May 25
John 14:15-31
Jesus has been modeling and speaking about love throughout the gospel of John, and especially in his upper room discourse in John 13-14. He wants to leave his disciples with a clear understanding of what it looks like to love God and others. If you were to point to one thing in your life which shows your love for God, what would it be? In John 14 Jesus highlights obedience as evidence of love. In verse 15 Jesus says, "If you love me, keep my commands." Our love of God is revealed in obedience. Every time we sin and disobey, we are elevating our love of self and the world above that of God.
So, what do you love? Are you choosing to love God by obeying him, or are you choosing to obey your desires? On our own we are going to continually give in to these inferior loves, but Jesus promised to send a gift to enable us to love and obey. This gift is the Holy Spirit. He teaches, reminds, gives peace, and empowers us to obey. Obedience is not self-effort; rather it is the Spirit’s effort working himself out in us. So let us choose the path of love, the way of obedience, and the road of the Spirit as we live our lives. There are so many things we can love, but nothing is worthy of our love and devotion more than God.
Father God, help me to love you through obedience. Help me to love you more than all the things of this world and be led by your Spirit. Amen.
Why do we so often separate love and obedience? How can you choose to love God more through obeying him?
Jesus has been modeling and speaking about love throughout the gospel of John, and especially in his upper room discourse in John 13-14. He wants to leave his disciples with a clear understanding of what it looks like to love God and others. If you were to point to one thing in your life which shows your love for God, what would it be? In John 14 Jesus highlights obedience as evidence of love. In verse 15 Jesus says, "If you love me, keep my commands." Our love of God is revealed in obedience. Every time we sin and disobey, we are elevating our love of self and the world above that of God.
So, what do you love? Are you choosing to love God by obeying him, or are you choosing to obey your desires? On our own we are going to continually give in to these inferior loves, but Jesus promised to send a gift to enable us to love and obey. This gift is the Holy Spirit. He teaches, reminds, gives peace, and empowers us to obey. Obedience is not self-effort; rather it is the Spirit’s effort working himself out in us. So let us choose the path of love, the way of obedience, and the road of the Spirit as we live our lives. There are so many things we can love, but nothing is worthy of our love and devotion more than God.
Father God, help me to love you through obedience. Help me to love you more than all the things of this world and be led by your Spirit. Amen.
Why do we so often separate love and obedience? How can you choose to love God more through obeying him?
Recent
Archive
2026
January
January 1January 2January 3January 4January 5January 6January 7January 8January 9January 10January 11January 12January 13January 14January 15January 16January 17January 18January 19January 20January 21January 22January 23January 24January 25January 26January 27January 28January 29January 30January 31
February
March
Categories
no categories
No Comments