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Today we begin worship with:

John 14:15-17
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

When the disciples saw the overwhelming need of how to feed the large crowd of people who had followed Jesus to a remote location, they had one solution:

Matthew 14:15
Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”

Jesus had another idea:

Matthew 14:16
But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

You know the story.  Jesus then proceeded to stretch what they had to meet all the needs.

Back to our verse for today.  Jesus asks us to “keep my commandments”.  Those that heard it instantly thought of their inability to keep the Ten Commandments, let alone the rest of Law passed down through Moses. How are they going to also “keep” (tēreō) what Jesus had taught them?

Jesus had a solution.

He would send a “Helper” (paraklētos).  Please hear in the Greek the words para and kaleō.  This Helper would come alongside you and speak your name.  He invites you into situations where compassion is needed.  He warns you in circumstances where temptation would exceed your faith.  And He cheers you on to finish the race.

Listen.