Bible Study - Connected (4) - A Life of Love - John 15:9-17 - March 27, 2022

 

Bible Study – Connected (4) – A Life of Love – March 27, 2022

This is lesson four (4) in our series entitled, “Living Life Connected to CHRIST.”

Our focus scripture is John 15:9-17.

Remaining in CHRIST means our relationships are marked by love.

“A life of Love” to me is impossible without the indwelling Holy Spirit and abiding in JESUS, which is captured in John 15:1-8:

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If (since) you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be^[a] my disciples.

As Spirit-born people, we are eternally grafted into JESUS through faith. Our faith is confirmed by the indwelling Holy Spirit and once Spirit-born, never to be Spiritually unborn.

Do you desire to produce Spiritual fruit? Then abide in JESUS.

What does it mean to abide? It means to stay or to dwell. It is a Spiritual and organic (human) union with JESUS and GOD. We use the term to be “born-again.” JESUS told the Jewish leader Nicodemus in John 3:3, “³ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again,^[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” This statement perplexed Nicodemus, yet that is exactly what must take place in every person’s life before he or she can be redeemed from the path he or she in traveling without acknowledging JESUS as his or her Savior. Where does the path of life lead? Without JESUS it leads to Hell but the Good News is when a person places his or her faith in JESUS the path leads to Spiritual birth and eternal life with JESUS and GOD.

JESUS knew HIS time had come when HE would give HIS sinless life to pay for the penalty of sin, which is eternal death. Whereas no person can live a life perfect enough to pay for his or her own sin and that is why JESUS came to earth to give HIS life by the shedding of HIS blood. Why did JESUS agree to do that? It is because HE loved each person who will ever live upon earth.

Let’s explore!

JESUS knew where HE came from as we read in John 17:4-5:

⁴ I have glorified you (GOD) on the earth by completing the work you (GOD) gave me to do. ⁵ Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.

JESUS knew where HE came from and HE knew the authority HE had e.g. Matthew 26:53 - ⁵³ Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels? JESUS suffered and died because of HIS love for every person who has and will every live upon earth.

GOD’S love is the key and HIS redemptive plan for all people through faith in JESUS. So simple, yet so hard for some to accept.

In our scripture, JESUS is attempting to put GOD’S love into perspective for humans to understand as we explore. JESUS was teaching HIS disciples ------

Let’s read John 15:9-11:

Christlike Love

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. 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 these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

The life of JESUS was an expression of the love of GOD, The FATHER of JESUS, to all the world. Love is a relationship. Love is vital to a person’s relationship with JESUS and GOD.

When we love a person, we want to be with that person 24/7 and get to know that person intimately. How do we do that? We spend time with that person, ask questions, interact with that person, build a relationship and trust evolves.

As in any relationship trust is vital.

Notice in verse 9 that JESUS gave the relationship beginning with GOD, HIS Father. GOD is the source of love and love flows from HIM through JESUS. ⁹ “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. 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.

JESUS was 100% human. HE had the freedom to do whatever HE chose to do. The key is what did HE choose to do? Consider John 5:19:

¹⁹ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father^[a] does, the Son likewise does these things. Also, consider John 5:24-30:

²⁴ “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

²⁵ “Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself. ²⁷ And he has granted him the right to pass judgment, because he is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation.

³⁰ “I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

What does this mean to every human upon earth? Neither can we do anything on our own. We must be Spiritually born into GOD’S Family and become a Child of GOD. When we do, does that mean we can do whatever we choose to do? NO!!! Not if we choose to walk with GOD as JESUS did.

The only way a human can be intimate with GOD is through Spiritual-birth and the passion of JESUS made that possible. But each person must accept JESUS as HIS or HER Savior for Spiritual-birth to take place. It is a miracle and once Spiritually born into GOD’S Family you will never, ever be Spiritually unborn. You still have the right to choose. GOD never makes a person a robot but always with the freedom to choose and make decisions. JESUS tells us that it does not take much faith for us to witness miracles. It only takes faith in HIM and our FATHER the size of a mustard seed.

24 “Truly I tell you (JESUS was speaking), anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

25 “Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself. 27 And he has granted him the right to pass judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation.

30 “I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

GOD loved JESUS, HIS only Son. GOD trusted HIS Son such that HE allowed HIM to experience freedom to live as 100% human. JESUS was free to do as HE desired but HE also knew of HIS FATHER’S redemptive plan. JESUS came to earth knowing where HE came from and had the power to take matters into HIS own hands but HE freely chose to do the will of HIS Heavenly FATHER. Why? Because of HIS love for all people.

When did this love begin for humans? We read in Ephesians 1:3-6:

³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c] 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

JESUS knew the love of HIS FATHER and, in turn, JESUS loved HIS disciples. He reminded them to remain in HIS love and how they were to do that. It was by them keeping HIS commands. As Spirit-born people, when we keep GOD’S commands, we will remain in JESUS’ love. JESUS was clear that HE had kept HIS Father’s commands and as such remain in his love.

When a person is Spiritually born, he or she immediately receives the Spiritual Gift of the Holy Spirit and The Holy Spirit is the communicator between GOD/JESUS and the Spirit-born person.

GOD’S love flows from GOD to those who have been Spirit-born. Sin blocks the path from GOD to every person and the sin block must be removed before the path between mankind and GOD is open. JESUS removed that sin barrier but each person must accept what JESUS did for him or her. When they do, believing that JESUS is the atoning sacrifice for them, they are eternally Spirit-born in the Family of GOD.

Do you know JESUS as your Savior? Are you a conduit through whom the love of GOD and JESUS flows?

Let’s read John 15:12-14:

¹² “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. 

JESUS was preparing HIS disciples for the days to come. The hallmark of the ministry of JESUS was and is love. Again, it is the flow of love from GOD through JESUS to every person who places his or her faith in JESUS.

JESUS told HIS disciples that they were to “Love one another as HE had loved them.” How had JESUS loved them? HE taught them, protected them, was going to give HIS sinless life for them and all who would place their faith in HIM as the acceptable perfect sacrifice for sin.

When a person loves like JESUS, he or she is eager for others to know JESUS as their Savior as they are led by the Holy Spirit. It is not jumping ahead of GOD but always being in-step with GOD as led by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s read John 15:15-17:

¹⁵ I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master^[b] is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

¹⁷ “This is what I command you: Love one another.

All Spirit-born people are called to go and tell others about JESUS as led by the Holy Spirit. All people have been chosen to be friends of JESUS.

Are you a friend of JESUS or a servant? What is the difference? Do you know what GOD and JESUS are doing and what their redemptive plan is? Do you have the desire to share the Good News with those lost in the wilderness of despair without hope? As a Spirit-born friend you know the truth. Truth must be shared. JESUS tells those who have experienced Spiritual birth that they are the light of the light of the world. For light to be beneficial, it must not be hidden but shared.

Is your desire for others to know JESUS through the miracle of Spiritual birth? If so, tell JESUS that you want to move from being a servant to being HIS friend. Ask HIM to reveal to you barriers that prevent you from becoming HIS friend. Also, ask HIM to help you remove any barriers that prevent the fullness of JESUS from flowing through you to whom the Holy Spirit gives you opportunity to share the love of JESUS. Abide in the true vine and doing so produce much fruit. All you have to do is abide and GOD produces HIS fruit, as you respond to opportunity.

When did JESUS choose every person who will ever live? Before GOD created the world. All have been chosen but will all accept GOD’S invitation? GOD gives every person the freedom to choose. Choose wisely, my friends because your choice is eternal.

Dear JESUS, open my Spiritual eyes to the opportunities that surround me every day to share the Spiritual light of JESUS that is within me. Also, open my eyes to YOUR work that is taking place around me and I will take that as an opportunity to join YOU in YOUR work. YES!!!

Blessings!!!