Help from on High, Part 1
Series: The Jesus We Need to Know
Preacher: Kevin Smith, Senior Pastor
Sunday Morning
Date: 17th August 2025
Passage: John 14:15-24
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In John 14:15-24, Jesus makes a profound statement four times: 'If you love me, keep my commandments.' This represents a significant shift in understanding discipleship. Jesus isn't demanding cold obedience; He's inviting us into a relationship where obedience naturally flows from love. This mirrors God's approach in the Old Testament, where He first delivered Israel from slavery before asking for their exclusive devotion.Jesus came to deliver us from something far worse than human oppression - the tyranny of sin. He did this out of love, and now He asks for our love in return. This love isn't merely emotional but involves choosing Him as our supreme delight. Yet Jesus knows we can't keep His commandments through our own efforts, which is why He promised the Holy Spirit - another helper of the same kind as Himself. The Spirit takes up residence within believers, enabling us to follow Jesus despite our imperfections.True disciples are those overwhelmed by Jesus' love and beauty, who recognize they don't deserve His mercy but have received it anyway. This creates a genuine desire to follow Him, not out of obligation but out of love. When Jesus calls us to obey, our response should be, 'Yes, Lord, but help me,' acknowledging both our willingness and our need for His strength.
