You’ve Lost it. Get it Back. Restoring Obedience. 30 Oct 22

(Message 6) Do you listen to God? Do you do good things for Him? Great! Did you know that it’s possible to listen to and do good things for God without actually obeying Him? One example of this is baptism. Jesus commanded that it be done after we place our faith in Him, and yet so many believers have not been baptized after placing their faith in Christ. Maybe it’s time you stepped forward in obedience and were baptized! Join us for, “You’ve Lost it. Get it Back. Restoring Obedience.” What#GCGetItBack

It is possible to listen to God, yet still, be disobedient to God.

It is possible to do good things for God, yet still, be disobedient to God.

Generations Core Value:

“We say No to good to say Yes to great!”

Acts 2:38
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”

for: eis (εἰς); as the result of
Baptism is an outward declaration of an internal decision.

Action Steps:

Repent
Be Baptized

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Key Scripture:

1 Samuel 15:3 (NLT)

3 Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation-men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”

1 Samuel 15:9-11a (NLT)

9 Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs-everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.

10 Then the Lord said to Samuel, 11 “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.”

1 Samuel 15:12-15 (NLT)

12 Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, “Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.” 13 When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the Lord bless you,” he said. “I have carried out the Lord ‘s command!” 14 “Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded. 15 “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We have destroyed everything else.”

1 Samuel 15:22 (NLT)

22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord : your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

Acts 2:38 (NLT)

38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.

Clay opened his message by asking about our pets, specifically frustrations with pet training. How can you relate to his frustrations with obedience training for pets?

Start sharing. These questions are to help get your group thinking and to create openness.

Read 1 Samuel 15:3, and 1 Samuel 15:9-11a. What do these verses say about God’s standards of obedience? God’s command was clear, but in what ways was it difficult for Saul to follow?
Read 1 Samuel 15:12-15. What was Saul’s take on his obedience to God’s command? Have you ever played the justification game? How did that turn out? How did it make you feel?
Where do you think most people fall on the obedience spectrum? Can you think of legitimate reasons for some acts of disobedience? As a Christ follower, how would you rate your obedience? Do you think God would agree? Why or why not?
Read 1 Samuel 15:22. What was Samuel’s response to Saul’s obedience and justification? Samuel was a prophet of the Lord. Whose response was he really stating? Does partial obedience count as obedience?
“Obedience is better than sacrifice.” What does that mean to us today, and here? We haven’t been called to take out the Amalekites, but if we have surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, we’ve been called to turn away from the sin in our lives. How is that done?
Read Acts 2:38. What is the sequence of the events in this verse? Have you been baptized since believing in and surrendering to the lordship of Christ? Why or why not? Where does that put you in terms of Obedience?
What’s your baptism story?

Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.

This week, talk with at least one person about baptism; either your own baptism, or his or hers. If baptism is the next step for either of you, then be obedient and make a plan to get it done!

Start praying. Be bold and pray with power.

Pray that those in your group who are Christ followers are obedient to Him, including baptism. And that God helps them to let go of anything holding them back from being more obedient.

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