Are We In Control of Our Hearts? | John 14:15-21 with Sarah Stenson

Are We In Control of Our Hearts? | John 14:15-21 with Sarah Stenson

From Scripture First by Luther House of Study

May 4, 2026 · 31 min

About this episode

The episode explores the meaning of Jesus' words in John 14:15-21 regarding love and obedience in the context of faith.

In this episode we drop into Jesus’ farewell discourse in John 14, right after betrayal and denial are on the table, and hear a line that’s often twisted into a condition: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” We unpack how, in context, Jesus isn’t laying down a test but describing what happens when faith is given—love and obedience flow from a heart changed by his promise, not produced by human effort. In the language of Martin Luther, Christ doesn’t leave us to manufacture love o...

People in this episode

Guest: Sarah Stenson

Topics covered

  • faith
  • love
  • obedience
  • Jesus
  • commandments
  • Christianity

Keywords

  • Jesus
  • faith
  • love
  • obedience
  • commandments
  • Martin Luther
  • Christianity

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: John 14:15-21

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