John 15 this morning, so if you could open up your Bibles and turn to the Gospel of John and chapter 15.
There are some notes available, there might be still some at the back.
Originally, I was going to preach one sermon from verse 9 to verse 17 of chapter 15.
Last week, I only did three verses, so this really is a continuation of the same section,
and in some ways is a part two to the sermon of last week.
There were just too many good things in these verses to look at.
So I'm going to read the sections, we're going to read John chapter 15, 9 to 17,
and we're going to focus on verses 12 to 17 this morning.
John 15, verse 9,
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Now remain in my love.
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.
I've told you this so that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this,
love each other as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.
You are my friends,
if you do what I command.
I no longer call you servants,
because a servant does not know his master's business.
Instead, I have called you friends.
For everything that I learned from my Father,
I have made known to you.
You did not choose me,
but I chose you,
and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit.
Fruit that will last.
And so that whatever you ask,
in my name,
the Father will give you.
This is my command.
Love each other.
Let's pray.
Father, we have your good word in front of us.
It is a joy simply to read it,
and to hear what you would say directly,
by your Spirit,
through the Scriptures to us.
And we also thank you, Lord,
that we can hear the Scriptures explained,
and we pray, Lord, by your Spirit,
that we would listen and hear
what you would say to us this morning,
through the preaching of your word.
Most assuredly, that's for our good,
and we know it is for your glory.
Amen.
Well, if you were here with us last week,
we looked at verses 9 to 11.
And if you weren't,
a very, very brief recap.
Three things.
Everything, verse 11,
begins from the love of God the Father and Jesus.
As the Father has loved me,
so have I loved you.
That's number one.
Two, Jesus' life shows us
that love and obedience go hand in hand.
They go together.
Three, verse 11,
I have told you this,
so that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be complete.
We can be as happy as Jesus.
So there are the three things from last week.
It begins with the Father.
However, Jesus' life shows us
that love and obedience
don't need to be separated,
and that we can have the joy
or the happiness of Jesus in our lives.
As I said, verse 11 is where we left it.
Jesus' joy from the love that he has
with the Father and from his obedience
can be in us.
As we love and as we obey Jesus,
we experience the same joy
that Jesus experiences.
But now here's the rub,
and I hope you left last week
kind of thinking about this.
Jesus is perfect
in both his love and his obedience.
Jesus is perfect.
So how can an imperfect Christian,
that's you and me,
hold love and obedience together?
How can we do it?
Jesus is perfect.
He can do it.
How can we do it?
And then how can we experience
the joy of Jesus?
Because he's able to do it,
but we're not perfect.
Our reality is that we battle sin.
We have weaknesses,
and we have struggles,
and we face temptation.
We are finite beings
with failing bodies,
living in a fallen world,
a world that is opposed to God
and is under the influence
and direction of Satan.
We know hurt,
and we know disappointment from others.
How can we keep love
and obedience together
with all of this
when we see how Jesus does it perfectly?
Obedience of our Lord
is not easy.
What help is there
for putting love
and obedience into practice?
Well, verses 12 to 17
are there to help us see that
we can share in the joy of Jesus
by loving the friends of Jesus
with the love that Jesus shows us.
That's the big idea this morning
through these verses.
We share in the joy of Jesus
by loving the friends of Jesus
with the love that Jesus has shown us.
We're going to go through these verses
this morning to see that.
Verse 12.
My command is this.
Love each other as I have loved you.
Love and obey.
Jesus spells out
that organic connection for us
again in verse 12.
My command is this.
Love each other.
My command is this.
Love each other as I have loved you.
The command itself is to love.
Verse 17.
In case you missed it the first time,
this is my command.
Verse 17.
Love each other.
We love Jesus
when we obey Jesus.
And the command of Jesus
that we are to obey
is the command to love.
Obedience is from love to love.
It's circular.
The source is love.
The command is to love.
Back and forth.
Remember Jesus in his own life.
He doesn't separate love
on one side of the equation
and on the very, very, very far side
kind of over there is obedience.
He doesn't do that.
So for us,
to love Jesus
is to obey Jesus.
To obey Jesus
is to love Jesus
and to love others.
Verse 12.
Love each other.
Who are the each other?
Well, first and foremost,
it's the people in your church.
And I say in the church
because the context here
is Jesus talking to his disciples,
his followers.
These are commands from Jesus
to believers
to love each other,
fellow believers
and followers of Jesus.
Of course,
we are all in one sense
to love all people
without distinction.
In another sense,
we are to love all believers,
those who are in the faith,
whether they're in this church or not,
but to say
that we love people
or that we love Christians
generically
and then ignore
or walk over
the people
and the Christians
that God has put in our path
day to day,
those who are in close proximity,
those who Jesus says
are our neighbors
because they are near us.
Well, to say we love people
and to love Christians
and to do that
is just hypocrisy.
No, we are to see
each other first
as our neighbors,
the people near us,
fellow believers,
the people in this church.
Our words,
our covenant commitment
to each other
in the church
as members
is seen
in our actions
towards each brother
and each sister,
the ones we see
each week
in our church.
Verse 13.
Here in verse 13
is the love
for one another
in the church
that Jesus commands.
And it's a
do as I do
type of love.
Let's read verse 13.
Greater love
has no one
than this
to lay down
one's life
for one's friends.
What's the extent
of this command
to love
each other?
The extent
of the command
to love
is based
on the love
of Jesus
to us.
That's what Jesus
is referring to
and talking about
in this verse.
And notice
that the love
of Jesus
is not simply
words
or a simple
bless you brother.
The love
of Jesus
towards us
is a heart.
Jesus' heart
that is moved
to self-sacrificing
action.
Love must be
from the heart,
must involve
the affections,
and it must be
expressed
through action.
because affection
without action
is mere sentiment.
We can talk
a good love,
but the love
of Jesus,
verse 13,
the love
of Jesus
is heart,
it is words,
and it is deeds.
Of course,
actions
without heart,
if we were to do
actions without love,
without the affections,
without the care,
without the heart,
well,
that's a meaningless
noise,
Paul says
in 1 Corinthians.
But love
without actions
is a kind of
pharisaical hypocrisy.
The heart,
the love,
and the actions
of obedience
and care
and love,
they go together.
Actions
properly
express
love.
And Jesus'
love for us
is this,
verse 13,
that he lays
down his
life
for us.
Jesus'
love for us
is this,
it is dying
on a cross
for his friends,
even as those
friends,
the people he was
speaking to right
now,
were scattering
and running
and denying
and hiding
from him.
I want to share
three things
from these verses
from 12 and 13
that we can
see
about
love.
First,
love
is
demonstrated.
Love
is demonstrated.
Love
is enacted.
Jesus came
not with
ideas
and vague
niceties,
but he came
and he suffered
and he died
on the cross
in the place
of you
and me.
And if you are
here this morning
and you do
not know
the joy
of the love
of Jesus
in your life,
then see
verse 13,
see his love
for you
at the cross,
the place
where he died
so that your
sin
could be
forgiven
if this day
you would
believe in him
and confess
him
and confess
your sins,
then you
will be
forgiven
and counted
this very day
as a friend
of Jesus.
Love
is demonstrated
most clearly
at the cross.
Two,
love
is
self-sacrificing.
It puts
the needs
of others
before your
own.
That is
love.
Love
displaces
our own
comforts.
And it
spends
our
resources.
It pushes
comfort
aside.
It takes
what we
have,
our time,
our energy
and our
money,
and it
spends
those things
on caring
for our
friends.
Love
is a
laying down
of your
lunchtimes
or your
evenings
to catch
up and
encourage
someone in
their faith.
Love,
it's coming
here on a
Sunday and
setting aside
your preferences
for the
start time
and the
songs we
sing,
good choices
Connor by
the way,
so that we
can all
meet and
we can all
gather and
do things
together.
It means
setting aside
some of
our
preferences
because maybe
we want to
meet at a
different time
or we
prefer other
songs.
Love is
using less
money on
yourself so
that what you
give to the
church allows
us to gather
and minister
and reach
out with
the gospel.
Love is
giving less
priority to
hobbies or
gardening or
exercising or
streaming TV
shows in
order that for
once a month
that you would
gather with
your brothers
and sisters to
pray as a
church.
Love is
self-sacrificing.
Three, love is
measured in
comparison to
Jesus.
It is the
greatest love
that Jesus
has and he
says it's to
yield our
life for our
friends.
That's the
measure of
the love that
Jesus has and
that he shares
with us.
And so in
our last
breath maybe
we'll be
serving another.
We simply
cannot be
known then.
If that's the
limit of love,
if that's the
extent of love,
it's measured
by what Jesus
has shown us,
then we
can't be
known as
people that
are tight
fisted.
We can't
be a
shrug the
shoulders type.
We can't
be a turn a
blind eye to
the needs of
other people.
If our
friends ask
for help,
we should
be there.
I know
this is
hard,
demanding.
It is a
high standard.
I just
want to
say this
is not
a call
to
sinless
perfection.
One
Christian
author
helpfully
writes,
none of
us is
perfect,
none of
us
complete,
none of
us without
weakness
and sin.
Though we
may have
grown in
humility,
we still
at times
take advantage
of people
we are
meant to
lead with
love.
Though we
may display
the
blessed
virtue of
gentleness,
we still
at times
succumb to
outbursts
of anger.
God,
and God
alone,
perfectly
exemplifies
every virtue
in its
fullest
forms.
But one
of the
blessings of
membership in
a local
church is
joining
together
through our
baptism,
through the
Lord's
table,
to recognize,
to see
one another
as friends
of Jesus.
Members of
a local
church,
Christians,
you have
a job,
and that
is to
recognize
and to
keep one
another as
friends of
Jesus.
That's job
number one
in this
church,
is to
recognize
those who
are friends
of Jesus
and help
keep one
another in
the faith.
And this,
brothers and
sisters,
is our
public and
our private
duty of
care to
one another
and not
mere
sentiment.
To help
us understand
this, I
want us to
turn to
1 John
chapter 3.
1 John
chapter 3,
so if you
could turn
in your
Bibles,
please,
to 1 John
chapter 3.
It's page
1226.
We're going
to be looking
at verse
16.
The
apostle
John,
he wrote
the gospel
of John,
and he
also authored
a number
of letters.
And so
he wrote,
he recorded
the words
of Jesus
for us,
and those
words have
an enormous
effect on
John in
his life.
And later
he writes
to a church,
and I
believe he's
more than
likely picking
up the
words of
Jesus that
he wrote
in chapter
15,
of that
self-sacrificing
love poured
into Christians,
into their
duties and
their lives.
And John
makes it
incredibly
practical for
us,
and I think
this is the
best commentary
on John
15,
is John
himself
explaining
these verses.
So John,
1 John
3,
chapter 3,
verses 16
to 18.
This is how
we know
what love
is.
Jesus Christ
laid down
his life
for us,
and we
ought to
lay down
our lives
for our
brothers
and sisters.
If anyone
has material
possessions,
and sees a
brother or
sister in
need,
but has
no pity
on them,
how can
the love
of God
be in
that person?
Dear
children,
let us
not love
with words
or speech,
but with
actions
and in
truth.
We are
wonderfully
blessed by
a church
family.
We lift
our eyes
to our
Savior,
who laid
down his
life on
the cross
for us.
And so
we ought
to lay
down our
lives,
to lay
down our
comforts,
to lay
down our
possessions
of time
and energy
and money,
which we
all have
in some
measure
for our
brothers and
sisters.
John makes
it clear in
1 John 3,
let us
never claim
to love
Jesus,
and then
neglect
truth and
action.
if you
see your
brother or
sister in
need,
or you
are asked
for help,
do not
turn the
blind eye
or shrug
the shoulders,
but know
that God
has gifted
each of
us for
acts of
service in
his
kingdom.
Back to
the Gospel
of John
in chapter
15,
verse 14.
You are
my friends
if you
do what
I command.
Jesus
calls his
disciples in
verse 14
his friends.
You are
my friends.
You are
my friends.
And we
sung about
it, and
it is so
true.
What a
comfort to
be called
a friend
of Jesus,
to be called
a friend
of the
living God,
to be
his friend
and not
his enemy.
But now
we need
to deal
with what
I describe
as a
troubling
if.
The call
you are
my friends
is linked
to do
what I
command
by an
if.
You are
my friends
if you
do what
I command.
And we
can naturally
read verse
14 like
this.
If you
obey,
then you
can be
my
friend.
If you
obey,
then you
can be
my
friend.
And we
can read
like,
obedience
first,
friendship
is second.
And we
can start
to think
and to
act.
We can
do this.
Like,
the ground
of our
friendship,
the basis
of our
friendship
with Jesus
is our
obedience.
Because we
read something
like this,
or we
pick up
verse 14
in isolation
and we
say,
okay,
command
obedience.
If that's
right,
then I
can be
a friend
of Jesus.
Then I
am a
friend
of Jesus.
Now,
I hope
that such
a conclusion
or such
a sense
of verse
14
doesn't
feel right.
In fact,
I hope
it feels
wrong.
That's
not how
we should
think
and read
verse 14
in context,
in the context
of John,
in the context
of all
of Scripture.
If you've
been to
this church
or you
go to
a like-minded
gospel
church,
then you
should know
that it
is anti-gospel
and anti-Jesus
to say
obedience
is the
grounds
for knowing
Jesus.
Obedience
is not
the grounds
for knowing
Jesus.
Obedience
is not
the grounds
for friendship
with Jesus.
That's not
how this
if is
working.
For we
know
from the
Scriptures
that the
ground
is this,
that Jesus
Christ
freely
gave
himself
for us
and it
is by
grace
that we
have been
saved,
not by
our
obedience.
It is
only through
faith
in the
work
that Jesus
has done
that we
are his
friends.
Many of
us are
familiar with
Ephesians
chapter 2
verses 8
to 10
and this
is what
it says,
for it
is by
grace
you have
been
saved
through
faith
and this
not from
yourselves,
it is the
gift of
God,
not by
works,
not by
obedience,
not by
the law
so that
no one
can boast.
For we
are God's
handiwork
created in
Christ Jesus
to do
good works
which God
prepared in
advance for
us to
do.
But our
salvation,
the grounding
of our
salvation
is that
it is
in
Jesus
Christ
alone.
It is
grace
alone,
through
faith
alone,
in
Christ
alone,
always
and
forever.
Amen.
Or we
would be
undone.
If our
friendship
with Jesus
was based
on our
obedience,
we'd
have no
chance.
But
we must
also not
discard
obedience
as of
little
or of
no
importance.
We must
not
discard
obedience
and so
cheapen
the very
grace that
Christ has
shown us.
We confess
Jesus as
both
Savior
and
Lord
and we
love him
and we
obey him.
Remember,
they go
together.
Those attempts
to separate
them out
and push
them apart
and say
it's all
by what
you do,
you gotta
do,
you gotta
do,
you gotta
do.
It's
only about
faith and
it doesn't
matter how
you live.
Once saved,
always saved.
You put
your hand up
one time and
it doesn't
matter,
you don't
have to
repent,
you don't
have to
follow
Jesus.
Be so
wary of
those
extremes
that push
love and
obedience of
Jesus apart.
How then
are we best
to understand
verse 14?
It still
seems brutally
kind of
hard.
The if,
you are my
friends,
if you
do what
I command.
Well,
I think it's
helpful not
to isolate
the verse,
but to
look at it
in the
wider context.
We look
in the
wider context
of the
scriptures
and what
it means
to be
a Christian,
but I
think it's
helpful.
I'm just
going to
put it up
there and
read these
verses out.
These are
other verses
just in the
context of
John and
in these
immediate
chapters that
say similar
things.
And so I
think we
want to
take all of
these
together.
chapter 14
and verse 15.
I'm just
going to
read these
out.
If you
love me,
you will
obey what
I command.
If you
love me,
you will
obey.
Whoever has
my commands
and obeys
them, he
is the one
who loves
me.
If anyone
loves me,
he will
obey my
teaching.
He who
does not
love me
will not
obey my
teaching.
The
verse we're
looking at,
if you
keep my
commands,
or sorry,
the verse
before it,
verse 10,
if you
keep my
commands,
you will
remain in
my love.
And the
verse we're
looking at,
you are
my friends
if you
do what
I command.
And I
would say
if you
take those
verses
together and
understand the
wider sense
of scripture
and what we
know to be
true about
the basis
of our
friendship with
Jesus,
obedience
points towards
love and
friendship.
our
obedience is
a pointer
towards the
reality of
our friendship
with Jesus.
It's not
that obedience
causes
friendship.
Love
comes first.
Love
comes first.
The love
of Jesus
for you
always,
always comes
first.
Verse 14,
Jesus saying
that if you
see somebody
doing what
I command,
that is a
visible sign
that they
are my
friend.
That's
really what
verse 14
is saying.
Like Jesus
explained in
chapter 14,
one of the
verses we
looked at,
if anyone
loves me,
he will
obey my
teaching.
Verses 15
and 16,
I no longer
call you
servants
because a
servant does
not know
his master's
business.
Instead,
I have
called you
friends.
for everything
that I
learned from
my father
I have
made known
to you.
You did
not choose
me,
but I
chose you
and appointed
you so
that you
might go
and bear
fruit,
fruit that
will last,
and so
that whatever
you ask in
my name,
the father
will give
you.
Jesus
gives us
many
encouragements
here.
Again,
I just
want to
call out
three
this
morning.
Encouragements
as to what
it means
to be a
friend and
not a
servant.
To be a
friend and
not a
servant.
Encouragements
that will
help us
in our
obedience of
him and
our service
to others.
First,
we are in
the family
and we
know the
family business
and the
family business
is to bear
fruit.
Verse 15,
I no longer
call you
servants
because a
servant does
not know
his master's
business.
Instead,
I have
called you
friends.
For
everything
that I have
learned from
my father,
I have
made known
to you.
God
could
demand
that we
simply
obey
like a
servant.
Think of
the supreme
commander
of an
army,
tasked
with the
grand
plan and
ambition to
defeat the
enemy.
will that
commander,
the supreme
commander,
can come to
a soldier on
the battlefield
and say,
go and
take that
hill.
And a
soldier,
they just
have to
follow orders,
no ifs or
buts or
why that
hill or
can you
send Johnny
or Joey
or Mikey
over the
back there,
I'm not
really keen
on that
hill.
No,
the general
orders,
the soldier
obeys,
the hill
is stormed.
That's one
way to do
command and
obey,
isn't it?
It's not,
it's not
how Jesus
treats us.
Jesus shares
everything with
us, all
that is needed
for life and
godliness and
obeying the
father.
He shares
with us
we're part
of the
family.
We have
refrigerator
rights.
We can
walk into
the house
and take
food.
We're
not a
servant.
We're
not a
low-ranked
soldier.
We're
more like
trusted
confidants.
We're
more like
generals in
his army.
We know
the mission.
We know
what he
calls us
to.
We know
why he
has
shown us
the depths
of his
love for
us in
tying on
the cross.
How will
he not
show us
everything
we need
in this
life to
follow him?
We know
the mission.
The mission
to be
fruit-bearing
friends of
Jesus.
Second,
we are
chosen by
Jesus to
bear fruit.
Verse 16,
you did
not choose
me, but
I chose
you and
appointed
you so
that you
might go
and bear
fruit,
fruit that
will last.
If we
need
confirmation
in these
verses that
salvation is
not by
works,
then we
have it
here.
We did
not choose
Jesus.
He chose
us.
We
didn't
decide
one day,
I'm going
to really
obey Jesus
and he'll
have to
be my
friend.
It's not
how it
works.
Jesus
chose
you and
appointed
you for
love and
obedience.
It's not
by works.
In the
plans of
the Father
and the
Son in
eternity
past,
before a
single
atom
came into
being and
spun,
Jesus
chose
you,
Jesus
appointed
you,
that you
would go
and bear
fruit,
fruit that
will last,
last into
eternity.
This is the
family business.
This is why
you are sons and
daughters of
God the
Father.
This is why
you are brothers
and sisters
with Jesus.
That's why
we are brothers
and sisters
in this
church,
because we're
in the
family business
and it all
originates in
the love of
the Father
to the Son
and the plan
of the Father
through the
Son to
rescue and
appoint a
people that
would be
fruitful.
Why?
Because Jesus
is fruitful.
Jesus is
fruitful.
Those that
image Jesus,
those that are
going to be
like Jesus
will be
fruitful.
A people
for Jesus
that are
fruitful in
their lives
of love for
each other,
just like
Jesus loved.
Fruitful in
fulfilling the
great command
of Jesus
on earth.
In Matthew
28,
Matthew 28,
Jesus says
to go,
make disciples,
baptize them.
What's the
final thing?
Teach them
everything that
I've commanded.
Jesus chose
us and
appointed us
to his
plan.
Isn't that
great?
Would you
not?
You've been
let in.
Follow the
plan?
Obey our
Lord?
Third and
finally,
know that
we are not
left on
our own.
We are
not left
on our
own in
our obedience
and following
of Jesus.
Know that
whatever we
ask in the
name of the
Father,
whatever we
ask so
that we
can be a
fruit-bearing
disciple of
Jesus,
everything we
ask that
would help
us to
love others,
the Father
will give
to you.
he will
give you
what is
needed for
obedience.
Scripture,
it just
says it
all the
time.
Here are
some verses.
His divine
power has
given us
everything we
need for
godly life
through our
knowledge of
him who
called us
by his own
glory and
goodness.
That's
2 Peter.
If any
of you
lacks
wisdom,
you should
ask God
who gives
generously to
all without
finding fault
and it will
be given
to you.
That's the
book of
James,
which we
read from
earlier.
Jesus
himself said
in Matthew
9,
ask the
Lord of
the harvest,
ask the
Lord of
the harvest,
therefore,
to send
out workers
into his
harvest field.
Will he
not give
us all
that is
needed for
his good
purposes in
this world
if we
would ask
him?
God the
Father will
equip us
for obedience,
for loving
others as
we ask.
He knows
the future,
we do
not.
He knows
what we
need.
Let us
ask him
for what
we need
in his
name so
that we
would be
fruitful
individually
and as
a church
in our
love and
our
obedience
of him.
I just
have one
final
application
this
morning.
It's a
hard one
and I
realize it
can be a
very personal
one for
many people
here but
what if
I or
someone I
know really
I mean
really
struggles to
obey.
They seem
to be on
the path
with Jesus
then off
the path
and then
back on
the path
again and
it seems
to be that
sin dominates
yet Christ
sometimes
shines through.
I don't
know if
you have
people in
mind or
maybe that
even describes
your own
struggle in
some way.
If to be
a friend
of Jesus
means to
obey
then what
about when
the obedience
is so
hard and
the battle
is so
great that
we can
no longer
know for
certain if
that person
is a
believer.
Well I
just want
to share
a story.
It's part
of a recent
blog post
by a
pastor called
Zach
Melgren.
If you're
interested in
a link to
the blog
post you
can ask
me afterwards
and read
the full
story.
Now in
sharing this
I'm going
to say
there are
no easy
answers here.
This is
not the
pat answer.
There are
ups and
downs of
someone's
struggles.
Those are
unique.
Where there's
an ambiguous
faith we
simply struggle.
But I
hope in
this sharing
that you
find encouragement
to pray.
You find
encouragement
to walk
with people
in their
struggles.
And ultimately
to rest in
Jesus'
judgment in
knowing that
he knows
who are
his friends.
That he
knows those
that he
has chosen.
Because we
don't have
perfect
knowledge.
He does.
And he
will judge.
But it's a
real struggle
isn't it?
Obedience.
When it's
not there
or it's
just
really hard.
Here's the
story.
For over
15 years
my brother
Jake battled
a fierce
addiction.
It was a
heartbreaking
roller coaster
of recovery
and relapse.
There were
seasons where
he seemed
deeply connected
to the Lord
and other
painful years
where his
addiction
pulled him
entirely away
from the
church and
from Christ.
Yet in the
year before
he died
we saw
glimpses
of a shift
as he
began attending
a gospel
preaching
church again.
When Jake
passed we
were left
facing what
I call
ambiguous
faith.
Losing a
loved one
with unclear
faith leaves
us wrestling
and agonizing
uncertainty.
Caught between
this profound
doubt and
this desperate
hope we
ask ourselves
where did
they truly
stand with
God.
To find
peace in
that uncertainty
we have to
look at what
it actually
means to
follow Jesus.
To find
peace in
that uncertainty
we have to
look at what
it actually
means to
follow Jesus.
Ultimately it
means moving
in his
direction.
Ultimately it
means moving
in his
direction.
Let's add
some texture
to the parable
of the
prodigal son.
It's a story
I think we're
all probably
familiar with
from the
scriptures.
Imagine the
son trudging
home after
squandering his
inheritance and
as he walks
back towards the
father the
doubt creeps
in.
There's no
way my
father will
take me
back he
thinks.
Fearful he
turns around
and he walks
a quarter of a
mile back
towards his
old life.
But then a
memory of his
father's compassion
floods his mind
and he shakes
off the fear.
He turns
around again
and continues
forward home.
Imagine this
happens several
times on his
long journey.
A quarter
mile back
a half a
mile forward.
A quarter
a mile back
a half a
mile forward.
His heart
wages war
within him.
But looking
at the
entirety of
his journey
where is he
headed?
he is headed
home.
What if that
prodigal son
encounters a
deadly snake
and dies
during one of
those backward
diversions?
The truth
remains.
He was still
headed home.
He is still
his father's
son.
If your
loved one
belonged to
Christ,
a season of
rebellion
did not
unsave their
soul.
Just as their
own faithfulness
did not
save it.
That identity
was purchased
by the blood
of Jesus.
They were
simply a child
of God
fighting their
battles and
making their
way home.
Friends,
Jesus has
shown us
his love
and the
love of
the father
which is
his joy.
His joy
he has
shown us.
He has
given us
his good
commands to
love one
another,
especially in
this church.
His love
and his
commands are
his great
joy to
us as we
serve him
here, as
we make
our way
home
together.
Is that
easy?
Clearly
not.
Is it
costly?
Every day
is it
worth it?
A thousand
times over.
Will we
know joy?
Well, that's
the promise
of Jesus
who gave
up everything.
He gave
up the
very heights
of heaven
for us
and he
laid his
body in
a grave
for us
and still
knew the
joy and
the love
of the
father through
it all.
Follow the
love and
obedience of
Jesus closely
and you
will gain
his joy,
the joy that
comes from
loving his
friends with
the same
love, the
same love
that he
has shown
us.
Let's
pray.
Jesus
says, my
command is
this, love
each other
as I have
loved you.
Greater
love has
no one
than this
to lay
down one's
life for
one's
friends.
You
are my
friends.
Jesus, we
thank you
for those
words of
comfort,
those words
of joy
that you
love us,
that you
have given
us your
good commands,
that you
count us
as your
very
friends.
And we
ask,
Father, for
all that
we need
through your
son and by
your spirit
to live
lives that
bring glory
to you.
keep us
headed in
the right
direction.
And, Father,
help each
of us in
this church
to love
each other
as we
have been
loved.
Amen.
We're going to sing in response to what we've heard this morning.