John 14:15 continues Jesus' dissertation to His most faithful followers. They are in the Upper Room where they have just celebrated the Passover, the annual commemoration of when the angel of death passed over the homes of the Hebrew children in the land of Egypt during that final fateful plague that finally elicited the "Go" directive from Pharaoh.
The room is dark, except for a few flickering candles, and even that light is waning.... And in those final moments alone together, before all hell breaks loose, Jesus gives them comfort that doesn't make sense to them then - but will later on.
However, His first words define love as an action verb, and specifically identify where the rubber meets the road. "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." That one sentence defines and encapsulates Christian commitment. His commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.... We cannot say we love God and not love our neighbor. And who does the Bible teach us our neighbor is? Even our enemy! Following Jesus demands demonstrating caring for others at the level of their needs, but always with the message included that the reason for the loving care comes from God's heart. Christian service has to first and foremost have the Christian part attached.... There are a lot of humane and philanthropic ventures that meet human needs - but fail to meet the greatest need, the soul's need for the Savior.... A bit of a bunny trail - - but true.
Then Jesus tells them about the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. Jesus makes it very clear that the Holy Spirit is Him! He tells them, "You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." Who dwelled with them? Jesus! Now He was clearly telling them He would dwell in them! He reiterates that reality in verse 20: "In that day (when He gives the Helper to be with them) you will know that I am in the Father, and you are in me, and I in you."
When we ask Jesus to come into our heart and life, we are really inviting Him into our soul and life - but He truly comes to dwell in us, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus explained that clearly. He is in the Father, we are in Him, and He is in us! Christ in me, the hope of glory!
And then He gets right back to the practical pedal-to-the-metal living: "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."
And further, "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."
That's enough for me to munch on for today.... I just had a text request for prayer a few moments ago - - and need to go, so I'll finish this chapter tomorrow! ("If the good Lord's willing and the creek's don't rise," as my earthly dad always used to say....)
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