FATHERS' DAY:
The Father's Affection (John 14:23)
The Father's Affection (John 14:23)
Dr. Paul Manuel—201
Raising teenagers poses a particular challenge to parents, and a teenage girl can pose a particular challenge to her father, especially as his daughter begins to attract male suitors. It is a challenge a father must meet with measured affection, allowing her the freedom to make certain choices, while not allowing those choices to exceed certain boundaries.
During his last Passover with the disciples before the crucifixion, Jesus has an extended discussion with them about how they will fare in his absence. Jesus has told them that he is going away to be with his Father, and they are puzzled because Jesus describes his future as if it is not the end for him. Peter and Thomas want to know why they cannot follow him. Philip wants to know if they can meet the Father. Jesus says they must remain but that he will send the Holy Spirit in his place. This is all very confusing. Jesus also says they will be privy to special revelation as he makes his messianic identity known to them.
The teacher-student relationship is an important one in first century Judaism, being the primary means of education outside the home. Jews would seek a teacher with whom they could study, and they would meet whatever requisites that teacher demanded, whether academic (the candidates’ already having reached a certain level of learning) or financial (the candidates’ being able to pay for their lessons). Jesus’ expectations from his disciples were different. He seems to care little about their academic background, accepting students with some education, as was likely the case with the taxman Matthew, as well as students with little education, as was likely the case with the fisherman Peter. Jesus also seems to care little about his students’ ability to pay, as his group often operates on a shoestring budget, relying on the generosity of a few benefactors. Jesus is more concerned with his students’ grasp of the subject matter.3 Do they understand what he is teaching them?
One of the important lessons he taught was about the meaning of love. We tend to think of love as an emotion, and it certainly includes that element. As Jesus describes it, though, love is also, perhaps primarily, an action.4 However insistent or persistent may be our declaration of love for a person, more important and compelling is our demonstration of love for that person. This applies to our love for the savior as well.
Jesus is fully aware that some elements of his audience act this way, and he describes them to his disciples.
The relationship between God and His people is not one-sided, where only one party is invested.[15] Yet neither is the relationship necessary to both parties; it is only necessary to us. That is, God does not at all need us, but we most definitely need Him. We especially need His love, and He will show it with an abiding in us.
As you consider your response to Jesus’ challenge, notice what the savior does not say:
You must answer the same question: “Do you love Jesus?” Before you answer though, realize that the response he expects is not merely one of emotion but also one of action: Do you obey Jesus?[16] As you review your performance this past week, in your response to the opportunities you had, did you show yourself to be his disciple?
A child generally loves his earthly parents, including his father, love he can show by obedience. While not all earthly parents are good role models, our heavenly Father never fails to provide the best for us or demand the best from us. Consequently, a Christian will love his heavenly Father, love he can also show by obedience, obedience that will elicit The Father’s Affection.
A father grew increasingly displeased as his teenage daughter and her boyfriend studied in her room late one evening. Finally losing patience shortly after midnight, he knocked sharply on her door. The boyfriend immediately opened it and inquired if something was wrong. “I have to ask you to move your car,” the girl’s father told him. “Oh, sure. Is it in someone's way?” “No,” the father replied… “it’s at the wrong address.”Raising teenagers poses particular challenges to parents and, I suspect that raising us poses particular challenges to God, challenges He, too, meets with measured affection.
During his last Passover with the disciples before the crucifixion, Jesus has an extended discussion with them about how they will fare in his absence. Jesus has told them that he is going away to be with his Father, and they are puzzled because Jesus describes his future as if it is not the end for him. Peter and Thomas want to know why they cannot follow him. Philip wants to know if they can meet the Father. Jesus says they must remain but that he will send the Holy Spirit in his place. This is all very confusing. Jesus also says they will be privy to special revelation as he makes his messianic identity known to them.
John 14:22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”Jesus’ reply, though, does not seem to answer the question but raises yet another issue:
John 14:23 If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.Love is a prominent topic in John’s gospel, and he uses the word (56x) more than all other gospel writers combined (44x).1 It is also a prominent theme in his three epistles (33x), and John repeatedly calls his readers to contemplate the extent of The Father’s Affection for His people.2 For example, the apostle writes in…
1 John 3:1a-b How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!The reason this is such an important topic for John is because Jesus emphasizes it in his instruction.
The teacher-student relationship is an important one in first century Judaism, being the primary means of education outside the home. Jews would seek a teacher with whom they could study, and they would meet whatever requisites that teacher demanded, whether academic (the candidates’ already having reached a certain level of learning) or financial (the candidates’ being able to pay for their lessons). Jesus’ expectations from his disciples were different. He seems to care little about their academic background, accepting students with some education, as was likely the case with the taxman Matthew, as well as students with little education, as was likely the case with the fisherman Peter. Jesus also seems to care little about his students’ ability to pay, as his group often operates on a shoestring budget, relying on the generosity of a few benefactors. Jesus is more concerned with his students’ grasp of the subject matter.3 Do they understand what he is teaching them?
One of the important lessons he taught was about the meaning of love. We tend to think of love as an emotion, and it certainly includes that element. As Jesus describes it, though, love is also, perhaps primarily, an action.4 However insistent or persistent may be our declaration of love for a person, more important and compelling is our demonstration of love for that person. This applies to our love for the savior as well.
I. We must validate our love for Jesus.How do we do that? He answers the question in this passage.
John 14:23a If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.The way disciples validate their love for Jesus is that…
- We must heed Jesus.
Jesus is fully aware that some elements of his audience act this way, and he describes them to his disciples.
Matt 13:13c …though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
Matt 23:3c …they do not practice what they preach.There are several possible motives people might have to obey Jesus, motives that are not necessarily wrong, just not what he expects from his followers:
- On the positive side, at least from their perspective, they hope to receive some benefit, and they view obedience as the way to get what they want.
- On the negative side, again from their perspective, they fear the consequence of disobedience, and they view obedience as the way to avoid what they dread.
Deut 6:3 …be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey….A few verses later, Moses says that obedience does avoid punishment:
Deut 6:24 …obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might…be kept alive….Both are valid incentives to obey. Later, Moses presents a third incentive to obey:6
Deut 11:1 Love the LORD your God and keep…his commands always.This is the same incentive Jesus presents to his followers:7
John 14:15 If you love me, you will obey what I command.Our obedience to Jesus is proof of our love for Jesus. Moreover…
II. God will reciprocate our love for Jesus.…and He will do so in three ways, each way growing progressively more intimately beneficial:
My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and [we will] make our home with him. (John 14:23b)
A. He will show it with an attraction for us.Notice that it is God who initiates the relationship: “My Father will love him.” This is the repeated testimony of scripture, especially in the writings of Paul:8
Rom 5:8 …God demonstrates his own love for us….
2 Thess 2:16b God…loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement….That God would find us in any way appealing is amazing, yet He does. God loves us, and He will show it with an attraction for us. Moreover…
B. He will show it with an approach to us.As God draws near,9 “we will come to him.”10 Moreover, we must do so on such a regular basis, that it becomes apparent to others we are following Him, as if we are ‘stalking’ God (although not in a harassing manner). So Jesus said: “My sheep listen to my voice…and they follow me.” (John 10:27)11 Furthermore, as with love, this closeness to Him is also reciprocal. James states: “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (Jms 4:8) Nothing requires God to give us the least bit of attention, yet He does. God loves us, and He will show it with an approach to us. Moreover…
C. He will show it with an abiding in us.Yet again, God moves first: “We [the Father and the Son] will…make our home with him.” This begins in one direction, with God’s abiding in the believer.12 Jesus said: “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.[13] My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23)[14] This soon becomes a mutual arrangement, with the believer’s abiding in God as God abides in the believer. So Jesus said: “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.” (John 15:5b)
The relationship between God and His people is not one-sided, where only one party is invested.[15] Yet neither is the relationship necessary to both parties; it is only necessary to us. That is, God does not at all need us, but we most definitely need Him. We especially need His love, and He will show it with an abiding in us.
As you consider your response to Jesus’ challenge, notice what the savior does not say:
- His disciple will think about obeying, or
- His disciple will try to obey, or
- His disciple will obey if it is convenient.
You must answer the same question: “Do you love Jesus?” Before you answer though, realize that the response he expects is not merely one of emotion but also one of action: Do you obey Jesus?[16] As you review your performance this past week, in your response to the opportunities you had, did you show yourself to be his disciple?
A child generally loves his earthly parents, including his father, love he can show by obedience. While not all earthly parents are good role models, our heavenly Father never fails to provide the best for us or demand the best from us. Consequently, a Christian will love his heavenly Father, love he can also show by obedience, obedience that will elicit The Father’s Affection.
For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.
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