The Gospel Of John Chapter 15 Pt. 7 Love For Christ & Keeping His Commands

Jesus gave the greatest example of God's love for us.

John 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

Jesus taught that no man can carry his love any farther than to the point of dying for a close friend or relative. By dying so that his friend can live, this man has given all that he can give.

Jesus will go to the cross within hours of sharing this truth with His disciples.  He is going to be the ultimate example of a man laying down his life, not only for his closest friends, but for all mankind.

God loved the unlovable sinners by Christ's death for us. 

Romans 5:6-8  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7)  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8)  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus did not just die nobly, so that His friends might live. He died for all sinners, for all the ungodly of every generation.

If the purest, brightest white color represents the holiness, righteousness and purity of God, then sin is a vile, black blot, the ugly stain of all humanity.

Yet, God loved us while we remained in our sins, and had no goodness or righteousness in us. 

Jesus Christ endured the sufferings and cruel death on a cross, for the joy of saving sinners. He loved us enough that He rescued us from certain destruction, so that He might present each believer to the Father in heaven. 

As our Good Shepherd, Jesus laid down His life so that His sheep might live eternally (See John 10:10; 15).

This begins to helps us see the vast impact of Jesus' words, that the greatest love a man has for his friend is to die in his place. Jesus fully and perfectly fulfilled this greatest act of sacrificial love, in order to redeem us to Himself.

This being the case, there is certainly some application of this truth for each professing Christian. Jesus is going to spell out our duty that comes with accepting such great love from God.

Those who obey Jesus Christ are His friends. 

John 15:14  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 

In essence, Jesus said “If you approve yourselves by your obedience to be my disciples, you are also my friends, and shall be treated as friends.” 

Those who do the duty of His servants are advanced to the dignity of His friends.

Jesus explains the duty of every true Christian. We are His friend if we do or keep His commandments. Jesus has mentioned this several times already (See John 13;17; 14:15; 14:21). 

Part of the great commission Christ gave to His disciples, and by extension to us, is that we teach all nations to observe all things that Jesus commanded (See Matthew 28:18-20).

The verb "do" refers to a continuous or ongoing action on our part. It means we must live this out by consistently doing what Christ commanded us to do. 

Part of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, is His wonderful spiritual discipline, that accompanies our relationship with Him.

This is good for us and Jesus knew that we would need Divine help in order to live this way. This is why He spoke about the ministry of the Sprit of God to us, through us and in us. 

He is going to tell us much more about the Holy Spirit's ministry in the next chapter of John's gospel.

Jesus calls His sheep His friends and He shows us all things. 

John 15:15  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. 

Christ takes believers to be His friends. He visits us through the ministry of God's Spirit. He converses with us as His friends, when we read His Word and pray to Him. 

He is patient and longsuffering with us, as He gently leads us along through this life.  

He always wants what is truly best for each of His sheep. When we are afflicted, or undergoing a trial, He shares in our pain, and helps us carry our griefs and sorrows. 

He pleads for us in heaven as He intercedes on our behalf. There is no other friend like the Lord Jesus Christ (See the book of Hebrews). 

Psalm 25:12-14  What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. 13)  His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. 14)  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. 

The Lord Jesus Christ shared with His disciples, all that the Father had shown Him. He carefully and fully explained all the things of God to them, especially as it related to Christ's mission and the cross. 

His disciples did not blindly follow Jesus Christ. He taught them, nurtured them and strengthened their faith. 

He promised to send the Holy Spirit of God to abide with them permanently. 

We must grasp the Father’s love to Jesus, before we can measure His love to us. We are told to love one another with the same love Jesus shares with His Father. 

Our love is not like His, unless we are prepared to follow Jesus even unto death. Not servants, but friends! 

Our love includes denying ourselves and taking up our cross to follow hard after our Lord (Matthew 16:24-25; Mark 8:34-35). 

It is loving Jesus Christ first and foremost, before our family or self (Matthew 10:37-39).

The word servant teaches us about the bondservant, who does what he is told, not because he understands, but because he has no option. 

Friendship involves a much more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. It involves obedience on our part; and on His part making known to us the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-14). 

Even the Son of God learned obedience by the things which He suffered (See Hebrews 5:8). It is by our faithful obedience that we can pass into the intimacy of friendship and sonship. 

Jesus chose us to bear fruit that remains for God's kingdom. 

John 15:16  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.

Normally a Jewish man would select his rabbi or teacher, that he would follow. Jesus chose or selected each of His disciples (See Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-51). 

Jesus called His disciples (and us, too!) to bring forth fruit that remains for the glory of God. 

Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

As Christians, we are chosen of God for His kingdom work. We are placed in union with the true vine and are united to Christ by faith. 

We are to bear good fruit by sharing the gospel of Christ and being His faithful witnesses.

We must not lead an idle life as a Christian, but we should be ready to labor for our Lord.

We must not wait for someone to give us a task to do for our church family.  When we see a need, we should meet that need. 

We must give all glory to God for any fruit from our ministry efforts. God is the One who gives us power to labor, and who blesses us in our work.

We must continue instant in prayer, that our labors may be accompanied with the presence and blessing of God.  

Thus, when Jesus said  "Whatsoever ye shall Ask", He means the Father will grant our petitions when they are aligned with His will. 

There is no limit to what the Father will do for those whom His Son calls “friends.” 

Whatever we ask of our heavenly Father, in the blessed name of Jesus Christ, He will give it to us, when we ask in accord with His revealed will. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

Jesus has reminded us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, to die for us, that we might live through Him.

Jesus is the greatest example of the love of God.

He saved us in order that we become fruit producing Christians, telling others about Jesus Christ and sharing the gospel. 

Jesus reminds us several times to keep His commandments because this is an indicator of our love for Him.

Thus, though we are His servants, who do His will, we are also His friends, and there is no closer friend than Jesus Christ. 

John 15:17  These things I command you, that ye love one another. 

This is the fourth time Jesus has commanded His disciples to love one another. Therefore, we see that this simple command is of great importance to Christians in every generation.

The example of perfect love for others is our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our model, the pattern for our life, until He calls us home to heaven.

Christians loving one another is greatly needed, It is a testimony that God is at work in our hearts when we love one another.

The world cannot understand such a love, but most people certainly yearn for it. We must ask our Lord to shed His love abroad into our hearts, so that we might love one another as Jesus commanded. 

Even more, we need this love of God in us so that we can see the lost souls around us as God does. Sheep who are lost and gone astray, who need to be brought back to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Jesus loved us while we were yet sinners. Do we love the unsaved around us like Jesus does?

The world in general, needs to see true Christian love one for another, and a true Christian compassion that cares about their eternal future.

Let us ask our Father to help us love and serve Him in all these things, and may He see fit to use us for reaching the lost!

Bob