Obedience: Its The Unsexy But Remarkable Power Generator

In a well known passage, we find a hidden but powerful phrase that changes the course of history. This action of a few unnamed people kickstarts what we now know as Christianity.

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Jonah the Antihero

Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to preach from the first chapter of Jonah. I shared how Jonah embodied the definition of the antihero.

An antihero is a main character in a story who lacks traditional heroic qualities, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Antiheroes are often flawed characters with a history of bad decisions and a questionable moral code. They can be complex characters that challenge the reader to question commonly held assumptions about right and wrong.

Jonah lacked traditional heroic qualities and was flawed in various ways, not least being a disobedient prophet.

In my sermon, I shared a few ideas from the post below, which I originally wrote a couple of years ago. When you are obedient, you generate faith power. But it is so much deeper than that. Read on to understand what I mean.

Also, I encourage you to take about 30 minutes to watch/listen to my sermon from Sunday, where I unpack a couple of the results of our disobedience.

An Unsexy Truth

Over the past several years, I’ve developed the habit of working out. When people realize my gym routine is a part of my life, they typically are fascinated. Their thought process is, “What is different about you? How can you love going to the gym and working out?” There is some secret answer about how I habitually work out in their mind.

The truth is much less exciting because the truth usually isn’t sexy.

I don’t love working out. The actual workout is painful—physically and mentally. It’s just as hard today as it was a few years ago. 

I love the benefits of working out. I like its effect on my body, but more than that, I love the feeling I have after working out. Working out cleanses me physically, mentally, and emotionally.

The truth usually isn’t sexy.

The Unsexy Truth About Christianity

I’ve come to believe there are a few “dirty” words in Christianity. We love to talk about grace and mercy. I can’t teach enough about love and joy. But if I bring up submission or obedience, their faces turn flat. After all, I don’t have a problem submitting to God…you do. I’m a grown man or woman, so I don’t need to hear about obedience; that’s a problem parents have with their kids.

Obedience isn’t sexy, but it is foundational to a strong faith. I’ll take it a step further. Obedience generates power.

Obedience: the Power Behind Jesus’ First Miracle

The very first miracle of Jesus took place at a wedding. The party had run out of wine, and Mary, Jesus's mother, asked for his help. Somewhat reluctantly, Jesus turned to the servants and asked them to fill some jugs with water. You may remember that the water miraculously turned to wine. Not only did the water turn to wine, but it became a top-notch wine.

Let’s look back to the act of the miracle itself:

'Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. ' -John 2:7-8

Fill the jars with water. Dip some for the MC. Those were the actions, but the power didn’t lie within the actions themselves. The power is found in the last line of the passage: “the servants followed his instructions.”

Obedience generated power.

We don’t know much about Jesus’ life to this point. Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, has most likely passed away. We know that Jesus grew up in the small town of Nazareth. It seems Jesus is a non-celebrated guest at this wedding. Jesus had probably been a carpenter to this ‬point. Jesus was of no great status. These servants were of even less importance. We do not know their names or if they ever appear again in the Gospel stories.

There was no reason why the servants should obey Mary or Jesus.

But they do obey, and their obedience sparked a change in history. More specifically, their obedience sparked faith in the followers of Jesus. The newly recruited disciples of Jesus attended the wedding with Jesus, and scripture has this vital piece of information about them witnessing Jesus’ miracle:

'This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.' -John 2:11 (again, emphasis mine)

Obedience generates the power that builds faith. 

How Obedience Generates Power

It’s not just true of this story in the Bible. It’s a pattern throughout scripture. That means is true for me and you too. Here are four more ways obedience generates power in you and I:

1. Creates change.

The Ten Commandments, given to Moses in the wilderness, had two purposes. God designed these rules so his people would both honor Him and each other. My obedience leads me to love God and people. When I love God and others, it changes me. My mind is rewired, and I think about myself less.

It’s not just me that changes though. The Church (around the world…every denomination) is imperfect. However, throughout history, followers of Jesus, by loving God and loving people, have changed the world. If I am obedient to love God and love people, I will change the world I live in. 

Obedience creates change which generates power.

2. Nourishes me.

'Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.' -Deuteronomy 5:33

Throughout scripture, there are multiple verses like this: Obey God and find prosperity. The American viewpoint is that this means financial wealth. While that definitely can result from my obedience to God, it isn’t the only way to prosper. 

More important than financial wealth is a healthy soul (mind, body, spirit). When I live in obedience to the Word of God, I find nourishment for my soul. I am healthy.

Obedience nourishes me which generates power.

3. Keeps me in the light.

John in his letters to the churches spread across the Roman world, tells these young believers to stay in the light (1 John 1:5-7). He means living in obedience to what God has spoken. 

Interestingly, part of obedience is living transparent lives. This means sharing our faults and missteps with our fellow believers. It also means asking for God’s forgiveness when we do sin.

Obedience keeps me in the light which generates power.

4. Plants seeds of righteousness and blessing.

One of my favorite concepts in scripture is the law of sowing and reaping. Paul talks about it in Galatians:

'Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ' -Galatians 6:7-8

When I obey God, I plant seeds of righteousness and blessing. Eventually, these seeds will grow into full trees of the same kind bearing fruit for a lifetime. In the same way, if I disobey, I plant seeds of dysfunction and destruction.

Here’s the catch with these seeds: seeing the actual plant and fruit may take years. The power comes not overnight but over decades.

Obedience plants seeds of righteousness and blessing which generate power.

Obedience: Your Unsexy Power Generator

When I obey God it generates power within me. That sounds really cool. Superhero kind of stuff. The energy source generating all that power though…not so sexy. 

Obedience isn’t sexy, but it does create change, nourishes me, puts me in the light, plants seeds of righteousness and blessing in my life. All of that combined generates power within me. Ultimately, obedience builds my faith and will do the same for you.

Obedience generates power.