The Joy of Obedience | Grant Partrick | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

The Joy of Obedience

Passion City Church • Jul 20, 2025 • 40 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In this message, Pastor Grant Partrick challenges believers to move beyond merely hearing God's Word to living it out through astonishing obedience. True faith is not measured by spiritual feelings or church attendance, but by bringing every area of our lives under the lordship of Jesus Christ. As we abide in Christ's presence, obeying Him shifts from a heavy obligation into a joyful delight because Jesus is not just our guide—He is our ultimate destination.

Themes

Astonishing ObedienceThe Lordship of ChristSubmission to ScriptureFaith and ActionKnowing JesusJoy in Discipleship

Pastor's Points

1.

Our obedience reveals where our allegiance lies.

2.

You cannot live like Jesus until you have first been with Jesus.

3.

Obedience to Jesus leads to knowing more of Jesus.

4.

Obedience to Jesus is evidence that we are in Jesus.

5.

As you grow in Jesus, obedience becomes a delight and not a duty.

Key Points

1.
Our obedience reveals where our allegiance lies.
2.
You cannot live like Jesus until you have first been with Jesus.
3.
Obedience to Jesus leads to knowing more of Jesus.
4.
Obedience to Jesus is evidence that we are in Jesus.
5.
As you grow in Jesus, obedience becomes a delight and not a duty.
6.
Listening to God's Word without putting it into practice deceives us into thinking we are spiritual simply because we hear preaching or feel conviction.
7.
Attempting to extract the benefits and blessings of God while rejecting His authority is like building an idealized god of our own making.
8.
Putting Jesus on "quiet mode"—wanting salvation without His active direction in our daily lives—misses the ultimate goal of the Christian walk, which is knowing Him.

Sermon Moments

“Following Jesus is going to cost you a lot, but it's not going to cost you anything you will regret because of the surpassing worth of what you gain.”

“We want the blessings of proximity to the kingdom, but we resist submission to the king of the kingdom.”

“If this is your God, then you built your own God. And if you built your own God, then your God is no God at all.”

“The measurement of how you would measure your trust in Jesus is what you do at the intersection between your wants and his commands.”

“When is the last time your faith required faith?”

“The beauty of life with Jesus is not just that He can get you to the destination. It's that He is the destination.”

“With Jesus, He not only knows the destination, He is the destination.”

“When you understand that He laid down His life for you, you will gladly submit and surrender to Him, moving from obeying out of obligation to obeying out of love.”

This Week

Examine areas of your life where you might be listening to God's Word without taking action, and take one concrete step of obedience today.

Surrender any current "negotiations" or hesitations you have with God, trusting Him fully with what you have been trying to protect.

When earthly or cultural expectations conflict with biblical truth, choose to honor and obey God over human demands.

Prioritize daily personal time abiding in Scripture and in prayer before attempting to live out Christ's commands in your own strength.

Stop picking and choosing which commands to follow; submit your whole life underneath the authority and lordship of Jesus.

Reflect on whether your faith costs you something practical, taking bold steps out of your comfort zone to follow Christ's promptings.

Shift your mindset from obeying out of legalistic obligation to obeying out of love and delight for the One who laid down His life for you.

Remember This

True faith is revealed when we bring our whole lives under the lordship of Christ, allowing obedience to transform duty into a joyful pursuit of Jesus Himself.

A Challenge for You

Jesus laid down His life for you so that you can move from obeying out of obligation to obeying out of love. Surrender fully to Him today, knowing that He is not just the guide to your destination, but He is the destination Himself.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.