The Greatly Loved Love Greatly
GIST: We, who are so greatly loved, must greatly love.
SCRIPTURE: John 15:12-17
"12 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
-This continues with the bearing fruit concept from last week. Abide and bear fruit. In this commandment (something we are told to do...not a suggestion), Jesus drills into what this will look like. We are to love, but not just love--love like Jesus.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
-Here, He begins the explanation of how we are greatly loved. He laid down His life (physically on the cross/spiritually through the incarnation AND the endurance of our punishment--Hell) for us. (Note: He is not telling us just to die. Some have used this in the past as an argument for warfare. Laying down our lives is laying aside our desires for the benefit of others in whatever form that might take.)
14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
-In case there was any doubt, He clarifies who He did this for. Again, what love! We can be called the friends of God if we do what He commands!
15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
-Let's not forget the privilege this is. We could be blind, but He has revealed Himself to us in His Word. Why do we take this for granted?
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
- Chosen to bear abiding fruit so that we could commune with God intimately. What love! Think about this for a minute.
17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
-And then we have it-->those who are greatly loved, should greatly love. This shows us 1-The character of God (LOVE), and 2- His desire that we experience life fully. What better world would there be than one where all love and are loved like Jesus?
"The doctrines which Christ spake, as one having authority, concerning the vine and branches; his love to his disciples, in laying down his life for them, and in accounting and using them as friends, and not servants; in choosing, ordaining, and sending them forth, for the ends above mentioned; these were delivered by him with this view, to promote brotherly love among them: that ye love one another; this lay much upon his heart, he often mentions it; this is the third time it is expressed by him, in these his last discourses; and indeed, since he had declared such strong love and affection for them, it was but right and proper they should love one another; nor does anything more tend to increase mutual love among the saints, than the consideration of their common interest in the unchangeable love of their Lord."- John Gill
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