obedience from the perspective of Jesus. And the first thing that I want us to see from this passage is just what it says, that Jesus learned obedience by the things which he suffered. That Jesus learned obedience and he did the did so by the things that he suffered.

And there are two things, two points that that are made really clearly by that phrase. Number one, obedience must be learned. I would think by extension to a certain degree, obedience must be taught as well. We'll talk about that more here in just a second. So obedience must be learned. It's not just something that happens, it's something that must be taught.

It's something that we must learn. The secondly, obedience is most clearly seen in doing what is required, even if we don't feel like it, even if it's difficult. I mean, there is a sense in which we obey commands that we want to do anyway, right? So, if I were commanded to go play golf, you know, to encourage somebody else, I, okay, I guess, I guess I'll do that.

You know, I guess I'll obey, but that's really not the test of obedience, is it? It's not doing those things that we wanted to do to begin with, even if they're good and right things. The true test is of obedience. When we're called to do something that's required of us, when we're commanded and we just don't really want to do it, when it's difficult, when it's hard, when there's suffering involved in fulfilling the command, and it's in that moment that we have to decide whether or not we really are going to obey, Jesus learned obedience by the things which he suffered.

The word for suffered. Here is a Greek word that can also mean experienced, but it's always used or with just one exception. It's always used for a negative experience, an unpleasant experience. So yes, you're learning by doing, but you're learning by doing something that you don't really want to do. And both of those ideas of experience and suffering are at play in what the Hebrew writer is saying here as God.

Jesus, of course, knew obedience. He was the one. Who invented obedience, but then he experienced it by obeying God the father himself, while he was here in the flesh. And, and that was in many ways something new. And while experiencing obedience in so many ways that his will was one with the fathers, certainly is at play here.

The Hebrew writer makes clear that suffering was a part of this learning of obedience too, the suffering that he went through on the cross. Look there in verse seven, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears, we know of course, that very occasion that's recorded in the gospels and in all four gospels.

There's some recording of Jesus's. Suffering and going to the cross. And if you turn to Matthew chapter 26, we'll use Matthew's Gospel as the example for this. So Matthew chapter 26, begin there in verse 36. We know that Jesus' will was always to do his father's will, but that doesn't mean that there weren't things that he had to do that in a sense he didn't want to do, that he didn't feel like doing, that were difficult for him to do, and such as the cases.

He goes to the cross in verse 36 of Matthew 26. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples, sit here while go and pray over there. He took with him, Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, and he began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then he said to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death.

Stay here and watch with me. And went a little further and fell on his face and prayed, saying, oh my father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. They're suffering. There's difficulty. There are things that he doesn't feel like doing, but nevertheless, he says, not as I will, but as you will. It's amazing to me to consider the reality that Jesus learned to obey even when his feelings, in some sense desired something else.

That's true of us too, over and over on a much smaller scale. Of course, we too learn obedience by doing things that we don't really want to do, that we know are the things that we should be doing that we've been commanded to do. Nick Saban is perhaps the most successful coach in college football history.

And it's interesting of all of the qualities that he looks to develop in his players, the one that he says is most important is self-discipline, and he has said in several different interviews since his retirement, you know, now it's okay to talk about these things and reveal, you know, all of his secrets.

He said quote, we answer hundreds of questions every day that come down to two things. Here's something I know I'm supposed to do that I don't really want to do. Can you make yourself do it? And over here, there's something you know you're not supposed to do, but you want to do it. Can you keep yourself from it?

And so Coach Saban concludes if you can make those choices and decisions the right way, you're always gonna be able to stay on the path to accomplish the goals. But we're talking about feeling versus choice. You're going to do. What you feel like doing, or are you going to choose to do the things you need to do, you must do to be successful?

Now, that's true. Trying to win a bunch of ballgame, no doubt. But isn't that true in our lives as well? How much more does that apply to things of eternal significance? Will I follow to use the words of Paul, will I follow the flesh or the spirit? Will I submit to God's will in obedience or follow my own will in disobedience?

Jesus learned and experienced obedience by submitting to his father's will, even through suffering because he knew his father's will was what was best. We should learn from our physical fathers in a similar way. Jesus learned obedience by the things which he suffered, but it's interesting. The second thing that I want us to see is that the first commandment to which we are required to submit as children is obey.

Turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter six. If you would. You can mark your spot in Hebrews if you'd like. We'll turn back there for our third point. I want you to turn now to the book of Ephesians, Ephesians chapter six.

We'll focus on verse one. We'll read verses one and two Children. Raise your hand if you're a child. Raise your hand if you're okay. Now, raise your hand if you're a child who is still at home. Okay. Now raise your hand if you're a child who still in some way is under your parents' rule authority. I'll put it this way.

Raise your hand if your parents still pay your insurance. Okay,

so children, and it's those who are still under the authority of their parents. Obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. It goes on to say, honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise. It's gonna be well with you, and you're gonna live long on the earth if you honor your parents all throughout your life.

But specifically, children are supposed to obey their parents in the Lord. For this is right. In many ways, the first thing we learn is obedience. We experience other things as children, right? We experience pain. We experience hunger. We experience comfort. We experience love. We have to learn to obey, to choose to do what we're told to choose to do what's required of us, even if it's not something that we want to do.

And this is the only direct command, specifically given to physical children in the whole New Testament. Three words. Obey your parents. The first duty of every person is to obey the Lord. But if you're still at home, if you're still under your parents' authority, your second duty in God's design for his creation is to obey your parents.

God has given you the role of willful submission to them. Why, why did God choose this as the first command? Well, he doesn't give a reason here besides it is right. That's what God says. That's what you ought to do. But I think we can infer some things from what we know of God. I, I think it is true that God says children should obey their parents because we must learn obedience before basically anything else.

The behavior of every Christian I. Every relationship that we have is based in large part on this concept of willful submission that I'm willing to submit to someone else, even if it's difficult, even if I don't feel like doing it. We see that here in the context of Ephesians chapter five. If you go back to chapter five in verse 21, he says.

Submitting to one another in the fear of God, and then he goes into various specific relationships where we should submit to one another. But that begins with this idea of we all, in various aspects, in various situations, in various roles, are gonna have to submit to one to one another, submit to someone else.

I can't think of a single example of any person who is living now who does not or should not submit to someone else in some situation. That's just the reality of the world in which we live. And submission leads to obedience. Obedience even in those things that maybe we don't feel like doing. And so wives submit to husbands, children submit to parents, servants submit to masters.

Based on our willful submission to one another and our willful submission to Christ and Christ willful submission to the Father and coming to the earth to die for our sins. And in this way, we are all imitators of God as dear children, as he says back there in chapter five and verse one. Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also has loved us.

Given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. God, God, Jesus in the flesh offered himself in submission to his father. Didn't feel like doing it, but it was what he knew he needed to do in obedience for our good. So if, if you're a child here, but especially if you're a child who is a Christian who has put Christ on in baptism.

God-given duty is willful submission and obedience to your parents, and it needs to be willful. Parents quit listening for a second. Kids, you don't have to obey your parents. I mean, you do, but you have a choice in that. We all have a choice. You know, the things that we do in this life, the things that we choose to do.

Now your FA parents can force you to do some things, but only to a point. And what God is asking you to do is willfully submit to those parents. It shouldn't be a constant fight every single time for you to obey. You should obey you willingly because you want to please God, especially if you're a Christian.

Now I know what you're thinking. Wait a second. Are you saying. I take out the trash when my parents tell me to because I love God and I'm sinning if I'm not well. Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying, that we're supposed to obey our parents in this role, but if you're a parent, it is your job, your duty to teach willful submission by giving commands that are for their good Always.

It is the job of fathers and mothers to bend the will of their children to their own, and love for each one of those children's souls. Especially I might add the strong-willed child who doesn't naturally submit as easily. If they do not learn to submit to you in this God-given role, it makes it that much harder for them to then submit to God in that relationship.

You are playing the role of God to them, and I do not say that lightly. And so if that is true, if God delegates this authority to you where your children obey you in the Lord for this is right, what do they learn about him? By obeying you. That's a big question, isn't it? If I were the only picture of God my children received based on obedience to my commands that I give them, how clear a picture would they have of their Heavenly Father and obeying me so that they might prepare themselves to obey him and parents, I would ask this question.

What do we as parents, what do you as parents learn about him, about God by being put into his place? Justin and I were having a conversation about this on Wednesday night in fact, a little bit. As parents, it's amazing that God has created a world that teaches us about him in so many different ways.

And, you know, you can really put yourself in the place of God as a parent. We see God's love and also his frustration with his children. Most clearly. I think as as parents, you just want what is best for your children, and you tell them what is best for them, and then when they don't do it, you're like, I love you.

I would do anything for you. I would give my life for you. You know, I know more than you do. Right? Why would you go? Why would you go on your own way when I've instructed you on the path that leads to life? Why would you be so stubborn to do that? And then you catch yourself, you're like, oh, I'm sorry, Lord.

I guess I've been doing that too for a lot of my life, and in that moment as a parent, you see God's love and his concern and his frustration with me. If I don't obey his will, knowing that his commands are for my good always, and that should remind all of us here this morning that like earthly physical children, we must learn obedience as and really to be.

Children of God. Turn back to Hebrews chapter five, if you would. There are so many passages, dozens of passages that talk about obedience and the need for obedience in our New Testaments. And certainly if you include the Old Testament, there are even more passages about the need for obedience. But. I want us to go back to this idea that we see Jesus learning obedience by the things which he suffered.

He experienced it through doing things that he didn't feel like doing. And in that way, he empathizes with us because he's been tempted in all points as we are yet without sin. And so read with me again verses eight and nine. Though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered and.

Having been perfected as this high priest that he's talking about, he became the author of Eternal Salvation to All What? Who Obey him. Now that's a simple summation of, of what a lifetime of service to God is all about, isn't it? I love these summation passages in the Bible. It reminds me a lot of Ephesians chapter two in verse eight, which summarizes salvation For you have been saved two words by grace through faith.

You've been, you've been saved with what God has done and then what you've done in response to what God has done. But this is even in some ways a shorter summation. He is the author of Eternal Salvation to All Who Obey Him. Now, Preston and I have talked a lot about you gotta be careful, you gotta be careful about oversimplification of things.

And so I admit from the onset, this is perhaps an oversimplification, but what if we simplified the things that we view? You view as the difficult requirements of Christianity? I think we would all admit there are some things in my Christian life that are easy to do. 'cause I kind of wanna do 'em anyway, and I see all of the benefits of doing them and it's turned out well in my life because I did those things.

But there are also these things over here that are difficult, maybe. Maybe I do have to take it on faith because I don't really see why God is requiring this of me. I don't see how this is truly for my good. And so we've got those two broad categories of commands from God. And so what if we simplified that category of the difficult commands that I don't see, I don't understand, I don't want to do, I don't feel like doing.

What if we simplified those things to mere obedience? What if we simplified them? Just either obey or disobey, and I know you'll respond and say that is an oversimplification. There is so much more than just obedience to commands when you think about Christianity in a relationship with Jesus Christ, by grace through faith, and you're right.

There is so much more. There are patterns and examples for us to follow and emulate. There are implications and matters of judgment that we have to sit with and meditate on and make proper application to. And obviously there are attitudes that, that if we don't have the right attitude, even obedience doesn't do us A lot of good.

Read one Corinthians chapter 13, in that passage about love, there are motivations that have to be right if we're gonna be right with God, but what if we started. As our baseline with obeying every command that applies to us. And so that's what I'm gonna do in my Christian life. I'm gonna obey every command that applies to me today in the 21st century as a servant of God.

What if Christians even just obeyed? I'm gonna give you a list. Just obeyed these commands from God 100% of the time. 100% of Christians obeyed these commands. How much closer would we be to who God calls us to be? And how much more clearly would the world see Christ living in us if we obeyed? Husbands, love your wives, wives, respect your husbands.

Children's the last time, I'm gonna say it. Obey your parents, fathers, bring up your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Servants. Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men. Masters. Give your servants what is just and fair. What about commands like these? Do not worry.

Rejoice in the Lord. Always let your reasonableness be known to all men. Pray without ceasing. Put away lying and speak the truth. Be angry and do not sin work so you may have something to give him who is in need. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. What is good for building up? Be kind to one another.

Tenderhearted, forgiving one another is Christ forgave You. Pray for all those who are in authority. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together. Sing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Do this in remembrance of me. Give cheerfully as you purpose in your heart. Abhor what is evil? Clinging to what is good.

Pursue hospitality. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Do not be overcome with evil, that overcome evil with good. Do all things. Without complaining or arguing, repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. And on and on and on. We ago I ask you are you simply obeying those commands? But Reagan, there's, there's more to it than that. Sure. But also it's this simple as the famous Nike motto. So simply states, just do it. No misunderstanding, no argumentation, no hesitation.

Only obedience. Yes, obedience. Because despite what the world might tell us, there is work that we must do. We are not saved by meritorious works. We cannot save ourselves. Lest we are perfect and we should all know that just by living in this body for a little while. But we have a God-given part to play in receiving his blessings, and that begins when we learn obedience.

Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Do you need to obey the Lord in some way? This morning I've given you a list of commands and there are others that are for our good always, and Christ came and died on a cross learning obedience so that you might have the opportunity, despite your disobedience and mine, despite falling short of the grace of God and his glory.

We have the opportunity to come and obey the gospel as Second Thessalonians chapter one tells us the good news that is found in Jesus Christ. And if you need to obey even this morning, we encourage you to do so. As together we stand and as we sing.