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In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
“If you love me, keep My commands.”
John 14:15
“Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love them and show Myself to them.”
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show Yourself to us and not to the world?”
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love Me will not obey My teaching. These words you hear are not My own; they belong to the Father who sent Me.”
John 14:21-24
“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love.”
John 15:9-10
This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
How do we know how to live this thing called life?
Some people might say that a person isn’t born with an instruction manual they can use when they grow into adulthood. I would strongly disagree with that viewpoint for God has made sure that we have all the guidance we need to live life well and in a way that garners favor from Him. That guidance is found in the Bible, the inerrant holy Word of the Lord Most High.
Within the scriptures, from cover to cover, we find what we need to do the things we should do and avoid the things we shouldn’t. Further, this direction is not optional. The Lord commands us to do certain things and to refrain from doing others, and commands are to be obeyed, not shrugged off. Nothing less than one hundred percent compliance is acceptable and the only way we will be successful in fully fulfilling all the Lord’s expectations is if we pray for His power to help us so that our will doesn’t override His.
So, what’s in it for us? What does absolute submission to the Lord’s commands bring the one who obeys?
As we turn to our scriptures for today, we find Jesus telling us and of little surprise, the reward is centered on love. Look again at His words here from the 14th and 15th chapter of John’s gospel:
“If you love me, keep My commands.” John 14:15
“Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love them and show Myself to them.”
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show Yourself to us and not to the world?”
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love Me will not obey My teaching. These words you hear are not My own; they belong to the Father who sent Me.” John 14:21-24
“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love.” John 15:9-10
Note here that love cuts both ways when there is a healthy relationship between a believer and the Lord. When a Christ follower keeps the commandments of the Lord, then they show they love Him through their obedience. Conversely, a person who doesn’t love Jesus will show it through their disobedience to His commands. In other words, Jesus is saying that obedience leads to love, love expressed by the Christian to their Savior by way of their compliance with His demands, demands that carried the express purpose of making a person more righteous and holy.
But the love doesn’t just stop at Jesus. No, He makes it clear that the love that radiates to Him through a believer’s obedience also radiates to God, His Father and ours. The Father is blessed by the love expressed to His Son when a believer submits to His commands.
Now, so far we have discussed this love as being one way, from the believer first to Jesus and then to God by way of obedience to the commands and teaching that Jesus provided. But it’s important to see that the love is reciprocal. In other words, God and Jesus love us in return because of our obedience. Again, obedience leads to love but in this instance, the love is given back to the believer by God and Jesus. Love returns full circle.
Finally, we find Jesus Himself confessing that He received the love of God, His Father, by being obedient to Him. Jesus doesn’t call His followers to do anything He isn’t willing to do. Rather, as in every other aspect of life, Jesus showed us how to live by setting the example for us. He showed us first-hand how obedience leads to love.
So this leads to a few closing questions:
How well have you been obedient to the commands of God and Jesus in your life?
Have they (God and Jesus) felt loved through your obedience to what they taught and commanded?
How much does your life mimic the life of Jesus Himself, the One who was perfectly obedient to God in every way?
In sum, we weren’t left to try and figure out how to live life without instructions. Rather, God and Jesus have provided us all the direction we need. It’s on us to be fully obedient to that direction, showing God and Jesus we love them as a result, and receiving their love in return.
Indeed, obedience leads to love. We know because Jesus said it is so.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
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