Deeper Rock - Jesus slaps you in the forehead John 14:15
John 14:15 (NLT) — 15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.
This has to be the most abrupt verse in the Bible. Only seven words long it smacks you in the four head with it an inescapable truth. With no preamble or wiggle room Jesus says "if you love me you will obey my commandments." Yet there are so many that call themselves Christians and do not obey Jesus. It must be very frustrating for our Lord. In my imagination I see Jesus singing an old Knight Ranger song. "Don't tell me you love me, don't tell me you love me, don't tell me you love me, I don't want to know." We can lie to ourselves and tell ourselves that we love Jesus even if we’re not doing what he says. But he's not buying it.
Love is a verb and requires some action. If I said I love my wife and constantly ignored her that would not be love. What you do is more important than what you say.
Good news! It is a lot easier than it sounds. Because when you love of Jesus it is easy to obey him. I can hear you saying “that it's not easy and the pastor Scott has been smoking dope.” I can assure you, that I have not been smoking dope. When I love him, I spend time with him. He is my best friend and greatest ally. As I spend time with him I get to know him. And the more I get to know him the more I trust him. So when I look at one of his commands I don’t see it as a way to have less fun. I don't see his commands as a punishment. Rather, I see in his commands the path to true freedom. In keeping his commandments I become the man that he created me to be. Because I love him there is nothing I desire more than to make him proud. Obeying my Jesus is easy because I love him, know him, and trust him.
Sometimes I fail in obeying him but I can honestly say that my heart longs to obey him more and more every day. The more I know him the easier it is and life is more fun like this. His life is adventurous. It is a struggle yes, but it's worth it.
Some Sunday would you visit us at the Rock? I want to see you become all that God created you to be. May the Lord richly bless you and I hope to see you in church on Sunday.
Pastor Scott J Kruse
