Beautiful Commandments
OCTOBER 5, 2026
Today we will talk about why obedience is beautiful
SCRIPTURE COLLECTION
Today's Scripture Passage:
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:31-35
Notes & Reflections
In this passage Judas had just left Jesus and his disciples in order to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. When Judas was out of the room, Jesus begins to tell his disciples of his departure and of his glorification. He emphasizes that his disciples won't be able to follow him, and then, he gives one final command: love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
There are tons of commands throughout Scripture. Indeed, sermon after sermon has been preached urging men and women to obey the word of God. Even Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, warned that if men and women built their lives on anything other than his word, it was like building their life on sand. He warns of utter ruin like a house in a storm.
Yet many Christians today, when they are urged to obey, tend to call it legalism. We tend to shrink back and even worry that we may, in some way, be guilty of belittling grace if we speak to much about obedience. Indeed, obedience without the Gospel is a crushing thing. But should we see obedience as the ugly brother of grace? Are grace and obedience polar opposites?
Consider a professional piano player. He sits down at his Fazioli Grand Piano and lays his sheet music in front of him. He sits tall, cracks his fingers, and then places them on the keys. Yet plays nothing. Not a sound.
What happens in this moment? He has the notes but refuses to play. This decision robs him of what the notes offer: beautiful music to enjoy. He won't understand what mood was meant to be felt, he won't have a desire to share it with a friend, and he won't consider it useful for any event that he finds himself in. All the joy and beauty behind the act of playing the notes disappears. This is a tragedy.
When the Word of God asks a man or woman to do something, it asks in the same way that music notes ask to be played. They want to be delighted in and used so that the person who does them will experience great joy and usefulness in life. Indeed, this kind of "obedience sheet music" is written by God himself and flows from great love into every believer's life.
When Jesus says to love each other like he loved us, he's giving us a song that sums up every commandment in all of Scripture (Romans 13:9).
Obedience to the word of God is not in opposition to grace. Obedience is love being played like the notes on a piano. These are beautiful commandments.
Theology Deep Dive: Glorification
Even after Judas had gone with his intentions to destroy Jesus, this didn't make Jesus waver. Instead of becoming consumed with the extreme pain of the cross before him, Jesus set his focus on the glory that he would have with his father. He counted it a joy and a motivation worth more than anything.
In the same way, Christians will be glorified and enjoy complete fellowship with their triune God. This very fact is what drives Christians to withstand the worst of sufferings and persecution in a world that's bent on killing them.
Related Scriptures:
John 14:21
John 15:10
Romans 13:9
1 John 2:3
What is Sin?
Sin in anything short of full conformity to God's moral law. Every human being is born a sinner, and this is the source of every problem in our lives.
Study Questions
QUESTION 01
How do you view obedience in your life? Is it good or bad?
QUESTION 02
How does grace and obedience live in harmony?
QUESTION 03
Does glorification encourage you to take more risk today?
How To Cling Today
Cling to Christ today by believing that obedience to his word is good and a source of great joy.
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