SCHOOL OF OBEDIENCE

 

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

 

1.        Jesus was having these last few moments with his disciples.  It was their moment.  Jesus was preparing them for what was about to happen.  Jesus was also stating that the followers of Christ are not of this world. 

 

a.        We have accepted Jesus Christ and are born again.

b.       We are temples of the Holy Spirit.  He is our comforter, guide, and helper.

c.        We have a new nature, character, and essence.

d.       We have a new destination, future, mindset, attitude, and motives.

e.        Our allegiance is to God.  He is our sovereign, master, Lord, and Savior.

f.          We know we in this world but not of it.

g.        The Lord has opened our hearts and minds to the good news.

 

2.        The reason the world cannot receive the message of Christ.

 

a.        The gospel does not fit their worldview.

b.       The enemy has blinded them from the truth.

c.        The Gospel is supernatural and spiritual in nature.  That which is flesh is flesh and that which is spirit is spirit.

d.       People don’t view themselves as sinners, broken people or guilty.

e.        Their ethics, morality is based on religion of good works.

f.          Culture and society are ruled by the devil, the world, and sin.

 

3.        Judas was also echoing what Jesus’ brothers said to him when they said, “Go to Jerusalem and reveal yourself.”  Judas was saying you are the Messiah it is time to reveal yourself as the conquering king.  He failed to see Jesus as the suffering servant. 

 

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

1.        Now Jesus turns the question around by saying those who love me will obey my teaching. 

Obedience is the key.  You are a soldier.  Obeying God is the highest moral duty. It involves following God's commandments, living according to His principles, and aligning one's actions and choices with His will. This is based on the belief that God is the ultimate authority and source of truth. 

 

2.        So what did Jesus teach?

 

a.        The great commandment of loving God and loving others, Love is the basis for our love and

The Father’s love for us. 

b.       The Kingdom of God with righteousness peace and joy based in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

c.        • “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

d.       • “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

e.        • “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9).

f.          • “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

g.        • “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25).

h.        • “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

i.          • “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1).

 

3.        The Lord will come this is a reference to Christ’s resurrection.  He will make His home with them and in them.  This is part of the blessed hope.  Remember they are not going to be alone.  Jesus is continuously assuring them.  The Holy Spirit is going to reside, comfort, empower, enable, and anoint them.

24 Anyone 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.

1.        Jesus makes it clear that if you don’t obey you do not love Him.  Love is the key component, and it has action with it.  Obedience comes from knowing that God loves you and you love him in return. A lot of people think obedience is about fearing God, but God wants us to see obedience to him as a relationship of love. And out of love comes trust.

2.        The words that they have heard both in the past and now are not from Jesus only.  They have their origin with the Father.  Jesus was earthy messenger, communicator and proclaimer of the words and message of the Father.  They worked in together and in conjunction with each other, 

3.        Jesus was sent because of a manmade and eternal problem.  Sin had its origin in man and had an eternal consequence.  Jesus the eternal man solved this problem and in a few short hours he was going to solve it