John 15:13

This verse is often quoted by combat veterans who have seen fellow soldiers, sailors, or Marines willingly die saving the lives of their friends. The USS Ralph Johnson will be commissioned in Charleston later this year. It is named for a Marine who shielded his fellow marines from a grenade blast by jumping between them and the grenade. It is one thing for a fellow soldier to do this, but how about the Son of God? Jesus became man and died for us. He willingly laid down His life to save ours. He did this because He loves us. He want us to love others with the same type of sacrificial love. Loving people costs us time, money, energy, opportunities, heartache, pain, and maybe even our lives.

Are you willing to love as you have been loved by Christ?

John 15:12

This command would be hard enough if it had just been “Love one another”. Jesus qualifies His statement with the addition of “as I have loved you!” When you think about the love of Jesus for His people, this is an amazingly deep command to love. We are to love each other in the church with a Christ-like love. We are to love our neighbors with a Christ-like love. We are even to love our enemies with a Christ-like love. Consider how you are loving those around you. It is to be a mark of who we are as a Christian people.

Are you loving others with the same type of love you have seen in your Savior Jesus Christ?

John 15:11

The keeping of the law brings us joy. As Christians, we have seen the great and wonderful mercy of God in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our response is to want to please our heavenly Father. It brings us joy to love God and man. It hurts our joy when we fall to love. The way we love God and Man is by keeping the law which is our guide for how to love. The Ten Commandments teach us how to love God and love man.

Do you have a joy in keeping the law of God? Do you see the law as just a burden or is it a joy?

John 15:10

There is a strong connection between Law and Love. Love without law is directionless and just mere words without real action. Law without love is heartless, cruel, and mean. The law tells us how to love. Love motivates us to rightly keep the law. Jesus is saying here that if we keep His commandments, we will abide in His love. That is because the end of the law is love: love for God and love for Man. The great example of this kind of love is Jesus. He loved the Father and kept all His commands.

Are you trying to live the Christians life separating the commands of God from the love of God? Do not do it! They are forever intertwined.

John 15:9

              How much does Jesus love His church? How much does Jesus love you as an individual Christian? Hear what He says in this verse. “As much as the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” Jesus Christ loves you with a perfect love. We must learn to abide in Christ. We must abide in his perfect love.

Are you still trying to work your way to God? Are you still trying to earn God's love? If you believe in Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior and Lord of sinners, then live in his perfect love.

John 15:8

              This union with Christ brings glory to the Father because of the fruit you produce in Christ. Here is the proof, or assurance, of salvation. You are dying to the world and living for God. This only happens when you are in Christ. You start producing the Fruit of the Spirit and God answers your prayers for His glory and your good.

     Are you worried about whether or not you are a Christian? It is not a matter of being good enough. Christ has been good enough for you, but does your life reflect Christ and his salvation?

John 15:7

                 There is a danger in taking this verse too far. However, we can also not believe it enough. We need to pray for God to do the good things He has laid on our hearts, the good things He has shown us in His Word. These are the things we should be praying for, expecting God to answer and do. We should be praying for our God to heal the sick, to save the lost, to strengthen our churches, and much more. We need to believe and have faith that He will do this work.