Love One Another

Introduction

Dave Simmons tells how he took his eight year old daughter and five year old son with him to the Mall. He was there to purchase a scroll saw, and the children noticed that there was a petting zoo on the Mall. Dave gave each of his children a quarter for the petting zoo and proceeded into Sears to examine all the power equipment. To his surprise his daughter came running after him. What had happened was the petting zoo cost 50 cents, and his daughter had given her younger brother her quarter to go into the petting zoo. Dave was pleased with this since he had been teaching his family that "Love is Sacrificial Action." After he bought his scroll saw, he went with his daughter back to the petting zoo. They watched the younger brother playing with all the furry animals. Dave relates that he had 50 cents burning a hole in his pocket, but he knew that his daughter was learning something. She was learning how to love sacrificially. This is what Christ wants us to learn how to do.

In this portion of scripture Jesus is teaching his disciples to love, even when they might be despised and persecuted. It is an important lesson for all of us to learn.

Verse 12
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Love is the sure sign of a Christian. If Christ is living in our heart, we will love our fellow believers. The reason for this is once we have experienced God’s mercy, we realize how blessed we are to have Christ in our life. In spite of our weaknesses and our failings his grace gives us strength to overcome. When we have this heavenly perspective, we naturally love those who are also part of our spiritual family.

McGee points out, "It is sad to see Christians in our churches who tear down each other and gossip about one another. The Spirit of God is not working in such a situation. One can have Bible teaching and still reject this commandment of our Lord. To love as He has loved us is putting it on a very high plane. Only the Spirit of God can produce such love in our lives."

Verse 13
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Jesus is giving us an example of how much we need to love one another. There are certain people that you would be willing to lay your life down for – your children, your spouse, your parents, perhaps your brothers or sisters. But would you be willing to die for your friends? If God’s love lives inside of us, we will have that kind of love for others.

Verses 14-15
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Jesus now makes a distinction between being a servant and a friend. A servant is one who does things out of obligation, he has no choice except to obey. But a friend obeys out of love. A servant cannot know what his master’s intentions are, but a friend does things because he understands his friend.

McGee comments, "The Christian life is not a hit-and-miss proposition. The Christian life is following His instructions, and the instructions are clear. If you follow these instructions, you will bear fruit. ...We are His friends when we keep His commandments."

We say that we love Jesus, but how much do we really love him? Do we only give him lip service, or do we love him enough to obey his commands?

Verse 16
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 the Father in My name He may give you.

We have been chosen and appointed by God. God loved us so much that he sent his son to die for us. Then he sent his Holy Spirit to minister to us and draw us to him. Remember how you felt when you were in school and were chosen by the teacher for some special assignment? You felt important that you were chosen. Well, we should realize that we are special because God has chosen us. He loves us and wants us to be part of his family.

Verse 17
These things I command you, that you love one another.

Here in this verse Christ repeats the command from verse 12. He is emphasizing its importance, but notice he repeats it after telling us we are chosen of God. When we realize that we are part of God’s family because of God’s mercy instead of our own goodness, then we will not think too highly of ourselves. We will realize that we are no better than any other believer no matter what their intellectual level, talents, economic circumstances, social standing, or attractiveness. We are all equal in God’s sight because we all require his mercy to choose us. When we realize our true worth is in Christ, and not in ourselves, then it is easier to love others because all barriers are removed between us.

Verses 18-19
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Even though we are instructed to love others, we must realize that there are many who will not love us in return. It is sad but some of the world will despise us merely because we are Christians. As MacDonald writes, "The disciples were not to be surprised or disheartened if the world hates them. The world hated the Lord, and it will hate all who resemble Him." Those in the world know deep in their heart that they are doing wrong. People do not want to be reminded that they should be serving God. So when they meet someone sold out to Christ, they become uncomfortable around them. They probably don’t even know why, but they begin to resent the Christian’s presence.

Verses 20-21
Remember the word that I said to you, "A servant is not greater than his master." If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

Jesus said that we can expect to be persecuted. It is always amazing to me how some believers get so upset and angry with God when troubles come their way. They seem to think that serving God should be a continuous life of ease. But that’s not what Christ said. He tells us we can expect to be persecuted. We are not greater than the son of God. If he were persecuted, we can expect the same. So why are we always so surprised when trials come our way?

Verses 22-23
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also.

We all try to rationalize our behavior. That’s why some people feel uncomfortable reading the Bible or attending church – they don’t want to hear God’s words speaking to their heart. They would rather make excuses for their behavior. But if we would rather serve our own desires instead of Christ, we don’t really love him. In fact our disobedience shows that we hate him because we disregard his words. None of us are perfect, but we need to quit making excuses for our sinful behavior and strive to obey God’s word. The more we learn about Jesus, the more sin will be revealed, but also the more forgiveness and mercy will be given to us.

Verses 24-25
If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, "They hated Me without a cause."

The sad commentary is that Christ loved the world so much that he came here, and yet his message was rejected, his motives were questioned, and for his love he received hate. But he still loved those who despised him. Even on the cross he proclaimed, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." His love was unconditional. He came here because of love, and he died here because of love.

While on this earth, Jesus did many works of miracles, healing, forgiveness, and meeting needs. He is still doing the same works today. Today he uses his servants and his church, but the works are still the works of Christ. When people see how God is blessing someone’s life, it causes them to realize how they need to turn their life over to the Lord. We, as God’s representatives in the world, can have a great impact on the lives of others as we show the divine attributes of love, forgiveness, and mercy to others. Let us not be afraid to share our witness with others. Let us not be afraid to tell others that God loves them.

Verses 26-27
But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

God does not send angels to bear witness of Christ – he uses us, even though we may think we are weak, frail, and unqualified. God also uses the witness of the Apostles through their writings which make up the whole of the New Testament. Although sometimes God has convicted some individuals solely through reading his word, most of the time he uses human vessels to bring the gospel message to others. We must be willing to be used of God, because we are the ones appointed to bear witness of Christ.

We will be willing to be God’s messengers if we allow the Holy Spirit to fill our heart with love for others. We will learn to love even those who are unlovely because Christ loved us.

Footnotes:



	A Study of John 15:12-27