If you love me... John 14:15-24

If you love me... John 14:15-24

v15 - If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you the (Holy Spirit).

13:36 Lord, where are you going? Jesus replied, Where I am going, you cannot follow Lord, why can t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.

v15 - If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you the (Holy Spirit).

Now, I m leaving. But I m not too sure if you guys love me. And I m not sure if you are sure either. But here s the test - if after I leave, you can keep all my commandments, then that s the proof of your love. Yes, proof to me your love by your obedience.

Hey guys. I know you are still recovering from shock. I really have to leave you - it s my Father s plan. I know your hearts are troubled. Why? Because you have grown to love me. I have always loved you (in fact, even before you were born!), but now you are learning to love me in return.

But what happens to this love now that I am going to a place you cannot come? How can you continue to love someone whom you cannot see and touch and talk to anymore?

Well, you can!! First, I leave you all that I have ever said. My words and my instructions represent who I am. I may not be with you physically anymore, but my words remain forever. If you love me, you will love my words. If you enjoyed being with me, you will enjoy obeying all that I have taught you. :)

If you are angry, then why don t you just so say? If you are sick, go see a doctor.

14:28 You heard me say, I am going away and I am coming back to you. If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father

if you love me = teaching them how they can continue to love Him even when he is not physically present, i.e. by loving and obeying His teachings.

15 If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor (Parakletos) to be with you forever

15 If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Parakletos (me!) to be with you forever

1. Parakletos: someone called alongside to be with, as encourager, comforter, helper, intercessor, counsellor, advocate - all of which Jesus was to his disciples. 2. v16 - Spirit of truth cf. Jn 14:6 - I am the way, the truth...

3. Context: 17... But you know him (it s Me!!), for He (i.e. Me) lives with you (right now) and will be in you (through the Spirit). 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (in the Spirit). 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me (in the Spirit). Because I live, you also will live.

4. 1 John 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

4. 1 John 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense (parakletos) - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

15 If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Parakletos to be with you forever

v20 On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.

Pastor, I want to love God. But I m not sure how to do it? I don t feel anything.

21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.

21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves (desires, longs for) me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?

23 Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Do not say that it is impossible to receive the Spirit of God... Do not say that one can possess Him without knowing it. Do not say that God does not manifest Himself to man. Do not say that men cannot perceive the divine light, or that it is impossible in this age! Never is it found to be impossible, my friends. On the contrary, it is entirely possible when one desires it Symeon the New Theologian (949 1022 AD), Byzantine Christian monk

Oh, what intoxication of light, Oh, what movements of fire! Oh, what swirlings of the flame in me... The glory I know it and I say it is your Holy Spirit... I fall down in adoration before You. I thank You that You have made me worthy to know, however little it may be, the power of Your divinity. Symeon the New Theologian (949 1022 AD)

Christ himself came down and took possession of me... Moreover, in this sudden possession of me by Christ, neither my senses nor my imagination had any part; I only felt in the midst of my suffering the presence of a love, like that which one can read in the smile on a beloved face Christ (was) present with me in person Waiting for God by Simone Weil (1909-1943)

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.