“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15 ESV¹

Read John 14:15-24

Years ago, I attended a youth gathering where the leader asked the students, “Why do you obey your parents?” The answers fell into two main categories. Some students answered, “Because I am afraid of them.” Others replied, “Because I love them.” I have followed several of those youth since that day. As soon as they were out on their own, many of those who had confessed fear of their parents turned from the guidelines their fathers and mothers had tried to instill. Conversely, when they were out of their parents’ presence, those who proclaimed a love for their fathers and mothers stuck fast to the instruction they had received. Love is a far greater motivator than fear!

On the last night before His crucifixion, Jesus turned to His closest disciples and announced:

“‘If you love Me, you will keep My commandments’” (John 14:15).

Undoubtedly, young people are motivated by love to obey their mothers and fathers because they know they are loved by them. One of Jesus’ closest and most beloved disciples, John, declared:

“We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Like children, Followers of Jesus who have an obedience problem ultimately have a love problem. These Christians either do not know or have not accepted how dearly Christ loves them. So, let’s consider how Jesus demonstrated His love.

Lavish Love

Even though humanity rebelled against Him, the Sovereign, Perfect, Creator of all, reached out in love. God could have flicked the first rebellious humans into oblivion, crushed them, and started over, and no one would have blamed Him. Instead, extraordinary loving mercy was His response. Jesus, the Son of God, became like us to rescue humanity.

• Jesus left Heaven to take on a human body.

“Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

Consider how humbling the transition from Heaven to Earth was for Jesus. He left a place where He was honored to go to a place where He was rejected. He left His Divine abilities and stuffed Himself into a limited human body. He left abundant riches to live in poverty.

• Jesus shed His blood for humanity’s forgiveness.

“In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

 

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7b).

• Jesus allowed His Body to be beaten to provide healing for our human bodies.

“He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him. And by His stripes, we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

This verse speaks of the two types of healing purchased for us by Jesus when the Romans beat Him with a cat-o-nine-tails, the whip interwoven with sharp metal or stones, that ripped His back to shreds.

1. The first is spiritual healing. Jesus was wounded to pay for our transgressions, our mistakes. This truth is mentioned in the following verse:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Falling short is the idea of coming in last place or completely missing a target. Jesus took the beating for all the times we just couldn’t get our acts together.

Additionally, Jesus was bruised to pay for our iniquities, our outright rebellion, and our willful sins.

“[He] gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14).

Because Jesus was punished for all of the times we willingly did what we knew was wrong or purposely didn’t do what we should have, we can have peace with God. Because Jesus took the beating we deserved, we no longer have to pay for those sins. We may have to suffer the consequences, but our rebellion is no longer held against us.

1. The second kind of healing Jesus purchased for us is physical. As Isaiah stated, “By His stripes, we are healed” (53:5b).

Jesus’ scourging before His crucifixion provides healing from all physical conditions interfering with His purposes for our lives here on Earth. We can be confident that this act promises physical healing because of the way the Apostles referred to it in their Holy Spirit-inspired writings.

“That evening, they brought to Him many who were oppressed by demons, and He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases’” (Matthew 8:16-17).

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we may die to sin and live to righteousness. ‘By His wounds you have been healed’” (1 Peter 2:24).

The Greek word used by Matthew and translated as diseases in this verse is nosos.² It is the word used for physical diseases and sickness. Peter used the Greek word Iaomai, which means to cure, to heal, to make whole.³

Both Matthew and Peter interpreted Isaiah’s prophecy to mean physical healing. This does not mean Christians are outside God’s will if they go through seasons of sickness and suffering. Nor does it mean that God never calls someone to long-term sickness for His glory. It is hard to comfort those who suffer if we, ourselves, have never suffered. Some amazing ministries have come out of great suffering. Whatever the case, we can be confident that God will supply the grace needed to carry whatever burden He allows.

Always remember this truth, though: Jesus purchased spiritual and physical healing for us not so that we can serve ourselves but Him. He heals us so that we can point others to the Healer.

• Jesus gave His Body to obliterate humanity’s inherited sin nature.

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned … Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgement came to all men, even so through one Man’s righteousness act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience, many will be made righteous … so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:12, 18-19, 21).

• Rising again, Jesus conquered death and released Believers from its power.

“Grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, … has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” (2 Timothy 1:9b-10).

“He released those who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:15).

• Ascending to Heaven, Jesus entirely defeated Satan and deprived him of his power over His Followers.

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death, He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ … which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:3, 20-23).

• He gifted His Holy Spirit so His Beloved could be like Him.

“His divine Power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3-4).

• Jesus is coming back to get His Followers.

“‘I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also’” (John 14:2b-3).

“For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

If we accept by faith all Jesus has done for us and commit our lives to Him, we are His disciples. In that case, our sins are forgiven, our mistakes and rebellion have been paid for, our spiritually disabling sicknesses have been healed, our sin nature has been crucified, death and Satan have been defeated for us, we have a place in Christ, Christ has a place in us, and Jesus is coming back for us someday. This is the Gospel truth. This is the Good News.

Reciprocated Regards

Think about all the Cross entailed–the false accusations and mockery of His trial, the scourging that left His back ripped to shreds so that He was unable to carry His cross, the humiliation of being stripped naked and put on public display, the physical pain involved in being nailed to a Cross and dying of suffocation, not to mention the spiritual suffering of all of the sin of all of the world of all time being placed upon Him and having the wrath of God poured out on Him. All of that we deserved. Yet, Jesus willingly paid the price.

The students mentioned above showed love to their parents by responding with obedience to their guidelines. The expected response to Jesus’ sacrificial love is a return of that love. Clearly, Jesus loves us, but do we love Him?

The love that the Lord expects is this:

“‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38).

We are commanded to love Jesus with everything we are and everything we have because Jesus loves us with all He is and all He has. We think we give too much when we are required to love so completely. But we don’t lose; we gain far more than we give up. It is as if everything we have is equal to a tablespoon of water. Naturally, we guard our meager amount of liquid lest we spill any of it. Yet, Jesus asks us to throw that little water into His vast ocean of abundance. If we do, we will discover, when the first wave of His ocean hits us, that we have received far more than we have sacrificed.

Loving families are not ones where the members only give what they must, while evaluating if everyone else gives equally. Caring families don’t operate by the 50/50 rule. Adoring families embrace the 100/100 rule. If everyone gives their all, everyone receives all they need. The same is true in Christ’s family. A 100% of Christ is way more than anyone needs.

As a reasonable expression of our thankfulness for His great love for us, God expects us to be faithful to Christ and fruitful for His glory. This is non-negotiable.

Helping Hands

Humanity, though, has proven that they are unable to love God with everything they are and everything they have. If that depth of devotion were humanly possible, Jesus would never have had to come. Like loving parents, Jesus came to clean up our messes, help us stay clean, and assist others in getting clean.

Jesus promised His disciples:

 “‘I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever’” (John 14:16).

Love gives children the desire to obey their parents. Wise and loving parents do all they can to help their children succeed. As Christians, our love for Jesus motivates us to obey His commands. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to follow through with our desire and Christ’s expectations.

Take Peter as an example. During this very discussion, Peter proclaimed his devotion to Jesus:

“Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, … I will lay down my life for You.’ Jesus answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied Me three times’” (John 13:37-38).

Just hours later, Peter was terrified to acknowledge his connection with Jesus and denied Him repeatedly in the presence of those who posed no real threat to him.⁴ But a few weeks later, when Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, he boldly confronted the religious leaders, saying:

“‘Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised Him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it … Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, and for your children, and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.’  And with many other words, he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So, those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:22-24, 37-41).

While Jesus was with His disciples, He could counsel and empower them to rise to the level of the required obedience. But when Jesus left Earth, His Followers needed additional help to walk in the way God expects and continue the ministry Jesus started. That help came as the Holy Spirit, who took Jesus’ place as their Encourager, Exhorter, and Empowerer. Jesus needed to leave them. The Holy Spirit would never have to leave them.

Family Friendly

While He walked with them, Jesus was His disciples’ Help in physical form. Soon, He would send much-needed Help in a spiritual form. Jesus had assisted them from the outside. Jesus promised that after His return to Heaven, His Followers would have support from the inside.

The members of loving families have special places in their hearts for each other. They give their best to one another. As children grow, the amount and kind of help caring parents extend may change, but the love never decreases. Jesus promised His best Help to those who love Him and are part of His family. The Help from the inside would not be available to just anyone. Jesus continued:

“‘The Spirit of Truth, … 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 14:17).

The Spirit of Truth is the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth because He bears witness to Jesus Christ, the Truth (see John 14:6).

Jesus promised, upon His return to Heaven, the Father would send the Spirit to come alongside the disciples and help them from within. This idea of an Unseen Helper dwelling inside them confused the disciples. So, one of them asked a question:

“Judas (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, and My Father will love him’” (John 14:22-23a).

Jesus clarified that not everyone would have access to the aid of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. Only those who love Jesus and desire to obey Him will receive this Gift. The world, those who refuse to submit to Christ, cannot receive the Holy Spirit because they don’t love Jesus and believe in Him as Savior and Lord. Unbelievers are ensnared by the devil, who, being in opposition to the Spirit of Truth, is the Father of Lies (see John 8:44). Those who, by their selfish, fleshly, Satan-controlled nature, want to be in charge of their own lives cannot love God and will not submit to His authority. Non-Christians don’t want to join Christ in His work; therefore, they do not need the enabling Power of the Holy Spirit. A love connection with Jesus through faith is the sole condition for the endowment of the Spirit.

Warm Welcome

Where love reigns supreme in a family, each member is welcomed by the others into whatever they have. As each person ages, what he/she owns changes, but the desire to show love by sharing him/herself and his/her home and possessions never does.

Jesus wanted to assure His disciples that they were always loved. Earlier in this discussion with His disciples, Jesus began to prepare them for His departure. It was then that He said:

“‘Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek Me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, “Where I am going you cannot come’” (John 13:33).

As He commented on His going away, His disciples were anxious about being abandoned (see John 14:1). They were so close to Jesus that His absence would feel similar to that of a child who lost his/her parents. As it is even to this day, orphans are among the most vulnerable people because they lack the protection and provision of loving family members. So, Jesus promised the disciples:

“‘I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you’” (John 14:18).

In truth, Jesus’ disciples would never be abandoned. Though He would be crucified and die, He would return to life. Though those who hated Him would believe they annihilated Him, He wouldn’t remain dead. Jesus continued:

 “‘Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me’” (John 14:19a).

Soon, the disciples would be encouraged because Jesus would be resurrected. They would see Jesus physically when He rose from the dead (See Matthew 28:9-20, Mark 16:9-20, Luke 24:13-53, John 20:11-29 & 21:1-25, Acts 1:3-12, and 1 Corinthians 15:6-7). His disciples would gladly welcome Jesus again.

But those who were against Jesus refused to see Him because they didn’t want to believe He was the Savior of the World. Instead, they accepted the lie that His Body had been stolen.

“[After Jesus’ resurrection], behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, ‘Tell people, “His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.” And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ So, they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day” (Matthew 28:11-15).

Jesus continued His encouragement with:

“‘Because I live, you also will live’” (John 14:19b).

Because Jesus conquered death, He lives eternally. Because Christ paid the penalty for sin, Believers are welcomed into eternal life. All who are in Christ have Christ’s life. Eternal life is directly connected to knowing and loving Jesus intimately.

“‘This is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent’” (John 17:3).

His Followers know Jesus for an eternity because they know Him intimately on a spiritual level. This experiential knowledge based on love enables a Believer to obey the commandments. Obedience is only possible because of Jesus’ sacrifice and the Holy Spirit’s enablement.

Astoundingly, this eternal knowing is with Jesus and the entire Trinity. Jesus explained this warm welcome like this:

“‘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 … 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 14:20-21, 23).

We who are the children of God have Jesus living inside us through the person and power of the Holy Spirit. We are not orphans; the Holy Spirit identifies us as God’s children.

“You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:15b-16).

We are members of God’s family. We are always welcome in His presence. The Lord is a faithful Father who will never abandon, reject, or leave us unprotected. He has given us a Helper to fill, equip, and enable us now and into eternity.

“He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So, we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me’” (Hebrews 13:5b-6)?

Love and Obedience

As Jesus reclined around the table with His disciples, much of the love that Jesus would pour out on humanity was yet to come. At this point, they only knew that Jesus had left Heaven to join them in their lowly state. As Jesus talked about leaving them and sending them a Helper, there had to be much confusion in the minds of His followers, but His words about love and obedience probably made sense to them.

“‘If you love Me, you will keep My commandments … [and] whoever does not love Me does not keep My words’” (John 14:15, 24a).

As they heard Him teach, they may have thought about their earthly families and how their love or lack of it affected their ability to obey. And they may have remembered the times they didn’t quite understand all their parents did and said, but because they loved and trusted them, they followed their instructions. The disciples loved and trusted Jesus and were willing to extend Him the same honor.

Within the next twenty-four hours, Jesus would shed His blood for their forgiveness, He would be scourged for their healing, and His body would be sacrificed to crucify their sin nature. Throughout that weekend, He would die and rise again to conquer death for His Followers. In a few weeks, He would ascend again to Heaven, defeating the enemy of their souls, and begin preparing a place for them in His Kingdom. Shortly afterward, He would give Believers everything they need to be like Him. Then what Jesus taught in this discussion would finally make sense to His disciples.

Believers today continue to wait for Jesus to return and bring us to Himself. While we wait, our love for Jesus motivates us and His Spirit enables us to obey Him. When He comes, there will be much love and many rewards for those who are found to be diligently doing as He commanded.

“‘Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when He comes’” (Matthew 24:46).

 

¹ Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.

² https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3554/kjv/tr/0-1/

³ https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2390/kjv/tr/0-1/

⁴ Check out my commentary on this event at: https://blueturtletrails.com/no-longer-following-at-a-distance/