John 14:15-21 Pastor Nathan P. Kassulke
Sixth Sunday of Easter Sunday, May 17, 2020 “Hold on to Christ’s Commands”
It’s easier said than done. I suppose you could make the case that’s true about almost anything. It is much easier to say something, or to say that you are going to do something, than it is to actually follow through and do it. For example, it’s easy to tell someone, “I will pray for you.” But when our lives and routines and distractions get in the way, it may be difficult to actually do as we’ve said. We’ve learned over the last several weeks that it’s easier said than done to have everyone stay at home. People need food and cleanliness products, and for them to get those things, someone needs to be open to sell them. People need medical attention, and if they are going to get it, someone needs to be available to provide it for them. And, of course, for anyone to purchase the supplies and food that they need, they need to have the money to do that. To have that money, many people need to work at their jobs. It is easier said than done to tell people to stay home and to try to differentiate between what is essential and what is not. It’s easier said than done to make a switch from a traditional school schedule to an online and at-home version. It isn’t the same to have students and teachers meet over Zoom or Skype as it is to have them meet in person. Not all families have enough devices and internet access to have a successful at-home schooling experience. Not all parents have the capability to be at home monitoring their children through such an unusual and unexpected situation. It’s not impossible, but it’s easier said than done. I am not using these examples because I think they were terrible ideas or because I don’t understand the reason behind them. I am not trying to second-guess the policy makers who put them in place. I am simply pointing out that some things sound like they shouldn’t be so terribly hard, but until you really try them, you may not realize just how difficult they are. And then I listen to the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel. I hear him say, “If you love me, hold on to my commands.” And it sounds so simple and straightforward. I do love him, and I want to do what he wants me to do. But I also know this: hold on to Christ’s commands is easier said than done. Jesus knows this, too. He doesn’t give this encouragement all by itself. He promises help. He provides assistance. Today we consider his words and take to heart this imperative: hold on to Christ’s commands, through the Spirit he gives and because he lives. The words of Jesus recorded in our sermon text are words that he spoke to his closest disciples on Maundy Thursday, the day he was later betrayed to those who wanted to kill him. He spent much of his time that evening with his disciples trying to prepare them for what he knew was about to happen. And he told them, “If you love me, hold on to my commands.” And of course he didn’t just mean that they were to remember what he told them to do, but holding on to Jesus’ commands means doing what he says, putting it in to practice. So what are Jesus’ commands? Jesus had given the disciples some specific directions, but his commands to them in general are the same as his commands to all his people, all his disciples. They can be summarized in just two commands: love the Lord your God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 22:37-38). It still sounds simple, doesn’t it? Love God; love others. Serve God; serve others. But this is certainly easier said than done. That was the case for those disciples who would soon after this cower in fear instead of standing firm in faith. They would serve their own self-interests instead of the interests of their Lord and Savior and of their neighbors. And in the same way, it is easier said than done for us. We have the same sinful nature that they had. We have the same sinful nature that was passed on from sinful parents that we saw in the life of Cain who murdered his own brother Abel. And no, that does not mean that we are doomed to repeat what Cain did. But it does mean that we are prone to the same selfishness. It means that naturally our focus is on