Loving Through Obedience

 John 14:16-31


16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus reminded the disciples of some important matters. In John 14:21, He pointed out the connection between love and obedience, saying, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me.” In other words, loving the Lord and obeying Him are inseparable.

What commands are we to obey? Jesus said the greatest commandments are: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-39). The Holy Spirit will show us how to live these out. When we let go of a selfish attitude and put someone else first, when we show forgive- ness instead of anger, or when we demonstrate a thankful heart in the midst of hard circumstances, we are expressing our love for Jesus.

Jesus’ life on earth was one continuous expression of love for the heavenly Father (John 14:31). To follow His example requires a heart that desires to please Him, a will that is bent toward obedience, and a mind that consistently seeks direction from Him. Develop the habit of asking yourself two questions: What does obedience to God look like in this situation? and What can I do to obey God more fully?

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