Apr 8, 2025
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:15
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If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:15
John 14:15 (NASB). “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
John 14:23 (ESV). [23] “Jesus answered 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 home with him.”
1 John 5:3 (ESV). [3] “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”
2 John 1:6 (NIV). [6] “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”
Luke 5:1-5 (NIV). [1] “One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. [2] He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. [3] He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. [4] When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” [5] Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Matthew 4:19 (ESV). [19] And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
“Blessings of Obedience” by In Touch Ministries:
“Those who love the Lord want to please Him, so they choose to follow His leading.”
“In John 14:15, Jesus taught His disciples, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” He repeated the connection between love and obedience several times because of its great importance. (See John 14:23; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6.)
Following God’s will amounts to telling Him, “I love You.” Having the correct view of obedience—namely, that it’s an expression of love toward our heavenly Father—enables us to endure any difficulties we face. God pours out His blessings on those who obey Him.
Consider the example of Peter (also known as Simon). Jesus asked for use of his boat to preach to the crowd. Having been up all night without catching any fish, Peter might have given the Lord an excuse—too tired, too discouraged, a lot of cleaning up to do. Instead, he took a step into a life of obedience and blessing. On the surface, lending his vessel to help Jesus didn’t seem important beyond the moment. But God had more in mind than a one-time loan of a boat. He was going to use Peter’s life and make him a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19).
God rewarded Peter with service in His kingdom. He wants to do the same for us. How is the Spirit prompting you, and what is your response?”
[Photo thanks to Hugues de Buyer-Mimeure at Unsplash]
John 14:15 (NKJV) - “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Back To Basics Lesson 20: God's Rhythm
Millions of sincere Christians go to church every Sunday to worship God. They have been taught that Sunday is the “Christian Sabbath” and that the original seventh-day Sabbath is only for the Jews. If one were to try to observe the Sabbath today, that would be considered legalism in their eyes.
However, is this what the Bible really teaches? Let us learn about the Sabbath and what it truly means in today’s lesson.
Let’s read together Genesis 2:1-3; Isaiah 58:5-6; Mark 2:27; and Hebrews 4:1-11.
The Sabbath is one of two institutions God made at Creation. (The other was the institution of marriage.) Why did God make the Sabbath? The Bible states in Isaiah 40:28 that God does not get tired. God did not need the rest. Rather, God made the Sabbath for the benefit of mankind. He wanted mankind to have a dedicated day to rest from their worldly labors and commune with God.
Note that the Sabbath was in existence long before there was a Jew on earth. The Sabbath was first kept by Adam and Eve! The Sabbath is for everyone!
Let’s read together Exodus 20:8-11.
The Sabbath was so important to God, it is actually part of His divine law. God made the observance of the Sabbath one of His Ten Commandments. He even explicitly tells us to remember the Sabbath, because He knew mankind would forget about it.
Let’s read together Genesis 1:5, 31; Exodus 16:26; and Leviticus 23:3
What day is the Sabbath? The Bible clearly states that Sabbath is Saturday, the seventh day of the week. One thing to note is the Sabbath begins at Friday evening at sunset and ends Saturday evening at sunset. This reckoning of a day is different from what we are used to (midnight to midnight).
It is interesting to note that there is nothing in nature or science to explain the weekly cycle. A day is twenty four hours long because that is the time it takes for earth to revolve on its axis. A month is approximately 30 days because that is the time it takes for the moon to revolve around the earth. A year is approximately 364.25 days because that is the time it takes for the earth to revolve around the sun.
However, only the Bible offers an explanation for a week, which begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday.
Let’s read together Exodus 20:8-11; 31:13-17; and Ezekiel 8:12, 20.
Just as a king puts a royal seal to signify a document, God’s mark of authority is the Sabbath. When we worship on the Sabbath, we are acknowledging God as our Creator. When we worship on the Sabbath, we show that we believe God created the world in six literal days.
Let’s read together Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
If you read the fourth commandment in Deuteronomy chapter 5, you will find that God tells us the Sabbath is also a symbol of redemption. When you observe the Sabbath, you acknowledge Jesus has redeemed us from our sins just as He redeemed the Israelites from Egypt.
So, how are we supposed to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy?
Let’s read together Isaiah 58:13-14; Matthew 12:1-12; and Hebrews 4:1-11.
God calls us to rest from worldly labors. While physical rest is important, the Sabbath is also about spiritual rest and renewal. Rather than worry about business and work, we have time to focus on our relationship with God. We can strengthen our relationship with God through worship with other believers, Bible study, prayer, or even being out in nature to marvel at His creation. We can also do good deeds and engage in ministries of healing just as Jesus did.
Let’s read together Malachi 3:6; Matthew 5:17; Matthew 26:28; and Hebrews 9:16-17.
Was the Sabbath changed to Sunday? Not according to the Bible. Jesus did not change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday when He made the new covenant. Jesus observed the Sabbath His entire life on earth (Luke 4:16) and even in death.
Jesus’ followers kept the Sabbath even after His death (Luke 23:54-56). Paul the Apostle also kept the Sabbath during his ministry (Acts 13:42-44, 16:3, 17:1-3). In fact, Jesus expected His followers to keep the Sabbath even in the end times (Matthew 24:20). The Bible even mentions the Sabbath will be kept on the new earth after Satan is ultimately defeated and sin is eradicated (Isaiah 66:23).
Let’s read together Isaiah 58:13; Luke 6:5; and Revelation 1:10.
Many Christians call Sunday the Lord’s day and worship on that day in honor of Jesus’ resurrection. However, the Bible states the Lord’s day is actually the seventh-day Sabbath. Jesus’ death and resurrection is symbolized in the act of baptism (Romans 6:4).
Some people point to Acts 20:7 and say the breaking of bread on the first day of the week is proof Christians worshiped on Sunday. However, Acts 2:42-46 showed that the disciples “broke bread daily.” Additionally, considering how Jewish people reckon time (Genesis 1:5), “the first day” in Acts 20:7 is actually Saturday evening. (Paul preached from Saturday evening to midnight Sunday.) Therefore, Acts 20:7 cannot be proof of Sunday worship.
Other people point to 1 Corinthians 16:2 that tithe was collected on the first day of the week, which implies Sunday worship. However, Acts 11:28-30 indicate that the collection was actually a special offering to help the brethren suffering from a famine in Judea. Paul asked that people set the money aside early as a matter of convenience before he came to take the offering back to Judea.
Let’s read together Psalm 119:105; John 14:15; Luke 22:42; and Revelation 14:12.
Have you ever heard a catchy song you enjoyed so much that it seems to stay in your head? You may find yourself mentally grooving to that song throughout the day. If you want to sing along with that song or hum it, you have to follow the rhythm of that song. In the same way, the Sabbath is God’s rhythm. It is different from the rhythm of the world and may seem counterintuitive at first.
However, if you love God, you will want to follow His rhythm. You do not keep the Sabbath out of obligation or a belief that Sabbath keeping will save you. You keep the Sabbath out of love for Jesus.
Unlike other religions which have holy places people have to make a pilgrimage to visit, the Sabbath comes to you every week. Even if you are in prison, on a desert island, or even outer space, you can experience the Sabbath. When you follow God’s rhythm and truly keep the Sabbath, your mindset will change. The Sabbath will become the highlight of your week as you cannot wait to rest in Christ and spend time with your Creator and Redeemer.
Friend, will you take a step in faith and observe the Sabbath and keep it holy?
"If you love Me, keep My commandments."
-John 14:15
“Be kind to your servant so I can live and follow what you teach. Open my eyes so I may discover wonderful things in your law. I'm only here for a short time—don't let me miss what you have to say. I'm always so keen to know your instructions. You reprimand those who are arrogant; those who don't follow your commandments are cursed. Don't let me be scorned and insulted, for I have kept your laws. Even leaders sit down together and slander me, but I, your servant, will think seriously about your instructions. Your laws make me happy—they are my wise advisors.” —Psalm 119:17-24 (FBV)
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” —John 14:15 (NASB)
“Tuning In to God’s Will” —By In Touch Ministries:
“If you want to be sure you are hearing from God, spend time in His Word daily.”
“If you follow Jesus, you have likely heard the phrase “God’s will.” It’s often mentioned in the context of His having a will for each believer—or of our doing His will, walking in His will, and the like. If we love the Lord, then certainly we want to obey Him (John 14:15). But let’s take a look at some of the reasons we might miss His plan for our life.
Handling God’s Word Improperly. When our days become jam-packed with commitments and activities, it’s easy to have trouble maintaining a steady intake of Scripture. Without spending time in God’s Word, we tend to forget what matters to Him. Then there are times that some of us will incorrectly use Scripture to support decisions we’ve already made. Or, when God’s Word does not match what we want, we might ignore it and do things our way.
Picking the Wrong Guide. When making decisions, we sometimes rely too heavily on other people’s opinions. We think that the easiest and quickest way to get answers is to ask fellow Christians—or even unbelievers who seem “wise.”
Making Scripture your daily companion is the best way not to miss God’s plan. Be prepared to spend time reading and listening while the Spirit teaches you what God’s will is for your life.”
“If you love me, keep my commands.” - John 14:15
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