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BOOKENDS 

John 14:15-21 
The Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A 
Analysis by Chris Neumann   

15“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you. 
18“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”   

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in Christ. At this point, he’s heading off to do the heavy lifting for the team. He will use his own blood to clean up all of the messes that have been made and the ones still on the way too.”

DIAGNOSIS: Keep, as in obey and go get it done 

Step 1: Initial Diagnosis (External Problem) – Don’t value the possession 
Perhaps we, like the disciples, think we need to be in control in any given situation – or at least want to be.  Hence, we exhibit only a legal/demanding mode of life.  Consider the following story in the next few steps as a metaphor of such mis-formed “keeping” lives. 

I was refereeing a soccer match this week. Early on, it appeared the blue team was the better side. They were clearly more athletic, had superior positioning on the field, and handled themselves as a group that had been taught and understood the fundamentals of the game at a high level. 

And yet despite diminutive size and lack of panache, it was actually the white team who found themselves ahead 1-0 when I blew the halftime whistle. I couldn’t help but overhear the blue team’s coach speaking to his players, “You are losing right now because you aren’t keeping the ball. You don’t value possessing the ball. When they give it to you, you should be doing everything you can to keep it.” 

Step 2: Advanced Diagnosis (Internal Problem) – Can win if we try harder 
The teams jogged back out onto the field to resume the game following halftime. The blue team quickly huddled prior to the kickoff, again within earshot. 

“We are going to win this game. We’re better than this. We’re better than they are. No more mistakes this half from anyone. Step up your game and let’s be winners!” 

Never mind what the coach had just commanded. As though he hadn’t spoken at all, when play started again each player on the blue team went about her business all the more determined, trying to win the game all by herself. Each of the players relying entirely on her own individual actions and talents. 

Step 3: Final Diagnosis (Ultimate Problem) – Losing the game 
Forty minutes later, the score had not changed. Despite impressive talent and their best individual efforts, the blue team still lost the game and had been eliminated from the tournament. 

They found out the hard way that all of the skills in the world don’t amount to much when you fail to keep the most important piece of the puzzle. In their case that was the soccer ball. 

If you and I rely on our own pedigree, knowledge, and skill set we too might look really good while playing the game and yet inevitably fall flat and fail in the end. 

PROGNOSIS: Keep, as in keep in mind that Jesus Christ has died for you and has risen from the dead 

Step 4: Initial Prognosis (Ultimate Solution) – Do not let your hearts be troubled 
Jesus begins his farewell discourses in John’s gospel with these same comforting words: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”  They are quickly followed with “believe in me” (14:1). Tough to get anywhere with either of those two commandments if we’re focused on accomplishments and winning on our own accord. 

Again, if only to underscore the point, Jesus’ command was not to “believe in yourself.” That must mean that keeping his commandments isn’t about our own ability to do much of anything. Keeping Jesus’ commandments goes far beyond achieving a gold medal for good performance. In fact, it has nothing to do with us at all, and everything to do with him. 

Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in Christ. At this point, he’s heading off to do the heavy lifting for the team. He will use his own blood to clean up all of the messes that have been made and the ones still on the way too. Jesus is so intent on you relying on his life, death, and resurrection that he securely bookends today’s text with double doses of encouragement – not to do his commandments, but rather to love him by keeping his commandments (vv. 15, 21). To hold them close and retain them. To value the important things, we have to possess – freedom, forgiveness, and life – gifts from God through Christ. 

Step 5: Advanced Prognosis (Internal Solution) – Help is on the way 
Too much to process? Incapable of relinquishing control? Intent on trying to use your smarts and fortitude to win the game on your own? God knows us all too well, doesn’t he! He will not leave us orphaned (v. 18), to slog through this alone. Cue the Advocate, who provides such steadfast support that he sets up shop right there inside us to enlighten, sanctify, and yes, you guessed it, keep us in true faith (v. 16). 

Step 6: Final Prognosis (External Solution) – A time of confidences 
From another set of Bookends, this one courtesy of Simon and Garfunkel: 

“Time it was, and what a time it was, it was…a time of innocence. A time of confidences. Long ago, it must be. I have a photograph. Preserve your memories. They’re all that’s left you.” 

Make this coming week a time of confidences. Shine with continued Easter joy in a world that needs help defining the word keep, especially when it comes to the words of Jesus. Preserve and keep dear the actions of your Lord and Savior in word and deed. Christ guarantees much more than a photograph to help us do so.