Dear Christian friends:

Love between a husband and wife in marriage often wanes and dies. The same can happen between ourselves and Jesus. Jesus wants to keep our love for Him alive, warm and growing. Jesus warned the church at Ephesus because their love for Him had waned. (Rev. 2:5) How about you? Has your love for Jesus faded?

On the evening before He died Jesus talked much to His disciples to keep their love for Him alive and warm. Our text is part of that talking. Let's attend to it today and see how


I. Jesus strengthens our love for Him by coming to live in us.

A. He and the Father make their home in us.

In our text Jesus says, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make our abode with him." (verse 23) Jesus and the Father make Their home with us. Really Jesus lives in our heart. Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus, "that Christ may live in their hearts by faith." (Ephesians 3:17) And Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup (fellowship) with him, and he with Me. (Revelations 3:20)

Jesus cones and lives in our heart and increases our live for Him. Paul writes, "I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in Me: and the life which I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) Because Jesus lived in His heart Paul loved Jesus and lived only to serve His dear Savior. He writes, "I live for Christ and if I die that's better." (Philippians 1:21)

B. Jesus lives in us through His Word. How the Word comes to us.

When He lived here on earth Jesus Himself taught His disciples. (verse 25) But when He ascended into heaven He no more Himself would teach them. Jesus says to His disciples, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, he shall teach you all things and help you remember whatever I have said to you." (verse 26) The Holy Spirit helped the twelve apostles remember all the things Jesus had taught them. Then they wrote it in the New Testament for us to read and study. In that way Jesus, through the Bible teaches us today. And by His teaching us our love for Him grows strong.

Jesus says in our text, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words." (verse 23a) As we learn more and more about Jesus our love for Him increases. Today we honor our mothers. Why? We love our mothers. My love for my mother increases as I grow older. When I was young I did not love my mother much. But after I married and had my own children I learned how much work and responsibility mothers have. Through learning about a mother's work I learned to appreciate my mother more, and love her more. The same with Jesus! As we learn more about Jesus' loving work for us we love Him more and more. Therefore, let Jesus teach you through His Word. We who love Jesus value His Word and hear it often and study it.

II. Jesus also strengthens our love for Him by giving comfort to us.

Jesus comforts us by giving us peace. He says, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you." (verse 27a) Jesus has a special, wonderful peace for us. It's not the same as peace in the world, peace between nations or peace between neighbors. Such peace does not last long and is often broken by quarrels, violence and war. Jesus' peace does not depend on the world conditions or situations. His peace is a peace in the heart and mind. Peace with God because God loves us and forgives our sins and promises us eternal life. Jesus says, Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (verse 27c) There may be wars and terrible happenings all around us, but we are not worried or afraid. We have Jesus' special, wonderful peace. This special peace gives us much comfort.

We also have comfort because Jesus has ascended into heaven to sit at God's right hand to rule over His church and over the world events. Jesus said to His disciples, "If you loved Me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I." (verse 28b) Sitting at God's right hand He will have God's power. He will be the king. Nothing can happen without His permit. St. Paul believed that Jesus ruled over all events that happen here on earth. Even when he was in prison he did not complain or worry. He wrote to the Christians at Ephesus, "I am the prisoner of Jesus Christ" - not "I am the prisoner of Rome or Nero." Although he really was the prisoner of that evil Emperor, Nero, Paul knew and believed that Jesus permitted that to happen to him. Most people see prison as bad luck or pain, but Paul saw prison as privilege to suffer for Jesus and as an opportunity to preach the Gospel to other prisoners and to the guards and slaves of Nero's palace. Jesus sitting at God's right hand and ruling was great comfort to Paul. And it is also a great comfort to us when we have bad times. We know Jesus permitted that to happen.

We also have comfort because Jesus will come again to take us home to heaven. He says to His disciples, "I go away and come to you again. (verse 28a) In Coalinga this week many peoples’ homes were destroyed by the earthquake and sometimes fire destroys a home or flood. But we Christians don't worry too much if we lose our home here on earth. We have a better home in heaven. Jesus promises, "In My Father's house are many mansions...I go to prepare a place for you." Wonderful comfort Jesus gives to us!

Jesus comforting us strengthens our love for Him. Without that support and comfort love wanes and dies. Jesus comforts us in every trouble and need and our love for Him stays alive and grows stronger.

Our love for Jesus need not die. He has given us a plan here to help our love stay alive, warm and growing: He lives in us! He teaches us! He gives comfort to us in time of need and trouble!

Amen.