Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Gospel Lesson just read, from John 14. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- What is you preferred method of expressing love? This is something to think about, for it is at times a problem in our relationships with others, especially within marriage. We might be expressing our love in the deepest ways we know how, and yet the other person may not be able to recognize and receive these things as love.
- Now it is true that we are at times petulant and childish. We might think or even say: “Now, if you really loved me you would give me this, or you would do that for me.” Sometimes such sentiments are quite selfish and even beyond reason and common sense, and perhaps even evil.
- Nonetheless, it is important that we converse about this matter – so that we do truly love, not only in the manner we might prefer to express our love, but also in a manner that is understood and received by others, especially our spouse!
- It is the same in other relationships. I had a professor who used a very rough tone of voice and caustic humor – to those whom he truly loved and care deeply about. However, some students were not able to understand the professor or to “receive” his love. They thought that his manner was disrespectful and even mean! They thought he surely hated them and despised them. How tragic!
- There are times when our best-intentioned actions are misread. People get the wrong idea about our intentions and the nature of our acts of love and kindness toward them.
- We should have the same concern in regard to our relationship with God – even though He has perfect knowledge of our hearts and our intentions. Nonetheless, He has indicated how He would prefer that we show our love for Him. In fact, in our text Jesus indicates how those who do love God will show their “LOVE FOR HIM.” First, He makes clear that:
I. Those Who Love Jesus Will Manifest That Love By Keeping His Commandments
Text: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
A. His Absolute Most Important Commandments Are That We Repent Of Our Sin And Believe Him To Be Our Savior, The Redeemer Who Takes Away Our Guilt And Punishment
Mark 1:14,15 “Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God, and saying ‘The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand: Repent and believe the good news.’”
John 15:10 “If you keep My commandments you will remain in My love.”
B. Those Who Believe This Good News Of God’s Incredible Love For Us, And Who Come To Love Him, Also Seek To Manifest That Love By Keeping All Of God’s Word – The Ten Commandments And Everything That Love Requires
John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
Romans 13:8-10 “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Statement: Now it is certain that true and genuine love is quite difficult for us. Love is in direct conflict with our selfishness, and as we all know, our selfishness is the one thing that seems most normal and intuitive to us. This is why we also struggle to keep the Ten Commandments – they are based in selfless love.
Application: This is why it is necessary for us to repent – for we daily sin much against love, in what we think, say, and do, and in what we fail to do for others around us who are in need. And this is why it is necessary for us to believe the good news of God’s great love for us – the good news that all of our sins are forgiven, that God graciously and mercifully receives us as His dear children in spite of our sin. For it is the experience of His love – by faith – that instructs us about love, and inspires our love for God.
And how shall we express that love for God? Yes by word, by praising Him, thanking Him, and worshiping Him. But as the apostle John exhorts: “Dear children, let us not love only in word and talk, but also in deed and in truth.” What deeds manifest and express our love for God? Keeping His Word! Continuing in repentance and faith, but also growing in love for others! And that which is true and genuine love is defined by the Ten Commandments, for “love is the fulfilling of the law.”
We might like it if God had asked us to love Him in some other way, some simpler and easier way. But this difficult and painful process of the killing and extinguishing of our selfish and sinful flesh is part of the renewal of life that He is accomplishing in us through His love. And thankfully He is very patient with us, more patient than we can imagine!
Transition: For Jesus makes it clear that:
II. Keeping His Word Incorporates Us Into And Keeps Us In The Life Of God And Brings Us Great Blessings
Text: “Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
A. We Will Be Given The Holy Spirit Of Truth, The Helper
Text: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth.”
B. We Have The Constant Presence Of Jesus
Text: “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”
C. We Have Life From Jesus
Text: “Because I live, you also will live.”
D. We Have Assurance That We Are Loved By The Father And By Jesus
Text: “And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
Statement: It is impossible to properly estimate the value of these blessings of God! They are complete and total love for us! They are the resolution to all of our troubles and problems in life. These blessings from God free us from sin – not only the guilt and just condemnation for our sins, but also from enslavement to sin and selfishness. These blessings from God give us eternal life, the very life of God. These blessings restore His image in us – gradually and partially in this life, fully and completely in heaven. These blessings from God grant us His constant presence and perfect love!
Application: We might wish that God would love us differently, and often we do. Our sinful nature wishes that God would grant us license to do as we please. Our sinful nature wishes that God would give us our every heart’s desire, even evil desires. But hopefully we can see how immature and petulant and evil these thoughts truly are – and repent of them.
We might wish that God would ask us to manifest our love for Him differently than in complete devotion to His Word. But hopefully we can also see how immature and petulant such a wish truly is! Jesus has clearly stated how true and genuine love for Him will be manifested – we will keep His Word, all of it!
Conclusion: When we fail – as we often do – to “keep” His commandments, He knows our repentance, and our love for Him, and our desire and commitment to His Word. He encourages us to continue on in our eager commitment to keeping His Word – and He pours these blessings out on us!
So let us grasp His love, believe His love, and rejoice in His love! This is the pathway to greater “LOVE FOR JESUS.” And in view of His great love for us, we have no greater desire than to love Him, and to love Him as He desires!
May He grant this great blessedness to each of us, Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.