Introduction:

Perhaps the most humbling and amazing experience of my life has been the last two decades as a parent. So many things I saw and didn't understand in my parents now make sense, once they've come full circle. No other assignment I've ever undertaken has given me such feelings of responsibility and awe.

One of the greatest challenges day by day was deciding about discipline. How does a parent best shape the character of one of these small pink things that keep changing? Especially, when, time after time you realize that the things you are punishing them for are the same areas that you are weak in? You don't think genetics or environment might shape them, do you?... oh yea...genetics and environment are everything that shapes them ... and you, the parent are the genetics and the environment!

So, discipline is a challenge. They're just like you. And no parent I've ever met is always sure that they're doing the right thing.

But a couple of things I've learned. Fear could keep children in line. Fear of a spanking can keep them from doing something. But fear doesn't go very far in building the good stuff in. A 'reminder' small swat for sassing mom may be a good reminder...but it doesn't teach respect. Respect is built on love alone.

Even a dog, when spanked a lot only learns to slink away in fear. A dog learns when it receives treats and pats on the head.

I) Law and Gospel

In the very most basic terms, that's what Luther meant by "Law and Gospel", isn't it? The Law is a spanking, the Gospel is a pat on the head, isn't it? The Law is bad news; the Gospel is good news. The Law kills. The Law convicts when you have come up short of the righteousness of God. The Law stops you short, makes you feel ashamed, and separated from God. The Law is about whipping and pain and punishment.

But the Gospel is different. The "Gospel", the "Good News" is Christ saying, "I love you, and I died to prove it."

If we go back and look at the New Testament, and if we look at our good friend Martin Luther, maybe we can understand this better. Let's look at how God's Spirit, working through God's Word, both Law and Gospel, works.

The "Law" is aimed at our old nature. The Law kills our old self. The Law is aimed squarely at the heart of the old person in us who rebels against God. Our old nature is the person who wants to run things our own way. The Law is aimed at that old person in each of us who is self-centered, selfish, mean and looking out for number one. The Law, unless we harden our hearts against it, drives us to our knees and drives us to Christ. The Law doesn't build up, it tears down. The Law doesn't save, it kills our self-reliance, and our ability to say, "Well, I'm pretty good. Better than the next guy."

The Law is like the acid the doctor uses to remove a wart. The acid doesn't make healthy skin grow, it just kills off the yucky old wart, so that something healthy and new can replace it. That's like the Law.

Now, the Gospel is quite different. The Gospel is living seed which makes good stuff grow. And the Gospel is the water and fertilizer that makes the seed grow. The Gospel makes the happy, loving, kind new person grow inside. The Gospel produces the new you, which loves God, and wills to be obedient to him. The Gospel is God's "I love you" which flows through us to be multiplied to everybody around us.

II) Obedience is Trust

There, we now understand "Law and Gospel." Now let's go to "obedience". One of the main themes of Lent is obedience. What is obedience?

In the back of my mind, I guess that too often I've tied obedience to the Law. When I hear the word "obedience", it seems to push a button deep inside, which speaks of fear and punishment.

Every day this week, as I thought of the sermon, title, "Obedience", I tried to imagine what members might think as they read the Messenger. "Hmmmm, sermon's going to be on 'Obedience. I wonder what that's going to be like?'" As I thought about 'obedience, I wondered if perhaps you would think of some image of a stern judge, demanding obedience. Is that what obedience is about? Certainly we 'obey,' and put coins in a parking meter, because we don't want to be 'spanked' with a $20 fine! Is that what our text is about, fear?

Each of our Bible texts deal with obedience. The OT text tells of Daniel's obedience, even in the face of death. The Second Lesson tells of Jesus' obedience in this life. And our Lesson from John tells us that disobeying the Son brings God's wrath. But does it say that Daniel obeys because he is afraid? No, in fact he gets in trouble for joyfully praising God in prayer. Nothing there about fear. Jesus, too, we're told is submitted to the Father, but it says nothing about fear or punishment, does it?

And finally, our lesson from John gives us the key. It says that "Whoever believes (trusts) in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath." Note, Jesus says here that the opposite of trust is wrath. He implies that trusting in the Son is the same as obeying him. But he doesn't say that "If you don't obey the son, you will face God's wrath." What does say, is that "If you trust the son, that's the same as obeying him. If you don't trust the son, then you face God's wrath." Trust is the opposite of not obeying. To trust is the beginning and source of obedience.

Now that's John's thought, pure and simple. He's the same one who writes that "Whoever trusts in the Son has life, they have already passed from death to life, and will not face judgement". (John 5:24) That's the Gospel, isn't it? John tells us that trusting is Christ in love is obedience. Isn't that the same thing Paul says when he writes: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"; and "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

III) Obedience is Love is Faith

When we finally melt it all down, obedience is love, is faith. Obedience is love, is faith.

Obedience doesn't have to do with fear. It has to do with love. Obedience, whether it's in my children, our dog or my heart, all deals with love. On the other hand, fear may keep me from breaking the Law, but it doesn't bring me into a relationship with the living God. It doesn't make me love him, nor want to serve him.

I could've spanked my children every time they step out of line, but that would not make them want them to obey me. Only love will make them want to do that. They will only obey me, if they love me enough to want to please me. That speaks of a relationship.

Our relationship with Jesus Christ, is one of response to his love in the Gospel. "We love, because he first loved us." As that love sinks in, as we are touched by his Word, we love and trust him. Because of his love, we wish to grow in our obedience of him.

This is so very clear. Even look at dogs. If you talk to anyone who trains dogs, they'll tell you that you can't train a dog with punishment. Punishment can get dogs to stop doing something, out of fear. But punishment won't make a dog work hard to please you. Punishment won't make a dog want to work all day, dive into cold water, retrieve a duck, and work hard when it's bone tired.

Only love will do that. Only when that dog knows that it's appreciated and cared about, only when it senses a relationship, will it go the extra mile. And then a dog will push itself to the limit, just to please you.

Someone once said that it's not by coincidence that when you look at the word "God" backwards, it spells "dog". Now, if a simple creature, like a dog, can show us so much about the difference between fear and love, maybe we can leave here today with a new perspective.

God created you to be obedient to him. Adam and Eve walked away, and we've been separated ever since. Today is a day to learn that obedience has to do with love, not fear of punishment. Obedience is Gospel. Obedience is love in action.

Conclusion: Our Response

Does that surprise you? Does it surprise you that God wants to build a relationship, more and more deeply with him, daily? Does it surprise you that obeying him isn't a question of fear, but of a response?

Does it put a new spin on Lent, that it's a time of more clearly hearing God's "I Love You!" It's not a time of thinking about the wrath of God and shrinking away in fear, like a whipped dog. Let that sink in.

As we go to our time of prayer, let's focus on God's I love you. That's the only thing that will bring life.

Are you troubled today by something in your life which is not in obedience to your loving Lord? Focus in on the love of Christ, and let it go. "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his glorious face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace." Take your focus off of yourself, the demand of the Law has driven you to the Gospel, and let go. Today is the First Sunday in Lent. As we begin Lent, let's think about obedience--obedience in love. Amen.