John 14:21-26

John 14:21-26

1. We learn that keeping Christ’s commandments is the best test of love to Christ.
2. We learn that there are special comforts laid up for those who love Christ and prove it by keeping His words.
3. We learn that part of the Holy Spirit’s work is to teach and to bring things to remembrance.

"Good feelings and desires are useless if they are not accompanied by action. They may even become mischievous to the soul, induce hardness of conscience and do positive harm. Passive impressions which do not lead to action, gradually deaden and paralyze the heart. Living and doing are the only real evidence of grace."

"If we want to be eminently happy, we must strive to be eminently holy."

"Do we complain that though we read and hear, we seem to lose as fast as we gain? Let us pray daily for the help of the Holy Spirit. He can bring things to our remembrance. He can make us remember old and new things. He can keep in our minds the whole system of truth and duty and make us ready for every good word and work."

Questions:

1. Jesus declares that if we love him, we will obey his commandments. Ryle warns that good feelings and desires are useless if they are not accompanied by action, and that they may even become mischievous to the soul by inducing hardness of conscience and thus do positive harm. We need to ask ourselves: does our love for Christ evidence itself in how we live, or does it remain primarily in the realm of our feelings? Could it be said of us, like the Paul to the Colossians, that others have heard of our faith and love?
2. Jesus gives the deep promise that those who obey his commandments will be loved by him, and that the Father and Son will come and make their home in that person. Ryle points out that the reason so many Christians are unhappy as they walk the narrow road to heaven is that they do not attend as strictly to Christ's practical sayings and words; that there is too much loose and careless obedience to Christ's commandments. Are we those in this 'unhappy' category? If so, does Ryle's diagnosis prove correct in that we are loose with obeying Christ?
3. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to help bring remembrance of all He has said. Ryle declares that this promise is not just for the 11 apostles but for all believers at all times. He asks us if we are aware of spiritual ignorance or if we find our memory of spiritual things defective? If so, is it also true that we have not been asking the Holy Spirit for His help in being taught and remembering what we have been taught? May it not be said that we have not because we ask not!