John 14:12, 15, 21, 23, 24, 31
"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. If you love me, you will obey what I command. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me."
If you read John 14 in its entirety, you will likely notice that these verses jump out as a clear theme. The chapter focuses on the last words and teachings of Jesus before he gave his life on the cross as an atoning sacrifice according to the will and command of the Father. The emphasis is for the disciples (and us) to put into practice the commands and teachings that Jesus has shared with them from the very beginning. Furthermore, this emphasis, as outlined in the verses above is accompanied by the promise of the coming Holy Spirit who will remind them of everything that Jesus has taught them.
Jesus wants us to know, beyond all doubt, that obedience is the fruit of genuine affection. And that disobedience simply shows our lack of love for the Father.
To help support this teaching let's go back to the climactic concluding parable of The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27)
Today, as an act of worship, show your true love for God by being obedient to His word. Do what he says!
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