How Much Do You Love Jesus?

Lesson #232

We have been assured that Jesus will not leave us as orphans as so many children are in the world. It is such a tragic picture to see many children fending for themselves, having lost their parents to the aftermath of evil that surrounds them. We now pick where we left off with Jesus saying: “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 14:21 ESV). Again Jesus stresses the importance between obedience and love. Every one of you who has a Bible, especially the New Testament, has his commandments and if you do it is your responsibility to know them and to keep them. If you don’t, then you show little or no love for Jesus. If by this evidence we show that we love Jesus, then we will experience the Father’s love for us and Jesus will love us and will make himself known to us in clear and understandable ways.

“Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”” (John 14:22 ESV). The “Judas” John names here is identified, in Matthew 10:3, as Lebbeus or Thaddaeus. This disciple wanted to know how Jesus was going to reveal himself to them and not to those in the world. We are not told what he was thinking, but it is apparent he had not thought of the possibility of Jesus appearing inside a closed room with them after his death. Jesus is going to ignore the question and allow time to answer the question when he shows himself.

“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”” (John 14:23 ESV). It is clear that Jesus does not want to get sidetracked, but wants to continue to stress the importance of the relationship between obedience and love. Earlier, keeping the commandments was evidence of love for Jesus. Here, evidence of our love for him is seen in our obedience to his word. Notice that Jesus expands what he is saying to include anyone, not just his disciples. As before our obedience is tied to the Fathers love for us. Jesus now adds intimacy by indicating that Jesus and his Father will make their home with us. It is in our heart they will come to rest and live. How this should challenge us to experience this today and not continue to keep friends with the world.

Jesus continues: “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 14:24 ESV). I believe this statement opens the possibility that one may be obedient as a form of good works (Matthew 7:21-23), but without love the effort is without eternal benefit (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). God is love and if our obedience is not connected to love then we are not obeying for God’s benefit but for ours. Jesus repeats what he said in John 12:49: “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak” (ESV). What Jesus has been saying is not from him as a man, but is from his Father who sent him.

Prayer

Father, as I think about this lesson, several verses come to mind. “. . . Jesus said to those . . . who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”” (John 8:30 – 32 NKJV). Father, it is so easy to spend time with things of the world, like Facebook or watching sports, as two examples, but nearly impossible to spend equal time with as much attention to seeking to know the truth found in the Bible. Maybe deception is to blame. “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:9 NKJV). “. . . there is no truth in [the devil]. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 ESV). It seems that Satan will do his best to deceive us into thinking the truth is not important and will look for every opportunity to tell us that it isn’t. Embracing these lies leads us into the bondage of sin, but embracing the truth will set us free. Father, we as western believers desperately need your help in this matter.