The same way the Father loves Jesus is the same love the Son has for you.
Now remain in his love.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love (v, 9)
How do we remain in his love?
10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
At this, there is a sigh. There’s stuff I have to do? Like go to church, tithe, do nice things, etc… But wait. There’s more to come. First is the reason:
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
It is for our joy and his joy that he tells us these things. It’s not a burden. It’s a joy. So what are his commands/his command?
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
His command is this – Love one another. Lay down your life’s for one another.
Wha…? Love one another?
Yep. That’s what it is. Love one another. It isn’t a check off list. It’s a life calling.
Then Jesus says that those who love him are his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 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.
And we’re not just friends, we are his chosen.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Over and over and over and over Jesus’ command was to love one another. That’s amazing.
But love includes both truth and kindness.
Jesus demonstrated a love that attracted sinners.
But love also said things like “repent” and “go and sin no more.”
People like one or another. The truth that says repent or the love that says everything is acceptable. If we follow Jesus, it will be both.
What is love?
Jesus was love.
He was kind. He cared for the poor. He lifted up the broken. He called people to repent. He sometimes spoke hard truths.
But at the end of the day he laid down his life for those who hated and misunderstood him. He sacrificed himself for them.
This is love.
So how do we love one another?
It looks different per the situation.
Sometimes love looks like forgiving.
Sometimes love looks like buying something for someone in need.
Sometimes love looks like setting boundaries.
Sometimes love looks like telling someone the truth with gentleness.
But let’s get back to our text. Do we see how Jesus loved us?
1) Jesus loved us with the same kind of love in which the Father loved him
2) Love laid down its life for one’s frieinds
3) Jesus called us friends.
4) We are chosen.
5) Then we are given our life purpose: love one another.
Those are truths wroth meditating upon.