Wayword
Sermon notes from Minister Nehemiah Ray at Linked UP Church on knowing God's way, submitting to his Word, and staying connected to the vine.
Wayword
Minister Nehemiah Ray
Linked UP Church
God used Pastor Gregory's teaching to change my life. I came under his teaching, gave my life to the Lord, and God has been good.
We honor Pastor Gregory and Pastor Trish for their sacrifice and their labor in the Word and doctrine. I also want to honor my beautiful wife, Eliza Ray.
The King's dominion
Jesus did not come to bring a religion. He came to bring a kingdom.
A kingdom is the king's dominion. If we want to represent God properly, we must come under his dominion in every aspect of our lives.
We can sing about how great the Lord is, but we honor him with our lives when we do what he says.
We cannot properly represent Yah if we do not know Yah's way.
Followers of the Way
Jesus came to bring us a way. The early believers were known as followers of the Way.
We have to know God's way to truly represent him.
A more accurate knowledge
No matter how long you have been saved, you can still have a more accurate knowledge of God's way.
Our heart posture needs to be: Lord, if I am not going your way, correct me so that I can follow you more accurately.
Paul speaks of a more excellent way in the context of love. We need the humility to submit any area of our lives that is not God's way.
Lord, show me
Father, any way that I am going that is not your way, show me. Soften my heart. Remove what does not belong so that I can follow you more clearly, more excellently, and more accurately. In Jesus' name, amen.
To be wayward is to follow one's own unpredictable or depraved inclinations, to be ungovernable, or to follow no clear principle or law.
It is easy to go wayward when we do not know the way of the Word. This is why we keep pointing people back to Scripture, prayer, and a personal relationship with the King.
Teach me your way
This is a heart posture of desperation: Lord, if you do not teach me your way, I will not be able to follow it.
Pastors and prophets are important, but who knows you better than the One who created you?
Some of us are asking why things are not working while we continue going our own way. Following the Word does not mean everything will be perfect. It means there is a path, a plan, and a reason God is taking us down that road.
Jesus does not merely show us a way. He is the Way.
When humanity went wayward
Adam and Eve received a word from God, but they chose their own way instead.
As I studied the first mention of the way, I went to Genesis 3. After their disobedience, the way to the tree of life was guarded.
The way, the Word, and life
There is a flaming sword, a way, and the tree of life. In this picture, I see Jesus: the Way, the Word, and the Life.
John 1 identifies Jesus as the Word. We cannot try to reach the tree of life while refusing the way of the Word.
When Adam and Eve did not go the Word's way, they went wayward. Going wayward brings death and destruction.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.
8 He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
12 But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—
13 children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”
16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
19 And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”
20 He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Christ.”
21 “Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet: “I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent
25 asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know.
27 He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’
31 I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him.
33 I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God. ”
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.
36 When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
38 Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked. They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39 “Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus.
41 He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ).
42 Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter).
43 The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.”
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do You know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus said to him, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.”
51 Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Our choices reach beyond us
In the next chapter, Cain kills Abel. The consequences of disobedience did not stop with Adam and Eve.
No matter how young you are, your obedience matters. Following God's way can bring life to your children. Refusing his way can bring death.
Parenting needs to come from God's way.
2 Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.
3 So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,
4 while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
5 but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
6 “Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen?
7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
8 Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
9 And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 “What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12 When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13 But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 “Not so!” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.
16 So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 And Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch.
18 Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methusael, and Methusael was the father of Lamech.
19 And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock.
21 And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.
22 And Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, a forger of every implement of bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my speech. For I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.
24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
25 And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
26 And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
It seems right
These two proverbs repeat the same warning. We need to pay attention.
Our way can look like one clear, right path. But the key word is seems. What looks right at the beginning can branch into many ways of death.
We see from a limited perspective. God sees differently. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours.
God's way is the best way.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Stay within the hedge
A hedge is protection, like guardrails along a path. When we step outside God's way, we expose ourselves to the serpent's bite.
Going wayward can lead to bondage, addiction, setbacks, delays, snares, a wrong mindset, a darkened understanding, a callous conscience, separation from God's presence, and leanness of soul.
We think we are choosing one way, not realizing how many problems can follow it.
I wanted to do it my way
My parents showed me the right way. The pastor taught the right way. But I wanted my own way, and it led me into addiction.
Praise God, he freed me from drugs, alcohol, and sex outside marriage. I have been free from drugs for more than a decade.
We serve a God who performs miracles, redeems time, and heals brokenness. But what is better: following his way from the beginning, or needing a miracle to pull us out?
A good plan was not necessarily God's plan
Eliza and I wanted land. We bought a townhome, took real estate courses, and planned to rent it out and repeat the process.
Then the Lord told me to sell it. I had a plan, but Pastor Trish reminded me to obey what God had said.
We sold quickly, for much more than we paid. The Lord also instructed me to sow a large seed into Mully's ministry. It was uncomfortable, but we obeyed.
I expected the next step to happen immediately. Instead, we spent years waiting and living with my sisters. Several properties seemed right, but each fell through.
Trying to make it happen
The Lord prompted me to contact Mully. We spoke, and he invited us to Kenya, saying he would teach me how to pray. I had to humble myself.
In Kenya, he prayed for us and said we would have the land within a year.
Later, with nothing happening, I wanted to take matters into my own hands. I thought about taking the kingdom by force and found raw land we could buy with cash. But it sold to someone else.
I thought it was the way. It was not God's way for us.
He will direct your path
God is gracious enough to straighten our crooked paths. Even when we make a wrong turn, he can redirect us.
But this is about being connected to him and seeking him. The promise is not detached from that relationship.
All things work together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.
Look again
After more disappointment, I stopped looking and praying about the land. We moved into a rental.
One morning, while praying, I sensed the Lord telling me to look again. I texted Eliza, and she said God had told her the same thing. She sent a listing with multiple buildings, a house, electricity, water, a creek, and open land. The price had dropped by $100,000.
Our offer was accepted, but then we were told that the advertised 11 acres appeared as only 3 acres on record. We decided we would not lose it through a lack of prayer.
I walked the property and prayed. The survey ultimately showed 12.61 acres.
My way was to save and invest in real estate. God's way required giving, patience, humility, and obedience. His way was better.
God presents himself as our guide
- The Creator guides by designing.
- The Potter guides by defining.
- The Father guides by disciplining.
- The Shepherd guides by directing.
- The Vinedresser guides by developing.
He will guide us if we allow him to.
Stay connected to the vine
We planted muscadines on our property. When they produced fruit, I noticed that the grapes did not all ripen at the same time.
I wondered whether I could pick the green ones and let them ripen on the counter. But grapes must stay connected to the vine to mature. A sour grape does not become sweet simply because it sits on the counter.
Other fruits, such as bananas, can ripen after picking, and people use ethylene to manage that process. But we cannot take that approach to our relationship with God.
We cannot remove ourselves from his vine, do things our own way, and expect to mature. Our life comes from staying connected to him.
Learning is not a substitute for seeking God
I love books, learning, and knowledge. There is nothing wrong with getting understanding.
But if, as a business owner, you turn to books and courses more than you turn to God and his way, you are getting off course.
You may make money, but money alone does not mean success. The result may not look like what God desired because you did not go his way.
A moment to repent
Repentance means changing our minds and going a different way. No matter how long we have been saved, we can bring our lives before the Lord.
Quiet your spirit and ask: Lord, is there any way in my life that is not your way? Holy Spirit, reveal it to me.
Isaiah 11 speaks of the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, might, and the fear of the Lord. We need the fear of the Lord in our lives.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
3 And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,
4 but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.
5 Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water.
10 On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious.
11 On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13 Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart, and the adversaries of Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will no longer envy Judah, nor will Judah harass Ephraim.
14 They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines to the west; together they will plunder the sons of the east. They will lay their hands on Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them.
15 The LORD will devote to destruction the gulf of the Sea of Egypt; with a scorching wind He will sweep His hand over the Euphrates. He will split it into seven streams for men to cross with dry sandals.
16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who remain from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.
Lead us in your way
Thank you, Holy Spirit. Guide us and lead us. Prick us, prune us, and show us the right way.
We need more of you. We do not want any way that is not your way. Let every fiber of our being go the way of the Lord.
Place a hunger and thirst in us to seek first your kingdom. We know that all things will be added, but we do not seek you for that. We seek you because we want to know your way.
Reveal yourself to us. Your way is better than our way. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
An invitation to respond
Four invitations were given:
- Salvation: Receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
- Rededication: Return to the Lord if you have detoured or walked away.
- Baptism of the Holy Spirit: Respond if you desire to receive or learn more.
- A church home: Make Linked UP Church your home under the leadership of Pastor Gregory, Pastor Trish, and the staff.
It takes humility to go the way of the Lord. It begins with a decision in your heart: I am going his way.
Do not let fear hold you back
Do not let embarrassment or concern about what others think keep you from responding to God.
Do not delay by assuming you will respond tomorrow or when you are older. The invitation is now.
Fear God rather than people. Make the decision for the Lord.
Prayer of response
Dear Heavenly Father, I believe that your Son Jesus did not just die, but rose again with all power in his hands.
Lord, fill me with your Spirit. I believe that you rose, so raise me up. Let the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead raise me now.
Fill me. Heal me. Make me whole. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
Connection and closing
Those responding were invited forward for ministry. People in the room or watching online were also encouraged to complete a connection card so the church could follow up.
Apostle David Walker highlighted three takeaways: going wayward brings death and destruction; God's way is better even when it does not seem like it; and we must stay connected to Christ, the vine.
The service continued with tithes and offerings. Online viewers were invited to connect with the church, share the service, return for Sunday services, and support its work.
