Throughout the Gospels, we can see how Jesus taught His disciples about the importance of keeping His commandments and the role of the Holy Spirit in their lives. When reading John 14:15-24, we can see that our Lord put emphasis on the importance of obedience to His commandments. He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (14:15). Here we can see that love and obedience go hand in hand. If we truly love Jesus, we will obey His commands, which include loving God and loving our neighbours as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40).

Second, Jesus promises that He and the Father will dwell with those who love and obey him. He says, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” (John 14:23) This promise speaks to the intimacy and closeness that we can experience with God when we love and obey Him.

Third, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to be with His disciples after He departs from them. He says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.” (John 14:16) This Advocate, or Helper, is none other than the Holy Spirit, who guides and empowers believers to live a life that is pleasing to God.

From these verses, we learn that love for Jesus should be demonstrated through our obedience to His commandments (His teachings), and that the Holy Spirit is available to each of us to help us live out this love and obedience in our daily lives.

When reading the entirety of St. John 14, we get a rich and multifaceted view of Jesus’ teachings and promises, including the importance of obedience, the promise of the Holy Spirit, the power of faith, the reality of God’s presence, and the hope of peace. As we reflect on these verses, we are reminded of the profound love and grace of God, who desires to be intimately involved in our lives and enable us to live for His glory. May we seek to love and obey Him with all our hearts, and may the Holy Spirit empower us to do even greater works for His kingdom.

May God bless you.