Do you Love Jesus?

Introduction

I have read this passage of Scripture countless times… but as I read it this morning, something about it struck me.

(I’m thankful for the LIVING WORD OF GOD!)

I want to examine this for a few moments tonight and ask the question ‘Do you love Jesus?’

The first thing we must notice is the Compassion of Christ

I. The Compassion of Christ

As we ask the questions tonight ‘Do you Love Jesus’, I want to emphatically say that ‘Jesus loves you’!

We know this for many reasons, but we see it specifically in this text. The Compassion of Christ was first, to Send the Comforter.

To Send the Comforter (v16)

Jesus here is telling His disciples that He’s going to send the Spirit of God unto them.

John 14:17 “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

Remember, this is just before He departs to go unto the garden. Judas has already left to betray the LORD. Jesus knows that He’s going to be taken from them shortly - therefore, we see the Compassion of Christ in that, He wasn’t concerned about His own hurt, but theirs.

Jesus loved them enough to Send the Comforter - the Holy Spirit of God who could help them in their time of need.

Aren’t you thankful for the Spirit of God? He:

Seals us

Comforts us

Guides us

Empowers us

Jesus loved His disciples enough to Send the Comforter

To Bring a Calm (v27)

Jesus now - driven by His Compassion - gives them peace. But it’s a better peace than that which they’ve known.

Peace in the world is fickle

(Ill.) We’ve had war in the middle east and the Ukraine for 2-4 years. There is no peace there. Maybe soon there will be - but even if there’s a cease fire and there is peace, it’s tenuous at best. Even when the shooting stops, those within wait with angst as to when the next provocation will happen.

Peace within the world is driven by circumstance.

The Peace that Christ gives:

Is one that resides in the midst of the storm

It affords you a song in the midnight hour

It allows you to walk upon the water

Christ’s compassion gives us stability regardless of circumstance!

Christ’s Compassion brings a Calm

To Come Again (v18)

Sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’ve been forgotten.

Sometimes it feels as though Jesus is tarrying.

But church, just as my LORD came to this earth the first time, He’s coming back for you and me! He said earlier in this very chapter: John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Remember, our God is trustworthy. His WORD is trustworthy - Jesus is coming back one glad day! Even so, Come Lord Jesus!

Christ’s Compassion causes Him to Come Again

We see the Compassion of Christ, next the Connection we See

II. The Connection We See

Next, I want you to be made aware of the connection that Christ repeats over and again here in this passage:

The Connection is that between Love and Obedience

Between Love and Obedience

Neither exists without the other. Where you have love, you will have obedience - where you have obedience, you will have love - in some form or fashion.

(Ill.) If I love my wife, I will be obedient unto the vows to which I made her when we were married. If I love my wife, I will be obedient unto the instructions that Christ laid out in how I treat my wife.

(Ill.) Many work a job - and are obedient unto their employers. You might say ‘I’m obedient, but I don’t love them’. That’s possible. But love is there just the same. You might obey your bosses instruction because you either love you job itself, or the security it give you and your family, or the money - but love is there somewhere.

Jesus here says in 2 different ways, 4 different times - If you love me, you will obey me. (Joh. 14:15; 21; 23; 24)

The reason is simple when you understand love. Love is more than emotion, it is action - and without action, it isn’t love.

We see first that love Gives

Love Gives

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Ephesians 2:4–5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

Because God loved us, He gave us Jesus - and because of that, eternal life to all who will believe.

If you love Jesus, then you’re going to give to Jesus and His mission

You’ll give of your tithes & offerings

You’ll give of your talents

You’ll give of your time

If you want to see what you truly love in this world - analyze where your time, talents & treasures are going. Are you dedicating those unto the world, or unto God? Is God getting His portion, or are you robbing Him?

Love Gives

Love Serves

John 13:12–17 “So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”

Just prior to this dissertation, you had the LORD of Glory - the Creator of Heaven and Earth, gird Himself with a towel, and wash the feet of His disciples.

Instead of insisting on worship, love prompted Him to be the example and serve.

More on this later…

Love Serves

Love Defers

Luke 22:42 “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

Shortly - in just a little while, Jesus would be praying and His sweat would become great drops of blood - and He besought His Father for a reprieve. Jesus being God in the flesh, KNEW what laid before Him - the beatings, mockings, abandonment - all of that… yet, His Love for His Father deferred His Own Will for that of His Father.

Love Defers

We see the Compassion of Christ, The Connection we See, The Commandments to Consider

III. The Commandments to Consider

So if Jesus said ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments’, it’s important to examine what commandments He’s talking about.

Jesus gave considerable instruction while upon the earth - all could be categorized as commandments. The three that I’ve brought up in this message - as a whole - would do well to consider.

In other words - if we nail these three, we’ll cover the rest.

The first is Our Care

Our Care (Mat. 22:37-40)

In other words - where we choose to put our affection.

Matthew 22:37–40 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

With all that is temporal (the heart)

With all that is eternal (the soul)

With all that is intellectual (the mind)

Jesus called this the greatest commandment. In other words, God should be first and foremost in our lives!

Remember, it’s not a feeling, but an action. If we put God first, and consider him in our daily walk, if we live in light of eternal consequence, and meditate on Him continually - then we will fulfill this command.

Do you love Jesus? Then Jesus will be first in your life!

But then He goes a step further - ‘love thy neighbor as thyself’

Do you love Jesus? Then your neighbor will be important in your life - you will serve your neighbor to the same degree you serve yourself!

He has Commands for our Care

Our Consideration (Mat. 7:12)

Matthew 7:12 “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

Considered the ‘Golden Rule’. Christ commands that we treat others as we want to be treated.

If we want to be treated with kindness, then we must show kindness

If we want to be uplifted, then we must seek to uplift others

If we want positive influence in our live, then we must be a positive influence

If you don’t want talked about behind your back, then we must refrain from the same

He has Commanded us to be considerate one toward another

Our Commission (Mar. 16:15; Mat. 28:19)

Remember - 2 different ways, 4x in 9 verses Jesus said some form of John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

This commandment is the EXPRESSION OF ‘Love God & Love your Neighbor’. How do you do that? Like this!

Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

Jesus said: Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The Bible says: 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

God doesn’t want anyone to God to Hell, therefore Christ died that they might have life - but God has saved us that we might be ambassador’s for Him!

If we love our neighbor, we’ll do all we can to witness unto them to keep them out of Hell

If we love God, we’ll seek to serve the desire of His heart - which is to see people saved!

If we love God, we’ll take serious our Commission

We see the Compassion of Christ, The Connection we See, The Commandments to Consider, The Covenantal Promises

IV. The Covenantal Promises

Along with this great text is promises associated with it.

Reciprocal Love (v21b; 23b)

Christ is saying ‘You’re not going to love me in vain’ - you will be loved right back!

(Ill.) How many of you have experienced loving someone who doesn’t love you back. There’s been times when my wife & I don’t see eye to eye. And even when I’m being a rear end, I love her - I know that. But when she’s mean to me, it doesn’t feel like she loves me. Even though it’s a misguided feeling, it’s a bad one. I’d much rather see her standing there with open arms looking to receive my affection.

This is the picture of God! God is there with open arms! All who go to God through Christ Jesus - all who love Christ and obey Him, they will find the Love of God manifested within their hearts!

It’s a Reciprocal Love

Revelatory Knowledge (v21c)

Here we see that Christ not only promises to love those who love Him, but will ‘manifest myself to him’.

In other words, Christ - who is a mystery to many - will not be a mystery to those who love Him.

(Ill.) Church, do you know why I love Jesus? Because He first loved me. 1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.” But when I first met Jesus and He became my Saviour, I knew little about Him. Over the years, Christ has manifested more and more of Himself unto me - and I have fallen deeper and deeper in love with Him.

And they go hand in hand! The more I love Christ, the more I know Him, the more I know of Christ, the more I love Him!

He promises Revelatory Knowledge

Residing Within (v23c)

Next we see the promise of a Residing Within.

Jesus promises to abide with those who love Him.

abide (def) a staying, i.e. residence

Christ will stay with us - through the good times & the bad!

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

He promises a Residing Within

We see the Compassion of Christ, The Connection we See, The Commandments to Consider, The Covenantal Promises, lastly, The Christ - Our Example

V. The Christ - Our Example

If anyone has had a boss or parent say ‘Do as I say, not as I do’, you understand how hypocritical that is. PARENTS - DON’T BE GUILTY OF THIS!

I thank my God, that He is not like that!

John 14:31 “But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.”

Jesus stressed the importance of service - therefore He washed feet

Jesus stresses the importance of enduring affliction - He did so after 40 days of fasting in the wilderness

Jesus says ‘If you love me, keep my commandments’; Therefore He loved the Father and kept His!

We have a good God today! Jesus is our example!

As a Testimony to the World, He Obeyed

Jesus said ‘That the world my know’. Jesus wanted to make sure that His testimony impacted the world!

Church, I want my testimony to impact the world. And I can say that I love Jesus till I’m blue in the face - but if my actions & obedience doesn’t mirror that, then the world will NOT know. My testimony will be without impact.

Because Jesus desired to impact the world, and let the world know that He loved the Father He obeyed… if we want the same, then we must obey our LORD Jesus.

As a Testimony to the World, He Obeyed

As Commandment was Received, He Obeyed

Just as there is a chain of command in the home, army & workforce, there is a chain of command in Heaven.

The Son submits to the Father

The Spirit submits to the Son

Christ recieved command of the Father - and followed it, because He loves the Father.

So Jesus isn’t telling us ‘do this’, Jesus is SHOWING US! Jesus loves, THEREFORE He obeyed, just like we will obey if we love Jesus!

As Commandment was recieved, He Obeyed

Regardless of Personal Hardship or Difficulty, He Obeyed

Consider what this command entailed:

Rejection

Humiliation

Rejection

Beatings (many)

Nails in the hands & feet

Suspended in the air naked as the people passed by

This is what I’m talking about when I say that love defers. It was more important for Jesus to obey His Father, than find personal comfort or contentment.

We should seek to obey our LORD - NO MATTER THE COST - as He was willing to do for us!

Regardless of Personal Hardship or Difficulty, He Obeyed

Conclusion

So the question is: Do you love Jesus?

Maybe you feel like you love Him, but in light of these truths, it may not appear so.

If that’s the case, you can rectify that now. You can come to this altar and pray and say ‘Dear Jesus, I love thee LORD - and now - starting right now, I will obey you and your will to the best of my ability. Regardless of any personal hardship, I will obey you, because I love you!

Will you come?