March 1, 2026

Obedience - John 14:15-31 - Rev. Justin Young

Main Idea: Obedience surrenders and fights.

How do we cultivate obedience?

• Pursue Spirit empowerment (vv. 15-21)
• Avoiding worldly detours (vv. 22-31)

Announcements

🌏 Global Spotlight: GLEC - Central Asia Ministry

This Week's Bible Reading

• March 2 - Proverbs 2; Revelation 18
• March 3 - Proverbs 3; Revelation 19
• March 4 - Proverbs 4; Revelation 20
• March 5 - Proverbs 5; Revelation 21
• March 6 - Proverbs 6; Revelation 22

(Complete plan here.)

Growth Group Guide

1. What do you remember from the pandemic in terms of online gatherings?
2. Read John 14:15-21. What do you learn about the Holy Spirit -- particularly as it pertains to obedience?
3. Some Christians functionally live as if there is no Holy Spirit. What might that look like, and do you see that in your own life?
4. Read John 14:22-31. What do you learn about the world?
5. What two types of peace does Jesus contrast in v. 27? Give examples of worldly peace, and then detail how Jesus’s peace is better.
6. What do you find most difficult about obeying the Lord?
7. How is obedience a good thing?

Lenten Family Devotional

The days are getting longer!

Each day we add two to three minutes of light. While some of the "I am" statements of Jesus require an explanation to modern people (e.g., "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11) and "I am the true vine" (John 15:1)), light is universally understood.

What are characteristics of light? That is, what does light do?

READ John 1:1-9

John begins his Gospel with an allusion to the creation account in Genesis where “God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3). From the very beginning, light and life are connected -- a theme that John revisits in his opening verses. John then makes the astonishing statement that, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” (John 1:9)!

How will the world respond to this true light?

READ John 3:19-20.

After Jesus's conversation with Nicodemus (at night!), John reveals how the world responds to this true light: “people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19) Indeed, light not only creates and nourishes, but it also exposes (v. 20) -- and this is why people love darkness over light.

This tension continues throughout John's Gospel.

READ John 8:12; 9:1-5.

Jesus, as the light of the world, gives light and life to a man who walked in darkness. However, even this miracle raises the ire of the authorities. Truly, while darkness cannot overcome the light, it still may not welcome the light!

During this Lenten season, ask the Lord to shine his light on areas of darkness in your life remembering that while his light exposes our sin, it also brings life.

PRAY the following aloud as a group

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities that may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (The Book of Common Prayer (2019))

READ the following and MEMORIZE the first three verses:

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him." For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:14-18)

SING the Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.