Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Obeying Jesus

John 14v15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”  (NIV)

Tony continued our series on spiritual “GROWTH+” on Sunday. He took us to this powerful passage in John 14 where Jesus repeatedly teaches his disciples that our obedience is a mark of our love for him.

Our culture is high on seeking love and low on seeking to obey. We don’t want to be under authority, we want to live in freedom. We consider we know how freedom works and how to gain it, but we take no regard of Jesus’ statement “the truth shall set you free” (John 8v32). Further, we choose love without regarding what love really is.

Jesus calls us to love him. Because of who he is, that love is shown in our obedience. Love manifests itself in different ways depending on the relationship. A parent doesn’t love their child by obeying them, but by providing for them; the reverse is also generally true where a child loves their parent by obeying rather than providing. When it comes to Jesus, he is our Shepherd, Guide, Lord and Master. In that relationship our love is expressed in submissive service to Him.

When Jesus challenged Simon Peter after the resurrection “Simon, do you love me?”, he replied “Yes”. In response to Peter’s affirmation of love, Jesus gave a command, “Feed my sheep” (John 21v15-17). What is Jesus’ response to your affirmation of love?

Our love for Jesus is manifest in each decision we make each day.

• Q: How can I increase my obedience?   A: By loving Jesus more than anything else.
• Q: How can I increase my love for Jesus? A: “We love because he first loved us,” (1 John 4v19) and so as we receive more of his love, our capacity to love increases.

May God pour out his love in our hearts so that “what he says we will do”.

With love and blessing,

Roland