Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] The series we've been in in the Book of John, hopefully you're already there. John, chapter 14, we're gonna start in verse 15. Today is where we're gonna land. And this is a important passage. Before we dive into it and read it, I do wanna make one just, I think exciting announcement thing to share with you. I got an email this week from Steve Wheeler, who's the president of Whitefield's ministry that partners with pastors and trains pastors in various countries around the world. We sent a team to Uganda in July and they were able to serve there for a time. And then the tail end of this last year we raised funds to be able to send what Bibles to the people there. So various churches in Uganda. And so he sent me an email this last week and sent some pictures that are on the screen of some people receiving those Bibles that you bought. So 1,000 Bibles or more than that actually. And then the pastors there are distributing all of these Bibles to the various churches that we had the opportunity to or you all had the opportunity to provide Bibles to and just going to be a great opportunity. One of the things, if you aren't familiar, many there, they don't have Bibles. Many of us have plenty of Bibles or can get on a screen and utilize a Bible when it's time we want to read something but they just don't have that opportunity. So they're going to church or want to be able to study God's word but don't have it in their hands. And so this gives them the opportunity to be able to physically hold a Bible in their hands. And for those who struggle with reading, they're asking some of the pastors now, can you also help us read which some of the pastors didn't sign up for, but they're going to be happy to do so. Thank you so much for your generosity there. And the many who are going to be able to read and study God's word because of your generosity are greatly, greatly blessed. Our time here, John 14, 15, 24, I entitled it because of Love. Because of Love. So on the back of your bulletin you can follow along and then we'll read this right before we start reading, it's important that we have a little bit of context of where we are and who's in the passage that we are reading here. So if you look in your Bibles, hopefully you have it open. If you look in John 13 to just scroll up a little bit or look backwards a little bit, you See that? Jesus is washing the disciples feet. This is Passover, a major celebration that's going on. That Jesus is. Now he's eating dinner. He's. He ate dinner, I should say, with his disciples then actually. And right before that he's washed their feet, they eat dinner. And then someone is gonna betray Jesus. Who is gonna betray him? Judas. And we saw that a little while ago. Judas is going to betray Jesus. And Jesus knows that and he dismisses Judas. And so Judas gets up and leaves the disciples. Now there were 12 of them. 12 minus one is all right, cool. Which I know it was a rough night last night. So now there's 11 of them. Jesus is there, they're sitting around the table. And Jesus now is discussing some very important things with them. He's laying out some key information they need to hold onto before he leaves. Now he started off Chapter 14 last week with Jesus saying, do not let your hearts be troubled because he's just told them that he is leaving. And they are concerned. They are scared, they're nervous, they're sad, they're.
[00:03:24] They're confused. He's just laid this out before them. I'm going to leave, but don't worry, I'm going to come back for you. And so the rest of this chapter, Jesus is laying out some comforting words to some people that not only he loves, but who deeply love Him. And that's key for us to remember. These folks listening, how many of them are there? 11 of them love Jesus deeply. They have been sleeping next to him as they live in various people's homes over the last three years. They've been watching him do miracles. They've been eating meals with him. They have been doing life with much more than you and I do life with one another. They have been doing life with Jesus for years. And they love him, they care about Him. And not just that they believe as he is. He is the Messiah. He's the one who's gonna offer freedom to them for the bondage that they are in. And so now he's saying, I'm leaving.
[00:04:19] Some of you have felt confused before, haven't you? Some of you have felt sad or upset, nervous. That's what they're feeling here. What is going to happen now? Have any of you asked that question before? What is going to happen now? So Jesus, he continues to lay out some comforting words. But here in this passage we're going to see not just words of comfort, but here's what he's going to say to them here. Because of your love for Me. Here is a proper response to the love that you have for me. We saw Jesus interacting much later on after. Actually, it's not much later, but sometime later, after the resurrection. Mary holds onto him and he says, don't hold on to me any longer. Here's what Jesus is going to tell the disciples. You love me, but the way that you love me is not by clinging tightly to me and saying, don't go, Jesus. But rather, the way you can love me is by. Well, I don't want to give it away. So let's read.
[00:05:15] Here's what he says. Verse 15. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. I'll read through the whole passage here through verse 24, and then we'll walk through it together. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another helper to be with you forever. 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. I will not leave you as what, orphans. Remember, he just said, I'm leaving. They're thinking, oh, my goodness, what are we going to do? I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. Now, as we go through the rest of these verses, notice the amount of times we see. I will. He will or we will. There's promises laid out by Jesus here yet a little while, and the world will see me no more. But you will see me because I live. And you also will live. In that day. You will know that I am in the Father and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me. There again we hear this echoed. Loving and commandments working in conjunction. And he who loves me will be loved by the Father. And I will love him and manifest myself to Him. Judas.
[00:06:36] Wait, didn't Judas leave?
[00:06:39] Not Iscariot? Okay, Judas Iscariot left. This is another Judas.
[00:06:44] There were two Judases that were disciples of Jesus. Not Iscariot said to him, lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world? Jesus answered him, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word. There again we hear this echoing of this back and forth love and keeping the Word. And my Father will love him, and he will come to him and will make our home with him. Verse 24 concludes, Whoever does the word that you hear, I'm sorry. And 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. Let's pray.
[00:07:26] Lord, there's so much here, maybe even at first glance, as we read through it. There might be the question here today.
[00:07:35] What are you saying?
[00:07:38] What do you want us to understand from this?
[00:07:40] What are you teaching us? What are you calling us to?
[00:07:45] So as we spend time here, looking at these few verses, I pray, Lord, that your spirit would teach us what yout're saying, what yout want from us, who youo are, what yout desire of our hearts, that yout, Lord, would open our eyes, the eyes of our hearts, to the beauty and the wonder that yout are.
[00:08:07] And as we spend time here, that yout'd also point us to what actions yous'd like us to take, what yout want us to do with what we're reading here. I ask that the things that I say would be honoring to youo from youm spirit, guided by youy and all those listening here, Lord, today, Lord, that you would keep our eyes and our hearts focused in engaged with what you want to say. That we would be changed as you desire. In Jesus name, Amen.
[00:08:33] So because of love, hopefully you have a pen, you could write things down. This passage is centered around a cause and effect mentality. If this, then that. Now, how many of you are kind of techy people?
[00:08:48] I didn't for a while. I saw this like on like cameras and stuff. There was this little thing that would pop up every once in a while that said iftt. Do you know what that stands for? Any techie ish kind of people. Iftt. Some of you are like way out there. If this, then that.
[00:09:04] Some of you are like, I have seen that. Now I know I don't need to come to. I mean now I understand. If this, then that. And so when you look at this, if you love me, then this will occur. It's this back and forth. And even as we consider the context, if, as it says there, look at verse 15, that's the first word. If it's assumed, actually they do love him, don't they? The disciples love Jesus. So we might even say for these here, those listening, since you love me, you will what? Keep my commandments. You can write this in point one in your outline. We're going to spend a little bit more time on point one because it truly is the foundation for the rest of what he says. So point one, you can write this in the result of love. The result of love. And we see this particularly in verses 15 and verse 24. It's kind of the bookends of this passage that we're looking at 15 and verse 24, both of them are on the screen here. And it's talking about the result. If you love me, you'll do this. And if you don't, then you won't. If this, then that if you love me, you will keep my commandments. It says in verse 24. And then verse 15, verse 24 says this. Whoever does not love me does not keep my what?
[00:10:25] Commandments or my words. And the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. The reason he concludes there in this whole passage with this is because we want to really lean into this point here.
[00:10:37] What he's saying is not easy for us to consume in our hearts.
[00:10:44] And if you have a problem with it, take it up with God. That's what he's saying. This is hard. And it's going to be hard for you and I even to consider what Jesus is saying here this morning. Now, some things that Jesus says are confusing, right? Any of you read something, you're like, this is confusing. What are you saying? Some things that Jesus says are incredibly clear.
[00:11:12] Some things that Jesus says are so clear you wonder, is that actually what he means?
[00:11:20] When you and I read this passage, you might ask that question, does Jesus really mean this? Is this really true? If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Because if it is, I really have to think about my actions and my love for God, don't I? Because how many of you obey all of the commandments of Jesus all of the time? Anybody?
[00:11:47] So if this, then that. Does that mean I don't love God?
[00:11:54] Is that what that means for you and for me?
[00:11:58] The words Jesus says here, they seem very clear. Let's walk through this together, because there's so much. You've heard the phrase, actions speak louder than any of us can say, God, I love you. But what speaks louder than our words, our actions? And if we don't like this concept, as Jesus says, well, we can take that up with God. There's a question I encourage you to write down somewhere. I want to answer this question, but it's key for us understanding this is not in your outline, but you can just write it in with your own pen. Is this, what does it mean to love Jesus?
[00:12:37] What does it mean to love Jesus? Because what we see here in this passage is this. If you love me, you will do this. So we see the result of loving Jesus, but simply because we see the result of Loving Jesus doesn't mean that that actually is loving Jesus, right? If you love me, you will do this. But we can get so caught up as Christians and say this, do all of these things. And by the way, I hope one day you fall in love with Jesus. And so soon, even quickly into our walk with the Lord, we can believe this. The Bible is full of a bunch of rules I have to follow, introducing me to a God who wants me to love him.
[00:13:18] So Jesus here lays this before us. Love me first, not secondarily, not. Spend a lot of time looking at all of the rules and work really, really hard to try to follow the rules. Because following the rules doesn't actually mean that you love him. How many of you know that to be true? In your own relationships, you can listen to what somebody else asks you to do, but it doesn't mean that you love him or her.
[00:13:43] We can say, God wants you to. What's something that God's asked us to do? What's a command of Jesus? Throw it out there.
[00:13:52] Go into all nations. Let's say, can you do that and not love Jesus?
[00:13:57] Yes, you can love one another. Can you love somebody else and not love Jesus?
[00:14:04] Go and serve one another. Can you serve one another and not love Jesus?
[00:14:08] We can do so many things in the name of, if you will, loving Jesus. I do this and I do this, and I do this because I've been told to do it, not because I actually love Jesus.
[00:14:21] And what does this then insert in us?
[00:14:25] Something that we all despise.
[00:14:28] Exhaustion.
[00:14:31] We go through our Christian life of saying, jesus, I'm tired.
[00:14:36] I'm tired. I don't know how to do this anymore. I'm trying and I'm trying and I'm trying. It's all of my own effort to obey your commands. And here's what Jesus is calling us to friends, love me first.
[00:14:51] Love me first. Now, sadly, too many of us are more emotionally engaged in things that don't matter than in our relationship with God. Too many of us, and maybe all of us in this room, have watched, I don't know, a nature show, and there's some family of animals going along and they're doing whatever. And then the little animal meets a lion, and all of us are emotionally moved.
[00:15:20] And then maybe the next day or the day after or whatever it is, we open the word of God, we read it, and there's way less emotion, there's way less engagement in our relationship with God here and in prayer than when we watched a nature show.
[00:15:39] What does this Tell us, what does it mean to love Jesus?
[00:15:46] Psalm 63. 1:2. Let me just read it so we can answer this question, so we can move forwards.
[00:15:53] Here's what it says. Psalm 63. If you have your Bible, you can flip over to it. O God, this is David speaking. O God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh faints for you. As in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
[00:16:13] So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and your glory. Here's what we see from David. A man after God's own heart, right? Someone who truly loved God before even there was a deep, passionate love for God. Here's what we see.
[00:16:33] You are beautiful.
[00:16:35] You are better than everything else out there.
[00:16:41] I look to you and I see your power and your glory and your beauty and your majesty. And because I see that I what love you. The love we have for God is a clear connection to seeing the beauty and the power and the majesty of God. When we miss that and focus on I have to do and I have to do and I have to do where? What's the word that we all don't want? Exhausted.
[00:17:13] And there's so much more that we could spend time there. But we see this loving God will include obeying his commandments. It will include believing. It will include thanking him for his gifts, all of which are good things. But all of that is an overflow of our love for God. The essence of loving God is admiring him, enjoying him for who he is.
[00:17:37] We all know this intuitively.
[00:17:41] As we read scripture, we find that we will love those who love. What we find beautiful, we find splendid.
[00:17:54] If someone says to their spouse, for example, it makes me happy to spend time with you, there's joy in that interaction there. There's a love communicated there because the other person believes I am good to them. We are excellent together because we see. I'm sorry. Because we believe and see that God is wonderful and excellent and beautiful and lovely and kind and holy. We love Him.
[00:18:21] But if we spend time away from God or look to other things, shouldn't we then expect our love for God to shrink?
[00:18:31] If we're unfamiliar with the holiness, the beauty, the splendor, the majesty of God, why would we think our love for God would grow?
[00:18:40] Facts about something doesn't create a love inside of us. Think about maybe people that you know. Somebody could tell you about somebody a lot of facts about them. But does that make you love them? Generally not. But when you are introduced to that person. When you spend time with that person, what could happen? You might start loving them. But simply saying, this is a nice person who did these things, that doesn't stir up inside of us. Love. The same is true of our relationship with God. We can hear facts about God, go to church and Bible study all of these things and hear facts. But that doesn't mean snap your fingers and suddenly I'm in love with God.
[00:19:28] This is the kind of love we're called to have for Jesus.
[00:19:32] But the love that Jesus has for us is different, isn't it?
[00:19:36] Because Jesus doesn't look at us and say, lovely, splendid, beautiful, holy, magnificent sinners.
[00:19:47] We love God and don't have to say, and I'm giving God grace because he has all sorts of problems and I'm going to push to the side or sidestep because he's all so wonderful. But when God loves us, he says, there's sinners in the world. For God so loved the world full of sinners and yet he loved. The love of God is different than the love that we have for God. And so we see this incredible parallel that we must grasp before we look at the rest of this is we love God, who is completely perfect because we see him as wonderful and splendid and beautiful and magnificent. Thus we can love him because we see that when God sees us before we are redeemed, he sees sinners, enemies of God, his love for us. For God so loved the world that he acted, he moved, there was a response because of his love. If God loves us and thus moves towards us for our own well being, even though we are sinners, how much more should we act in response to God's love for us because of our love for Him? We don't have to say, God, I'm give you grace, I'm going to give you grace. God, I'm going to give you grace. But God looks at us and says, I'm going to give you grace and I'm going to give you grace and I'm going to give you grace.
[00:21:17] And so when he says, here today, if you love me, because we love, because he first loved us, a different kind of love. God's love for us is much more magnificent than our love for Him. How much more? Should we maybe write this down somewhere? Actions are the fruit, but they are not the root. As we follow Jesus, if we are rooted in love, the fruit of our love will be obedience.
[00:21:48] If we treat obedience as the root, Christianity will continue to be exhausting and not exhilarating.
[00:21:55] Now we See, something that he says here, if you love me, he doesn't use the word obey. He uses the word keep. You can write this in point A. We're going to move right through this. Point A is this. You can write this in obedience and attentiveness. What are we talking about here? He doesn't just say, you're going to do the right things. The word keep is this. The word keep is to guard or to protect or to uphold. What's he saying? If you love me, you won't just say, all right, I'm going to do it because Jesus told me I got to do it. It's. I'm going to cherish the word of God. I'm gonna cherish the commands that he has laid before me.
[00:22:34] Jesus tells his troubled disciples that their beloved leader and teacher is leaving. He knows that they love him, and he says this, because you love me, obey the things that I have called you to do. You and I know this. I'm gonna fail at my obedience to Jesus, won't I? Any of you fail at your obedience to Jesus every once in a while?
[00:23:00] This is not because of my lack of knowledge, is it?
[00:23:04] Most of the time for you and for me, when we walk our own way, when we do our own thing, when we step into sin, it's not because you knew, you didn't know that was sin, was it?
[00:23:15] Most of the time.
[00:23:17] Most of the time it's something we knew was wrong, and yet we do it anyway. What is Jesus saying to us?
[00:23:26] Check your loves, check your passions, because in that moment, you loved yourself more than me.
[00:23:35] It doesn't say all the time. It doesn't mean all the time. But there are times when I do my own thing and I know it's wrong. It's because I love myself more than Jesus. My demonstration in that moment is comfortability for me, not love for Jesus. Jesus is making a startling and jarring statement here. Our lives are motivated by our. Maybe write this down somewhere. Our lives are motivated by our loves, not our knowledge.
[00:24:07] We can know all sorts of things, but that doesn't mean that our life is directed in such a way. Rather, what do we love and that will direct our life? Maybe write this down somewhere. The maturity of Christians is primarily measured by where we place our affections, not by what we know. Friends, this is a dangerous belief that we have today in the church. If I know a lot about this book, I am mature. I am a growing person. I am good with God. But here's what Jesus is telling us. This Morning. The maturity of you and I, the closest of us following him, is primarily measured by where are your affections? What do you love?
[00:24:52] What lights you up?
[00:24:56] What lights you up? What turns you on? What gets you going?
[00:25:00] Is it, how can I see the glory and the beauty of God?
[00:25:06] Or there's this show I've been watching that really gets me going.
[00:25:10] Or I watch the news about this political character and that just man.
[00:25:17] So then we see the power of growing in our love for God. Even Matthew 22 says this. Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, not some.
[00:25:27] And with some of your soul. No, but all of your soul, with all of your mind. With all of who we.
[00:25:33] And Jesus says that as we do this, as we grow in this ability, as we grow in our love for him, our actions will show that. So then we ask this next question. How then?
[00:25:46] How do we grow in our love for God? Right? Isn't that the question? How do we do that? If me walking in my own way is because of love for self, not love for God, how do I grow in my love for God?
[00:26:00] Two things. Then we're going point three. It's this one. We love because he first loved us.
[00:26:08] I won't be able to love God the way he designed me to until I'm willing to receive the love of God the way that he's designed me to.
[00:26:19] God looks at us and says, I love you and I want the best for you. Look at the top of your outline like, I know and I want to love you in that way. But until you and I experience the grace of God and the love of God in that way, our response will be works effort of our own.
[00:26:40] Secondly, something that you and I can practice to help us grow in our love for God is the same thing that you and I do to help us grow in our love for our friends. What do we do? Hey, it's been a while. Let's get together, right?
[00:26:53] Spend time with one. With him. Spend time in the Word and in communion with Him.
[00:26:58] This is not new information to you and I.
[00:27:01] This is not new.
[00:27:04] Obedience as God desires is not driven by shoulds, but by love.
[00:27:11] But this seems really hard, doesn't it?
[00:27:14] So Jesus, who knows that it's really hard, says this, I'm going to help you.
[00:27:21] How many of you know you need help with this?
[00:27:24] I need help.
[00:27:26] I want to love God. I mean, he's loved me in a way that I can't even describe. I mean, I am called to love him not in spite of Himself, but because of his wonder and his beauty. But he loves me in spite of myself and he shows me grace. And then he says, respond the right way. And I'm like, it's hard. I don't know how to do that all the time. I want to love you, God more, but it's a hard thing for me. And then he makes some promises. And one of the promises that he makes is this. Because he wants us to love him with all of our hearts and all of our minds and all of our souls. He says this, I will change your heart and I will give you a helper.
[00:28:01] I will promise to give you a helper, because I'm leaving and I want you to obey me. So let's just look at these promises that Jesus makes. He says in verse 16, and I will ask the Father and he will give you another. What Helper? Can you say helper? Helper. Who is he talking about here?
[00:28:20] Right. You guys know how to read Ahead? The helper is the Holy Spirit. It's one who comes alongside us and will be with us for how long?
[00:28:29] Forever. So we learn a few things about this helper. One, he's asking the Father. So the helper is not the Father. It's Jesus who's going to ask the Father. So it's not Jesus who is this helper. It's another person of the Godhead. We're talking about the Trinity here. So you can write this. In point A is this. This helper is from God, and is God from God and is God. And there's so much time we can spend talking about this helper. And we will in the following weeks, because Jesus will spend a lot more time talking about the Holy Spirit. We saw that the helper is not just going to be here for a moment, is not just going to help us for a moment, but he's going to be with us. You already said it out loud. How long is he going to be with us? Forever. You can write this in point B on your outline. He will always be with you. This helper that Jesus is sending is not just one who's going to be here on our good days. Some friends are like that, right? On the good days, they're there, not just on the bad days. You might have some friends that are like that too. You never hear from them. And then on a rough day, they check in, which is really good.
[00:29:38] The Holy Spirit there with you forever.
[00:29:43] Jesus promises in Matthew 28, he says, I will be with you even to the end of the end of the age.
[00:29:50] It's comforting, isn't it, when a friend tells you that no matter what, they will always be there, isn't it? I will always be there. In marriage, it's often a comforting and encouraging promise made.
[00:30:04] There's a promise made oftentimes at the altar that says something like, until death do us part.
[00:30:13] There's something comforting about hearing the promise that I will not leave you. Jesus knows this.
[00:30:22] And this promise of Jesus will not actually end when we die, but the promise of the presence of Jesus will last forever, even beyond death. Point C. You can write this. In also, we see this promise. This spirit, this helper, will reveal truth to us that is unknown to others. It says this, Even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, why can the world not receive it? Because their heart is hardened and they are distant from God, not regenerated by God. And the prince of the power of the air, the deceiver wants to point our hearts away from the king of truth.
[00:31:04] The world will throw a lot of lies at you, friends.
[00:31:10] So many lies. How many of you have seen lies, heard lies from people around you? You read things in the news and you're like, is this true? What? What am I supposed to believe? What am I supposed to say? Jesus promises that this helper will guide us in truth. And there's a great comfort, even with great opposition, knowing that you're doing the right thing, isn't it? When you know, man, it's really, really hard right now, but I know I'm doing the right thing. That is comforting. And Jesus promises here, this spirit of truth will guide you to know what is. There's also another promise that Jesus makes in verses 18 through 20.3 on your outline. The promise of companionship. The promise of companionship. Verses 18 through 20. He says this. I will not leave you as what, orphans? I will come to you yet a little while, and the world will see me no more. What is he talking about? I'm going to leave. Going to heaven. But you will see me, that is, experience me in a powerful way through the Spirit living inside of you. Because I live, you also will live. In that day. You will know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you. There's a couple things here to draw out. One, he says, I will not leave you as orphans. Why would he say that? Why orphans? They're not little kids. That's often what we think about with orphans. Orphans are those without parents.
[00:32:37] In Jewish tradition, the rabbi and the disciples would often also be considered as the Father and Children.
[00:32:47] So the rabbi, who's also a picture of a father, would lead the disciples in various places. He would model life to the disciples similar to what parents are supposed to do with kids today. Right? Supposed to do with kids today to model what? Right living is. So when the rabbi left early, let's say he died or he moved or something happened. And the disciples, who were unprepared for the leaving of their rabbi, they would be considered what, Orphans. So here Jesus, he's only three years into leading them. They would have thought he's going to be here a lot longer. That's normal for the rabbi to lead and to disciple us for years and years. And now Jesus is saying, three years in, I'm leaving. What are they thinking?
[00:33:34] We're going to be orphans. And here's what Jesus says. I'm not going to leave you as orphans. Why is he saying that? Because he's not abandoning them. His flesh may be leaving, but he is not going to abandon them. Here's what Jesus is saying. You can write this in point. A death is not the end.
[00:33:53] Death is not the end.
[00:33:56] Charles Spurgeon said this, speaking of this very passage, thinking about orphans. He says this. An orphan has parents who are dead. The spirit of God shows us Jesus is alive. An orphan is left alone. The spirit of God draws us close to God's presence. An orphan has lost their provider. The spirit provides all things. An orphan is left without instruction. The spirit teaches us all things. When an animal that you might have seen driving down a road somewhere, you see an abandoned animal, for some of you, your hearts get grabbed a little bit. Oh, my gosh, look at the little kitty. Look at the dog. It's an abandoned dog. We need to help it. Then maybe you take it home to your family. And they say, why did you bring another one home?
[00:34:42] When you hear about a friend being abandoned, you hurt with them.
[00:34:48] When you hear about a child being abandoned, you hurt with them.
[00:34:54] We're engaged there. Our emotions are engaged. Here's what Jesus is saying. Some of you might feel alone today here in this room. Some of you might feel very alone.
[00:35:09] And Jesus promise to us is this, I'm still here.
[00:35:15] I have not and I will not abandon you. There may be people in your life who have abandoned you. Whether that's physically or emotionally, verbally said things, I'm leaving you or I'm done with you. Whether that's family members or spouses or kids or friends, I don't wanna be with you anymore. We hurt when we hear that. Like what am I supposed to do now? These disciples. I'm confused. Why are you gonna leave me? And here's what he's saying. I'm not. I'm not gonna leave you. And even though I may die and I may be gone, I will not abandon you. Friends, today, Jesus wants that promise to be believed by us, no matter what humans may abandon us. He says, I will not abandon you. I will guide you and I will direct you. I will open the eyes that you have around you to find help and guidance and direction. And we see even perhaps a more wonderful promise than help and companionship.
[00:36:14] But it's summed up in this fourth point. The promise of God's love. The promise of God's love.
[00:36:22] He says this. Whoever which I love. When Jesus says that again, it's reminding us that it's an open invitation to all who are listening. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. We see this again. Echoed. This is the fourth time or third time. The fourth time is in verse 24, which we already read this back and forth. If this, then that. If you love me, you're keeping my commands, my words, you're upholding them. And he who loves me. Here's the promise. Don't miss this. Here's the promise. And he who loves me will be. I told you to pay attention to that phrase earlier. Will be loved by my what or who? My Father. And I will love him and manifest or show myself to him. Then Judas, which one, not Iscariot, said to him, lord, how is it that you're going to do this? How are you gonna show yourself to us, but not to the world? What's he talking about? The way you're gonna experience me is by the spirit that I'm putting inside of you. You're gonna experience it because you have trusted and believed in me. But the rest of the world, they won't see that. They won't experience that helper that I'm sending to you. If anyone loves me, Jesus says in verse 23, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him. And we will come and make our home together with him.
[00:37:47] Again. We find this back and forth, this response of love me well, love me rightly, and I will not only help you, I won't just stay with you, but you'll experience the love of God. Why is that important? Why should that even make us pay attention?
[00:38:05] Because we, without Jesus, help. What's our relationship to God?
[00:38:10] We're orphans, one, but two, we're also enemies. We are not a part of the family of God. God is not our father. For years Jesus has been saying, my father, my father, my father. And now he says this. He can also be your father. This is good news to them. This is very good news. This union point A in your outline, there is this. The promise of God's love is revealed, is seen in union with the believer. Because here's the point. Because you have the Holy Spirit, it is a sign of God's love for you, of God's care for you. The love that God has.
[00:38:52] This might grip us a little bit in a different way than you've ever thought about. The love that God has for nonbelievers is different than the love that he has for believers, at least in the expression of that love. God loves the non believers. We see this in John 3:16. For God so loved the world full of non believers. But God demonstrates his love towards us in this. While we were still sinners, he died for us.
[00:39:17] God's love for the non believer is great, yes. But there is a reality that there is separation between God and that person.
[00:39:31] And here's what God says. I don't want that separation. I didn't design you to have this kind of relationship with me. I want to have a relationship where you're not just loved from over there, but you're loved like this, closely. You're held tightly together with me. Christian.
[00:39:53] Jesus is not asking us to do what he himself has not already done.
[00:39:58] God loved us and it caused him to move, didn't it?
[00:40:04] Action. The presence and the power of God now abides in us because of God's love for us.
[00:40:11] Because of Jesus, love you and I, one can know him, but also we can love him the right way. And when we love him, when we grow in this love for him, we spend that time with him. We get to see his beauty and his power, his majesty. He says this, if you love me, you will keep my and this is what we want, isn't it? But it's not keeping commandments out of effort, out of exhaustion, if you will. But it's one of, I love you, and so I'm gonna do this. You know this to be true in your own relationships, don't you? If you're married and you love your spouse, you often don't have to say, now what do you want me to do? All right, I guess I'll figure out a time to do it, and I really don't want to do it. Hopefully, if you love them and you care for them, you Respond in kind. A brother or a sister, it's the same thing. Because I love my sister. I know that she likes this. I'm going to do it because I love my friend. I'm going to do this because of my love for them.
[00:41:18] I don't know another way of communicating this. I'm just going to say it this way here.
[00:41:25] Let's not place this on other people. This concept of loving Jesus in such a way that it should change our actions. We can easily say, yeah, those people should work on loving God.
[00:41:39] But this is about you and me today.
[00:41:43] Where am I not loving you, God? Ask him that.
[00:41:47] Where am I not walking with you? Help me analyze, check my affections.
[00:41:54] Some questions for us to consider before we close. Maybe write these questions down. Think through them with me here. And that will bring us to a close here. These five questions. One, it's this.
[00:42:07] Do you love the God? Do you love God? The God that's revealed in Scripture? Do you love God?
[00:42:15] And the second part of that is, what in your life shows that we can say I love you can put whatever name you'd like there.
[00:42:24] I love this person. And if somebody else were to look on, they'd say, oh, I can clearly see that you love them because you do. Blank. Do you love God? And what in your life shows that? And it's not to say that you go do a bunch of actions to try to prove to everyone else God knows your heart.
[00:42:40] Secondly, do you know what brings God joy and do you enjoy doing that?
[00:42:47] Do you know what brings God joy? When we're in a love relationship with someone, we know what makes them happy and what makes them upset, don't we?
[00:42:57] Hopefully you do.
[00:43:00] Do you know what brings God joy and do you enjoy doing that?
[00:43:05] If you don't ask God about why, spend time asking.
[00:43:09] Thirdly, is love for God motivating your obedience?
[00:43:17] And maybe obedience might not even be the right word, but at least your Christian action. Is love for God motivating that when you look at your life and you say, I love God because I do all these things, is it because you feel guilty if you don't? Is it because other people might judge you if you don't? Or is it because actually, I love him regardless of what everyone else says, I want to do those things.
[00:43:44] Fourthly, are there people in your life that you profess to love, but your actions don't match?
[00:43:51] And this again causes us to consider my actions and think about my profession. I profess to love you, but do my actions show that? Are There people in your life that you profess to love, but your actions don't match.
[00:44:04] Or maybe you just haven't even told them that you love them.
[00:44:07] And lastly, and perhaps the most important of these questions for me, for you today is this.
[00:44:13] What is God asking you to do?
[00:44:17] And do you love him enough to do it?
[00:44:20] What is God asking you to do?
[00:44:23] What is he asking you to give up? What is he asking you to start? What is he asking you to say? What is he asking you to stop saying?
[00:44:32] What is God asking you to do?
[00:44:35] And I hope that your actions and my actions, this is healthy church life, right, is motivated not by guilt, but not by lists, not by duties, not by programs, but rather, I love Jesus. That's why I'm doing what I'm doing. That's the only reason, like Woodland and Beyond is dying. Because they don't know Jesus. And so why do I tell people about Jesus? Because I love Jesus and they don't love Jesus. And he's my father and my affection. He's what brings me joy. And they don't have that joy. So my heart is burdened because they don't have the same burden that Jesus does.
[00:45:16] So because I love Jesus, my heart beats in rhythm with his. What he's burdened by, I am burdened by. That's how you can check. Do I love him? Does my heart have the same rhythm as the God that I worship? And do my actions mirror the actions that Jesus has shown to you and to me?
[00:45:39] Love for God is easy to say and to sing about, but it's something that is done in individual relationship with God. And if you've never trusted in Jesus, you're like, I've heard about this God, but I don't know what to do about this. Know this, friends. Jesus loves you with a love you'll never be able to fully understand.
[00:46:01] He'll be able to look at you and say, I see how messed up you are and I still want you. I see all of you and I still want you.
[00:46:10] That's the love that he has for you.
[00:46:14] And he says, I don't want to leave you where you are. And most likely you don't want to stay where you are.
[00:46:21] So come to me. Come to me. That's all I'm asking. That's all Jesus is asking. Come.
[00:46:29] And after that, just live in relationship with me.
[00:46:35] Lord Jesus, we are grateful for the opportunity to be in relationship with you.
[00:46:43] You love us in a way that we can't even grasp.
[00:46:49] You love us in a way that we are unable to do.
[00:46:53] We look at people around us that we love.
[00:46:56] But other people around us are messy people, and we still love them.
[00:47:02] You as a holy God, perfect. Love us in a way that is simply profound.
[00:47:10] Help us to love you in great and profound ways.
[00:47:15] For those here today, maybe, who are struggling and thinking, I've never even thought about this, or I've felt this before, I pray that you would help every person in this room, Lord, to have a growing desire to see you. That you would open the eyes of our hearts to see you for who you are, to behold your glory and your beauty and your majesty.
[00:47:37] And we will be able to do nothing more than to love you when we see that.
[00:47:42] There will be great joy when we experience time with you.
[00:47:46] Great passion, a great desire to help others, even see your beauty and your love and your grace. So we thank you, first and foremost, Jesus, for your love.
[00:48:01] For those here today, maybe who don't know you, who've never accepted your love, I pray that your love this morning would be penetrating their hearts right now.
[00:48:13] Fully known. We are to you, Lord, and fully loved.
[00:48:17] And we can find great peace in that today. In Jesus name, amen.
