15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever –

 15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever –

John 14:15-21;23,24John 14:15-21;23,24

17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:15-21;23,24John 14:15-21;23,24

19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

John 14:15-21;23,24John 14:15-21;23,24

21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

John 14:15-21;23,24John 14:15-21;23,24

23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

John 14:15-21;23,24John 14:15-21;23,24

Loving is ObeyingLoving is Obeying

John 14:15John 14:15 -21; 23-21; 23 -24-24

““And by this we know that we have come to And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.know him, if we keep his commandments.

44Whoever says “I know him” but does not Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,truth is not in him, 55but whoever keeps his but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him:By this we may be sure that we are in him:

66whoever says he abides in him ought to whoever says he abides in him ought to walk the same way in which he walked.” walk the same way in which he walked.”

I John 2:3I John 2:3 -- 6 6

Word definitions Word definitions

The Greek word translated “love” in The Greek word translated “love” in John 14 is John 14 is agápēagápē. .

From From agápēagápē springs springs philíaphilía. .

In contrast to In contrast to agápēagápē is the word is the word érōs.érōs.

It all starts with GodIt all starts with God

God doesn’t have love, He is love. God doesn’t have love, He is love. I John 4:16I John 4:16

We only know God to the extent we know We only know God to the extent we know and experience His love in our lives. and experience His love in our lives.

When we see the love that God has for us, When we see the love that God has for us, we naturally respond to God by loving Him we naturally respond to God by loving Him and eventually loving our neighborand eventually loving our neighbor..

It all starts with God but it spreads It all starts with God but it spreads naturally to othersnaturally to others

"If you love the parent, you love the child." "If you love the parent, you love the child." I John 5:1I John 5:1

Christians loving Christians Christians loving Christians

We know that we have passed out of We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the death into life, because we love the brothers. brothers.

It also spreads to our neighborsIt also spreads to our neighbors

““You shall love the Lord your God with all You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.all your mind. 3838This is the great and first This is the great and first commandment.commandment. 3939And a second is like it: And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

4040On these two commandments depend all On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” the Law and the Prophets.” Matt. 22:37-Matt. 22:37- 4040

It then goes to our enemiesIt then goes to our enemies

Is it because Christian kindness brings a Is it because Christian kindness brings a wonderful resolution to all physical wonderful resolution to all physical confrontations? confrontations?

Is it because doing good “is the thing to Is it because doing good “is the thing to do” for a Christian? do” for a Christian?

To do so is to be a reflection of God. To do so is to be a reflection of God.

Obedience is the correct response Obedience is the correct response to love to love

He who is loved should obey the One who He who is loved should obey the One who loves him.loves him.

““Continue in my love.” Continue in my love.”

Jesus said, “I have kept my Father’s Jesus said, “I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His Love.” commandments and abide in His Love.” John 15:9John 15:9

Obedience is the secret of abiding in Obedience is the secret of abiding in God’s love. God’s love.

Application to real life situations Application to real life situations

Loving God versus “check list” religionLoving God versus “check list” religion

Love of neighbor and brother Love of neighbor and brother

Love of wives Love of wives