Title: John 15:12-17 Love and Election
Content This text is Jesus' farewell sermon, telling the parable of the true vine and branches and teachings about love and patience. First, he teaches that the objects that the saints should love are brothers and sisters of faith.
What we need to remember the most is these words, 'As I have loved you'. At that time, the Lord was right in front of his death, not with his family, but with his disciples. And at that time, the disciples had no one to put forward in terms of academic background or position. But in the end, the Lord was with the disciples. that you loved
He also taught me that being a friend of the Lord is the happiest thing. There is a western proverb that says, 'If you have two friends you can trust and rely on for the rest of your life, that person is a happy person.' It's hard to have real friends like this. You and I have such friends. That is Jesus Christ.
The Lord did not expect any value or reward through this death, but rather sacrificed it for us who are worthless and impoverished. Who is Jesus? Even though he is the only begotten Son of God, he is the one who always calls on the Lord and listens to and solves any of our stories.
And the Lord has chosen us first. Verse 16 says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and established you.” They are not the disciples of Jesus or we did not choose the Lord first, but the beings that the Lord chose first. It is not that we are fascinated by the character and power of the Lord, but follow the Lord and choose Him to lead a life of faith.
Disciples and our saints were also called one by one under the Lord's sovereignty. And he made them his people and his friends.
Many believers boasted of their years of faith. However, there are those who boast no fault among the saints. If there is no fruit of love, no fruit of the Holy Spirit, no fruit of evangelism, the believer is living a life that is beyond the purpose chosen by the Lord. We must bear fruit abundantly in our faith and in our lives. By doing so, I pray that we who are the Lord's friends, we who are chosen and loved, will become true saints who fulfill the purpose for which we have been called.