24 “He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”
Jesus was pristinely clear – His Words were not His own rather He spoke the Words of His Father. Jesus was God’s Word to humanity speaking decisively through Him.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV)
The issue Jesus came declaring was to obey the commands of His Father – to obey the Father is to come to eternal life. We are to observe the condition as well as to depend upon the promise of our Lord.
“Belief is a truth held in the mind. Faith is a fire in the heart.” Joseph Fort Newton
To reject the Word of God through Jesus would be to abide in death. Indeed, Jesus was the Prophet Moses had prophesized about in Deuteronomy when God spoke through him:
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. Deut 18:18-19 (NIV)
Jesus’ doctrine was by divine revelation - He was neither educated in the schools of the prophets nor taught at the feet of rabbis. He had no need to receive human “wisdom” from man. The Words He spoke were directly from the Father full of grace and truth. We find Jesus stating the following again in John:
16 Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 17 If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him." John 7:16-18 (NIV)
49 “For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” John 12:49-50 (NIV)
10 “Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” John 14:10 (NIV)
As lovers of our Lord Jesus we will obey the teaching He came to proclaim. Where there is no obedience there is no love. Nothing can be plainer than our Lord’s repeated warnings in regards to our obedience to His commands. Without this practical obedience all the profession, talk, knowledge, dutiful church going, feelings, and rampant emotions are worth nothing. Talk is cheap and emotions may sway the soul but never cause one to stand. It is our obedience to His commands alone which is proof of our devotion and love for Jesus. Obedience is an act of the will and can function regardless of how we may feel. We are to live by God’s standards and not the worlds. It is a blessed and high calling. Child of the King, be holy.
“A baptism of holiness, a demonstration of godly living is the crying need of our day.” Duncan Campbell
“A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine.” D.L. Moody