John 13-15--Love Is Not Optional
The Apostle
John, along with Paul, has given us some incredibly deep teachings
and insights about love in the Scriptures. John particularly seemed
to have a special sensitivity to the subject. He even referred to
himself in his writings as, “the one whom Jesus loves.” No other
apostle or disciple referred to himself in any way similar to that.
What a
sensitive spirit and heart John must have had. Some of the
teachings and principals Jesus taught the disciples about love are
found only in John’s writings. Why is that? Granted, all the
writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and they scribed only what
they were told. Yet, the personality of each author was allowed to
come through and interject his own style of writing, and John’s
interest in the subject of “love” comes through his writings loud
and clear.
The most
significant writings of John, not recorded by anyone else, are the
words and prayer Jesus shared with the disciples in the upper room
in chapters 13-17 of the Gospel of John. The focus of this
commentary is on just a few verses from those chapters. While I
realize that these words were spoken to the disciples, it makes
sense that the same message and principles would apply to us today.
Twice in the
15th chapter of John, Jesus commands us to love one
another:
This is my
commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
John 15:12
These things I
command you, that ye love one another.
John 15:17
In the 9th
verse, we’re told to continue in His love, as He has loved us, and
as His Father has loved Him.
Do you think
His message was clear enough? Jesus didn’t “suggest” that we love
one another. He didn’t say it would be “nice” if we loved one
another. He didn’t even say to love one another if we “felt like
it.” He gave us an outright, unconditional command to love. No
maybes. No buts. No debate. No argument. “Love.” It’s an
imperative statement. He commands it.
Okay, let’s
say we get that part. Exactly what does loving one another entail?
Going to Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 13 would be a good start.
Consider the actions we will show toward others when love is being
applied:
Love is
patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it
is not proud. (vs. 4)
It is not
rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no
record of wrongs. (vs. 5)
Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (vs. 6)
It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (vs. 7)
Love never
fails. (vs. 8)
The list above is pretty hefty; yet when we truly love someone, it’s achievable.
But what about someone we don’t like very much? What about the
person who doesn’t speak to us at church? What about the person at
work who has been undermining our abilities to the boss, or
spreading rumors? What about the spouse, or significant other, who
has been unfaithful? Loving them is an entirely different issue.
It’s much, much harder to be patient or kind to someone who treats
us unkindly. It’s difficult to trust in someone who has betrayed
us. The hardest part of putting the above behavior into action is
that it is required 24/7. It’s not just required when we’re face to
face with one of our less than favorite people, and we put on a
smile that is less than sincere. Jesus commanded us to love --
agapaō love. Nothing less than a Godly, perfect love toward others
is acceptable.
If you think
that’s tough, hold on because there’s even more to come:
“If ye love
me, keep my commandments.”
John 14:15
“He that hath
my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that
loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will
manifest myself to him.
John 14:21
“If a man love
me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will
come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth
me not keepeth not my sayings…”
John 14:23-24b
“If ye keep my
commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my
Father’s
commandments, and abide in His love.”
John 15:10
No matter in
which order you put the words, it’s clear that if we love the Lord,
we will keep His commandments. And, if we keep His commandments, we
will love others. Obeying Jesus’ command to love others cannot be
ignored or downplayed, because if you look closely, our keeping
Jesus’ commandments, of which one of them is loving others, has a
direct bearing on how we are loved by the Father and the Son.
Let’s go back,
however, to the verse “If a man love me, he will keep my words.” If
I combine the message of all the verses we’ve read so far, I have to
come to the conclusion that if I don’t love others, because that’s
what Jesus commanded me to do, then I don’t love Jesus. Many of us
are quick to expound our love for our Lord and Savior, but it’s our
actions that will reveal the truth within our heart.
John continued
this theme in his epistle of 1 John. Consider these verses:
“But if anyone
obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.”
1 John 2:5
“This is the
message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.”
1 John 3:11
“And this is
his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love
one another
as he commanded. Those who obey his commands live in him,
and he in them.”
1 John
3:23-24b
“Whoever does
not love does not know God, because God is love.”
1 John 4:8
“Dear friends,
since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
1 John 4:11
“And he has
given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his
brother.”
1 John 4:21
“This is how
we know that we love the children of God; by loving God and carrying
out
his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands.”
1 John 5:2-3
I suggest you
read 1 John for yourself to really grasp the emphasis John placed on
love. We know without a doubt that his letters were written to the
believers and Church of that day, so we can’t make any excuses that
the message was just for the disciples. It was meant for us.
Merge that
with this thought. Back in John 13, Jesus left the disciples a new
commandment in verses 34 & 35. He said, “…love ye one another;
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall
all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to
another.”
This new
commandment was given literally weeks before He ascended from this
earth. This was a new commandment that was given to the disciples
that was to be in force from that time forward. Guess what? Those
words are still in force, and they are still applicable to us.
The message
implies that the primary means by which others will know that we are
a disciple of Jesus Christ is by the love we have toward them.
Allow me to take a side trip here. Too often we apply these “love”
principals primarily to unbelievers, with the motive of loving the
lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. But for some reason, we
often drop the ball when it comes to loving other believers. I have
worked in several churches and ministries, and I have also worked in
the corporate, Fortune 200 environment. Though it doesn’t make
sense, at times it was more difficult working with believers than
with unbelievers. Even so-called “Christian” environments can have
employees or members who are dishonest, unethical, petty, gossips,
and unforgiving. If an unbeliever happened to slip in unawares,
they would forsake Christianity forever from what they observed.
Perhaps we
would be more conscious of loving each other if we took to heart
that when we don’t, we will not be known as a disciple of Christ.
While it’s not the angry, loud, verbal denial that Peter committed,
when we don’t love as we’ve been commanded to love, it’s a way of
denying Christ.
If you thought
this has been a difficult commentary so far, the hardest part is
coming up. The 14th verse of John 15 reads:
“These are my
friends, if ye do whatever I command you.”
And, what did
He command us to do? He commanded us to love one another. Are you
reading between the lines? He’s put a condition on our friendship
with Him. Basically what He’s saying is, “I’m commanding you to
love one another; therefore, if you don’t, you are not my friend.”
Are you getting this? Our friendship with Jesus Christ is on the
line when we don’t heed his commandment to love others. He’s not
saying that He’ll love us less, but He is saying that our unloving
actions will affect our relationship with Him.
We’re quite
often flippant about not liking certain people. We sometimes even
find ourselves bragging about how we mistreated someone else, or we
justify being ugly toward someone because they were rude to us
first. When we disrespect those in authority over us, we have not
displayed God’s love. When we are spiteful, gossipy and speak badly
of someone, we are not demonstrating the love of which we were
commanded.
I don’t know
about you, but I can think of no one on this planet earth for whom
it is worth jeopardizing my friendship with my Lord Jesus. If I am
not His friend when I don’t follow through with loving others, then
I would be a fool not to make loving others one of my top priorities
in this life. It means that when I’m sarcastic, and the tone in my
voice is demeaning or cutting, or if I even call another driver an
idiot for his lack of driving skills, my friendship with Jesus is on
the line. If I talk about someone behind their back, or I
disrespect my boss, I have not loved as Jesus commanded. When I
don’t forgive as Christ has forgiven me, I am not showing the love
of Christ. I have no room to say, “I can’t stand that person.”
That’s not obeying Christ’s command.
You know what
I’ve decided? I’ve decided that love needs to be on my radar screen
24/7. It needs to be in the forefront of my mind every time I open
my mouth or begin to think an unkind thought towards someone. I can
make no excuse, nor can I justify doing anything less than Jesus
commanded. There is no greater goal to achieve than being Jesus’
friend. I want that more than life itself. For me, love is not
optional. How about for you?
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