John 15:
9 “Just as my Father has loved me, I too have loved you; so stay in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will stay in my love — just as I have kept my Father’s commands and stay in his love. 11 I have said this to you so that my joy may be in you, and your joy be complete.
12 “This is my command: that you keep on loving each other just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends, if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave doesn’t know what his master is about; but I have called you friends, because everything I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, I chose you; and I have commissioned you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that whatever you ask from the Father in my name he may give you. 17 This is what I command you: keep loving each other!
(Complete Jewish Bible).If you jump into a swimming pool you will get wet. It's not that if you jump in you will prove that you are worthy to get wet and therefore will be granted wetness. No, it's just the way it works. Jesus said if we keep his commandments--love God and love each other--we will find ourselves abiding in Christ--a place of abundant life and complete joy. That's just the way it works. It's hard to love as Jesus loved, though--to put yourself aside for the good of the other, especially to the point of sacrifice and suffering. But Jesus chose us for this and gave us the command so that we could love one another. We love--we abide; we abide--we love.
Lord, sometimes you talk in circles. It's a circle of love. Help us to color inside the lines of your love, which has no boundaries, so it shouldn't be too hard for us! Amen.
Gayle Pope, '03
Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Quincy, Ill.
John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.
10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.
17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. (New Revised Standard Version)
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