Powerful words said by Jesus to His disciples, His followers and His Church. Such words could not have come at a right time as we look forward to Ascension Day on Thursday 14 May.
Please join us at St Michaels Anglican Church as Weltevreden meet for worship at 7pm. Remaining in the gracious loving space of God Is a fundamental decision we must all make. It is a choice we must make based on the truth that He has lovingly forgiven us and declared us to be His own. Not only that, He still conveniently committed to the fact that there is no sinner too vile to be pardoned and there is none so righteous as not to need it.
This whole chapter of John’s gospel has such passionate and pleading words from Jesus “remain in me,” remain in my love, remain in the vine. The whole chapter is covered with the litany of such pleading words to us.
He continues to say “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love.”
He pleads with us to remain in His love so that “my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
He also asks us to remain in his love because He trusts us as His friends, and He says, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his masters business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Another powerful promise made by Jesus’ plea to remain in His love is “the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” Such promises include protection, guidance, wisdom, comfort etc.
Of course, at times, life is full of daily trials and tribulations that cause doubts, despair and hopelessness. Sometimes we even begin to wonder if God truly hears our cries. But, may I pastorally say, God is faithful to all His promises, and His word encourages us to hold fast to His promises in times of doubt, loneliness, discouragement and adversity.
May such promises of God soak into your hearts and may His comforting hope of His goodness renew our faith as we remain in His love always.
Blessings always Jacob