Know, Grow, Show. Reflections From John 15Chikamu

DAY 13 – Command To Love

Let’s look at John 15:10 today:” 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”

How do we remain in Him? We remain by first knowing that He has invited us into a relationship of love and full acceptance.  

Jesus goes on to say in verse 10 that if we keep His commandments, we will remain in Him. Great! So what is this commandment? 

Here Jesus tells us about the Father’s love for him and His own love for us. Jesus says obedience is an indication of love. Over the next 5 days, we will look at different aspects of love.

The Pharisees were obedient. Was that an indication of love? Jesus spells out what this command is in verses 12 and 13.

Why is there this switch? There is a shift in focus from our relationship with Jesus to our relationship with one another? 

He knew if He asked us to just love Him that would be easy. He asked us to love each other! He knew that was another story!! The test of our love for Him is in our obedience to this command; to love each other. 

The secret source to joy and fruitfulness is not in what I do for God but what I do for others. Jesus said, whatsoever you do to the least of your brothers you are doing it for me.

We can be very good at communion with God but have not connected with people. However, Jesus challenges us to do it. It is a commandment. It is not a suggestion. 

If you have been in the habit of neglecting communion with your brothers and sisters, building friendships, reaching out to each other when there is a need, praying, or each other; you are in violation of the greatest commandment. 

We need to align our understanding, behaviour, and lifestyle to the word of God and not try to twist the scriptures to match our convenience.

Jesus says we cannot say we love God but hate our brothers. Well, you might say I do not hate my brother. Do you love your brother as Christ loves him? That is the standard of love He is expecting from us. 

God is love. He is relational. God’s love is mentioned 310 times in the Bible and 179 times in the New Testament. He made us in his image. So if Jesus says that all I need is love then love is all I need. It is very simple but really, when you think about it, it is that simple. We rather hide behind rules, rituals, religious duty than invest in relationships, which equals LOVE.

Can I not just come to church, worship God, give my tithes, and go home? 

No, my friends. Humanism has tried to take away the God factor and love has gone awry. When you only ‘love God’ without the human factor what you get is extremism, radicalized religious groups. Both are unbiblical and dangerous. Love is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Love God and, love one another. You need both. Everything hinges on these two. 

REFLECT AND ASK YOURSELF| Do I struggle in showing unconditional love to others?

Have I truly experienced God’s unconditional love for me? Do I know that I don’t need to do anything to make Him love me more and nothing I do can make Him love me less? Let this truth get into your bones!