Yardley United Methodist Church
May 10, 2026
  • Love Divine All Loves Excelling
  • Mighty To Save

      • John 14:15–26NRSVUE

      • 1 Peter 3:13–22NRSVUE

      • John 14:15–26NRSVUE

      • 1 Peter 3:13–22NRSVUE

      • John 14:15–26NRSVUE

      • 1 Peter 3:13–22NRSVUE

  • Title: Good Spirit, Good Life

    Scripture: John 14:15–26 & 1 Peter 3:13–22

    1: Love Made Visible

    In John 14:15, Jesus establishes a foundational truth for His followers: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments".
    This call to obedience is not merely about keeping a rigid list of ethical rules or reciting commandments from a safety deposit box; it is fully integrating Jesus' expectations into our way of life.
    Obeying Jesus essentially means copying the example of Jesus, who modeled perfect love and obedience to the Father.
    Christ promises a magnificent reward for this devotion, saying that the Father will love the obedient believer, and both the Father and the Son will come and make their home with them. This is not a promise of future reward but a daily reward of the very real presence of our heavenly Father.
    Practical Application: Take time to reflect on your daily actions and decisions. Ask yourself, "Are my actions a reflection of my love for Christ?" True faith is a way of life, so practice aligning your everyday responses—how you treat your family, your coworkers, and your community—with Jesus' example of love.
    Transition: However, Jesus knows perfectly well that we cannot maintain this standard of love and obedience on our own. This reality brings us to His incredible promise of a divine helper.

    2: The Promise of the Advocate

    Because loving Jesus and keeping His commands requires a resource of divine proportions, Jesus prayed that the Father would give us "another Advocate" (or Paraclete) to be with us forever.
    This Paraclete functions as a strengthening companion and a Spirit alternate for Jesus' physical presence, teaching us all things and reminding us of everything Jesus said.
    Jesus offers a deeply comforting promise to His disciples who were fearing abandonment: "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you".
    This Spirit of truth is unrecognized by the world, but He abides with believers and dwells internally within them.
    Practical Application: Lean on the Holy Spirit of Christ as your inner resource for good. When you feel lonely, "orphaned," or overwhelmed by the world's demands, take a moment in prayer to ask the Spirit for guidance, truth, and the strength to live faithfully for God.
    Transition: Empowered by the Holy Spirit living within us, we are given the spiritual fortitude to face an often-hostile world with an unshakeable, living, and defensible hope.

    3: A Living, Defensible Hope

    The Apostle Peter reminds us that even if we suffer for doing what is right, we are blessed by God, and we should not fear human intimidation.
    Instead of letting fear rule our hearts, we are instructed to "sanctify Christ as Lord," recognizing His complete control over our lives, acting in humility to God as Christ did.
    We must always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for the reason for our hope, but we must do so with gentleness, humility, and reverence toward God.
    By maintaining a good conscience and righteous conduct, those who slander us will ultimately be shown to be false.
    Practical Application: Prepare your "defense" of faith. If someone questions your beliefs or opposes you, do not respond with anger or harshness, which will hurt your cause and your soul. Instead, be ready to share your reasoned hope in Christ with a gentle spirit and a clear conscience.
    Transition: How can we maintain this confident hope and clear conscience in the face of suffering? We can do so because of the ultimate, cosmic victory that Christ has already accomplished on our behalf.

    4: The Ultimate Victory of Christ

    Christ suffered for sins "once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God".
    Though He was put to death in the flesh, He was made alive by the Spirit and went on to proclaim His absolute victory over even disobedient, imprisoned spirits.
    Just as Noah was brought safely through the waters of the flood, baptism now saves us; it is not the physical removal of dirt, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus.
    We can have total confidence because Jesus has ascended into heaven, sitting at the right hand of God, with all angels, authorities, and powers in absolute submission to Him.
    Practical Application: No matter what personal struggles or worldly opposition you face right now, take courage in knowing that Christ has secured the final victory. Trust that our reigning Lord, has conquered death, subjected all powers to Himself, and holds your future securely in His hands.
    Summary: Our hope is built on a relationship of love and obedience to the way of Jesus Christ. Because we could never walk this path alone, He has gifted us the Holy Spirit—the Advocate—to dwell within us and empower us. Armed with this divine presence, we do not need to fear the intimidation of the world. Instead, we can gently and respectfully share our hope with others, anchored by the reality that Christ died for our sins, rose in victory, and now reigns supreme over all creation. Because He lives, we also shall live.
    A Mother's Day Blessing:
    As we close our service today, we want to take a special moment to recognize and bless the mothers among us.
    Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of motherhood. Just as Your Holy Spirit acts as our Advocate and Comforter, we thank You for the women in our lives who have advocated for us, comforted us, and guided us in truth. We pray a special blessing over every mother here today. Grant them the daily presence of Your Spirit, that they may parent with wisdom, gentleness, and enduring hope. We also pray for those for whom this day brings grief—those mourning the loss of a mother, those yearning to be mothers, and those experiencing fractured relationships. May Your promise to 'not leave us as orphans' be a profound comfort to their hearts today.
    May the Lord bless you, keep you, and make His face shine upon you.
    Happy Mother's Day, a roses are available for each of all of our biological and spiritual mothers present among us today, go out today remembering God’s nurturing love and walk in the peace of Christ. Amen.
  • Spirit Of The Living God
  • The Doxology
  • Enough
Yardley United Methodist Church
office@yardleyumc.org
(215) 493-3345
https://www.yardleyumc.org
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