John 14:15-21
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. If you haven’t read the Introduction to John’s Gospel, read it here.
Today we continue listening to the last instructions Jesus gives his closest followers before he begins his journey to the cross. If you haven’t already, look back over John 13:31-38 and John 14:1-14 before you begin today’s meditation.
Yesterday we considered Jesus’ invitation to act and ask on his behalf for the good of the world. That may have seemed exciting, or it may have been a little overwhelming. The words of Jesus in today’s passage explain how it is possible for us to live as Jesus’ emissaries on earth. Read John 14:15-21 slowly and thoughtfully.
The first followers of Jesus learned to work with him by living in relationship with him and watching him. In his physical presence they had him there to guide and teach them, but even though he is about to go where they cannot go, he will not abandon them. Very soon the Spirit of Jesus will not be an outside force that they witness in his actions – his Spirit will live “in” them.
That is how followers of Jesus live on his mission today. He is not gone nor is he far away; he lives in us by his Spirit.
Stop to contemplate this idea: if you have surrendered your life to follow Jesus, his Spirit lives in you - not beside you or around you but in you.
What do you want to say to Jesus about this?
Read John 14:15-21 again noticing what Jesus says about love and obedience.
Jesus begins and ends this portion of his instructions by equating love for him with obedience to him. The “love and obedience” bookends of the passage clearly show that fondness and admiration for Jesus fall short of love. Love involves action.
The Hebrew people believed that knowledge of God was gained through obedience to God. Knowing God was not a cognitive exercise, it was an experience of revelation received in the act and wake of obedience to God.
This is the picture Jesus paints, except Jesus begins and ends with love. To love Jesus is to obey Jesus, and as we obey him, our knowledge of Jesus grows. He is in us - guiding us and speaking to us by his Spirit.
As we grow in our love for him and obedience to him, we are drawn into Jesus’ experience of God the Father. We become part of an ever-deepening spiral of love, obedience, experience, revelation, love, obedience, experience, revelation…
Have you sensed Jesus calling you to obey him in some specific way in the last few days or weeks?
How might Jesus be calling you to a deeper experience of his love today?
What will you do about that?
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