Greater Love

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Scripture: John 15:12-13 (ESV)

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Devotion:

            As his earthly life was drawing to a close. Jesus knew the of his death was near. Jesus has a heart-to-heart talk with his disciples. Jesus had many things on his heart to share with his closest associates. Today’s section of teaching from Jesus is among the most important. It is timeless and can mean as much for us today as it meant for its first century hearers. We should never get tired of hearing of God’s love for us poor humans.

            Jesus first teaches his disciples that they are to love each other as he had loved them. Looking back over the gospel writings we see many times where Jesus extended his love to the disciples. Jesus had calmed a raging storm that threatened to kill them all with a word. He had provided food for five thousand hungry men from a child’s lunch. He had kept them safe for the three years that they had walked beside him as teacher.

            Now Jesus will show the supreme test of his love for them by dying on a cross. Jesus saying in verse thirteen was about to actually take place. At first, the disciples do not see Jesus' death on the cross as an act of love. They see it as a defeat. A dashing of their hopes for power and authority under the leadership of their leader. They were just human after all. One could not expect them to understand the deep meaning behind these words.

            We must understand that the words John records for us in this passage went right over the disciple's heads. At the time Jesus uttered them they would have been simply reassuring words of their caring teacher. Even after the crucifixion the importance of these words were probably lost on the frightened band of believers huddled for safety behind the locked doors of an upper room somewhere among the mass of visitors to Jerusalem during the Passover feast.

            As time went by the Holy Spirit brought these words back into the memory of John. They are important words for us to hear today. Many disciples today live in as much fear of persecution of one kind, or another as did that first band of believers in Jerusalem some two thousand years ago. Believers today are so hated in many places in the world that they fear death daily. Others of us face verbal or even physical abuse for the sake of the cross.

            Our knowing that Jesus died on the cross for us makes all the difference in the world for believers today. Let us be pray that we would be willing to give whatever it takes to show our love for Jesus and his people.

Prayer:

            Thank you, Lord, for loving us enough to die on a bloody Roman cross for the sake of my sins and the sins of the whole world. Teach us what it means to be called your friends. Let us live in a way that brings glory to your name. Let us be willing to give up our last ounce of devotion to you Lord. Let us take courage in your promise never to leave or forsake us. Amen.


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