The Power of Love

John 15:12-17

In yesterday's passage (v.9), we were shown how passionately our Lord Jesus Christ loves us. He loved us the way our heavenly Father loved Him. Now, He gives His disciples another commandment. They are to keep on loving one another. It is no longer a new commandment (See 13:34) but it begins to take on a new meaning with the phrase, "...as I have loved you."

Jesus has demonstrated and proven His love for us by not only dying for us but by enduring the long hours of torture before His death. He bore the shame of a criminal, of a false teacher, and of a defeated revolutionary. Being spat upon and publicly ridiculed by the same people who shouted His praises days before, He went to the cross and died for His friends.

There is a small Greek word used in this passage. The word "hina" is a conjunction, which means "that," but has a much more subtle emphasis in this passage. Vincent's Word Studies says, "But it may fairly be claimed that its predominant sense is intent, purpose, purport, or object. Hence that, as representing "hina", is to be taken in the sense of to the end or intent that; in order that. Here the use of the word is very subtle and suggestive, as well as beautiful. No man hath greater love than this (love), which, in its original conception, was intended and designed to reach to the extent of sacrificing life for a friend."

Now, we must understand that Jesus did not give His life for His friends. We were His enemies. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He personally chose each of his disciples and He personally chose each of us who were sinners but are now saved by His grace.

By His love and sacrifice, He made us His friends and, while we serve Him, we must serve out of our love for Him and not as servants. We prove our friendship and love for Him by obeying Him in loving one another as He loved us. We must love even those people within the body of Christ who appear to be our enemies, because that is Jesus' commandment.

He has given us the tools to serve Him in fellowship and love. He has not kept us in the dark about the Father's plans but has told us all things. We know what will be the outcome of history and, with that knowledge, we ought to be able to lay down our lives for one another, not just to die for one another but also to live for one another.

Jesus has chosen and ordained each of His followers to serve Him with love for a specific purpose. They are to continuously be bringing forth fruit... new people for the kingdom of God. The kind of fruit that they bring should be an everlasting one. Jesus said the fruit should remain or "keep on abiding." By our love and sacrifices, we can give eternal life to others.

Finally, He repeats the two tools that He has given us with which we can accomplish our purpose. Prayer is first. All things will be given to those who are truly His friends, if they will but ask Him.

Secondly, we have His commandment to love one another. Nothing can attract new believers to the fellowship of the saints more effectively than the love that they see demonstrated there. The world is spiritually dead, because it does not know the love of God. We have the ministry and the opportunity to bring God's love to a hopeless world that is destroying itself in its search to fill the void.

Before The Throne:

Who is your enemy? Before you begin your prayer, you should pick up the phone and tell him/her that you love him. Then pray that God would fill your heart with love for others. Ask what you can do to serve the people around you. Confess your selfish ways and ask for forgiveness. Pray that God will show you how you can always be giving to others, sacrificing for them, and loving them the way Jesus loves you. Pray that every bit of hatred, anger, resentment, jealousy, and contempt be taken from you. Prove yourself to be Jesus' friend by going out today and loving others as He commanded you to do.

For Further Study:

(v.12) Joh 13:34; Ro 12:10; Eph 5:2; 1Th 3:12; 4:9; 2Th 1:3; 1Pe 1:22; 3:8; 4:8; 1Jo 2:7-10; 3:11-18,23; 4:21;

(v.13) Joh 10:11,15; Ro 5:6-8; Eph 5:2; 1Jo 4:7-11;

(v.14) * my. Joh 14:15,28; 2Ch 20:7; So 5:1; Isa 41:8; Mt 12:50; Lu 12:4; Jas 2:23; * if. Joh 2:5; 13:17; 14:21; 1Jo 5:3;

(v.15) * I call. Joh 12:26; 13:16; 20:17; Ga 4:6; Phm 1:16; Jas 1:1; 2Pe 1:1; Jude 1:1; Re 1:1; * friends. Jas 2:23; * all. Joh 4:19; 17:6-8,26; Ge 18:17-19; 2Ki 6:8-12; Ps 25:14; Am 3:7; Mt 13:11; Lu 10:23; Ac 20:27; Ro 16:25,26; 1Co 2:9-12; Eph 1:9; 3:5; Col 1:26; 1Pe 1:11;

(v.16) * have not. Joh 6:70; 13:18; Lu 6:13; Ac 1:24; 9:15; 10:41; 22:14; Ro 9:11-16,21; 1Jo 4:10,19; * ordained. Joh 20:21-23; 21:15-17; Isa 49:1-3; Jer 1:5-7; Mt 28:18,19; Mr 16:15,16; Lu 24:47-49; Ac 1:8; Ro 1:5; 15:15,16; 1Co 9:16-18; Ga 1:15; Eph 2:10; Col 1:23; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 1:11; 2:2; Tit 1:5; * bring. Pr 11:30; Isa 27:6; 55:10-13; Mic 5:7; Ro 1:13; 15:16-19; 1Co 3:6,7; Col 1:6; Jas 3:18; * that your. Ge 18:18; Ps 71:18; 78:4-6; 145:4; Zec 1:4-6; Ac 20:25-28; Ro 15:4; 1Co 10:11; 2Ti 3:15-17; Heb 11:4; 1Pe 1:14-21; 3:2,15; * that whatsoever. Joh 14:13,14; 16:23,24; Mt 21:22;

(v.17) 1Pe 2:17; 1Jo 3:14-17;

For Further Study is an edited excerpt from The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.