Listen here.

John 14:23-31

²³ Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. ²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, ³¹ but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear Johnny, Justin, Evan, Liam, and Michaela,

Today, you confirmed your faith. In the presence of God and this congregation, you acknowledged the gifts of forgiveness, faith, and salvation that God gave you in your baptism. You publically renounced the devil and all his works and all his ways. You confessed your faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You promised to remain faithful to the Word of God – to hear it frequently and faithfully. You promised to live according to God’s Word and to continue and remain steadfast in this confession. You have said that you intend to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from the faith. All of this you have vowed to do by the grace of God.

How do you go about all of this by the grace of God? Good question! Jesus says to you and to all of us, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.”

The natural question for you to ask yourself, then, is, “Do I keep Jesus’ word?” Well, what does it mean to keep someone’s word? We know what is meant by keeping a garden – tilling, watering, fertilizing, seeding, weeding, pruning, etc. But what does it mean to keep someone’s word? It depends, somewhat, on what kind of word(s) that person has spoken.

Now, the whole Bible is God’s Word, and Jesus Himself is the Word who became flesh. So, sometimes, to keep Jesus’ word, you will have to take a stand against what the world is telling you to do. When the Scriptures say, “You formed my inward parts; You knit me together in in my mother’s womb” (Ps. 139:13) or when the Bible says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created Him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:27), to keep those words means that you stand behind them. You hold them to be true – absolutely true. And, my dear confirmands, this will continue to be more and more difficult. This world hates God’s Word, and Jesus calls you to keep it.

What does it mean to keep Jesus’ word? Again, it depends on what the word is. On the one hand, the question, “Do I keep Jesus’ word?” should, be a terrifying question – a deadly question, a killing question. Remember some of the things Jesus has said. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… And, you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:37-39). Because Jesus is giving commands there, to keep Jesus’ word would mean that you should actually do that – that you obey what Jesus says there. Part of keeping Jesus’ word means that you obey what He says.

How about this one: when Jesus says, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:20). Jesus isn’t giving a command there. But He is making a truthful statement. Part of keeping Jesus’ word there would mean that you are always trying to be really, really good.

Or when Jesus says, “You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5:48). To keep that word of Jesus… Well, hopefully when you get to that word of Jesus, you realize that you are in a heap of trouble.

What does it mean to keep Jesus’ word? Well, it depends on what the word is. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t just speak words of crushing, condemning Law. Jesus has more words to say. After Jesus rose from the dead, He kept saying to His disciples, “Peace be with you.” Well, how do you keep that word of Jesus? It isn’t a command, so you don’t have anything to obey. It isn’t something you have to try to do.

When Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” believe that He gives that very peace through His words. Jesus gives that peace because Jesus has taken all your sins. He took those sins to the cross, and He has died for you. He suffered God’s wrath for you. He rose again for you. Believe it. That is probably the best way to understand Jesus when He says, “Keep My word.” Believe it. In fact, all you can do with those Gospel words is simply believe them. Receive them.

So, when Jesus says, “Keep My word,” – it doesn’t matter what that word from Jesus is – believe it. When God has something to say about how this world is ordered, believe that it is true. When God gives you a command to obey, believe that you must do it. Believe that it is in your best interest to follow it. When Jesus gives you a Gospel promise, believe it. Trust it. Bank your life now and even your eternity upon it.

Keep Jesus’ word. Believe what He says to you. And thank God that He has sent the Holy Spirit to bring to remembrance all that Jesus has said to you. So hear what Jesus says to you.

Jesus’ word to you is, “Your sins are forgiven.” Keep, believe that word of Jesus.

Jesus’ word to you is, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Keep, believe that word of Jesus.

And today, Jesus’ word to you is, “Take, eat. This is My Body given for you. Take, drink. This is My Blood shed for the forgiveness of your sins.” Keep, believe that word of Jesus.

Jesus’ word to you is, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Keep, believe that word of Jesus.

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.” Johnny, Justin, Evan, Liam, and Michaela, keep all the words of Jesus – both Law which kills you and your sinful self, and Gospel which raises you to everlasting life. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.