Love and Obedience

John 14:15-24

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you”. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 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”. 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 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 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.

Notes

In the earlier verses, Jesus spoke with His disciples about His perfect unity with the Father, to know Him is to know the Father. He exclaimed that He is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. Moreover, Jesus made an astonishing promise: those who believe in Him will do the works He has been doing, and even greater works, because He is going to the Father. He encourages them to ask anything in His name, assuring them that He will do it to glorify the Father. Jesus would continue to unfold the implications of His departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

1. Spirit of Truth

   The Lord Jesus made a strong connection between love and obedience. Then, He promised the Holy Spirit, who is also known as the Helper and the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit because they do not know Him. But the disciples do.

   
   15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17).

   Application: Let us love and obey the Lord Jesus Christ. And in doing so, let us thank the Lord for the Holy Spirit who dwells in every genuine believer. The Holy Spirit helps us love and obey the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ, which includes serving one another and loving one another.

   
   

2. Manifestation

   The Lord assured the disciples that they would not be alone. The world will no longer see Him, but they will see Him in a spiritual manner through the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus alludes to His future resurrection, and those who love Him and obey Him will see Him.

   
   18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 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” (John 14:18-21).

   Application: Let us wholeheartedly believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We must continue to love the Lord Jesus by keeping His commandments. Then let us thank the Father for His love, which was promised to those who love and obey.
   

3. Indwelling

   Judas, not Iscariot, asked about how the Lord would show Himself to them but not the world. In response, Jesus repeated the connection between love and obedience. He also stated the opposite, that the one who does not love Him does not keep His words. The Lord also revealed the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

   
   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 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 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me (John 14:22-24).

   Application: The truths spoken in the text are not limited to the apostles. The NT writings explain that the indwelling is for every believer. We trust in the Lord Jesus's revelation about the work of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity indwells every genuine believer, and every genuine believer will love and obey the word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection & Discussion

1. What phrases keep repeating in the text?

2. How will Jesus show Himself to His disciples but not the world?

3. How did the Lord show the unity of Father, Son, and Spirit in the believer?