Title: John 15:9-13 Love one another
◎ Introduction
: Jesus has a very special relationship with believers. It is a relationship that saves us from being desolated, empty, lonely, meaningless, and sad.
1. Stay in love (9-10)
2. Filling the joy of believers (11)
3. Love each other (12-13)
1. Stay in love (9-10)
※ Jesus loved with a very special love, that is, the love that God loved Him.
① God the Father’s love for Jesus Christ, the Son of God
② Christ's love for those who believe (He loves those who believe with the same love he received)
One). 3 Reasons Heavenly Father Loves Christ (9)
① Because Christ is his Son, and he is the only Son.
* He loves Christ because of his instinctive love. (Eph 1:6-7, John 3:16, Col 1:13, Hebrews 5:5)
② God loves Christ because of his gentle love.
* God's love for Christ is perfect love. It is a very special love based on the perfect obedience of Christ. (John 14:31, 15:10, Heb 10:7)
③ God loves Christ because of his supreme love.
*Christ paid the highest price for obedience (obedience died and sacrificed himself).
(John 10:17-18, 12:27-30, 10:17-18, 14:31, Ephesians 5:2)
2). God loves Christ with the same love he loved. (9)
① Christ loves us because of his instinctual love.
*Because we are God's children, because we are His brothers, because we are God's family.
(Galatians 4:4-6, Romans 8:15-17, 9:26, 1 John 3:1-2, Romans 8:29, Matthew 12:50, Hebrews 2:11, Ephesians 2:19, 2 Corinthians 6:17 ~18)
②Christ loves us because of his gentle love.
*Christ loves us because we believe in God (John 5:24), seek God (Hebrews 11:6), and keep God's commandments (John 14:21, 15:10, 14).
③Christ loves us because of his supreme love.
*The highest price of obedience is that we deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and die daily to follow Him (Luke 9:23, 1 John 3:16).
3). The duty of believers (the great commandment) is to abide in love. (10)
① “Abiding in it” or “continuity” is conditional.
* You can break, stop, leave, distance, or go back to the old days with Him.
*You may fall into the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-16)
② The “abiding in love” of Christ has one standard, the highest example.
* We must view Christ's obedience as His supreme example (John 10:17-18).
*If a believer wants to follow the example of Jesus and keep His commandments, he must study the Word of God, learn it, and abide in Christ's commandments and life.
(John 15:4-5, Acts 17:11, 2 Tim 2:15, 1 Pet 2:2-3, 1 John 2:28, 1 John 3:6, 2 John 9)
2. Filling the joy of believers (11)
※ The great purpose for believers is the fulfillment of their joy.
One). “My joy” was to look to the eternal joy and glory that Christ would enjoy with the Father and the believers in doing the will of God. (John 12:23-26, 14:28-29, Hebrews 12:2)
2). The joy of believers is the joy of Christ reigning in them (John 15:11, Romans 5:2,).
3). Believers' joy is fulfilled as they study the promises and commandments of Christ.
(John 14:28-29, 15:11, 17:13, 1 Peter 2:2-3, Jeremiah 15:16)
What is the joy of believers? It means inner pleasure, a pleasure that is deeply rooted in the heart.
① Joy is divine. It belongs only to God and is given by God (John 15:11; Acts 13:52).
② Joy does not depend on circumstances or happiness. Happiness depends on what happens, but the joy that God instills in believers goes beyond even the most troublesome issues of life and death. (Psalm 5:11, 2 Corinthians 6:10, 7:4)
③ Joy springs from faith. (Romans 15:13, Philippians 1:25, 2 Timothy 1:4, Matthew 2:10)
④ The joy of future rewards keeps people loyal. (Mt 25:21, 23, Acts 20:24)
What source brings the believer's joy?
① The communion between God the Father and His Son (1 John 1:3~4, Psalm 16:11)
② The victory over sin, death, and hell (John 14:28, 16:20-22, Isaiah 12:3, 61:40)
③Repentance (Luke 15:7, 10)
④ Hope of glory (Romans 14:17, Hebrews 12:2, 1 Peter 4:13,)
⑤ The words of the Lord, revelations, commandments, and the promises He gave (John 15:11)
⑥The commandments and the will of God (John 15:11, 32, 17:13, Acts 13:52, Jer 15:16)
⑦ Prayer (1 John 1:3~4)
⑧ The appearance and fellowship of believers (1 John 1:3~4)
⑨Converts (Luke 15:5, Philippians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, Psalm 126:5)
⑩ Hearing that others are walking in the truth (3 John 1:4)
⑪ Giving (2 Corinthians 8:2, Hebrews 10:34)
3. Love each other (12-13)
※ The highest standard of believers is the love of Jesus Christ. It paid the ultimate price, the highest price.
It died for friends and sacrificed itself.
(John 10:17-18, 12:27-30, 13:31-32, 13:1, Romans 8:35, 2 Corinthians 5:14, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 5:2, 1 John 3:16)
※If you do what I command you, you are my friends (John 15:14)
◎ Conclusion:
Jesus Christ For whom did he die?
The one who made us friends is the one who sacrificed for us and loved us even to death. This is the highest standard of love for believers. Therefore, we too must follow this standard.
We will have to be prepared to pay a high price for our friends. That would be the way to save their lives somewhere. So that they may be filled with the love of the Lord, and ultimately share joy with God and Christ and with them and us. Amen.