John 14:18-24, I Will Not Leave 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. 

Jesus’ great promise to his disciples on the eve of his execution is that he will not leave them alone. He will go away (die) but he will return and unite his disciples to himself in a new age of mutual ministry in which the people of God through the Spirit will be located in the risen Christ. Because he lives we will live also. It takes the death and resurrection of Jesus to usher us into this new age and give us this new life. In this new life Jesus and the Father will come and make their home in us through the Spirit. The Trinity will dwell within us, fulfilling the ancient promises of Scripture of God dwelling with his people. 

However, there is a moral clause in this promise. Jesus says this is all dependent upon us loving him and keeping his word, his commandments. Our obedience is the evidence of our love for him, which fulfills the promises of the new covenant written on our hearts through the indwelling Spirit that Jeremiah and Ezekiel foretell. God loves us and we love God and obey God in a perfect communion of being. There are only so many words that can describe such a great and profound gift to us from God. 

How are you doing with obedience, keeping Jesus’ word? At least three things are required. First and foremost, you need help keeping Jesus’ word. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to help you for he is the helpmate sent by God. Your job is to ask for his help and to take his living presence seriously. Second, you must try to live an obedient life. Yes, you will fail, repent, and return to the Lord as the prodigal son did. That is the life of every Christian! And finally, you need to know his Word by reading his Word, the Bible. As one friend said, “When you die and see Jesus face to face and he asks you how you liked his book, what will you say to him? ‘Sorry, I was too busy to read it!’” God’s Word helps shape us to become obedient, through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Lord Jesus, I know I cannot live a life of obedience on my own. Thank you that you come and make your home in me and will walk with me all the days of my life, helping me through your Spirit to love your word and keep your commandments. Amen.