John
15:12 (NCV)
“This is My
command: Love each other as I have loved you.”
The 15th chapter of John is one of the best chapters in the
entire Bible. It starts by Jesus
describing Himself being the true vine and His followers being the branches of
the vine with the Father pruning the branches so that they may bear more fruit
(good works). In verses 7 and 8 Jesus
gives a wonderful promise in that if you abide in Him and His Word abides in
you, whatever you ask Him in prayer, He will do it. By Him answering your prayers, since your
prayers are based upon your abiding in Him and His Word, you will bear much
fruit (have great impact for the Christian faith in the world) and prove to be
His disciple.
Verse 12 of John 15 has been called the “11th
Commandment”. Actually verse 12 through
verse 17 describes this 11th Commandment that we love one
another. If you are truly abiding in
Christ (v 7) then you are getting along with other believers. Loving others is a mark of a disciple of
Christ. If you are not getting along
with other believers, if you are not loving them despite their flaws and weaknesses,
then you are not abiding in Christ and you are not being a true disciple. You have some work to do and you cannot
accomplish it on your own.
My two life-long friends are named Terry and Ron. Terry lives in Michigan and Ron lives in
Florida and just last week we three were together in Florida hanging out
together. We were talking about our 50+
years of friendship and I told them that someday (didn’t know that it would be
this soon) that I would write about our friendship and use John 15:13 as our
model verse. They asked what does John
15:13 say. I quoted it, “Greater love
has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends”. Both replied, “Whoa, wait a minute, I don’t
know about that!!!”
They were joking (I think!), but there is no question, to put your life
on the line for your friend takes the greatest that love can possibly be. Note that in verse14a, Jesus stated that “You
are My friends…….” and indeed Jesus did lay down His life for His friends. But who are His friends? Those who do what He commands (verse
14b). So, again, you claim to be a
believer, a follower, a disciple of Christ?
You are commanded by the Lord Himself to love others unconditionally
just as He loves you.
Evaluate your love for others—your spouse, children, other family
members, and other believers. Do you
really love them such that you would lay down your life for them (husbands,
read Ephesians 5:25)? Do you really love
them such that you would give up your own rights in deference to their
rights? Do you love them eternally just
as God said that He loves you in Isaiah 54:8?
Be honest in your self-assessment.
Admit to God if you know that you do not show this kind of love and ask
for His help to enable you to grow into someday soon showing this kind of
love. You can love others like God loves
you through His presence fully in you.
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