John 15:9-17

'Love one another' is the key theme from today's reading from John chapter 15. Jesus certainly had no intention that his followers, nor we, miss this. If we go to chapter 13 and verse 34, we have this: 'A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another'. Then twice in this morning's reading. In verse 12: 'My command is this: Love one another', and then again in verse 17: 'This is my command: Love one another' It couldn't be more emphatically spelled out.

We have a command to love! The trouble is, the English language uses the word 'love' in so many different ways. C S Lewis entitled one of his books "The Four Loves", and as he began the final section on the specifically Christian love: 'agape' love he admitted this was a particularly difficult climb. 'Agape' love, whilst containing elements of the various human loves, is something very different. It is not feeling, althogh feeling may be involved. It is not sentiment, although sentiment may be involved. It is not a warm, rosy glow, though a warm rosy glow may be involved.
'Agape' is "where the rubber hits the road". It goes against our natural human inclinations. I can't force myself or work myself up into 'agape' love. It is often defined as "seeking the good of the other person, their best, regardless of their merit, regardless of any positive emotions we may have toward that person". It sounds like gritting our teeth and going against all our inclinations.

I recently re-read one of the greater Christian books of the last quarter century: John Piper's "Desiring God". Piper's main premise is that, in the words of the "Westminster Confession": "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him for ever"- except that Piper re-phrases it: "Man's chief end is to enjoy God by glorifying him for ever" It is our duty, it is that for which we were created- to glorify God. If I may stay with John Piper for just a moment, he says that Romans 3:23, 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God', means not that are lives are lived below the standard of God's glory, but that our lives do not honour God's glory as they should- that often we never even think of God's glory.
  If we apply all this to the command to love, this means that the sort of "suffering, grin-and-bear it" attitude to love- such a love can never glorify God-which should be our joy. Our love needs to flow naturally and from within.
  I would connect that up with John 13:34. "As I have loved you, so you must love one another" That 'as...so' construction means "In the same way", "to the same degree". Our love should mirror that of Jesus. That links, doesn't it, with verse 13: "Greater love has no-one than this, that he lays down his life for his friends". That should be the measure of our gladly-given, God-honouring love. The "Life Application Commentary" says of this: "We may not have to die for someone, but we can practice sacrificial love in many other ways: Listening, helping, encouraging, giving".

But how do we arrive at this freely, gladly-given, God-honouring love, which runs counter to our every instinct? First and foremost, look at Romans chapter 5: verse 1 'Being justified by faith' to verse 5 'God pours his love into our hearts by his Holy Spirit'- of whom, so Galatians chapter 5 and verse 22: 'The fruit of the Spirit is love...'

We are also enabled by:
-freedom from crippling guilt ('Being justified by faith-Romans 5:1)
-Jesus, by his Spirit, restrains us from selfish desires ('The fruit of the Spirit is....self-control'- Galatians 5:22)
-Jesus challenges us with his own example- anybody remember the 'WWJD' wrist-bands etc?
-the encouragement and support of our Christian brothers and sisters. In the connection, let's note the command is to 'love one another'

To close, let's just look at verse 14:
'I no longer call you servants...I have called you friends' The word for 'friend' used there is of a person with right of entry to and presence in a royal court. We know God's mind; we know his will, so long as we practice love. We love, not just as his servant, but as one who has the 'mind of Christ', and as one who, Colossians 3:16 reminds us has a grateful heart