9/05/23 Wendy Ingram John 14: 15-18
Assuredly, I say to you
- The Greatest AND The Most Basic – Why is loving someone other than yourself so hard sometimes?
- Mission Impossible…. or is it possible??? – There is no way this can be done on our own.
When we last left off in verses 12-14, It was Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. The word maundy means “the ceremony of washing the feet of the poor. It commemorates Jesus’s washing of his disciples’ feet. The word “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word “mandatum,” meaning “commandment.”
Now, It is just utter pandemonium in that Upper Room. The disciples are tormented over the imminent loss of the Master they loved and depended on. The Supper is over. Satan has entered Judas. Peter has been told he will deny Jesus, not just once but three times. This was no longer a celebration.
Jesus had only ever shown them love with a promise of peace. Not peace from trials, but an inner calm. The peace only He can give… He has promised them ‘Greater Works’ than even He. And Whatever the disciples ask “In Jesus’ Name,” He will do.
With Jesus’ death quickly approaching, Jesus’ only concern was for His disciples and their anxiety and fear. He selflessly sought to relieve their worries with stunning and gracious promises. Everything that Jesus did and said was to bring glory to the Father. Jesus’ death in a couple of days will bring forth the completion of the works the Father has sent Him for.
Let’s read John 14:15-18.
[Jhn 14:15-18 NKJV] “If you love Me, keep My commandments. “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever– “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Well, What are Jesus’ commandments? The Bible contains 613 commandments in various Old Testament books. These commandments encompass many topics, including moral, ethical, ritual, and ceremonial laws. These commandments are explicitly found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy books. They provide guidelines and instructions for how to live a righteous and just life. The Commandments are binding obligations that guide our relationship with God, others, and ourselves.
In The Parable of the Good Samaritan, A lawyer asks Jesus how he can inherit eternal life. The lawyer understands the law as it is written and even recites it back to Jesus, but he still needs to understand fully. Jesus gives the lawyer an example of a man robbed, beaten, and stripped. A Priest and a Levite leave the man for dead, offering no help and even going so far as to cross to the other side of the street not to encounter this poor man. A Samaritan came by one day, saw this stranger, and showed him compassion. He cleansed his wounds with oil and wine, then gave the man a ride on his animal to an Inn where he paid for this stranger to be cared for.
This “good” Samaritan is where the term “Good Samaritan” came from today. It describes someone who goes out of their way to assist and aid others, especially in emergencies or critical situations, without expecting anything in return.
It signifies acts of compassion, generosity, and empathy towards those suffering or needing assistance. Good Samaritans exemplify the values of compassion, selflessness, and kindness.
1st Point- The Greatest Commandment
THE COMMANDMENT OF LOVE Is The Greatest Commandment. In Matthew 22:34-39, it reads But, when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then a lawyer asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[fn] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
It’s so easy to say, “I love Jesus!” and numerous Bible passages emphasize the importance of love and its significance in religious and ethical teachings.
us. There is nothing complicated about loving one another, but it is so hard to do. Loving one another is fundamental to leading a righteous and compassionate life. Loving one another equals loving God. In keeping with the commandments, I mean total submission, which is how we demonstrate our love for Him. We sing songs of worship as a professing of our love and devotion. This is the very love Jesus is talking about to His disciples.
The very heart of Christianity is love.
|
Love is the most basic of |
commandments given to |
But it is only meaningful if being obedient and keeping the commandments. Therefore, in disobedience, we cannot honestly say we love Christ Jesus… It’s more, “I love Jesus, just don’t tell me how
to live!”
Disobedience can mean either one, some or all of these things:
– It’s either a failure in our performance, meaning we have not met expectations or achieved the desired outcome in our actions or tasks. It implies that we have not performed up to the required or expected standard, resulting in a lack of success or effectiveness.
– A failure in our strength, meaning our physical, mental, or emotional capabilities or resources are insufficient. It implies that we have reached a point where our strength, whether physical, mental, or emotional, is not enough to overcome obstacles or achieve desired outcomes. It can describe instances where we feel weak, overwhelmed, or unable to perform or cope effectively.
– A failure in our love, meaning the inability to sustain or maintain a fulfilling and loving connection in a relationship. It can encompass various aspects, such as lack of communication, emotional distance, unmet needs, or conflicts that have led to the failure of love.
Spurgeon says, “ Obedience must have love for it’s mother, nurse, and food. The essence of obedience lies in the hearty love that prompts the deed rather than in the deed itself.”
This quote emphasizes the importance of love in obedience. He compares love to a mother, nurse, and food – essential elements that sustain and nourish obedience. It is not merely about following rules or performing actions mechanically.
He suggests that the true essence of obedience lies not solely in the outward action or behavior but in the love that motivates and drives that action. It implies that obedience without love lacks sincerity and may be superficial or lack steadfast commitment. It should stem from a , a desire to please, serve, and honor the object of
genuine love
obedience.
In John 14, Jesus has given the disciples and us, as believers, three assurances. The first assurance we saw in John 14:12b. The disciples will do even greater works than He, shall they believe in Him. It highlights the incredible potential and authority we as believers have through faith in Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It encourages believers to step out in faith and trust God’s power to work through them to accomplish great things for His kingdom. We will see the second assurance in verses 16-17. It reads:
16- Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever. 17- The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept because it does not see or know him. But you know him because he resides with you and will be in you.
In this second assurance, Jesus promises His disciples that He will ask the Father to send them another Helper after His departure. This Helper refers to the Holy Spirit, who would come to be with the disciples and provide them with guidance, comfort, and empowerment in Jesus’ absence. Jesus assures His disciples that this Helper will be with them forever. Unlike Jesus’ physical presence, which was limited to His time on earth, the Holy Spirit would come to indwell believers permanently. The presence of the Holy Spirit would be an ongoing source of guidance, comfort, and empowerment for the disciples and all believers throughout history.
Romans 8:26 reads
“Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
The Holy Spirit comes alongside believers to assist and support them in their weaknesses. It emphasizes that we are not left alone to navigate life’s challenges, but the Spirit is there to help us.
Love is the greatest commandment!
It acknowledges that there are times when we struggle to know how to pray or what to pray for. But we don’t have to struggle. The Spirit communicates our needs, desires, and deepest emotions to God, even when we cannot express them in words. It highlights the intimate connection between believers and the Holy Spirit. The Spirit understands our weaknesses, knows our hearts, and intercedes for us in ways beyond human understanding. The Spirit’s intercession is a powerful reminder of God’s love and care for us, providing comfort and assurance that we are not alone in our struggles.
2nd Point: Mission ‘Impossible’
Jesus knew it would be impossible to love the way He commands us to without the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is referred to in the Bible by many names: the Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Counselor. There are several ways a helper can aid us. A helper can give us strength and courage to stand trials. A helper can comfort us in times of need and sorrow. A helper can also be a defender, someone to stand up for the broken and the accused. The Holy Spirit helps us to obey. BUT, everyone and everything that opposes God will never have the Holy Spirit within them. The world, as stated in verse 17, or those who don’t believe in Jesus, will never know the Holy Spirit.
As believers, The Holy Spirit lives with us before we receive Jesus Christ. It makes a tremendous change in the believer’s life.
We become more Christ-like and can do the things that Jesus did. This would be an impossible mission for us to take on alone. The good news is, We don’t have to.
I’m not talking about turning water into wine or raising the dead ( that is impossible for you or me, or is it? I don’t know…) but more ‘Christ- like’ Through acts of love and compassion like caring for the oppressed, the marginalized, and the poor.
Through acts of forgiveness like showing grace and mercy to those who have wronged us, serving others with acts of kindness, and volunteering. Through acts of humility by putting others first, being open about correction, and acknowledging our dependence on God. and through prayer, seeking guidance and strength in all aspects of our lives.
This Mission is ‘Possible’!
The Holy Spirit causes the conviction leading you to Him. It opens our eyes to our sins, bringing us to complete surrender. This, My Friends, is when the Holy Spirit came into you and began to live in you. But even though we, as Born-Again Christians, are indwelt with the Holy Spirit and have our Comforter, We can still be disobedient.
In Wisdom For Today Daily Devotional – Chuck Smith writes:
“What a blessing it is to yield fully to God, to let Him work freely in your life, and to receive all He has for you.”
-Amen
[Jhn 14:18 NKJV] “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In this verse, Jesus assures His disciples that even though He will physically leave them, He will not abandon them. He uses the metaphor of orphans to convey that His disciples will not be left alone and without care. Just as orphans are without parents or guardians to provide love, guidance, and protection, Jesus assures His disciples that they will not be left in a similar state.
Jesus promises that He will come to them. This can be understood in different ways. One interpretation is that Jesus refers to His post-resurrection appearances to the disciples, where He appeared to them to provide comfort, instruction, and reassurance.
Another interpretation is that Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, whom he would send to be with the disciples and guide them in His absence. This assurance is the third Jesus gives to the disciples.
John 14:18 conveys Jesus’ promise that even though He would physically depart from His disciples, they would not be left alone or without support. His presence would continue to be with them through the Holy Spirit, and they would be cared for and guided in their journey of faith.
This world is hard enough, and yet we like to make it harder on ourselves by getting caught up in the things of this world. We want to have the biggest house and the fastest car. Why? It’s not like we can take it with us. No Uhauls are going up to Heaven.
Jesus sent us a Helper. We don’t have to navigate these roads alone. And, If these past few years have shown us anything, it is that the end is near, and Jesus is coming soon.
There is no better time than such a time as this to be “Born Again.” To have the Holy Spirit with us, in us, and Upon us. And to experience the love and promises of Jesus and Our God, The Father, every step of the way until we are united in Heaven.
|
This MISSION, My Friends, is POSSIBLE! |