Obedience has always been considered a key aspect of faith: obedience to the word and will of God. If we do not do what is asked of us, and avoid doing what is prohibited, how can we say we truly follow His teachings? How can we claim to believe in His wisdom and guidance? And yet, when one looks more deeply into His teachings, scripture makes it clear that obedience is not enough. It is simply the starting point in our journey-a journey that will lead us to God and to becoming leaders in His sight. To blindly do as we are told is a beginning, but until we step into the kingship Jesus bought for us with his sacrifice at Calvary, we have not truly earned the place God has reserved for us in His kingdom.
Christ asks us to follow Him until we learn to walk with Him-until we learn to lead with a servant's heart. But to do that, we must look beyond what is easy... or what is obvious. We must do more than obey. We must be more than servants following instructions. Instead, we need to think for ourselves, and act for ourselves, in accordance with his teachings.
In Obedience and Beyond, his first published book, Andrew Picklyk uses scriptures, parables, and personalized sermons to clearly illustrate exactly what is expected of us and how we can move beyond servitude and into the kingship God has intended for us.... n