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Because “Love One Another” is difficult
(John14:15-24)
Mari Yoshino
Today we continue with the Gospel of John, reading from 14:15-24. Let’s quickly begin by reading the first verse. John 14:15.
A. “Love one another”
1. If we receive Jesus’ love and love Him (15)
15 “If you love me, keep my commands.
Jesus’ commandment was stated a little earlier. It’s 13:34.
13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
“Love one another.” This is the command Jesus gave us. I don’t think anyone would oppose this command, whether they believe in Jesus or not. I believe everyone would agree that if we could live loving one another in this world, it would be a wonderful thing.
But many people know how difficult it is to truly love one another in reality. We repeatedly fail even in loving our own families, while discrimination and exploitation persist throughout society, and wars continue to rage around the world.
Nevertheless, Jesus said, “If you love me, love one another.” And he taught, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” What we understand from this is that receiving Jesus’ love and offering love to Jesus become the key to enabling us to love one another.
So how can we receive Jesus’ love? That is what Jesus teaches us in today’s passage. First, let’s read verses 16-17.¥
2. Because the Holy Spirit is with us as our “advocate” (16-17)
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Jesus says here that He will send “another Advocate.” The word translated as ‘Advocate’ is a rare term used only by John in the New Testament. It refers to someone who defends you in court. This person was not necessarily a legal expert; often it was a friend, and it can simply mean “someone who helps you.”
This “Advocate” is called the “Spirit of Truth.” Verse 26, which we will read next time, states:
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
This “Advocate” is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Jesus. He enables us to understand God and receive the words of Jesus. Because He teaches us God’s truth, He is the “Spirit of Truth.”
However, Jesus says something curious here. Though giving the Holy Spirit to the disciples should still be a future event at this point, He says this:
But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
It is said that the disciples already knew about the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit was already within them. This is the mysterious aspect of the Holy Spirit’s work. If we are interested in and drawn to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is already working within us at that very moment. Even if you cannot perceive the Holy Spirit’s presence yourself, if Jesus’ words are beginning to resonate in your heart, it means the Holy Spirit is already within you.
Then conversely, what does it mean that “The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him”? It means that the Holy Spirit cannot work in those who have no interest in Jesus and think they have nothing to do with Him. The power of the Holy Spirit does not reach those who are convinced they are righteous and feel they have no need for God’s help. However, since the Holy Spirit also sees the deep thirst within our hearts, He will undoubtedly work in those who hunger and thirst for God’s love, even if they themselves are unaware of it.
The Holy Spirit, unlike God the Father and Jesus Christ, is perhaps the most difficult to understand within the Trinity. Yet, as we’ve discussed, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ and acts as God’s representative, our closest friend who helps us. Therefore, while we need not strictly distinguish the Holy Spirit from Jesus Christ and God the Father, it is the Holy Spirit’s work to teach us about God and Jesus Christ. This is something only the Holy Spirit can do, and through it, He teaches us that there is power beyond human strength. The miracles where God’s love heals relationships, where hope springs forth where there was only despair—these are the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Crying out to Jesus, trusting in God—these things are impossible for us without the Holy Spirit’s help.
Jesus asked the Father to send the Holy Spirit to be with us forever. Otherwise, we could never possibly keep His command to love one another. The Holy Spirit will remain with us forever, helping and guiding us always, unless we reject Him. When we hit a wall in loving one another, all we need to do is ask the Holy Spirit for help. The Holy Spirit should grant us the humility to acknowledge our own faults, the heart to forgive others’ mistakes, and astonish us with work beyond imagination.
Now, let’s move on to the next point. The second thing necessary to receive God’s love. This is the most important thing, as it is the prerequisite for seeking the Holy Spirit’s work. Let’s read verses 18-20.
3. Because we are given a new life by Jesus’ death (18-20)
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
Jesus said, “I will come to you.” This is thought to refer to when Jesus, after dying on the cross, rose again and came to meet His disciples. A little further on in chapter 16, He also said this:
16:22 …I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
Considering today’s theme, the reason we can love one another is because the joy spoken of here has taken hold of us. The joy the disciples felt upon reuniting with Jesus, risen from the dead, connects to the joy we experience when we decide to believe in Him. It is the joy of knowing that God, who created this world, truly came into it as a man named Jesus and gave His life for us. It is the joy of knowing that the One who created us has not forgotten us, but loves us. No one can take this joy away from us.
And furthermore, this joy is also the joy that through Jesus’ death, our sins are forgiven and new life is given to us. Jesus knows all our weaknesses and mistakes, and He bore them all on the cross and died. This is so we may live forgiving one another in God’s forgiveness and mercy, no longer bound by those things. Therefore, no matter how many times we stumble, we are permitted to rise each time, and the strength to rise is given to us. This is because we are made alive by Jesus’ death, and just as Jesus rose from the dead, we too are made alive even when we are as good as dead.
The fact that Jesus is the Son of God, and that God gave up His Son’s life so He could be with us, can never be undone. Jesus dwells within those who accept that His death was for them, and such people can be said to live in Him. Regarding this, let us read verses 21-24 at the end.
B. God dwells within those who love Him (21-24)
21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” 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. 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.
Judas’ question to Jesus, who had revealed Himself as the Messiah, the Savior of the whole world, was this: If You are the Messiah, why do You not make Yourself known to the whole world, rather than just to a few people? At first glance, Jesus’ response seems inadequate. But considering why Jesus came into this world reveals His true intent. As mentioned earlier, what Jesus most wanted to convey to us at the cost of His life was this: just as He loved us, we must love one another. This is something Jesus alone cannot accomplish; it has no meaning unless we do it. It is only within our mutual love that Jesus’ love lives and God’s love is revealed to the world. Even though Jesus is the Savior Messiah, He did not seek to make Himself widely known to the world because His salvation is not something completed by Jesus alone. It is something carried out by those who love Jesus and love one another. Within our mutual forgiveness and love, Jesus is present, and there lies our salvation.
Jesus said, “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.” God dwells within those who love Him. This also signifies that God’s truth and love are increasingly revealed in abundance to those who love God and love one another. When we love one another, both Jesus and God are present there. God teaches us more about Himself and dwells within us as we love one another. God’s love is always poured outward; it never remains confined within. If we are receiving God’s love, we should love God and love one another.
(Prayer) Lord Jesus, we deeply remember once more that You came into this world and gave Your life for us, and we offer You our thanks. May we receive anew the joy of Your love poured out without reserve. And by that love, transform us. Pour out Your Spirit upon us. Holy Spirit, we rely on Your power. Please help us to love one another. Enable us to entrust to You what we cannot see ourselves, and to wait expectantly for Your work. Lord Jesus, we pray in Your name. Amen.
Summary
“Love one another.” This is what God desires and commands of us. Yet, the reality of human weakness and sin is that even when we want to obey this command, we cannot. God knew this too, so He came into this world as Jesus, bearing all our sins on the cross and dying, so that we could start over again and again. Furthermore, He also made it possible for us to know God’s work beyond our own strength by being with us as the Holy Spirit. When we are transformed by God’s love and love one another, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all present there together.
For Discussion
1) What does it mean that the Holy Spirit is our “advocate”?
2) What is the joy of seeing Jesus?