Dearest e-votees-
The featured word for love in the first few verses of our appointed text is the same one that was part of our focus last week. The word is about a sacrificial love. It says more about the lover than it does the beloved. It is the love of John 3:16. It is the love of a foot-washing, cross-bound savior. It is the love of one who lays down his life for his friends. It is a love in which Jesus tells his disciples and us to abide.
Will we remain in that sort of love?
Peace,
Karl
------------
9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
John 15:9-17, NRSV
Some think that being a person of faith is all about following rules. Do this. Don't do that. Eat that. Don't eat this. Pray this way. Don't worship that way. For any who have earnestly tried to draw near through learning and following rules they know intimately the emptiness and difficulty of doing such a thing can become painfully palpable. Luther realized he couldn't do it. Until grace broke through he was a tormented soul. We can't do it either. In the meantime, while we try self-deludingly, we find ourselves tearing ourselves and others down who don't, in our estimation, measure up.
The truth is we can't earn, merit or obey ourselves into right relationship with God. How we find ourselves in right relationship with God is to abide with God's sacrificial love. We abide in the salvation offered in the cross. We abide in a God who chooses us and calls us friend. We abide in a God who lay's down God's own life for our sake. We are called to love like that. We are to set aside serving only ourselves for the sake of God. We are to lay aside serving only ourselves for the sake of our brothers and sisters.
It is in dwelling in that love that God's joy might be in us. It is in fully embracing that love that our joy may be complete. As we are rooted in that love God can bring fruit from our lives. Fruit that will last. Fruit that will sustain and delight others. It is a love that lasts through the cross to the life on the other side.
God, thank you for your love. Please help us grow in that love. Teach us to love neighbors, enemies and strangers. In doing that help us to learn to love you too. Amen.
The featured word for love in the first few verses of our appointed text is the same one that was part of our focus last week. The word is about a sacrificial love. It says more about the lover than it does the beloved. It is the love of John 3:16. It is the love of a foot-washing, cross-bound savior. It is the love of one who lays down his life for his friends. It is a love in which Jesus tells his disciples and us to abide.
Will we remain in that sort of love?
Peace,
Karl
------------
9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
Some think that being a person of faith is all about following rules. Do this. Don't do that. Eat that. Don't eat this. Pray this way. Don't worship that way. For any who have earnestly tried to draw near through learning and following rules they know intimately the emptiness and difficulty of doing such a thing can become painfully palpable. Luther realized he couldn't do it. Until grace broke through he was a tormented soul. We can't do it either. In the meantime, while we try self-deludingly, we find ourselves tearing ourselves and others down who don't, in our estimation, measure up.
The truth is we can't earn, merit or obey ourselves into right relationship with God. How we find ourselves in right relationship with God is to abide with God's sacrificial love. We abide in the salvation offered in the cross. We abide in a God who chooses us and calls us friend. We abide in a God who lay's down God's own life for our sake. We are called to love like that. We are to set aside serving only ourselves for the sake of God. We are to lay aside serving only ourselves for the sake of our brothers and sisters.
It is in dwelling in that love that God's joy might be in us. It is in fully embracing that love that our joy may be complete. As we are rooted in that love God can bring fruit from our lives. Fruit that will last. Fruit that will sustain and delight others. It is a love that lasts through the cross to the life on the other side.
God, thank you for your love. Please help us grow in that love. Teach us to love neighbors, enemies and strangers. In doing that help us to learn to love you too. Amen.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment