Is It Hard To Do The Word?

Is It Hard To Do The Word?

Collin Leong. September 6, 2024

Excerpt From FGC preaching on 1st September 2024

God promised us an abundant life. The abundant life does not automatically come with you salvation. There are criteria for us to have an abundant life: 

Psalm 1:2-3 says: "his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."

We must delight (or enjoy) on God's word. we must meditate of God's word. and we must walk in God's word, so that we can be prosperous. The prosperity here doesn't mean fame, fortune and worldly pleasures. Rather, we will successful in doing God's will and purpose for our lives, that brings in everlasting joy and contentment, with our treasures laid up in heaven. 

Jesus wants us to grow 100 times in our spiritual maturity (John 8:8). But to do this, we need to hear the word, retain or remember it, and bear fruit by persevering in his word.  (John 8:15). 

John 15:5,7 says: "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.... If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."

We need to be connected with God, and let God's word guide our life. 

Joshua 1;8 - "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." 

Read the book, meditate and do the word. then you will be prosperous and successful. Prosperous and success is not about money, but about your ministry 

2 Tim 3:16-17 -  "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

The purpose of God's word is to make us do good work, by being whole (complete) and equipped. God's word is the standard of our lives. We must think and decide according to God's word.

Is if hard to do God's word? 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus specifically addresses this Old Testament law and calls His followers to a higher standard. 

Matthew 5:38-39 (NIV):"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." Here, Jesus is encouraging his followers to respond to wrongdoing not with revenge, but with forgiveness and non-retaliation. This teaching shifts the focus from retribution to reconciliation and love, which are central to Christian ethics. 

So, while the Old Testament law of "an eye for an eye" was intended to limit retribution and prevent excessive punishment, Jesus' teachings in the New Testament emphasize mercy and forgiveness as the ideal Christian response to wrongdoing.

These and other instructions may be difficult to follow. Most people will say "hearing God's word" is easy. To remember and meditate, is challenging but not difficult. However, to do God's word is the most difficult of all.  There is a a huge chasm between the first two and the third one. We need to cross that chasm in order to have an abundant life. 

However, if we don't do the word, it is only an academic exercise and there will be no transformation in our life. We may increase in knowledge but but our life is stuck in the past. Matt 19:26 - "And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." 

While God wants to give us abundant life, he need us to do our part as well. When the disciples could catch any fish the whole night long, Jesus wanted to bless them and ask them to out again. Jesus did not ask the fish to jump out of the lake to their feet. The disciples must obey and go out again to fish, only then they caught so many fish that they need another boat to come and support.  (Luke 5:4-8)  

To the disciples, what was hard became what was easy; because they did it with the help of Jesus. 

1st John 5:3-4 - "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."

Matt 11:29 - "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Phil 4:13 - "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Why do we think it is hard?

Rom 7:19, 24 says that we do not do the good I want, but I keep doing evil, and that we are a wretched man. It is hard when we do that with our strength. In fact, it is impossible. But with God all things are possible. 

Philippians 4:13  - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" 

If we think it is hard, then it implies that we won't try or give up easily. As such we will not experience the abundant life. The Israelites are famous for complaining the hardship and even wanted to return to Egypt! Because of that, they took 40 years to enter the promise land. But before they enter, they must also fight with the Canaanites before they can receive the promise land.   

We need to believe that with God's help, it is easy to do the word of God. If we do, then we will try, we will find a way, and we will enjoy the abundant life. 

Examples of people who did the "impossible" was Joseph who became a ruler from slavery, and David who defeated Goliath. Paul struggled through his life. But he calls us to rejoice always, and he lives in contentment, and he continues to his mission with the strength that comes from the Lord. 

Phil 4:4, 12 - "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." ... "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."