When Jonathan was praying, he said, give us ears to hear. This is not my text, but I'd like you to turn to Luke chapter 14. Verse 35, the last sentence. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And whenever we hear the gospel, may God give us grace to hear as sinners. And if I don't hear as a sinner, I'm not going to hear at all. The only people who have ears to hear are those people who hear as sinners, not as critics, not as judges, but as sinners. May God give me the grace to always hear as a sinner. Would you turn to John chapter 14? I want to read one verse of scripture. verse 15. If you love me, keep my commandments. If you love me, keep my commandments. If presupposes that some do not, if you love me, there are many who do not. And that's the testimony of scripture. As a matter of fact, the natural man has no love for the Lord Jesus Christ. He may claim to have a love for his conception of Christ, but I'm talking about this Christ of scripture. The natural man has no love for him. So when he says, if you love me, it presupposes that many have no love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Now Paul was a man who loved men. He went this far, and I'll never understand this, in Romans chapter nine he said, I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bear me witness by the Holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, for I could wish that myself were cursed from Christ if they would hear. Now can you imagine that? He said if they would hear, I could wish, now I think he knew it could never happen, but he still said this, I could wish that I myself were cursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh. Now is there any doubt that he loved men? And yet he closed the first epistle of Corinthians with these words, if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema Maranatha, let him be damned upon the return of the Lord. Those are sobering words, aren't they? The thought of not loving Christ, actually it's monstrous. It's what we are by nature. The carnal mind is enmity against God. It takes a monster to not love Christ and we were all born monsters. And there's two ways that I could say this. If you love me, keep my commandments. If you love me, keep my commandments. There's a different emphasis, isn't there? If I say, or if you said it like this, if you love me, the emphasis is on my love, isn't it? And anytime I start thinking of my love, I know that it's not as great as it should be. It's not as passionate as it should be. It's not as strong as it should be. If I think of my love, I don't feel good about my love. But I love the emphasis, if you love me. Don't so much think about the strength of your love. Think of Him. If you love me. my commandments. Now the issue always has been, is, and always will be, Jesus Christ Himself. If you love me, keep my commandments. Now I'm going to read several scriptures out of the Gospel of John that gives us some idea of who this one is who says, if you love me, keep my commandments. Like I said, I'm not going to make many comments. I just want us to see the glory of this person who says this. John 1. In the beginning, was the Word and the Word was with God as a distinct person and the Word was God. The same was eternally was in the beginning with God. Now look what it said of this one verse 14 in the same chapter and the Word That word that was with God, that word that was God. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. I love how he's called in Matthew 1.23, Emmanuel, God with us. And you know, this is, if I say I'm for you, that's good. God for us. If I say I'm for you, But if I say I'm with you, that's different. God with us. The word was made flesh. Look in John chapter two, verse 14. Verse 13, in the Jews Passover was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the changers of money sitting These were people who made a living in religion. This is how they made their money. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple and the sheep and the oxen and poured out the changers' money and overthrew the tables. And he said unto them that sold doves, take these things hence, make not my father's house a house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of thine house. hath eaten me up, then answered the Jews, and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing thou doest these things? Give us some kind of proof of who you are. Jesus answered and said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. He was talking about his own death, and he was talking about how he would raise himself from the dead. Now, you're talking about a powerful one. Look in John chapter three. Verse 17, for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned. Now, you know what that tells me? If I believe on him, I am not condemned. But he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God." Look in John chapter four, verse 25. The woman saith unto him, she was so confused, she didn't know what he had been talking about, but she blurts this out almost in exasperation. I know the Messiah cometh. I don't have any idea what you're talking about, but I know the Messiah cometh, which is called Christ. When he has come, he'll tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee, am he. I am the Messiah. Look in John chapter five, verse 16 and therefore did the jews persecute jesus and sought to slay him because he'd done these things on the sabbath day They were going to kill him over this But he answered them my father worketh hitherto on the sabbath day You're condemning me for working on the sabbath day. My father worketh hitherto and I work Therefore, the Jews sought the more to kill him, because not only had he broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said to them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the father do. For what thing soever he doeth, these also doeth the son likewise, for the father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth. And he'll show him greater works than these that you may marvel. For as the Father raises up the dead and quickens them, even so the Son quickens whom he will, for the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which is sent in. Now this is the one who he said, if you love me, keep my commandments. Look in John chapter six, verse 38. For I came down from heaven. Now, hold on for just a second. What if I told you I came down from heaven? you would not believe me. You would think he's either a deceiver or he's crazy and I'm sure people were thinking this of the Lord when he said this. He said this many times in this one sermon at Capernaum. Look what he says, for I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me and this is the father's will which has sent me that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the sun and believeth on him may have everlasting life. And I'll raise him up at the last day. You know when you believe? When you see who he is. If you see who he is, you will believe, there's no doubt about that. John chapter seven, verse 37, that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, lifting up his voice so all could hear, if any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scriptures said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John chapter 8, verse 12. I am the light of the world. Now, this was said in reference to this woman who had committed adultery. She was caught in the very act. And you remember her accusers leaving after the Lord said, he that's without sin among you, let him cast the first stone. And he said to that woman, woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, no man, Lord. He said, neither do I condemn thee. Why? There's nothing to condemn her for. That's why he said that. precious blood was to put away her sin. And as soon as he says that, he says, I'm the light as to how that takes place. How God can be just and justify the ungodly. Look what he says in verse 23 of this same chapter. And he said unto them, you are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I'm not of this world. I said therefore unto you that you shall die in your sins, for if you believe not that I am." You'll notice that he is in italics. This is the same I am that spoke to Moses from the bush. I am that I am. And he says, if you believe not that I am, you will die in your sins. 57 of the same chapter, then the Jews, then said the Jews unto him, thou art not yet 50 years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. John chapter nine. He says to the man who he had given sight to that was born blind, he finds him. Jesus heard, verse 35, that they'd cast him out. And when he found him, he said unto him, dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, thou has both seen him and it is he that talketh with thee and he said lord i believe and he worshiped him john chapter 10 verse 14 i am the good shepherd and know my sheep And am known of mine, as the Father knoweth me, even so know I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring. And they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. In verse 24, then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and you believed on. I told you. and you believe not. The works that I do in my father's name, they bear witness of me. He controlled the weather. He raised the dead. He created matter. He gave sight to the blind. But, he said in verse 26, you believe not because you're not of my sheep. Now notice he didn't say, you're not my sheep because you don't believe. He says, the reason you don't believe is you're not of my sheep. That's what the Lord taught. My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. Verse 30, I and my father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, many good works have I showed you from my father. For which of these works do you stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, for good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Chapter 11, verse 43, and when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, Come forth! And Edith was dead. Came forth. Look in chapter 14, our chapter we began in, verse one. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. And that could just as easily be said, even so believe in me. Do you believe God is sovereign? Believe that with regard to my person. Do you believe God is all powerful? Do you believe that? Believe that with regard to my person. Do you believe God is independent, that he has no needs? Believe that with regard to me. Whatever you believe with regard to the living God as the scripture reveals him, even so, believe also in me. Look what he says in verse nine with regard to himself. Verse 8, Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Now, Philip didn't know what a stupid thing he said. He was saying, if we could just see the Father, we'd be satisfied. Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me. hath seen the Father. Do you know all you'll ever see of the Father is Jesus Christ. He didn't say, he that hath seen me, it's as if he had seen the Father. He said, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. If you love me, keep my commandments, the excellency and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you love me, what did he ask Peter? There at the end of John. Lovest thou me. Don't think about your love or the strength of your love. Think about who he is. Lovest thou me. And Peter could appeal to the omniscience of the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, you know all things. I can't fool you, but you know that I love your person. Every believer, without exception, is a lover of the Lord Jesus Christ. We love his deity. We love his perfect humanity. We love his obedience. We love his beauty. We love his salvation. We love his character. We love all of his attributes. Don't you love the sovereignty of Jesus Christ that he controls everything? Don't you love the power of his blood because of who died? You must be saved if he died for you. Don't you love that? Don't you love the fact that as high and holy as he is, he yet calls himself meek and lowly in heart. And you'll find rest for your souls. What a glorious person is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. If you love me, keep my commandments. Now, I wonder if any of us are feeling a little bit uncomfortable with that. I don't keep his commandments as I should. What does he mean, if you love me, keep my commandments? Admire my commandments. He didn't say have a high view of my commandments. He didn't say try to keep my commandments. He said keep my commandments. Is he talking about the Ten Commandments? Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and have no gods before him. The commandment against idolatry, false imagination with regard to the living God, false views of him, the commandment regarding taking his name in vain. What a glorious God he is that even mentioned his name without the proper reverence deserves damnation. Remembers the Sabbath day to keep it home. That should honor my mother and father and all forms of authority that I've put in place, thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not covet. I love God's holy law, but let me say this about God's law. I love God's law. I respect God's law. I love what Paul said. I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But let me say two things about God's law. Number one, I've not kept one commandment one time. And if you believe you have, You're completely ignorant of what God's law really is, and you're completely ignorant of your own sinfulness. I've not kept one commandment one time. I've kept every one. Because when Jesus Christ kept the law, I did too. He said, thus it becometh us to fulfill All righteousness. Who is the us? All of the elect. Everybody he represented. So when he's talking about keep my commandments, he's not talking about the ten commandments. We love the ten commandments. We realize in ourselves we never kept one. And we realize in Christ we've kept them all and Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. But what's he talking about? Would you turn with me to first John chapter three? If you love me, keep my commandments. Verse 23, and this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us. Now here are the commandments every believer keeps. We don't try to keep these, we keep them. is to believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the second is to love one another as he gave us commandment. Now, question. What does it mean to believe on the name of God's son, the Lord Jesus Christ? What does that mean? Have I believed on his name? Well, this helps me. Romans 10, 13 is a scripture that's quoted often, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. It began actually in Genesis chapter five. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now, the name of the Lord is who he is. It's the person behind the name. It speaks of his attributes. When I call upon the name of the Lord, I'm calling on his name. I'm calling on him to save me by his righteousness. Save me in a way that honors Your righteousness and put away my sin. Save me as an act of Your sovereign will. Your will must be done. Will my salvation. Save me by Your grace. Save me by Your power. Your ability to save somebody like me. You call on all of his attributes to save you. You know you can't save yourself. You know you can't do anything to save yourself. Lord, save me. Save me as an act of your will. Save me by your grace. Save me by your independence. If you gotta look for reason in me before you can save me, I'm in trouble. Simply will my salvation. Save me by your love. Save me by your immutability. Save me by, you're calling upon all of God's attributes to save you. You're so sinful and you're so helpless and you're so weak that the only way you can be saved is if he saves you. And you call on his name. Don't think that's a one-time thing. That's something believers do. Lord, save me by your name, by who you are. Now that gives us some idea of what it is to believe on his name. When you call on his name, you're calling on his glorious attributes to save you, who he is. When you believe on his name, you are relying on who he is, the person represented by that name. Now turn with me real quick to Exodus 33, so you'll see what I'm saying, Exodus 33, or 34, I'm sorry. No, well, 33 and 34. I'm gonna look at some scriptures in that. Verse 18, and he said, I beseech thee, this is Moses speaking to the Lord. He said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he said, I'll make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee. And I'll be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I'll show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Look down in verse five of chapter 34. And the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty. Now that's who it is we're calling upon. His attributes, his gracious, long-suffering, his absolute justice, he'll by no means clear the guilty. Now the only way you can understand that's the gospel, how he can by no means clear the guilty and yet forgive transgression and sins. And look at Moses' response to this revelation of his name. And Moses made haste, verse eight, bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. That's what happens when you find out who he is. There's nothing else to do. You make haste. You bow your head toward the earth and you worship him for who he is. Now, when I am believing on his name, I am relying on his name to save me. I'm relying on his sovereignty to will my salvation. I'm relying on his righteousness to make me righteous. I'm relying on his power to give me the new birth. I'm relying on his immutability, his changelessness, so he won't change his mind and cast me off. I am relying on all he is. It takes all the pressure off when you're just relying on who he is. If you rely on yourself, you're in trouble. but oh, to rely on who he is. Paul said this with regard to him, I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able. Are you persuaded of that? That he's able to save you with no help from you? No contribution from you? He is able to save them to the uttermost. Paul said, I know whom I believed. I'm persuaded he's able to keep that which I've committed to him against that day. Paul, what'd you commit to him? The entire salvation of my soul. If you don't commit to him in the sense of relying on him only, you've never trusted him. You only trust when you commit. You commit the entire salvation of your soul to him. If he doesn't do it all, I won't be saved. Have you committed the salvation of your soul to him believing on his Go back to 1 John chapter 3. While you're turning there, Thou shalt call His name Jesus. For He shall save His people from their sins. We are relying on His name. Now look in 1 John chapter 4, remember the commandment was to believe on His name and love one another as He gave His commandment, verse 7. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. And this was manifested, the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sin. Now look down in verse 16. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, Because as he is, so are we in this world right now. How is he? Perfect, holy, accepted, beautiful, without sin. How he is, that's how we are in this world right now. There's no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he's a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment we have from him, that he who loveth God loveth his brother also. Now, let me say a couple of things about this being a commandment. You are commanded to believe on the name of the Son of God. What if I'm not elect? You are commanded to believe on the name of the Son of God. As a matter of fact, that question, what if I'm not elect, not in your mind. You can't make yourself elect, but you are commanded to believe. on the name of his son. Now if you do, you'll find out God elected you. But you're not to figure out whether or not you're one of the elect. You are commanded to believe on the name of the only begotten son of God. Does he mean me? Do you hear? Yeah, he means you. You are commanded to believe. And your right to believe comes with this. He commands you to. And the ability to believe comes with His command. If He says, believe on Me, He's gonna give you the grace to believe on Him. And you're gonna trust Him only. This is a commandment. I'm commanded to call on His name. I'm commanded to believe on His name, to rest in Him. I'm commanded to love one another. Look what He says in chapter five, verse one. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Do you believe Jesus is the Christ? Do you? Well, if you do, guess what? You've been born of God. That's why you do. Take this for what it says. Anybody that believes Jesus is the Christ is born, birthed of God Almighty. and everyone that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him. Now here we have that love toward the children of God. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous, irksome. heavy, burdensome. We love God when we keep his commandments. And this is not a heavy, burdensome, irksome thing. It's joyful. It's liberating. It's pleasurable. Now when is a commandment not grievous? I can answer that question when salvation's all of grace. Commandment's not grievous. Now I'll tell you when it's grievous. When I'm told before God can do something for me, I'm gonna have to first do this. I'm gonna have to quit this sin, start doing this, I need to be more sincere. Listen to me. If there is anything you give me to do before God will do something for me, that's a grievous, heavy, burdensome commandment that I cannot keep. It's grievous and heavy. Do you know law never produces love? Never. Only resentment. I don't measure up. God's expecting something out of me that I can't provide. I feel sorry for myself. I'm a victim when I hear of something I must first do. You know, the Lord said, all whoever came before me are thieves and robbers. Anything that you think you must do before Christ will do something for you is a thief. and a robber, grievous to be born. Now I'd like to close by you turning to Matthew chapter 11. This is the love of God when we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous. Matthew chapter 11. Now this is what is known as the great invitation. But let me say this. It's not an invitation. It's a commandment. You know, if I'm invited to do something, you're invited. I might think, well, he didn't mean me. But if I'm commanded, I'm coming. If I'm invited to a party, well, it's not a crime for me to not show up. But if I'm commanded, you be there, you be shot. I'll be there. I'll be there. This is a commandment. This is the great commandment. You know, God doesn't offer salvation. He doesn't offer forgiveness. I'm going to offer you forgiveness if you'll just take it. That is so dumb, isn't it? I mean, you don't talk to, we don't talk to that in human terms. I'm going to offer you forgiveness. Will you take it? No, you either forgive or you don't. God forgives. He doesn't offer, he doesn't invite, he commands. This is the word of the king. Now Matthew chapter 11, verse 28. Here is the command. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. The thought of salvation by works is such a burden. It's a burden that you cannot bear. You're heavy laden at the thought of it. You know you can't be saved by what you do. Now that's who he's speaking to. And this is a command. Are you heavy, laden, burdened under guilt and you know you can't make things right? You know that. What does the Lord say? Come to me. And I will give you rest. Rest. There remaineth a rest for the people of God. For he that's entered into his rest hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Now, what is it to rest? It's to cease from your own work. Cease and desist. Over. I can't be saved by my works. To him that worketh not. Would that be you? You know you can't be saved by your works. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly. His faith is calendar for righteousness. Now, the Lord says to everybody, this is a command. Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden. This is talking about that grievous burden. And I will give you rest. Next he says, take my yoke upon you and learn of me. Now there's two yokes spoken of in the New Testament. Do you remember? yoke of bondage, the law. You remember when Peter said to those people in Acts chapter 15, why put you a yoke upon the brethren which neither we nor our fathers was able to bear? That is this unbearable, grievous yoke of salvation by what you do. Not salvation by what he did, but salvation by what you do. But he says, take my yoke upon you. This yoke's so easy. It's so light because he bears all the weight of it. And he's just joining you to himself. My yoke is easy. It's gracious. That's the word, gracious. My burden is light, not grievous. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I Now, remember the way we were seeing him described in John chapter 8? God, equal with the Father. What does he say of himself? I am meek and lowly in heart. This is the glorious Lord Jesus Christ. You come to me and unburden your heart, and I'll be looking down my nose at you. And if I come to you and unburden my heart, you'll be looking down your nose at me too. Here's the one person you can come to and be received completely because he is meek and lowly in heart. And you will find rest unto your souls. The rest of not working. Why do you not work? It's finished. It's done. It's accomplished. There's nothing for me to do. He did it all. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. In John or in Romans chapter 15 verse 13, Paul spake of the joy and peace of believing. Believing on His name. There's joy. All God requires of me, I have. He looks at His Son for it. There's peace. He made my peace with God. Oh, isn't it wonderful that His yoke is easy, His burden is light, And it's not grievous to keep His commandments by His grace. If you love me, keep my commandments, believe on my name, and you love one another as I said to you. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that's in Him. How we thank you for His yoke that's easy and light, how we thank you that salvation is so utterly by your grace, our acceptance is in Christ that your commandments are not grievous, they're glorious. Bless this message for your glory and our good and continue to meet with us according to your will. In Christ's name we pray, amen. Jonathan. Thank you, Todd. On our last verse, if you and Lynn would head back to the back so we make sure that we catch you on the way out. We want to make sure to see it. If you would stand and turn to page 393 with me. Page 393, take my life and let it be. Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love, at the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee. Take my voice and let me sing always only for my King, always only for my King. Take my lips and let them be filled with messages for thee. Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold, not a mite would I withhold. Take my love, my God, I pour, at thy feet its treasure store. Take myself, and I will be ever only all for thee, ever only all for thee.