Prayer: Heavenly Father, we bow in your presence. May your word be our rule, Your Spirit our teacher, And your greater glory our supreme concern. Amen
I have a confession to make. Michael and I sometimes enjoy watching, “I’m a celebrity, get me out of here!” I know you may be shocked to hear that we have watched this reality TV show!! There are some lovely aspects to it as celebrities from all walks of life are stripped back, living simply in the jungle and share vulnerably with one another. They also do some amazingly tough and sometimes hilarious trials; from lying in a pit with snakes, eating scorpions, jumping off great heights or getting covered in slime as they try to find stars in boxes filled with rats or frogs and so on.
You might be wondering where I am going with this illustration! Well, the thing is, celebrities are chosen sometimes as individuals, and sometimes in groups of 2 or 3 to participate in the trials. They are chosen by the Australian public who vote online. (We did not participate in the voting😊) Some celebrities were chosen much more frequently than others, and you could see the disappointment on the faces of those who missed out. (Though there were times they were glad to miss a particular trial!) Those who were chosen might be excited or groan but would be encouraged to hear that ‘Australia loves you!’. In the end it was also the Australian public who voted for their favourite celebrity to be crowned King or Queen of the jungle, while one by one the others went home.
In today’s passage in John 15 we hear loud and clearly that we are loved, we are chosen, and we are called by Jesus. We will not be left on the sidelines, disappointed that others are loved and chosen more than us.
I love this passage, there is such affirmative language for us. The message fills me with such amazement, gratitude, love and joy. Whenever you wonder about your identity, suffer with low self-esteem, or are feeling unloved and forgotten, read John 15: 9-17. Jesus calls us his friends and he loves us, chooses us, fills us with his joy, and appoints us to bear fruit for him, to love others and bring him and his Father glory.
Let’s look at what it means to be loved and chosen and appointed.
The word love or loved is repeated 9 times in this short passage. Jesus tells us how we are loved. What does he say? He says that he loves us, as the Father has loved him! Wow, sit with that for a minute. Jesus is God’s son, and he is completely loved by his Father. In the few times that we hear the Father’s voice, we hear of his love for his son. In Luke chapter 3 we read that when Jesus was baptised heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Likewise at Jesus’ transfiguration we read that the disciples heard a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my son, whom I love, (or who I have chosen), with him I am well pleased, listen to him.” (Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9)
The Father loves his Son and the Son loves us in the same way, with the same love. Incredible.
He then tells us to remain in his love. We need to read this passage in light of the previous passage. At the beginning of chapter 15, Jesus declares with another “I am” statement that he is the true vine, his Father is the gardener and that we are the branches. He tells his disciples that they must remain in him, remain connected to the vine, and in this way he remains in us. As we remain in him, we will bear much fruit. It is a wonderful interrelationship. A vine can’t produce grapes without the branches and branches can’t produce fruit if not connected to the vine.
In the section we read from verse 9, Jesus repeats the command of remaining, this time specifically saying remain in his love. Jesus is love. And he wants us to be so filled and connected with him and his love that the fruit we bear will be sweet, juicy, abundant love for him and for others.
I love the illustration one commentator used to show what it looks like to remain, or abide in Jesus, who abides in the Father. See this Babushka doll, inside the big doll is a smaller doll and inside the smaller doll is another small doll. They remain nestled inside one another. Perhaps you can imagine yourself nestled inside the arms of Jesus, who is nestled inside the arms of his Father. Jesus desires this close loving relationship with us.
As he has loved us, he wants us to love others. How did he show his great love for us? By being obedient to his Father, who loved us so much that he sent his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Jesus says that greater love has no one than this; to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. This is exactly what Jesus went on to do. To give his life for us, that we might have life.
This love Jesus has for us is not just a feeling, not just empty words, but it is an active love and he commands us to love others in the same way. When Jesus asks us to love, he wants us to follow his example. It is a love of service, of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others. We are to demonstrate our love as Jesus did… to feed the hungry, give to the poor, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, visit the sick and the prisoner.
Take a moment to think about how you will love someone this week. At bible study on Wednesday, we were reflecting on last weeks passage of servant leadership, how Jesus came to serve. I challenged us all to think of how we could serve someone this week. Loving and serving go hand in hand. Maybe you could practice a random act of kindness. People will know we are Christians by our love.
Jesus tells his disciples that he has told them about his love, and his command to love and to remain in his love, so that… his joy may be in us, and our joy may be complete! Love and joy go together. And we will be filled with joy and remain in his love as we keep his command to love. Some people look at Christianity and think it is a boring, rule keeping, serious, joy sapping way of life. But it’s not! Those of us who truly experience and remain in Jesus’ love, know such joy that surpasses all understanding. Even in the midst of troubles we can know the joy of being loved by the Father and the Son. Being obedient to Jesus is not a chore, instead it brings us joy.
Jesus is our example here, in Hebrews 12 we read; Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of our faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Jesus went to the cross, laid down his life for us, suffered for us, whom he calls friends, for the joy that was set before him. He was joyfully obedient to the Father. It doesn’t mean he didn’t suffer extreme pain, but he did it all for love and for the fruit his death would bring. Life for all who believe in him.
Jesus chooses to love us; and he chooses us to go and bear fruit. What does this fruit look like? Sacrificial loving.
We can only do this when we remain in his love. If we stray away, then the devil will seek to attack and tempt us with shallow pleasures, not lasting joy.
Angela spoke at her confirmation last week of knowing that Jesus lives in her. He fills us with his Holy Spirit, he nestles inside us as we nestle inside him. It is only in the power of the Holy Spirit that we can follow his commands. We all know how hard it can be to love sometimes, there are many people we might regard as ‘unlovable’, but we can do this not in our own strength, or with our own frail love, but with Jesus’ love. This passage finishes with these words;
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.
In the context of this passage, I don’t think Jesus is saying that if you ask for a million dollars, or a pain free life in his name that the Father will give it to you. I think he means if we ask to bear fruit, if we ask for the strength and the gift to love others unconditionally, sacrificially, then the Father will answer our prayer. If we remain in him, he will continually fill us with his love that it may overflow to others so that we can joyfully keep Jesus’ command to love as he has loved us.
As the Australian public showed their love for their favourite celebrities, choosing them to do trials and then crowning them King or Queen of the jungle; Jesus shows his love for us by choosing us to go and do the trials or work he has set before us to do. Some trials may be easier and more fun than others, some may be scary and difficult like jumping off a cliff, but he is always there to catch us, to lead and guide us and fill us with his complete joy and love.
Will you willingly and obediently follow Jesus, remaining in his love and obeying his command to live a life of LOVE ?
Let’s pray: Jesus thank you for loving us, choosing us and appointing us to go and bear the fruit of your love. Help us to remain in you always, that we may overflow with your love for others. As your friends, may we bring you and the Father much glory in all that we do. In your name we pray. Amen.