John Power of The Korea Herald reported last February 15 a tragic event about a man who burned himself as a protest against China’s control over Tibet. The day before that, many people around the world celebrated “love”.
This next picture was taken last January 24, 2013. North Korea tested her nuclear capability to gain a voice in international politics, which the White House later described as nuclear “brinkmanship”.
We can add more stories to show what’s happening around the world. Brokenness is the word that comes to my mind to describe our present situation. we are living in a broken world. Three marks of such brokenness are evident in people’s unhappiness, superficial relationships and life’s meaninglessness.
In the midst of this kind of brokenness, where can we find hope?
In John 15: 9-17, we read Jesus’ teaching about Christian love. He wants His people to understand the importance of loving each other. This is our identity and our witness. The world will know that we are indeed Christ’s followers if we love each other.
What is it in Christian love that makes it a timely message in a broken world?
Christian love is the source of a life full of joy, vs. 9-11
In verse 11, Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” The “this” here refers to what Jesus said in verses 9 and 10. Jesus said three important things in these two verses that have something to do with Christian love and the source of Christian joy.
First, Jesus spoke the Father’s love for him. In the Father’s love for Jesus, we find the beauty of the relationship that exists between the Father and the Son. And that relationship is the source of Jesus’ joy.
Jesus is certain that the Father has loved him. There is no question about the Father’s love for Him. And there is also no question about the certainty of Jesus’ knowledge that the Father indeed has loved him.
If there is any case that Jesus doubted the Father’s love, that was the time when He was suffering for our sins at the CROSS and cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). It is because of our sins that the certainty of Jesus’ knowledge about the love of the Father for Him was somehow shaken. The Father poured out His anger upon His Son on that very moment of agony to pay for our sins.
Then after saying that the Father has loved him, Jesus said next that he has loved us. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” This truth should be the source of our joy. Many people are killing themselves because they do not feel being loved. Many people find life meaningless because they are unloved. If only they heard and believe that Someone loves them so much and even willing to give up His life for them, I think these people will never think about ending their lives.
Yes, it is true that the love of a fellow human makes us happy especially when celebrating Valentine season. You spend time with your love one, sharing stories, and exchanging words of affection. However, compared to the love of Jesus, the comfort and happiness that human love can give are uncertain. This is simply because human love is also uncertain.
But this is not the case in Jesus’ love. Nothing can change the love of Jesus. His death on the CROSS is the proof of that love. The fact that He laid down His life demonstrated the extent of His love. He did not hesitate to suffer death because of love.
How many people do you know are willing to face death for your sake or for the sake of the ones they love? I know no one. Perhaps, you know someone, but the truth is, such kind of love is very very rare.
So there is no question about the certainty of Jesus’ love. The problem lies in our belief about Jesus’ love most especially when we are facing problems. It is easy to doubt the love of Jesus when everything is not happening based on our expectation. We ask: if Jesus really loves me, why this thing is happening in my life? Why my business is struggling if Jesus really loves me? Why is my marriage in trouble if Jesus really loves me? Why my children are not listening to me if Jesus really loves me? Why people are treating me this way if Jesus really loves me?
The truth is the love of Jesus does not depend on circumstances. And this love is the kind of message that people must hear in this broken world.
So after Jesus shared about the Father’s love for Him and His love for His people, He next said, “Now remain in my love.” Remaining in Jesus’ love is the only path to experience stable joy in life. But remaining in Jesus’ love moment-by-moment is not easy. In fact, on our own, we are not capable of it for the standard is so high. And what is the standard for remaining in Jesus’ love? Jesus said, “…just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
Jesus obeyed His Father’s command 100%. He also remained in the Father’s love 100%. Who among us can obey God’s command 100%? Who among us can remain in Jesus’ love 100%? None of us. It is a matter of grace. It is only by grace through faith that we can obey God’s command and remain in Jesus’ love 100%. This is simply because the gospel tells us that Jesus’ obedience is our obedience and Jesus’ remaining in the Fathers’ love is also our remaining. Amen!
This is the message of Christian love for any person to experience the joy of Jesus. Amen!
Christian love has as already been demonstrated through genuine relationships, vs. 12- 15
Jesus speaks about His love for His friends in verses 12-15. This love is a demonstration of genuine relationship.
Another mark of our broken world is broken promises, broken relationships, and superficial friendships. After Jesus emphasized His command to love each other in verse 12, Jesus explained about the relationship that exists between friends. Actually, the kind of friendship that Jesus was talking here is not an ordinary friendship that we find in human relationship. Again, there are three qualities that distinguish this kind of friendship from the common human friendship. What are these three marks?
First, this friendship is sacrificial. Actually, Jesus here is describing the kind of friendship that He has for us. So the first quality of Jesus’ friendship is sacrificial. He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” You are blessed if you find such a friend. How many among your friends can pass this friendship test? Do you know any of your friend willing to lay down his life for you? I doubt it.
Using Jesus’ test of friendship, many friendship would hardly qualify as one. But that is the kind of friendship that Jesus has for us. And the sacrificial nature of His friendship has been proven both in His words and His action. Many human friends are only good in words, but never in action. Unlike Jesus, His words and actions go together. You are blessed indeed for having Jesus as your friend. Amen!
Another quality of Jesus’ friendship is conditionality. In verse 14 He said, “You are my friends if you do what I command.” There is a condition in His friendship and that is obedience.
Many friendships these days are tolerant and licentious. They do not remind you if you do wrong. A true friend warns you and tells you the truth even though it will hurt you. Look for that kind of friendship. It is not good to have friends that will always say nice things about you. A true friend will tell you the blind spot in your personality for you to improve yourself. Yes, it hurts but that is for your good.
However, to have such kind of friend you should be willing to be rebuked in love. The Bible says, “Open rebuke is better that secret love.” If you are not open for rebuke and you tend to get angry when somebody corrects you in love, people around you and even your friends will gradually withdraw from you.
Jesus’ kind of friendship has a standard. He gave His friends commands. He rebuked His friends when they failed to do His commands. This is understandable simply because our friendship with Jesus is not between equals. Except from being our friend, He is also our Lord. So it is but proper for Him to give commands to His friends.
So if you are really one of His friends, obedience will manifest in your life. Amen!
Thirdly, Jesus’ friendship is educational. Here Jesus contrasted a friend from a servant. And the primary distinction is knowledge. Jesus said, “…everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
It is really great to have Jesus as your friend. You will have a constant companion in this life who is wise. As a lifelong companion, He will be your Guide and Teacher. He will give you advice concerning your directions in life.
Jesus’ friendship is a very timely message that people in a broken world needs to hear.
Christian love is the way to live a meaningful life,
In verses 16 and 17, Jesus speaks about productivity or bearing fruit. Many people find life meaningless for they do not see their usefulness. They think they are unproductive in the use of their time, strength, and resources. They don’t see meaning in life.
In economics and the business world, productivity is very important. Without production, it is impossible to increase the standard of living. Without production, any business will soon be bankrupt.
This is why it is good to it a personal policy in life to always give your best. By giving your best, you are actually adding value to your company and to people around you. If you are not giving your best and instead keep on complaining about the ugly things in your life, you turn to be no longer an asset, but a liability. You are becoming unproductive.
I found a relevant saying in our English Class textbook. Last Friday, we discuss about “Jobs” and I found this saying: “The fellow who is fired with enthusiasm for his work is seldom fired by his boss.” There are two fires in this quote – one refers to zeal and enthusiasm and the other refers to being out of job. I think you get the point. If you are always giving your best and thinking of the value that you can give to your employer, your employer will be very pleased with you.
Now with the same idea about productivity but on a different level, Jesus is talking about Christian love as way to live a productive Christian life. Many people these days find their lives useless, but not in our case. Productivity is our future; it is our destiny. The apostle Paul said, “For we are God’s workmanship in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). Now, here in John 15:16-17, Jesus shared three important truths about being productive.
You can live a productive life because Jesus chose you and appointed you for that end. You see, Jesus’ election and appointment have a purpose and the purpose is for you to bear fruit. So there is no chosen man and woman of God that will remain unproductive. If you are indeed one among Jesus’ elect, fruits will manifest in your life. And there is no man and woman of God who can say that his or her life is meaningless and useless simply because Jesus has a purpose for you, and that is, to be productive.
In the Bible, bearing fruit is used in different context. It could refer to lost people won by your witness. It could also mean the character of Christ manifesting in your life described in Galatians 5:22 as the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And finally, it could also mean anything that comes out of the new life that is in us because of our relationship with Jesus. It could be your work at home, with your spouse and children, in your studies at school, in your work in your offices, in your business, in your ministry in the church, in other words, the entirety of Christian life – wherever you are and whatever you do. The important thing is that you are doing all your activities as an expression of service to God for the honor of His name. That is how I understand bearing fruit and each one of us is chosen and appointed by Jesus for that purpose. Amen!
Finally, you can live productive lives because Jesus gave you an assurance that your prayer in His Name will be answered. Amen! Remember that even our prayers need to be purified by the blood of Jesus. Most of the time, we ask God for things that are not really good for us. We ask things to satisfy our selfish desires. God knows that and that is why all our prayers must pass through the Name of Jesus. Only prayer done in His Name receives the assurance of God’s answer.
And this is the kind of prayer that makes us productive. In prayer, we acknowledge that we are weak, that we are prone to wander away from Him, and that we are inclined to follow our own footsteps. Through prayer, we receive the energy and guidance that we need to be productive. Through prayer, we receive wisdom and ability to perform our daily tasks. Through prayer, we learn to listen to the voice of God and apply the truths of His word in our lives. Through this kind of prayer, we can have an assurance that we can live productive lives. Amen!
Conclusion:
Christian love makes your life joyful, you enjoy real relationship and makes your life meaningful for you are being productive. Most people in our time are unhappy, unproductive, and suffer from superficial and broken relationships. In this broken world, living out the message of Christian love is our witness to the world. Jesus said, the world will know that you are indeed my disciples if you love one another. Amen!
Only By Grace 