John 14:15–31 - 15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 20 “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 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.” 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?” 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 abode with him. 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. 25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. 27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. 28 “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. 30 “I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; 31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here.
What does today’s passage say?
In today's passage, Jesus tells His disciples that those who deeply Love Him will follow what He teaches (v. 15). He tells them that He will be leaving but that God will give them another Helper, the Spirit of truth, who will stay with them forever. And while the world cannot accept, believe, or even understand this Spirit, believers will know Him because He will live in them (vv. 16-18). Jesus explains that those who follow His teachings are genuine in their love for Him. He says both He and the Father will be with such people and that the helper, the promised Holy Spirit, will teach them everything they need to know (vv. 19-26). Jesus then gives them His special gift of peace, far better than what the world offers. He urges them not to be afraid about His departure, because He will be returning, and everything happens according to God's plan (vv. 27-31).
How can I apply John 14:15-31 to my life?
Today, Jesus links genuine love for Him with faithful obedience. He goes on to promise promises the permanent presence of the Holy Spirit and offers His followers a peace that can overcome life's toughest challenges. As He tells His disciples that He will be going away for a while, He also explains how God has made it possible for them to stay connected to Him even when He is physically gone. These words show us what real Christian living looks like. It is rooted in obedience and depends on the Holy Spirit. It is both practical and personal. It has to change how we make our daily choices, how our attitudes develop, and how we handle life's difficulties. Following Jesus means more than just believing facts about Him; it means experiencing His presence moment by moment by being filled with the Holy Spirit and letting that presence transform how we live. Through this passage, we learn that authentic Christian living connects our love for Jesus with our obedience to Him and depends on the Holy Spirit's work in our lives. It also means that, as a result, we can experience God’s amazing peace that will stand strong even in difficult times. Here are some basic principles from this passage that we should apply to our lives:
1. Love Jesus Through Faithful Obedience (v. 15): Jesus links love for Him directly to keeping His commandments. This means that our daily choices and actions must be consistent with His teachings. True love for another goes beyond our emotions; it translates into real, practical attitudes, thoughts, words and actions. Being a follower of Christ is not simply about having nice feelings towards Him or going through the motions when people are watching; it means letting His truth be the truth that guides our decisions. It means telling others about Him and serving others in His name. It means standing firm in His truth even when it is hard, or we face opposition. As we live out His commands, we are not only building spiritual strength and maturity, but we are also demonstrating the genuineness of our devotion and love for Him. This genuine love for Him will produce a natural desire to please Him and live according to His ways. Every time we choose to forgive someone who has hurt us or we give generously to help others, every time we speak truth with kindness, resist temptation, or share the good news about Jesus, we demonstrate our love for Him. But that is not all there is to it. Small daily acts of faithfulness are just as important as the great sacrifices and grand gestures of devotion. When it is hard, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to obey, and this helps us to grow even stronger in our walk with Jesus. Our obedience is a living testimony that points others to Jesus. And, when we obey in this way, and grow in our faithfulness, we experience an ever-deeper fellowship with Jesus. When we make these kinds of choices that honor Jesus, even when it is difficult to do so, we are showing Him and the world that we value His lordship over our lives more than our own preferences or comfort (1 John 5:3, John 15:10, 1 John 2:3-6).
Food for Thought: What specific command of Jesus do you find most challenging to obey, and what practical steps can you take this week to follow it? How has obeying Jesus' commands affected your relationship with Him over time?
2. Experience the Holy Spirit's Presence and Teaching (vv. 16-26): In these verses, Jesus tells His disciples that God will send the Holy Spirit as a permanent Helper and Teacher. Today, the Holy Spirit works in our lives teaching us, guiding us, and comforting us through all of life’s challenges. Just as Jesus taught the disciples, God has given us His Holy Spirit to teach us His truth and how to apply it to help us figure how to live the Christian life. When we face hard choices or need wisdom, the Holy Spirit brings God's Word to our minds and helps us understand how to use it. When we sin, the He convicts us of that sin drawing us to repentance. The Spirit also gives us the power to live differently than the world around us. It is through the Holy Spirit’s that we can love our neighbors and our enemies as Christ loved us. It us how we can have peace when facing stressful situations. It is how we can make right choices even when we find ourselves under pressure to conform to the world. He guides us in understanding God’s truth and He helps us pray when we don’t know how to. He leads us and gives us the very words we need when we share our faith with others. The Spirit helps us to be discerning and to recognize opportunities to serve giving us gives us courage to take action even when the situation seems impossible. He comforts us when things get hard and shows us how to have joy and contentment even in the difficult times. As we learn to pay attention to His leading, we get better at hearing His voice and following that leading. Living in the power of the Holy Spirit changes how we talk, how we treat others, and how we handle daily situations. The more we depend on His guidance, the more our lives show evidence of His work in us (Romans 8:14, Galatians 5:16-18, 1 Corinthians 2:12-13).
Food for Thought: What difference does it make in your daily life knowing that the Holy Spirit lives within you? In what specific areas of your life do you need to trust the Holy Spirit's guidance more?
3. Rest in Jesus' Unique Peace (vv. 27-31): Jesus promises His followers a peace that is unlike anything the world has to offer. In the world, we have peace when things go the way we want them to, and the future looks bright. This is a temporary peace at best. Jesus on the other hand gives believers a deep, lasting peace that is not dependent on our circumstances. Whether it be a lost job, health problems, relationship troubles, or any other challenge, we can have peace because we know that our sins have been forgiven, that we are children of the One True God, and that Jesus is in control. And this peace manifests itself in all kinds of circumstances: we sleep well in spite of problems at work; we stay calm when others around us are going crazy with anxiousness; we keep a clear head, focused on Christ, even in the midst of family conflicts. We should not let fear rule our lives because we can trust that Jesus is in control. Our security comes from Jesus, not the world. When the headlines are troubling, we can have the Lord’s peace. His peace in all circumstances allows us to make good decisions and to not panic. It helps us to stay focused on Him and to continue to serve others rather than seeking our own peace. Our peace and joyful hope allows us to help people who are struggling and provides a powerful testimony that can draw people to Christ. When we stay calm when others are in chaos, we show that following Jesus makes a real difference (Philippians 4:6-7, Isaiah 26:3, Colossians 3:15).
Food for Thought: How does the peace Jesus gives differ from the peace the world offers in your own experience? What situations in your life right now need you to trust in Jesus' peace instead of giving in to worry?
Living out these truths brings profound changes to our daily lives. When we obey Jesus and turn His commands into action, when we regularly seek and trust the Holy Spirit's guidance, and when we lean into Christ's peace, we become different people. Our responses to life's challenges start to change. Instead of reacting with anger or fear, we respond with patience. Rather than following the crowd, we make choices that honor God, even when it is hard. The Holy Spirit's power enables us to forgive those who hurt us, to serve others when we don’t want to, and to speak truth with kindness and gentleness. This peace comes from Jesus, and it stands guard over our hearts during seasons of challenge. From an outward perspective, our changed lives grab people's attention. They notice when we stay steady while others panic, when we give generously while others hoard, when we speak of hope while others spread fear. These qualities show us to be genuine followers of Jesus. This in turn opens doors for us to share the difference that He makes. God has given us everything we need - His commands to guide us, His Spirit to empower us, and His peace to steady us. Now we must put these gifts into practice.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that You would help me show my love for Jesus through faithful obedience to His commands each day. I pray that You would give me strength when following Your ways becomes difficult and help me make choices that honor You even when facing pressure to do otherwise.
Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. I pray that You would teach me to listen more carefully to His guidance and depend on His power rather than my own strength. Open my spiritual ears to hear His voice more clearly as He brings Your truth to my mind. Help me to act quickly when He prompts me to serve others or share my faith.
Thank You for the peace that Jesus gives. I pray that You would help me experience this deep peace more fully, especially when life feels chaotic. Give me the faith to trust You completely instead of giving in to worry or fear. Use my changed life to point others to Jesus. Help me stay steady in difficult times so that others can see the difference You make. Transform my attitudes and actions so that I become more like Jesus every day. Give me courage to obey, wisdom to follow Your Spirit's leading, and faith to rest in Your peace.
I pray these things in the most precious name of Jesus, Amen.
John 14:27 - “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
With His Blessings,
Pastor Corby
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