Fuel for the Journey
Ten Commandments
May 12, 2024
Rev. Tim Sharpe
In John 14 Jesus calls us to prove our love by keeping his commandments, and he empowers that obedience through God's initiating love, the Holy Spirit's ongoing help, and the hope of resurrection, a hope we taste and renew in Communion.
Summary
This sermon, beginning a series on why we follow God's law, centers on John 14 where Jesus links love and obedience: if we love him we will keep his commandments. The preacher emphasizes that obedience is not merely human effort but is rooted in God's prior love, sustained by the Holy Spirit who teaches and reminds us, and animated by the hope of resurrection life. Our fellowship is a foretaste of heaven that should motivate holiness, and the Lord's Supper is a means by which we discern our worthiness through Christ's blood and receive the help we need. The message concludes in prayer, asking the Father to empower our obedience by his Spirit as we live toward the promise of eternal life.
Key Points
- Series focus: exploring why we follow God's law, starting from John 14
- Key questions: What does obedience look like practically? By what power can we obey? What fuels our obedience?
- Core text: Jesus teaches that love for him is shown by keeping his commandments
- Foundational truth: God loved us first; obedience is a response within an ongoing relationship initiated by God
- Helper promised: The Holy Spirit is given to remind, teach, and enable us in obedience (John 14:16)
- Hope: Jesus' resurrection promises life beyond the grave and should animate our pursuit of holiness
- Means of grace: Communion calls us to discern the body, acknowledges Christ's making us worthy, and strengthens our obedience
- Closing: A prayer asking the Father to empower our love and obedience by his Spirit as we live toward the hope of heaven
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