What DOES it mean to LOVE Jesus?

John 14:15–24

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.”

What does it mean to love Jesus?

Jesus tells us four times that this love is of such a nature that it results in the keeping of Jesus’s “commandments,” or, more generally, his “word.”

Verse 15: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

Verse 21: “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, He it is who loves Me.”

Verse 23: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.”

Verse 24: “Whoever does not love Me does not keep My words.”

The first thing to notice is that loving Jesus is not the same as keeping his commandments. It *precedes and gives rise to keeping the commandments. Keeping his word is the result of loving him, not the SAME as loving him.

Verse 15: “If you love me, [the result will be that] you will keep my commandments.”

Verse 23: “If anyone loves me, [the result will be that] he will keep my word.”

So, what is this love for Jesus that gives rise to keeping the commandments of Jesus?

Jesus has no defects. He has no demerit. He has no deficiencies. He has no sin. He has no flaws. Therefore, we cannot, graciously, love Him the way God loves us.  No.  Love for Jesus is entirely deserved! He is infinitely *worthy of being loved. He is perfectly lovely. He is loved not in spite of what he is, but because of all that He is. He is God.

Which means that love for Him is a response to Beauty and Greatness and Glory.  It is not a response to need or weakness or defect. Which also means that love for Jesus feels good. Love for Jesus is pleasurable. It’s desiring Him because He is infinitely desirable. It’s admiring Him because He is infinitely admirable. It’s treasuring Him because He is infinitely valuable. It’s enjoying him because he is infinitely enjoyable. It’s being satisfied with all that He is, because He is infinitely satisfying.

It’s the *reflex of the "awakened" and "new-born human soul" to all that is true and good and beautiful, embodied in Jesus. (2 Cor 4:4-6)

In short, loving Jesus is not a matter of doing excellent things. It’s a matter of delighting in an excellent Savior. Jesus says doing excellent things — keeping my word — is the result of delighting in the Excellent Savior. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.”

Love: Wanting, Desiring, Enjoying, Preferring, Being Satisfied With
(Cherishing, Crazy About, Fascinated With, Idolize, Prize, Attached To)

Two confirmations that we are on the right track. [the theological part starts here]

The word "love" in John’s Gospel is used like this. For example, John 3:19 says, “People loved the darkness rather than the light.” That is what they wanted. They desired it. They enjoyed it. They preferred it. They didn’t love the darkness out of duty. They loved it out of craving. They were satisfied by it.

The same kind of love is in John 12:43: “They loved the glory of man more than the glory of God.” They wanted it. That’s what loving it means. They longed for it. Enjoyed it. They craved human praise. They were satisfied by it. They were attached to it. That’s how they “loved” it.

Or consider the Father’s love for the Son John 3:35: “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.” Remember the words of the Father at the baptism of Jesus and at his transfiguration: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22).

This is the only way to love the Son: to be pleased with Him. To feel pleasure in Him. To esteem and admire and enjoy and treasure and prefer and be crazy about, and fascinated with, and attached to, and stand in trembling,  happy awe of Him.

That’s one confirmation. The word “love” is used that way.

The other confirmation requires us to ask: What are the "commandments" Jesus has in mind when he says in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

The “Commandments” in Jesus’s Mind

When you read through the whole Gospel of John just looking for specific moral-behavior commandments, what do you find? You find about two explicit commandments that you might call moral-behavior commandments: the new commandment to love each other as Jesus loved us (John 13:34–35), and the command to Peter: “Feed my sheep” (John 21:16).

But Jesus didn’t say, “If you love me, you will keep my moral behavior commandments.” He said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (verse 15). Or Verse 23: “If anyone loves me, [the result will be that] he will keep my word.”

So if you read through the Gospel again, what you find is lots of commandments like: “Receive me” (1:12). “Follow me” (1:43). Get up, crippled man (5:8). Rise from the dead, Lazarus! (11:43). “Believe in the light” (12:36). “Believe in God” (14:1). “Believe me” (14:11). “Abide in me” (15:4). “Ask whatever you wish” (15:7). “Abide in my love” (15:9). “Receive the Holy Spirit” (20:22). These are the types of commandments that are all over the Gospel of John.

Now how does that confirm the way we have understood love for Jesus in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”?  Because since the commandments in the Gospel of John are overwhelmingly receive, believe, ask, abide, then it makes perfect sense that Jesus would say, “If you love me — if you desire me and delight in me and are satisfied in me, and fascinated with me and attached to  me and treasure me — then you will receive me, and believe me and abide in me, and obey my words, and follow me.”

In other words, if you have been born again so that you treasure Jesus above all other treasures, and He commands you, “Receive me,” “Take me,” “Have me as your treasure,” YOU WILL!

If you have been born again so that you find Him supremely and wonderfully trustworthy, and He commands you, “Trust me,” “Believe me,” you will! And if you are born again so that you long to be with Him, and He commands you, “Abide in me,” you will!

So my answer to the question: What does it mean to love Jesus in John 14:15, 21, and 23?
It means to treasure Him above all, even life itself, to desire Him, long for Him, enjoy Him, and be satisfied in all that He is!

The things of this world truly become false joys.

He is Magnificent,  Majestic, Beautiful and Almighty. Worthy of your ALL!

He is God. He is the Gospel!

You..........get HIM!

 

2 cups of coffee later...make it your aim to LOVE the Lord, your God, with all of your heart, with all of your soul and with all of your strength...start now. Feel the pleasure of this text, and abide! Let the way you view "love" in the scriptures forever be Gods view.

Today, let me sing with love and thanksgiving knowing You are Just and Holy and True.

By His Spirit, for His Glory,
Robbie Sprague

I'M GOING FISHING!

DO THE NEXT THING....

Jesus guides us in many different ways. Sometimes he makes the next step clear as day. Other times, like Peter discovered in John 21:1-14, it feels like we’re left to muddle through, only to find that Jesus was leading through our muddling. 
[Believe in Me -John 14:1]

“I am going fishing.”

Peter didn't know what else to do. The past few weeks had been indescribably intense with the nightmare of Jesus’ crucifixion and the ineffable wonder of his resurrection.

Now he was sitting with Thomas, Nathaniel  James, John, and two others. They were just waiting. It was disorienting. Jesus wasn't there and he hadn't told them what to do next. [Feel this.]

Peter used to know just what to do: prepare the nets and boat, go fishing, take what he caught and sell it in the market. Fishing was hard and sometimes dangerous work. But Peter knew what was expected of him. The memory of the familiar was comforting.

So as long as he didn't know what else to do, he figured he might as well do something productive. The others replied, “We will go with you.” Peter wasn't the only restless one.

All night they fished. Cast and pull. Nothing. Cast and pull. Nothing. Try the other side of the boat. Nothing. Move the boat. Nothing. A little deeper. Nothing. A little shallower. Nothing. Where are the fish? Nothing. Whose idea was this? [Feel this.]

Just as day was breaking, they heard a voice from the shore. “Children, do you have any fish?” James’ exasperated response was, “NO!” “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”

Ordinarily this would have been irritating. But these instructions were familiar. This had happened before. Peter and John glanced at one another, raised an eyebrow and then tossed the net. The sudden weight almost pulled them overboard. It couldn't be! It was! Fish! And they were huge! They couldn't even get the net into the boat.

John’s eyes were as big as the fish when he looked at Peter and said, “It is the Lord!” Peter handed the net to Nathaniel  threw on his outer garment and dove into the sea, leaving the others to drag the bulging net.

When they got to shore, they found Jesus preparing breakfast for them. He already had fish! Graciously, and perhaps with a *tease of affection, he said, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” Then he served them breakfast.

And then Jesus gave Peter the next instructions.

Four Principles in This Story

This is vintage Jesus, always graciously leading and serving his bewildered disciples. And since we 21st century disciples are just as easily bewildered, it’s good for us to remember some helpful principles from this story.

First, waiting on Jesus is a common experience for faithful believers. Sometimes we wait for direction. Sometimes we’re stuck in a very hard place waiting for release. Sometimes we wait to understand His purposes. Sometimes we wait for His provision. Jesus’ timing and purposes are not always clear to us, though they are always best for us. So He wants our faith resting on the *rock of His Word and not on the *sand of circumstance. Know His promises!

Second, when we’re not sure what to do next, as Elisabeth Elliot says, “do the next thing.” I’m sure the disciples had prayed for guidance during those days but no clear instructions had come. Fishing just seemed like a good idea. As it turned out, it was exactly what the Lord wanted them to do. Jesus was leading them, just differently. As they did the next thing Jesus met them and directed them.

Third, Jesus is in complete control. Peter and his friends were experienced fishermen. They did their best, yet caught nothing. But that morning they discovered (again) that Jesus was sovereign over their decisions, the boat, the sea, the fish, and time. Trust Him.

Fourth, Jesus’ is always serving us, even when we can’t see it. He serves us in every conceivable way: from the payment of our sins, to our call, to the fish we catch, to a breakfast on the beach, to our eternal home. Jesus loves to work for those who wait for him 
(Isaiah 64:4)

In following Jesus there are periods of bewildering intensity and periods of bewildering waiting. He does not want us to panic during either. He is in control of both. When you don’t understand his ways, trust His Word.

And when you’re not sure what to do next, do the next thing.

Put this cup of coffee in a thermos. Take it with you. We will need to sip on it, again, soon.

REFLECTIONS FOR THE AVERGE "JOE"

And Jesus said unto the theologians: “Who do you say that I am?”

They replied: “You are the eschatological manifestation of the ground of our being, the ontological foundation of the context of our very selfhood revealed.”

And Jesus answered them, saying: “Huh?”

(Imagine hearty laugh here!)

That is what THEOLOGY is like for many!

Jesus wasn't deep for the mere purpose of confounding you. The riches of His knowledge are simply..... WORTH finding out! Studying and Digging down deep for.  
He wants you to "...love the Lord Your God with all of your mind...", to do the work of thinking and depend on the Holy Spirit to teach you all things, by His grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.

I created this blog to help you do just that. Become Urban Bible Scholars.

Theology Matters!

With each post I pray, by the Spirit, to offer you 'Venti theology in a Tall cup!'
Theological truth that you can eat and drink. That will leave you transformed and saying,"That was ... 'God til the last drop!"

A Chai Latte for your mind.
And a Double Shot for your soul!
(while I "coffee" pun you to death! Smile!)

(please SEE video THEOLOGY MATTERS)

Pray for me, as I pray and wait for the leading of the Holy Spirit for each post.
Please share your comments below, I promise to read and respond to them.

With a heart full of gratitude and faith in future grace to do this work, I give you my love.

RobRob

CONTEXT! CONTEXT!

 

THE WIDOWS MITE

 

It should be carefully noted that the 2 synoptic Gospels that include the account of the destitute widow dropping her little gift into the offering box at the temple have it sandwiched between

1) Jesus’ warning about the scribes “who devour widows’ houses,” and 2) his indignant prophesy that Israel’s temple/house will be destroyed (Mark 12:38–13:2; Luke 20:45–21:9). These three blocks of texts are inexorably connected.

• A warning against the scribes devouring widows’ houses
• A poor widow giving all she has at the temple/house offering box
• Jesus condemning the temple/house of Israel to destruction

The widow is often used by preachers as an illustration of "exemplary" giving. She gives ALL that she has. Isn’t that wonderful? Really? Would YOU accept everything a poor widow had if YOU knew she was putting that much into the offering plate? No way! Think about it.......................

Apparently this widow’s poverty was well known. And Jesus is not happy that the religious leaders of Israel are permitting this—more than that—encouraging it!! He’s pretty angry.

 

This story of the widow’s offering is not intended to be read as an object lesson about "sacrificial" giving. It’s not really about the exemplary piety of this widow, either. She is so faithful that she gives sacrificially and generously. There’s some truth to this, of course. She is only following the teaching and advice of her leaders. The problem is that the advice of her leaders is "monstrously wicked" and she apparently doesn’t know any better.

 

This story is an *indictment of the leadership of Israel—this is how they “devour widows’ houses.” They have created a system that preys on the scripturally uniformed, the weak and helpless. Here, in a way that makes them believe they are being faithful and godly when they give much more than they need to or can afford to give. They have taught the poor to give everything they have to the temple building fund, which is contrary to the intention of the temple and the treasury system in Israel.  Jesus is not first of all praising the widow’s action. We are being told this story so that we can know "why" the temple treasury system is going to be demolished and destroyed – because instead of providing for widows and the poor, it sucks up their wealth and leaves them utterly destitute. This is why the temple must be torn down, not one stone left upon another. 


When read in context, this is the truth that lies below the surface. Dig deeper.

I hope you've enjoyed you're first cup of coffee with me!

NO SUGAR ADDED!

NO SUGAR ADDED!

I like coffee. I'm drinking it right now. Hot. Steaming. Black. Strong. Perfect!
I have one very important rule for my coffee: DON'T put anything in it!  A good cup of coffee needs no help.
Leave it alone.

But, what if, unknown to me, someone had polluted my coffee with "vile sugar!"  Reaching over to take a drink, I wouldn't see the danger.  It looks and smells just the same.  Outwardly, everything is fine.  But, the nature of the coffee, it's very essence, has been changed...corrupted.

Heresy.

The coffee is the essence of Christianity, it's core beliefs and ideas about Jesus and the Gospel.  This is the very "center" of the Christian faith, without which, you just *do not have Christianity.

The sugar is some belief that maintains the outward form of Christianity-i.e. it continues to talk about Jesus and the Gospel, but at the same time it undermines the very essence of Christianity and God's great GRACE.