Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them." John 14:31
The words "I love you" elicit a response, don't they? Whether they are said from a parent to a child, a boyfriend to a girlfriend, a friend to another friend, the words, "I love you, too" are expected. When someone I love says the words, "I love you," I give the expected response because I do, indeed, love them. As often as I am willing to tell my loved ones that I love them, I have come to realize that I often forget to tell Christ how much I love Him. The truth, however, is that He has lavished His love on all of us, and the only reasonable response is to show Him how much we love Him in return. We are going to talk about this today as we study John 14.
"Those who accept my commands and obeys them," Jesus says in John 14:31, "are the ones who love me" (John 14:31). In other words, this verse teaches us that Christ's love demands a response, much like anyone's love requires a response. This means that He wants more for our lives than just simply knowing that He loves us. He wants us to respond to His love. That means, according to John 14:31, that we accept and obey His commands. Remaining in fellowship with Christ means that we live in such a way that we show Him that we love Him, with our words and actions. We do this by obeying Him, loving people, and, of course, saying the words, "I love you, too" back to Him as a response to the love He has shown us.
As you look at your life, are you living in such a way that you are responding to Christ's love? Are you showing Him how much you love Him with your words and actions? The great love that He has shown us requires a response. Show Him today how much you love Him through your words and actions.
In a journal or notebook, write a prayer to God. Spend time thanking Him for how lavishly He has loved you. Then, tell Him how much you love Him. Ask Him to help you live in such a way that your actions demonstrate how much you love Him. As a child of God, make time to celebrate with us this coming weekend!
“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”
Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.
