A. Love is Demonstrated by Christ
John 15:9 ¶ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
B. Love is Distributed, We abide in love by keeping His commandments.
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
C. Love is Delightful (it brings joy)
D. Love is Demanded
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
E. Love is Demonstrated by sacrifice.
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
F. Love Determines Friendship
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
I heard of the man who was waxing eloquent to his wife of how much he loved her. He told her he would even die for her. “That won’t be necessary,” she responded, unimpressed, “just pick up that towel and help me with these dishes.” Few of us will be required to pay the ultimate price of friendship. All of us should be willing to do so and to show it in simple acts of sacrificial kindness.
G. Love Divulges Secrets (verse 15)
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Throughout their relationship together, Christ viewed these men as servants and Himself as Master. The responsibility of the servant is to submit to the will of his Master. The relationship was now to be altered. Christ said, "You are my friends" (v. 14). The relationship between the Master and His servants was that of will to will; the relationship between them as friends was that of heart to heart. These who had been Christ’s servants were now constituted His friends.
A proof that they were joined to Christ in heart is seen in His statement, “for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” —Pentecost
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Verse 16 makes it crystal clear that our abiding in Christ is not the determining factor behind our eternal security as believers. Our Lord is not threatening us with the loss of salvation if we sometimes fail to abide. This passage was intended to bring peace, assurance and comfort to troubled men (cf. John 14:1). How comforting, then, to hear these words of assurance: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give you” (John 17:16).
We might like to think that we found Christ, as the “I Found It” bumper stickers seem to imply. Ultimately, we did not choose God; He chose us. The initiator of our salvation determines the one on whom our security rests, for Paul wrote, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Pastor Lucy Paynter
Glorious Power Church
40 Vinal Square North Chelmsford
www.gloriouspowerchurch.org
+1-978-332-2700

