Those Who Obey Jesus
Bryan Matthew Dockens
The weather obeys Him. “And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” (Matthew 8:24-27). That the weather obeys Him is proof that Jesus owns the weather. He made it, after all. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth” (Colossians 1:16).
Demons obey Him. Scripture often refers to occasions when “Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him” (Matthew 17:18). Following one such instance early in the ministry of Christ, the witnesses “were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, ‘What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out’” (Luke 4:36). That demons obey the Lord is proof that the devil’s power is limited. Satan will ultimately be defeated (Matthew 25:41). Meanwhile, divine restrictions are imposed against the evil one. “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1st Corinthians 10:13). God does not tempt anyone (James 1:13), but He does control the extent of the tempter’s power (Job 1:8-12; Luke 4:6; 22:31).
The dead obey Him. With the command “Arise” Jesus brought the dead son of the widow of Nain back to life (Luke 7:14-15). At the same word, “Arise”, the Lord resurrected the dead daughter of the ruler Jairus (Luke 8:54-55). Christ shouted, “’Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out” (John 11:43-44). That the dead obey Him is proof that death itself is subject to Christ, for He said, “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18). “Our Savior Jesus Christ… has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2nd Timothy 1:10). Because He already has brought the dead to life on multiple occasions, Jesus is to be trusted when He says He’ll pull every corpse out of the ground one day. “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29).
The saved obey Him. “Having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). That He saves the obedient implies the exclusion of all others. “What will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’” (1st Peter 4:17-18). Indeed, “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven”, He will take fiery “vengeance… on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2nd Thessalonians 1:7-8). In that the winds and the waves obey Him, the minions of Satan obey Him, and the dead obey Him, no living soul should find obedience to the Savior all that challenging.