Do we love Jesus?

What do you say to a group of your close friends if you know it will be about the last time you will see them and know you are going away for good?

On the eve of Jesus’ betrayal and death he took time to tell them some things that were important. He knew he would not stay dead, but he also knew that he wouldn’t be staying – and there were some things they still needed to know. He began by assuring them of his love and care.

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:15-20 NIV)

Although Jesus was going away he assured his close followers that they would not be left to flounder on their own. Although he would no longer be with them, he would send ‘another’ to help them and be with them forever. This advocate he would send would be God’s Spirit, the Spirit of truth. From what I understand the Greek word for ‘another’ means ‘another of the same kind.’ Although Jesus wouldn’t be there in person he would send someone just like himself to be a helper to them. He would not abandon them as orphans.

This promise wasn’t for everyone in the world who didn’t follow Jesus. They could not accept the Spirit because they don’t know him. But because the apostles knew the Spirit, just as they knew Jesus, the Spirit would live in with them and be in them. That told them very quickly that this helper was like Jesus but they would have a different relationship with him. Jesus lived and worked with them, teaching them. The Spirit would live in them. That meant that wherever they were the Spirit would always be there (this is elaborated on further in what Jesus told the apostles).

For all of this to happen they needed to love Jesus. But, you might be thinking, anyone can say that they love someone even if they don’t. The love that Jesus was talking about was not a feeling but is a translation of the Greek word agape. This is not a feeling but an action (there were other Greek words for the feelings of love). Jesus told them “If you love me, keep my commands”. He didn’t stop there.

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them…Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” (John 14:21-24)

If someone loves Jesus they will obey his teaching. What we find recorded in the gospels, and later in the letters, are not optional extras for the followers of Jesus. This is Jesus’ teaching! (See also John 16:12-15.) What Jesus taught them was important, not just because he said it, but because he got it from the Father.

Do we love Jesus? If we do, it is seen in our willingness to obey his teaching. This also means we need to know what Jesus taught. We need to be studying the Scriptures daily to know what Jesus wants of us.

Image by JESUS_is_our_only_HOPE from pixabay.com. Free for use.

Readings for next week: John 14-19