Love Works
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Text: John 15.8-13
As Jesus has finished his last supper. He pushed himself away from the table. It is here that he demonstrates for the men at the table His great message.
God’s kingdom is marked not by force or might but by a willingness to demonstrate his love and mercy to the world around us.
Here he demosntrates what he has done with his life.
Consider the metaphor of the foot washing...
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
Here is the demonstration if you love God then like the clothing Jesus wore we will lay our lives and all that makes them up to demonstrate love for others.
In fact John lets us in on the thoughts in Jesus mind as he put the towel around his waist.
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
“having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”
When you I read the text concerning the washing of the disciples feet we think rightfully of humility and sacrifice. Jesus thought of love. He was not showing them how to be humble. He was modeling the love of God. He was putting on for them a play which the main character did not fight and scrimmage for the pinnacle. Rather he willingly gave it up. To demonstrate what it means to be great in the kingdom.
The text tells us that Jesus would continue his thought as he finished the washing and then in a private moment we hear some of Jesus last teachings on the kingdom of God, his departure, and the commission of a church bound to reach a lost world.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Jesus teaches something valuable to any who claim to be his disciple and that is.
Discipleship is about the intended purpose of bearing fruit.
Discipleship is about continuing Christ’s love.
Discipleship is about keeping the rules.
“ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
HA - read the next verse. “This is my commandment...”
Living without love is not discipleship. Some of you learned in church discipleship years ago to be in church and you do it every week. But you still fight like cats and dogs with your spouse.
You know to read your bible, but you hate your neighbor.
You know you should pray, but you have thought about changing churches so that you don’t have to see someone here at the church.
Discipleship is not about knowing how to follow a check list of detailed items better than anyone else it is about laying down this life for what is best for someone else.
Then it happens Jesus gives the explanation for all of this...
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
What is this kind of love?
Some of you have read I Corinthians 13 and seen the high demands of love for others.
Jesus describes it as laying down your life. The same way that Jesus laid down his garment. You lay down your life.
I. Love is willing to Risk its own plan, comfort, and happiness.
Some of you may remember John 10.37-42
If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him there.
This was due to the fact that things had become difficult for Jesus to stay in the heated situations close to Jerusalem. Yet Jesus does return from the edge of the wilderness. It was not a triumphant entry that drew him back. But rather one man who Jesus loved a man who in John 11 dies, and Jesus brings him back to life.
It is this act that brings Jesus firmly within the cross hairs of those that would kill him.
If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
Jesus put all that makes his life, life to the side when choosing what is best. He was not trying to keep up the status quo. People were being saved and healed out by the Jordan and he wasn’t being hunted. But it is better for Jesus to lead his life the same way he expects his disciples. Loving others first.
II. Love is willing to Give up the things that make life, life.
Obviously the best example the extent this can go to is the Cross. You and I would have no life apart from the Cross. I don’t want to make light of this for the Cross is our all.
The problem with defaulting to the cross is that we have sunday schooled the cross to a place of no application. Well CHristians aren’t being hung on crosses in 2022. So no application for you and me. This isn’t true.
The understanding of the Cross is that love apart from sacrifice is no love at all. You do not love because you use the words.
LOVE DOES
LOVE LIVES
LOVE GIVES
LOVE WORKS
Love takes the things that give this life value and meaning and shares them generously so that others can have the same life found in Christ. Oh if following Christ costs you the american dream Jesus promises that the reward of heaven is of much greater worth.
But make no mistake about it
Love is a sacrifice of
Time
Money
Attention
You say this is the primary things always preach about.
Right because these are the elements of life. Time is the only way to measure out your mortality. You will invest tomorrow in the pursuit of something. Whatever that thing is determines whether you are wasting your life or not.
Attention is the focus of your time in the measure of thought. What you spend your life considering and contemplating is setting hte course of your life.
Money is simply the indicator of your measure of time. A man sells hours of his life for somewhere between $7/$30 an hour. What he places that money on has his life. Some of are squandering our lives because our money is wasted.
III. Love must depend on a Love bigger than itself.
Jesus illsutrated the grace of real love. This is not a love to be drawn up from within our own heart. It is a love born out of the grace of God that chose to demonstrate love to us. Jesus said of his own love...
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
This is not a do your best kind of thing. He has given you love give that love away. When you think of how undeserving you are we can willingly love the undeserving
When you acknowledge how sinful you are you can give that love to the sinner.
When you see how weak you were to earn His love you can love without the needed reciprocation.