Daily Scripture Reading John 14:2-24
Many Christians use words as the criteria to determine if a person loves God. In other words, if a person says they love God, then it is assumed they love God. If a person publicly professes to love God, that is even better. If someone uses descriptive words and phrases to describe their love for God, then it is treated as an absolute certainty that the person using the flowery language has a great, undeniable love for God.
However, that is not how Jesus defines love. Today we will read some verses in John 14 that give us the true standard upon which to assess whether we or anyone else truly loves God.
Jesus and His disciples ate the Passover meal together. After Jesus alerted the disciples that one of them would betray Jesus, Judas left the gathering. Then Jesus warned those who remained that He was going to leave them and that they could not go where He was going.
John 14:2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
Jesus said He was going to His Father’s house. He did not say where that is.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
John 14:4 And you know the way where I am going.”
Jesus had told the disciples he was leaving them to go to His Father’s house, but He had not told them where that was. However, Jesus said the disciples knew how to get to where He was going.
John 14:5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How do we know the way?”
From the disciples’ perspective, this was a logical question. Jesus was saying cryptic things that didn’t make sense to the disciples.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.
The only thing the disciples needed to know to get to the Father’s house was to know Jesus.
John 14:7 ¶ If you have come to know Me, you will know My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
Jesus had said on earlier occasions that He and the Father are One. Since the disciples had seen Jesus, they had also seen the Father.
John 14:8 ¶ Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
Philip did not grasp the fact that since he had seen Jesus he had also seen the Father.
John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all so long and have you not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
John 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak from Myself, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
John 14:11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.
John 14:12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do because I go to the Father.
John 14:13 Whatever you ask in My name, this will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Notice the phrase “ask in My name”.
What does it mean to ask in someone else’s name? Imagine a father says to his oldest son, “Go tell your younger brother it is time to come home.” When the oldest son talks to his younger brother, he will say, “Dad says it is time to come home.” The oldest son is speaking in his father’s name. The oldest son is not commanding his younger brother to go home, he is telling his brother that their Dad is commanding him to come home.
Jesus promised His disciples that if He told them to ask for something, and they asked for it, then He would do it.
It is common for Christians to end prayers with the phrase “in Jesus’ name, Amen”. However, I think very few Christians understand what that phrase means. When we say “in Jesus name” at the end of our prayers, we are actually claiming that Jesus commanded us to pray our prayer. Is that true? That is almost always not true.
It is common for Christians to end prayers by saying, “in Jesus’ name, Amen”. However, we should not use that phrase because most of the time it is not true.
John 14:14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
This verse is misunderstood by most Christians. They think if they add the phrase, “in Jesus’ name” to the end of their prayers, then Jesus will do what they ask. However, if Jesus did not actually tell them to ask for what they are asking, then the promise of Jesus in this verse does not apply. This promise only applies when people are truly speaking in the name of Jesus, meaning they are praying what Jesus told them to pray.
John 14:15 ¶ “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Many Christians use words as the criteria to determine if a person loves God. In other words, if a person says they love God, then it is assumed they love God. If a person publicly professes to love God, that is even better. If someone uses descriptive words and phrases to describe their love for God, then it is treated as an absolute certainty that the person using the flowery language has a great, undeniable love for God.
However, Jesus gave us a completely different criteria for determining love. Actions are the true test for determining love, not words. If someone does not obey God, then they do not love God, regardless what kinds of numerous and fancy words they use to express love for God.
John 14:16 ¶ And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, that He may be with you forever;
John 14:17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. You know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
Jesus was going to leave them, but He promised to send the Spirit.
John 14:18 ¶ “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
John 14:20 On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
Once again Jesus clearly defined the correct criteria for determining if a person loves God. The one who obeys Jesus is the one who truly loves God. If a person does not obey God, then he does not love God, regardless how much he professes to love God.
John 14:22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?”
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to 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 dwelling with him.
John 14:24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
This is the third time Jesus identified the correct litmus test for determining if someone loves God. Obedience is the correct test.
Many Christians use the words that people say as the criteria to determine if a person loves God. However, Jesus taught that actions are the correct indicators.
What are some occasions where you have seen people given credit for loving God simply because of the words they spoke?
To what extent have you always believed that the words that come out of people’s mouths are the correct benchmark for assessing love for God?
Describe a time in your life when you used a declaration of love to try and convince people you love God?
Who are some people you know who claim to love God, and yet their lifestyle demonstrates disobedience to God?
If someone estimates your love for God based on your obedience to God, what conclusion will they draw?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”