Date: 22/05/2022
Topic: Whoever Loves Me Will Obey My Teachings
Bible Verses:

John 14: 23-24
Jesus answered him, “Whoever loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and my Father and I will come to him and live with him. Whoever does not love me does not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me.


1 Corinthians 9: 23-27
All this I do for the gospel’s sake, in order to share in its blessings. Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize. Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline, in order to be crowned with a wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever. That is why I run straight for the finish line: that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches. I harden my body with blows and bring it under complete control, to keep myself from being disqualified after having called others to the contest.


Philippians 2: 12-15
So then, dear friends, as you always obeyed me when I was with you, it is even more important that you obey me now while I am away from you. Keep on working with fear and trembling to complete your salvation, because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing. So that you may be innocent and pure as God’s perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like star lightning up the sky.


Reflection
We are all running a race to meet our redeemer, that we may have life and have it in abundance. As children of God called to serve, we are expected to proclaim God’s message to the end of the earth. Before the persecution of Jesus Christ, he did prepare his Apostles for the work the were going to accomplish with their life while on earth. His Apostle during His time on earth remained loyal to him and continued to be faithful to their teacher till their death.

They proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ through our their life time, they suffered great persecution for preaching and telling people the truth about Jesus Christ of Nazareth, they welcomed believers into the flock and indoctrinated into the church of Jesus Christ through baptism, the continued to spread the gospel among the believers and non-believers.

The world we live in today is corrupt and inhabited by sinful people, who only delight in doing evil to their fellow humans. These people will revere you for preaching the gospel in their mist because they love evil and can’t even bear to stand and hear the very truth. They say to those who dwell among them that there can be no truth, by so doing they have just acknowledged that there can be no good in this world but only evil. For to be on the side of truth is to stand for good and to be on the side of evil is to completely deny the existence of truth.

That is why they would go to any extent to hurt the children of God, who proclaim the message of their father in heaven, We are all encourage to stand firm in our trials and tribulation. It is not going to be easy to be a Christian and practice your faith, when you have the world against you. Continue in your good works don’t ever give up.

We should always remember that, this was how our Lord and Savior was persecuted even till his death. Same happened to his apostles and christians, who were persecuted because of the gospel. That’s why Jesus tried to comfort up when he said that we should remember: that whenever we are been persecuted, we should stand firm and hold unto him for he was also persecuted and killed by the people of this world. As Christian we should have it at the back of our minds that we are the going to be hated by the world.

Finally, we need to remain stead fast in God’s work, as Christian we are expected to be “Christ like”. Jesus Christ stated in the book of John what he requires of us Christians: “Whoever loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and my Father and I will come to him and live with him. Whoever does not love me does not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me”.

Please let us make effort to show concern for others living among us. May God continue to bless and strengthen you all the days of your life. Amen.