Hear & Obey
By Devos With Deo
John 14:15
“If you love me, obey my commandments”
Hear and obey. These words have been pressed on my heart for some time. I’ve studied a number of scriptures and spent much time in prayer on these two words.
I haven’t taken up this study since October, 2021, but yesterday it all came rushing back like a wave that slaps you a little too hard and knocks you down. Yesterday we heard a powerful message centered on 7 words. “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15). Jesus was leaving this instruction to the disciples and to all future believers.
So, I’m talking to the believers here. I’m addressing this to the church. I believe what is happening right now, the revivals sweeping across college campuses, is a call to the believers to come back to a place of obedience. We have strayed so far from the pure and simple gospel of Jesus Christ. This may not be a popular opinion, but we have been the worst examples of our faith and the person of Jesus. We are more like the Pharisees than the disciples.
“If you love me…”
When we accepted Jesus we embarked on a relationship with him and hopefully developed a deep love for our savior. Jesus is asking us to put our money where our mouth is. Put our faith into action. Yesterday’s message challenged us to show that we truly love Jesus. That doesn’t come from pretty lights, fancy stages, criticism, or hypocrisy, all of which have weaved their way into today’s church.
Love. The revival sweeping the nation across college campuses began at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY. It began as a typical day, with a typical campus service for the students. The message was 26 minutes and centered around love (Asbury Chapel Service). The church needs to love like Jesus. Simple. Pure.
“…you will obey my commandments.” We’re not talking about the 10 commandments here. In Matthew 22 the Pharisees came to Jesus with a question, their intention to trap him. There were more than 600 laws they were required to follow, and this “expert in religious law” asked Jesus to identify the most important.
“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
The commandments Jesus is asking us to follow are to love God first and then love others. It is no coincidence that a message that sparked revival was on love, nor that our message yesterday was on love. God is SHOUTING to us that what is going to bring revival starts with us and it’s LOVE.
Our faith is built on the foundation of the gospel, which is forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ. It is not our job to judge others. We can only share the love of God and allow HIM to mold and shape people into who HE created them to be. Preach the gospel and let God do the rest.
We are still human. Have we forgotten that we still need to repent? We still sin. But it seems we sit in our high places judging what appears to be the “worse sin”. Oh friends, that is what the Pharisees did. I don’t want to be that person anymore.
Church, revival starts in our hearts. Let’s repent, love God, and love others. Hear and obey God’s simple, yet firm call today.
