4/11/11 John 14:15-21 Obedience and the Spirit

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ 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.”

(Moses- Dore)

Thoughts: The prerequisite for the help of God; the advocate of God; the Holy Spirit is to love God and to show that love by keeping his commands.  People often ask how God rewards us in this life.  The best reward for loving God and keeping His commands is the Holy Spirit.  The commands of God were given by the Spirit, and the Spirit convicts and applies the commands to us today.  God does not leave us alone in life.  A person in love (think back to that first date) listens intently to how to make the other person happy.  So we, if we love God, should listen to Him and for Him.  The best way to listen, according to Jesus' own words, is to listen to the Scriptures. 

Payer: Lord, help me to show love for you by loving you and listening to you. 

John Calvin Abridged: The love the disciples had was incomplete as it mixed superstition (or sentiment) in it.  They wanted Christ to stay in this world.  Our love for Christ is at fault if we stray from pure obedience.  Jesus was given by the Father as a comforter, but when He leaves He will give another Comforter- the Spirit.