based on Abiding in Jesus, w4d5, by love God Greatly
Read and SOAP: John 14:23-24
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. 24 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.
John 14:23-24
Obedience, obedience, obedience—this has been the week’s focus. Each passage emphasizes the connection between our love of God and our obedience to the Word. Jesus clearly wants us, His disciples, to understand the importance of obedience in a disciple’s life.
Obedience to God’s Word is the key:
- to remaining in Jesus’ love (Jn 15:9-1)
- to God’s blessings (James 1:22-25)
- to knowing that His Spirit is living in us. (1 Jn. 3:24)
- to a firm foundation (Matthew 7:24-25)
- to God taking up residence in us (John 14:23-24)
Friends, consider this: God’s love for us was made obvious in the person of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. Through His life, death, and resurrection, and the declaration that because He loved the world so much, He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life. Likewise, our love for Him is to be made obvious and, as we have seen this week, the evidence of our love is through obedience to His Word.
“True love is a joyful giving of oneself, happy to please the other and glad to do whatever is asked.”
Abiding in Jesus, p135
It is worth noting: God loved and saved us when we were still His enemies (Romans 3:23:5:10; 6:23). So our obedience to God does not gain, increase, or secure His love, nor is it the means of our salvation. Salvation is not by anything we can do. It is the miraculous gift of God’s grace to those who place their faith solely in Christ Jesus, His Son (Eph. 2:8-9; Acts 4:12)
The More We Know
For more insight into today’s passage, read today’s LGG blog post
While God loves the whole world, Jesus is speaking about a kind of intimacy and love that is promised only to God’s people. The Father will come in a special way to those who love and obey Him. He will comfort, protect, lead, and provide for them. He will never leave them.
Abiding in Jesus, p135
Me From the Inside Out 