John 14:15-24
Key Verse: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, . . . (John 14:15-17 ESV)
I recently watched a video of a wind turbine’s blades being installed. These huge blades are turned by the energy of the wind, and that energy is converted to electrical energy. Two things are required: the parts of the wind turbine to function together according to electromechanical laws, and the power of the wind to turn the blades.
Something similar is true of people. We are designed to function according to laws, and we need the power to do so. This is true in the physical realm, but it is also true in the spiritual realm. Our Lord says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” That is the laws part of the equation. Then he says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth.” That is the power part.
We can observe that Jesus gave many commands: Lay up treasure in heaven rather than on earth (Mat. 6:19–21); Seek first the Kingdom of God (Mat. 6:33); Do not be judgmental (Mat. 7:1–3); Treat others the way you would like to be treated (Mat. 7:12); Watch for the Lord’s return (Mat. 24:42-44); and a number of others. However, two general commandments are singled out from the rest by Jesus’ own words: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Mat. 22:37-40)
These two are the overarching commandments, the ones that contain all the others. These two sum up the Old Testament teaching, “all the Law and the Prophets.” These had to be expressed in more explicit terms for the purpose of governing the nation of Israel, but they encompass all the Old Testament moral law. If we love God, we will have no other gods before him, worship idols, or misuse his name. if we love our neighbors, we will not murder them or steal from them or lie to them.
This is what Jesus means when he says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Our love for him expresses itself in love for God and other people. That is our calling, and he provides the Holy Spirit to help us. If we allow the Spirit, he will empower us to love others just as the wind empowers a wind turbine. Are you by his power pursuing the goal of loving God and others?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the commands to love and for the power provided to obey these commands. Help me to obey, depending on your power. Please let me be open to the power of the Spirit to enable obedience to these laws.
