Contemplations of the Cross: Love, Obedience and Abiding
Pastor R. Greene
Text: John 15: 1-15
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater Love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
God’s will is that we bear “much fruit” , the fruit of sincere love of others.
What is love? Agape love (not Eros) is the highest level of love; (I Cor. 13: 4-8)
ü Unconditional
ü Genuine
ü Unending
ü Sacrificial
Am I bearing the fruit if love? (John 15:8)
· Love is the evidence of being His disciple (v 8)
· Love abides, perseveres, persists
How does the Father love? (John 15:9)
· Perfectly
· Patiently
· Consistently, deeply
· Warmly w/ deep affection
· Not like human fathers
Love and Obedience: (John 15:10)
· Loves leads to obedience
· Jesus obeyed His Father out of love
· Fruit: comes from the combination of Love and Obedience
Love + Obedience = Joy (John 15:11)
· Love and obedience completes our Joy
· We are commanded to love others as He has loved us (v. 11).
· God showed His love by sending Christ to die (John 3:16)
· “If you hang around Christ you will smell like love”. (R.)
Love Multiplied (John 15: 12, 13)
· Love like you have been loved
· Love those you don’t like or don’t like you.
· Love sacrificially….
How is God’s love flowing in and out of me? (2 Corinthians5:14, 15)
· Are you loving others with agape love?
· Are you loving out of God’s love for you?
· Do you live like God’s servant or God’s friend?