Obedience is a word that a lot of people are not that fond of hearing. Ask any child if they like to obey their parents, their teachers, and others, and if they are honest, they will frequently say no. Ask adults the same thing, if they enjoy obeying the boss, the government, etc. and the answers will likely be the same. We like to do things our own way, and don’t like restrictions. This even, and sometimes especially, holds true for many people when it comes to obeying God and His Word. People want to live their life their own way, and if they disagree with something in the Bible, they just won’t obey. Our Scripture comes from the final teachings that the Lord Jesus gave His disciples on the night before He would be crucified, that evening when He instituted the Lord’s Supper. Among other things that the Lord taught that night, He spoke about obedience to God and His Word.
There are several results that we can find in our life when we obey the Lord and His Word. One is abiding in His love (vs. 10). Another is receiving His joy (vs. 11). A third is that we will have love for one another (vs. 12-13, 17). Another is that the Lord counts us as His friends, not servants (vs. 14-15). Another is that we will bear fruit for the Lord, and that fruit will remain (vs. 16). And lastly is that we can come to the Father in Jesus’ Name and have answered prayer (vs. 16).
Immediately prior to our Scripture verses for today, the Lord had given the teaching about Him being the vine, and believers being the branches, and our need to abide in Him. As our passage opens, Jesus tells us how the Father loves Him, and how He in turn loves us, and we need to abide in His love (vs. 9). How can we do that? Jesus answers that question in the very next verse, by instructing us that in order to abide in His love, we need to be obedient to His Word (vs. 10). We can continue in His love only as we continue in obedience and faith.
Obedience is an essential aspect of abiding. It is vital that we obey God’s commands if we want fellowship with Him. People who claim to know Jesus as Savior, but who don’t obey Him, are not being honest. Jesus says that love and obedience go together. There is no love if there is no obedience. True believers will obey the Lord’s commands and submit to His Word.
When we obey God’s commandments, we will experience His joy (vs. 11). Joy comes from a consistent relationship with Jesus. When we have that, He will walk through all trials with us. Time spent in the Word of God, and then obeying it, produces lasting joy.
An obedient disciple will also show love for his fellow believers (vs. 12). We are called to show the same kind of sacrificial love that Jesus did towards one another. Every person who trusts in Jesus becomes His friend, and the ultimate proof of His unwavering love is that He laid down His life for whoever would believe.
One very great result of obedience to God, is that when we do obey Him, He considers us His friend (vs. 14-15). Jesus is our Friend, not because of natural interests or experiences, or because we went to college together, or are neighbors. Those friendships can be broken and cause deep hurt. Jesus is our Friend because He came to earth to die for sinners, and is Friend to those who accept Him as Savior, and obey His Word. He knows our sins and weaknesses, and still is our Friend. Jesus is Lord and Master, and should call us servants, but instead, He calls us friends. He is always there for us. We owe Him unqualified obedience.
As this Scripture closes, Jesus tells us that believers were chosen by Him to go forth and bear fruit for Him (vs. 16). We didn’t find the Lord. He wasn’t the one lost. We were lost, and He found us. We were chosen for a purpose, and that is to bear fruit for Him. Jesus chose us, not only for salvation, but also to play a significant role in His kingdom. He wants each of us to fulfill the particular purpose He created.
Lastly, Jesus tells us here that those who are abiding in Him, those who are His friends and are obedient, are able to come to the Father in His Name, and receive answers to prayer (vs. 16). There is power attached to genuine prayer offered in Jesus’ Name. We can approach God in prayer through our relationship with Jesus. His death opened the way for us to have immediate, unhindered admittance to the Father’s present.
Do you want answered prayer? Do you want to abide in the Father’s love? Do you want joy in your life, and be considered a friend of Jesus? All of this can be ours if we only obey God and His Word, the Bible.
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