Love is the Root, Obedience is the Fruit
John 14:15–31
October 19, 2025
Series: So That You May Believe and Have Life – The Gospel of John
Key Themes
• Jesus’s Farewell Discourse: Final teachings before His crucifixion
• Obedience flows from love, not obligation
• The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live out God’s commands
Main Points
1. Obedience is a Response to Love
• “If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15)
• Obedience doesn’t earn love—it expresses it
• Love is the root. Obedience is the fruit
2. The Struggle is Real
• Romans 7:14–25: Paul’s inner conflict between desire and action
• We all fall short—but we’re not left alone
3. The Promise of the Holy Spirit
• John 14:16–17: The Advocate, the Spirit of Truth
• Greek word parakletos = helper, comforter, counselor
• The Spirit is not a lesser substitute for Jesus—He is God’s presence in us
4. The Trinity and Transformation
• God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three persons, one God
• The Spirit indwells believers, enabling transformation and obedience
5. Living in Peace
• John 14:27: Jesus gives peace not as the world gives
• Shalom = wholeness, completeness, well-being
Reflection Questions
• Am I trying to earn what God has already given freely?
• Am I living as though I’m on my own, or relying on the Spirit?
• Is my obedience rooted in fear or in love?
Response Opportunities
Believer:
“Holy Spirit, teach me, remind me, empower me. Help me love Jesus deeply and walk in His ways.”
Seeker:
“Jesus, I trust in Your love. Forgive me. Fill me with Your Spirit and make me new.”
Weary Soul:
“Spirit of God, breathe peace into my soul. I lay down striving.”
Further Study: Understanding the Trinity
(Adapted from Karen Engle, April 24, 2023 – Logos.com)
The Trinity—one God in three persons (Father, Son, and Spirit)—takes us into deep theological waters, where simple math fails us: 1 + 1 + 1 = 1.
While the word “Trinity” doesn’t appear in Scripture, God reveals Himself throughout the Bible as one being in three persons. Understanding this mystery deepens our love for Him.
Selected Bible References
The Trinity Exists in Three Persons
• Isaiah 48:16
• Matthew 3:16–17
• Matthew 28:19
The Father is God
• John 6:27
• Romans 1:7
• 1 Peter 1:1–2
The Son is God
• John 1:1, 14
• Romans 9:5
• Colossians 2:9
• Hebrews 1:8
• 1 John 5:20
The Holy Spirit is God
• Genesis 1:2–3
• Acts 5:3–4
• 1 Corinthians 3:16
There is Only One God
• Deuteronomy 6:4
• Isaiah 44:6
• Isaiah 45:5–6
• 1 Corinthians 8:4
• 1 Timothy 2:5
Quotes on the Trinity
“There was never a God who was not Father and Son together in the unity of the Spirit, coequal, coeternal in the essence of the divine being.”
—Fred Sanders
“To speak of the one God of the Bible is to speak of the Father, Son, and Spirit—they are each God, but they are not each other.”
—Brandon D. Smith
“Christians praise one God in three persons, the blessed Trinity… supreme in being, beauty, and beatitude.”
—Scott Swain
