No. 278 - Obedience as Love

The Obedience of God’s Will"

Obedience as Love

John 14:15 (ESV)

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

Starting Prayer

Dear Lord, grant me insight into the connection between love and obedience as I meditate on Your Word today. Help me understand how obedience is an expression of my love for You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Background

In John 14, Jesus comforts His disciples before His impending departure, assuring them of the Holy Spirit's coming and emphasizing the importance of obedience. The selected verse underscores the inseparable link between love for Christ and obedience to His commandments. It reveals that genuine love for Jesus naturally results in a life characterized by obedience to His teachings.

Be Encouraged

Our obedience to Christ is not merely a dutiful adherence to rules but a response of love and gratitude for all He has done for us. Just as a child obeys their parents out of love and respect, so too do we obey Christ's commands because of our love for Him. Obedience becomes a joyful expression of our devotion to Jesus and a tangible way to demonstrate our love for Him.

Consider the example of a loving relationship between a parent and child. The child eagerly obeys the parent's instructions not out of fear but out of love and trust. Similarly, our obedience to Christ should stem from a deep love and reverence for Him, knowing that His commands are for our good and lead to a life of abundance and blessing.

Application

Reflect on these verses: 1 John 5:3, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome," and John 15:10, "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love."

Invitation

For those who have not yet committed their lives to Christ, I invite you to visit any nearby Church of Christ to be assisted in obeying the gospel of Christ: through faith (Hebrews 11:6), repentance from sin (Acts 2:38; 17:30-31), and baptism for the forgiveness of all past sins to be saved (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). The Lord will add you to His church, where you can continue to learn and grow in your relationship with Him (Matthew 28:18-20).

Let us put today's message into practice by demonstrating our love for Him through obedience. May our lives be a reflection of our deep affection for Jesus, compelling others to seek Him and experience His love.

Concluding Prayer

Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Word and the reminder that obedience is an expression of my love for You. Help me walk in obedience each day, motivated by love and gratitude for all You have done for me. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

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May the Lord bless your day.

Theodore J. Quist 

Evangelist 

Church of Christ 

Abokobi - Accra 

Ghana

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