Abiding in Jesus’ Love
(A Night Like No Other – Part 7)
#143 in Series: “The Life of Christ – in a Harmony of The Gospels”
John records the lesson Jesus gives His disciples, in what has been called “The Upper Room Discourse”... Whether still in the upper room, or in slow route to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is pouring truth into these 11 faithful disciples who will be the ones to lead the church once Jesus returns to heaven…
Last time, we focused on the first eight verses of John 15, and learned about what it looks like for a true Christian to “abide” in the life of Jesus! Today, we pick up with verses 9 through 17, and will learn more about what it looks like to abide in the love of Jesus.
Our text today is John 15:9-17 – Jesus says –
John 15:9-17
9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another.
(This is the Word of the Lord – Thanks be to God)
The repeated word throughout this text that demands our attention, is the word; love… In fact, in these few verses alone, Jesus uses the word “love” - seven times!
Love is a powerful word, because it represents a most powerful concept… Love is what Jesus said is a distinguishing characteristic of the Christian life… In fact, we already read what He told His disciples earlier on this same night –
By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
In our passage before us, Jesus delves deeper into what this is all about…
It is important that we make some clarifications about this word; love…
There are several different Greek words that are all translated into the one English word; love…
There are 3 well-known terms. The first is –
The second Greek term is –
The third term is –
Agape’ is uniquely Christian… It is the love that comes from God, and flows through His people!
John used this word when he said –
The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
The term love is not just describing what God does – it is a term to describe Who God is!...
It is also the very kind of love that transforms us!
and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Let’s learn more about this love, as we look to our text… We begin with –
1. The Vertical Necessity of Such Love
Simply because the term for love in our text is Agape (ἀγάπη), we can immediately conclude that this love – is a love that comes from God!... One can not muster up this love. One can not force this love… It is a … fruit!...
Last week, in the verses that precede today’s text, we learned that abiding in Jesus will bring about a … fruit, a fruit that is “produced” by God, and borne in the Christian’s life… In other words, the life of a Christian, abiding in Jesus reflects the character of Christ … well.
Here, we see how love becomes a major … motive in the Christian’s life…
First, let’s look at –
Jesus says –
John 15:9
Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you…
The love we are to manifest, is the very love with which the Father loves the Son!... And Jesus says, He loves His Own … the same way! “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you.”
Jesus is loved by the Father. Jesus loves His Own, with the same love! Jesus has always known this love from the Father, and is also declaring this same kind of love for His Own…
Listen to how He prays a little later in the evening –
John 17:24
Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
I liked what Spurgeon said in his commentary on this –
C.H. Spurgeon – “How wondrously Jesus loves those who are truly, His! As the Father loved Him, so does He love us: that is, without beginning, without measure, without variation, without end… What a glorious word! I scarcely know a text more deep, more full than this. After the same manner as God the Father loves the Son — after that same sort does the Son love us… Oh, drink this nectar down!”
So, we see in Jesus the model for such love… Let’s hear from Jesus –
… for such love… He gives a directive to disciples –
John 15:9c
… abide in My love
This is a command… Jesus wants those who are His to … abide in His love!
You recall that “abiding” is … ... It is “resting in” – “remaining in” – “being at home in”... His love!
This is the mandate – the command that motivates our desire to obey all other commands that come from the Lord!... If we “abide” in His love, we will have the heart that desires to obey Him in everything…
This leads us to –
Notice how Jesus links such love to … obedience!
John 15:10
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
Why refer to this verse as “the promise”?... Because, this is a word of assurance. How do you we “abide in His love”? – Keep His commandments!...
Our walk reflects our heart! It always does! If it is in your heart to love the Lord – it will show in your actions of … obeying Him!
“Heart” and “hands” always go together! What’s in the heart – shows up in how you live!
Here, Jesus says the evidence of one abiding in His love – is their living according to His instructions!
This is similar to what His halfbrother, James, later writes… James gives a lengthy treatise about how “faith” / what is in one’s heart – shows itself in how they live / “works”... “Faith” and “works” go together! “Faith” – one’s love for God, and “works” – how one lives for God … are inseparable!
You find this in James chapter 2… Listen to a summary statement he gives –
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Let’s think about –
… in Jesus’ words…
John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Love is a reward unto itself… But Jesus states that there is a … bonus (if you will) – to abiding in His love and obey His commands… That “bonus” is … joy!
The Christian life is marked by love – that is what this whole passage is about! But, it is also marked by … joy!
You do understand, don't you – that “joy” is different than “happiness”!?...
“Happiness” depends on what happens!... Joy is not dependent on circumstances, but is anchored in … relationship!
Your relationship with Jesus – your love for Him – your walk with Him – will also produce in you … a joy that you will actually struggle to describe!...
It is a joy … not easily challenged!...
I believe MacArthur describes this best –
John MacArthur – “Christian joy is not a giddy, superficial happiness that can be devastated by illness, economic difficulties, broken relationships, or the countless other vicissitudes and disappointments of life. Instead, it flows from the deep, unshakable confidence that God is eternally in control of every aspect of life for the good of His beloved children – a confidence rooted in the knowledge of His Word. God’s character, the saving work of Christ, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, divine providence, spiritual blessings, the promise of future glory, answered prayer and Christian fellowship all cause the believer to rejoice.”
Now, I want you to understand… this “joy” is a direct result of the … vertical!... That is, your abiding relationship with Christ! This joy is a … bonus! It is a fruit of abiding in Jesus’ love, and following Him … closely!...
Now, we’ve talked about the “vertical necessity of this love”... Let’s move on and consider –
2. The Horizontal Effect of Such Love
Notice, this begins with a commandment… Look closely at –
John 15:12
“This is My commandment, that you love one another…
How could God’s will be more clear?... This is a direct commandment from Christ to His disciples … ALL of them – those who were His then, and those who belong to Him now!
Jesus wants His disciples to … personally … intentionally … purposefully … love one another!
If you ever wanted to know what God’s will is for your life, dear Christian, here is one place you get your answer!... Your life is to be characterized by – now get this – HIS love flowing to you / through you – toward others – namely those who are also His – your brothers and sisters in Christ!
Listen … joyful Christians … love Christians! Could it be that one reason there is so little joy among Christians, is because there is too little love for Christains?...
Listen… I’ve been a Christian a long time. This summer marks 57 years since Christ first regenerated my heart… It took awhile to get started, but once I was baptized, and “joined the church”, I have only grown in my love for brothers and sisters in Christ!...
Now, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not claiming … it’s always been easy! In fact, without Christ’s love in me, there have been a … not so small number of “Christians” that I don’t even like! And I sure they don’t like me!... But, get this – we are not commanded to like! We are commanded to love! The world doesn’t get that – they can’t understand that – but the Christian does!...
You can love people – loving them is a … choice!
In fact, let’s consider just how we are to love… Consider –
Jesus says we are to love one another –
John 15:10c
… just as I have loved you.
Does Jesus love us because … He sees something in us that … attracts His love?... Does Jesus love because we are … loveable?... NO!!
There is nothing in you – or me – that even deserves His love!...
Jesus loves you, dear Christian, because … Jesus loves you!... He set “His affections” on you – because He … chose to love you!...
Christians can … frankly … be some of the most difficult people to love! It shouldn’t be that way, but it is… You can expect a non-believer to live like a non-believer – it hurts, especially when you are close to that non-believer and in fact … love them… But, it especially hurts when a Christian acts like a non-believer toward you! No hurt to the Christian’s heart, hurts like the wounds caused by … an unloving Christian!
Jesus says we are to love one another like He loves us!... Do you suppose Jesus loved Peter?... How about Peter’s denial of Jesus?... (I suppose that brought even more grief to Jesus’ heart than the betrayal of Judas… Because Judas was lost, and acted lost! Peter was saved … but acted … for a time … lost.)
Jesus loves us – not because we are loveable – He loves us … because He loves us!
His love is unconditional – so should ours be!
His love is unchanging – so should ours be!
His love is … forgiving and accepting … and restoring – so should ours be!...
… Surely these are accurate descriptions of the love of God … in us, and through us… But Jesus actually delves deeper into what this love for one another looks like…
Consider –
Jesus immediately says –
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus of course demonstrates such a measure of love!...
Paul later writes –
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
John also repeats this truth again –
We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
We’ll talk about this more in a moment, but let’s move on and see what else Jesus says about … the effect of this love… We’ll call it –
Jesus says –
John 15:14-15
14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Jesus loves His disciples… He loves His … friends! He instructs, leads, and guides … like a Friend!... You have no greater friend than Jesus!...
Abraham knew what is was like to be a friend of God (James 2:23, Genesis 15:6)... Moses was also a friend of God (Exodus 33:11). Are you?
To the degree that you walk with The Friend of Sinners – will be the degree that you experience the transformation He can produce in you … and through you…
Now, it gets even deeper… Jesus speaks about –
Just how is this relationship initiated?... Who starts it? You remember what I just read from John a moment ago –
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Again, ours is a responsive love to Jesus… And here, Jesus clearly says –
John 15:16a
You did not choose Me but I chose you…
He initiates this!... Salvation is solely the work of God!...
There are some, and you may be one… who grapple with this concept of the elect… People want to claim some measure of … credit for their salvation. They either want to think that they were “smart” enough, “good” enough, or maybe even … “special” enough for the Lord to have saved them… Nothing could be further from the truth!
We were “dead” and could do nothing to bring about our salvation!
Some want to think that this whole idea of God being the sole, and sovereign provider of salvation, is something that came out of the Reformation! Not so!... It comes out of the Bible!, and has been believed from the very beginning of the gospel!
Augustine lived in the 4th century after Christ, and he articulated it well –
Augustine – “God chooses us, not because we believe, but that we may believe.”
I like how Henry Ward Beecher said it in the 19th century – “The elect are whosoever will, and the non-elect, whosoever won’t.”
And notice, what God initiates, He continues – and it is evident!
John 15:16
You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
Finally, let’s consider –
When the Lord repeats something, we need to set up and pay attention… What He says is true, and what He repeats is emphasized! Jesus repeats His command, to emphasize the importance of this matter for Christians…
John 15:17
This I command you, that you love one another.
Jesus knows that His command for us to love one another is not dependent on … self-will. It is not dependent on human ability, but … divine enablement… That’s why He prayed for us, that we may be filled with Him, and thus His love!
and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
In this day of … confusion and even apostasy … the church that will not only survive, but actually thrive – will be the church that is totally committed to God’s revealed truth – totally yielded to the Spirit of Truth – AND thoroughly filled, and flowing with God’s love – love for God / love for one another!
Questions to Consider in Community Group
C.H. Spurgeon – “How wondrously Jesus loves those who are truly, His! As the Father loved Him, so does He love us: that is, without beginning, without measure, without variation, without end… What a glorious word! I scarcely know a text more deep, more full than this. After the same manner as God the Father loves the Son — after that same sort does the Son love us… Oh, drink this nectar down!”
John MacArthur – “Christian joy is not a giddy, superficial happiness that can be devastated by illness, economic difficulties, broken relationships, or the countless other vicissitudes and disappointments of life. Instead, it flows from the deep, unshakable confidence that God is eternally in control of every aspect of life for the good of His beloved children – a confidence rooted in the knowledge of His Word. God’s character, the saving work of Christ, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, divine providence, spiritual blessings, the promise of future glory, answered prayer and Christian fellowship all cause the believer to rejoice.”
Augustine – “God chooses us, not because we believe, but that we may believe.”
Henry Ward Beecher – “The elect are whosoever will, and the non-elect, whosoever won’t.”
