Title: Jesus Obeys the Father
Scripture: John 14:31
Jesus speaks these words to His disciples on the night He will be betrayed. He knows what waits for Him in the garden. Judas is already plotting. The soldiers are already gathering. Yet Jesus says, "I do as the Father has commanded me." This is not a suggestion. This is a statement of absolute resolve. The Son will obey, even when obedience means death.
The disciples still don't understand what's coming. They think Jesus might call down angels. They think He might finally rise up against Rome. But Jesus tells them plainly: His path is the path of submission. The Father commands, and the Son obeys. This is how redemption will come. Not through power plays or political maneuvering, but through perfect obedience unto death.
We struggle with this because obedience sounds like weakness to us. We think strength means getting our own way. But Jesus shows us true strength. Strength is trusting God when every instinct screams to run. Strength is doing the right thing when it costs you everything. Jesus could have walked away. Instead, He walked toward the cross.
This changes how we face our own hard moments. When your boss asks you to fudge numbers, obedience to God means saying no, even if it costs your job. When your friends want you to join their gossip, obedience means walking away. When your pride tells you to fight back, obedience means turning the other cheek. These aren't small things. They're daily crossroads where we choose God's way or our own.
The good news is we don't obey to earn God's love. Jesus already obeyed perfectly for us. His obedience is credited to our account. Now, freed from trying to earn salvation, we can obey out of gratitude. We can face hard choices knowing God is pleased with us because of Christ. We can say no to sin and yes to God, not because we're strong, but because Christ's strength lives in us.
Prayer: Father, forgive us for the times we choose our own way. Thank You that Jesus obeyed perfectly when we could not. Give us strength to obey You today, even when it's hard. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
