Obstacles to Obedience

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: Acts 19:23-28

I. Why are their obstacles to obedience

A. Sin separates you from God and will cause you to be lost eternally.

B. Jesus died to be a sacrifice to remove sins (Hebrews 9:26b-28)

C. If we obey Jesus, our sins will be washed away and we will be saved.

D. Believe: 1 Corinthians 1:21; Hebrews 10:39 Repent: Luke 13:3; 2 Corinthians 7:10 Confess: Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:10 Baptism: Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16 Walking in the light: 1 John 1:7-9; Hebrews 10:26, 39

E. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 – God’s judgment

F. Decision

G. If one obeys he will be saved If one does not obey he will be lost If one turns back on God he will be lost Sounds like the ultimate no-brainer—why do all not obey

II. Money

A. Riches

B. Mark 10:17-22 – Rich young ruler Though he loved God and God loved him, when it came down to a choice, the young man chose his possessions Hebrews 11:24-26 – Moses chose God over the “passing pleasures of sin”2 Peter 3:10-11 – All things in this world will be destroyed

C. Occupation

D. Acts 16:16-19 (Summarize story) – Men who used a girl with a spirit of divination were concerned more about their profit than the condition of the girl and the message of Paul Acts 19:23- 26 – The Ephesian craftsmen cared less about giving the gospel a fair hearing than protecting their industry Acts 8:9-13 – Simon the sorcerer left his sorceries to obey the true God

III. Religion of one’s family

A. Idolatry

B. Acts 19:27-34 – Ephesians could not defend their idol worship but could only cry out “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” Isaiah 40:18-20 – Our God is not like the idols of the heathen Isaiah 44:9-20 (overview) – Foolishness of idolatry

C. Jewish religion

D. Romans 10:1-4 – Reject Christ to establish righteousness by works Romans 11:1-6 – Some Jews did believe Jesus and obeyed the gospel

E. When Paul became a Christian, he turned his back on everything he had gained in Judaism and became an enemy to those who loved him

F. They could not understand how Paul could be a traitor to the faith Galatians 1:10 – Paul chose to please Christ instead of men

G. Some will not become a Christian because it might imply that their family—for many generations back in some cases—were wrong.

H. We are not in a position to justify or condemn our ancestors. Our obligation is to obey the truth when we hear it even if it makes us unpopular with our family Luke 12:51-53 – Christ can divide some families if all do not obey Luke 14:25-27 – Cannot put family above allegiance to Christ even if it means that we do not accept what our family taught about obedience

IV. Lack of investigation

A. Resurrection

B. Acts 17:22-34 (summarize) – Most Athenians listened until the teaching of the resurrection

C. Acts 26:22-28 – Festus considered the resurrection foolish

D. Acts 26:8-9 – Why should the resurrection be a strange idea? The enemies of Jesus could not bring out the body of Jesus to disprove the resurrection. Joseph of Arimathea knew where his grave was, a guard of non-believers knew where the tomb was so the body was not lost. No one denied the empty tomb, but the enemies would believe.1 Corinthians 15:30-32 – It would be foolish to suffer for the resurrected Christ if the apostles knew he had not been raised from the dead

E. Confusion about Jesus

F. John 7:40-44 – Some were confused by lack of information about Jesus’ birth Luke 24:13-27 (summarize) – Men on the road to Emmaus were confused about their expectations of Jesus and what God’s word actually taught

V. Conclusion: If you are not a Christian, what is your obstacle?

VI. If it is lack of information, I would be glad to study with you and let you read about Jesus, the salvation He offers through His sacrifice, and how you can be saved.

VII. If your family religion is different from what you read about in the Bible, whom will you obey: family or Jesus. If they knew what you did, don’t you think they would change their practice to do what you know the Bible teaches?

VIII. Have you allowed the wealth of this world, or the pursuit of it, to hinder you from obeying God? Are you sacrificing eternal security for temporal comfort?