John 15: 9-17

John 15: 9-17 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.

As Jesus teaches his disciples on love, He uses the now familiar technique of repetition we have seen throughout his ministry: Remain in my love; if you obey my commands, you will remain in my love; I remain in his [the Father's] love; Love each other as I have loved you; and there is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend. His admonitions on love remain at the core of his final interactions with his disciples. And just in case He has not made himself clear on this subject, He resoundingly states: This is my command: Love each other. Christ is not offering a few nice thoughts for their consideration or sharing some good ideas to ponder over lunch. Jesus did not say, when people treat you with proper respect, then you should do likewise or when others give you the honor you deserve, honor them in return or as others love you, you should love them. NO! That is loving others as the world loves, with conditions or strings attached. That is sharing your love with an expectation of receiving something in return. Many parents love their children with those expectations: I take care of you, and I expect you to honor me. I put a roof over your head, feed and clothe you; so it's my way or the highway. Human beings expect reciprocity. I'll scratch your back; and somewhere along the line, I expect you to scratch mine. We find it hard to love unreservedly, wholeheartedly, and unconditionally, expecting nothing in return. After the prodigal son squandered everything, the father was waiting for him, looking for him, and rejoiced when he saw him afar off, before he could say a word!

Faithful love seems lacking in our world. When love leaves the room, what remains is not a pretty sight. The human condition minus the love of God results in anger, bitterness, and strife. Friends, families, and co-workers so often do not treat each other as they want to be treated. We complain, gossip, find fault, spread rumors, tear down, build walls of separation--and the nations rage. Rather that find areas of agreement and pray for each other, we focus on each other's shortcomings, faults, mistakes, and weaknesses. Jesus said, By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. (John 13:35) When Christians lose sight of the love of God in Christ Jesus, we become dangerous, capable of great damage, and even perpetrate lasting harm because we hurt people who are looking for answers and seeking love that heals and satisfies the deepest longings of the human soul. We see in the Word how people in the early church sometimes quarreled and fought among themselves over little things: fleshly arguments required mending or egos got in the way of the advancement of the gospel. The Holy Spirit used Paul, Peter, James, and John to teach, correct, and admonish people just as we all need reminders today to listen to the Lord and to remain in his love, that we might live a life of love, just as Christ loved us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2) So often we can quote the scriptures, we have heard the sermons, but we have lost sight of the realities of God's tender mercies in our daily lives. Peter was not sharing a clever figure of speech when he warned believers the enemy searches the periphery of our lives, looking for holes in the fence, weak spots left unguarded because we have strayed from the safety of riches of the Lord's grace. We must remember it is for freedom Christ has made us free; therefore, through him we must choose to be self-controlled and alert. We can resist the devil even though he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. (See Galatians 5:1, 1 Peter 5:8, & 1 John 4:4) Where is the harvest of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives? Where is love?

We have confidence in Christ because of what He has done and what we know to be true in his Word. In the Old Testament the psalmist wrote: I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11) Now as Spirit-led Christians, full of the love of Jesus with his power motivating and sustaining us, that Word comes alive; and the enemy can no longer condemn us or cause us to condemn others. Christ fulfilled the old covenant that we could never keep and established a new and better way, that we might come boldly to receive his kindness and grace because God commended his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8 ASV) Before we could answer his call or do anything for him, Christ said, "Take advantage of me: I love you as the Father has loved me. I laid down my life for you and gave myself for you by paying the price for you in full." He told the thief on the cross, "Today, you will be with me in Paradise--not later after you have time to try to earn a place with me." That is the love the Father has lavished on us through the Son. We are on God's team, and He sealed the bargain with Christ's shed blood and the power of the Holy Spirit for all eternity. Jesus says, "Nothing you can ever do could make me love you less or more. You are mine: I am yours--FOREVER!" Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because, through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you [every single one of us] free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2) How incredibly audacious that we should let anything keep us from accepting such a marvelous free gift or that we should think any wrong done against us great enough to hold against another human being when God has redeemed us and made us his very own! How can we not forgive as we have been forgiven? Such love, such wondrous love!

Dear Ones,

We just returned from an awesome time of fellowship with the Bursch Clan at a family reunion where we were so incredibly blessed to share in God's gracious outpouring of love! We just want to thank God for this opportunity. Mom (Jacqueline)