Obedience, with a big “O” isn’t how we behave. We talked about behavior a few weeks ago (Purpose Issue 16). Behavior is like obedience with a little “o”. It’s acting how we know we’re supposed to act everyday. It’s what most of us think the two greatest commandments, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself.” are all about.
We believe those two commandments mean, “go to church,” “don’t lie,” “don’t cheat,” “don’t think bad thoughts,” “pay your taxes,” “don’t kick your neighbor’s cat,” etc. etc. Kind of an American Ten Commandments. Too many of us believe that’s what the Christian life consists of. Follow the rules (obedience, little “o”) and you’ll go to Heaven when you die.
That list of stuff, whatever your list is, is great and it’s right and it should be part of your behavior. And it is part of what the two greatest commandments mean. But only part. You’re responsible for little “o”; and it’s not little “o” because it isn’t important. It’s important enough that Jesus taught it to the crowds every day. When He preached to the masses He preached little “o”. He preached it to the masses because it was required of the masses. Little “o” is required of you and me … it’s required of everyone. In the words of Paul, it’s our “reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
What we’re talking about this week is Obedience with a big “O”. It’s not big “O” because it supersedes how we are to behave toward our God and others, it’s big “O” because it’s personal and specific.
Jesus required big “O” when he spoke one-on-one with those individuals who followed Him … or wanted to. Remember the rich young man who asked Jesus what was required of him to get eternal life? Jesus gave him little “o” first; “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 19:18b-19).
Little “o” requires something. It requires that we change our behavior, our actions and our thoughts to conform to righteousness and turn away from sin. Little “o” is required of everyone; it’s a starting place.
This young man was a pro at little “o”. He had the rules down; he knew how to behave. He answered Jesus, “All these I have kept … What do I still lack?”
Jesus had his attention now. The conversation was turning personal. Jesus was no longer speaking for the benefit of those in the crowd. This was now an intimate, one-on-one interaction with the Master. “If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.”
Big “O” requires everything. Big “O” is personal. Big “O” is complete surrender of everything you consider “yours.” It’s obedience in spite of tradition, safety, common sense, security, even family. It’s obedience when it doesn’t make any sense, in the natural, to obey. It’s obedience in spite of your personality, your talents and your plans for the future. It’s obedience in the face of danger.
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Peter was a guy who wasn’t that great at little “o”. In his short time as a disciple of Jesus he screwed up a lot. He was the only disciple Jesus referred to as “Satan” for trying to push his own agenda. He couldn’t keep his mouth shut during Christ’s transfiguration and started babbling about erecting shrines to Jesus, Elijah and Moses. God the Father Himself had to interrupt him saying essentially, “This is my son, would you please shut up and listen to what he has to say?” Peter was the one Jesus scolded for falling asleep in the garden of Gethsemane as the eternal fate of all mankind hung in the balance. Of course, only a few minutes later, Peter was also the one who jumped up and cut off the ear of the High Priest’s servant. That same night he denied three times that he even knew Jesus. Peter screwed up little “o” a lot.
But one thing Peter got right was the big “O”. When confronted with an offer from God, no matter how dangerous or seemingly senseless, Peter jumped … literally.
Out in a boat on the Sea of Galilee late one night a storm was blowing; the wind and waves were beginning to cause some real consternation among those inside. Jesus came to them in the midst of the storm, walking on the water. And Jesus beckoned Peter to jump out of the boat and meet him on the water. With the wind and waves the disciples had a pretty good chance of dying that night just by staying inside the boat. Now Jesus was asking Peter to jump out of the boat, defy nature and the laws of physics by coming to meet Him on, not in, the water. It was an insane request; nothing about it made any sense. Peter jumped out of the boat that night. And we’re still talking about it today.
In spite of all the behavioral (little “o”) screw ups, and some of them were pretty big, Jesus knew Peter could be trusted with the big “O”. After He was crucified and resurrected, Jesus met some of His disciples on the shores of Galilee. They had returned, they thought, to their old fishing job. Jesus had other plans for them, particularly for Peter. He and Peter shared an intimate conversation on the beach that morning.
Using the name his mother had given him, Jesus asked; “Simon Son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” Peter answered that he did. “Feed my lambs,” was Jesus instruction. This transaction had to come three times before Jesus was satisfied with Peter’s answer. Then Jesus predicted that Peter would be martyred, hung upside-down on a cross; an earthly reward for obeying his Master.
This was big “O”. Peter was receiving the commission that had been planned for him since the foundation of the world. The mission he was to spend the rest of his life completing; regardless of the pay, the humility, the danger, the retirement plan, his family’s opinion. Peter was obeying with a big “O”. He had finally come to a place of understanding the full meaning of “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Those two commandments encompass all the commandments from God to man. They cover ‘thou shall not steal,” thou shall not covet,” “thou shall not bear false witness,” and all the other “thou shalls” and “thou shall nots.” They cover them generally. They’re for the entire group. They’re important and they’re required. They’re how we practice our reverence to God and our love for our fellow man every day; but they’re obedience with a little “o”.
I’ve said before that God doesn’t save the group; He saves the individual. God’s purpose is the same. His purpose involves the group – all of mankind; because it involves each individual. God speaks to the group in the “thou shalls” and “thou shall nots.” He provided a way of redemption and salvation and reconciliation to the group when His Son was hung on a cross and paid the penalty of sin for the group (by the way, that was Jesus’ big “O”; the personal thing only He could do). But the group can’t claim that redemption and salvation and reconciliation; only you and me as individuals can do that.
Little “o” is for all of us. You’re responsible for little “o” like everybody else. It’s your reasonable service. But the day will come, or it already has, when God will come to you for an intimate conversation; just the two of you. And He’ll tell you what He wants you to do. It may not agree with your tradition or experience or career, or retirement plan. It may not make any common sense on the surface and your friends and family may think you’ve lost your marbles, but when God talks to you personally about what He personally wants you to do with your life, what He’s planned for you, there’s no mistaking the meeting.
Your future lies in your response. Just because God had your part of His purpose planned when He created the universe, doesn’t mean you have to follow it. Peter didn’t have to jump out of the boat that night. He didn’t have to quit fishing to become the founder of the church, that first group of believers who trusted that Jesus was the Christ the risen Lord. He didn’t have to Obey with a big “O”. He probably would have had an easier life if he didn’t.
But the little “o” is never enough once you’ve had that intimate conversation with God. The big “O” demands that you make a decision. The decision to make “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and love your neighbor as yourself” personal. The decision to bet your life on it. When that time comes, and it comes for each of us, make the bet. There’s a lot more at stake than your retirement plan.
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I know a lady who’s had a few of those intimate conversations with God. She’s jumped out of the boat obeying her Master with a big “O” a few times. If you ask her, she’ll tell you that it’s been worth it. I agree. Happy birthday Mom.
Next week we’ll talk about just when big “O” will show up at your door. If He hasn’t already, when God will show up for His intimate conversation with you.
