You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/1415702701879327/videos/870076666854287

John 15:9-17

You know we read something similar last week in Chapter 14. And Jesus is going to repeat Himself today when He tells the Disciples to love one another. Hmmm… how are we doing that? I’m going to ask each of us who claim to be Christians, before we even get to the scripture today, how are we doing with that?

I don’t know but I’ve been seeing many times on social media where Christians – and this is usually over something political – are not being very loving to each other. And why…because they have differing views politically. I’ve recently experienced how that feels. But before we get into that, let’s see what God’s Word says about this very thing…

John 15:9-17 (NIV) “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 have 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.

Now – if we look over these last two chapters, it seems as if Jesus is repeating Himself. So maybe we should pay attention. It kind of goes like this – if you love me, obey me. Then He says it like this – if you obey my commandments then I know you love me, now go and love each other.

But here in chapter 15, as if there could be any question from the previous chapters, Jesus says it all over again just as plainly. Verse 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Then He drops this bomb – greater love has no one than this, that one lay down their life for friends. Go on down the passage a short ways and in verse 17 He makes it plain again – this is my command: Love each other.

Now, I know that in my past, and from time to time I have not done this very well. But Christian to Christian we are not to be yelling and screaming at each other – especially about politics.

Remember when Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

No one is going to want to listen to the Jesus truth if you’re not living the Jesus life, and that means brothers and sisters – we are to love each other.

John 13:34-35 (NIV) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

It didn’t say if you argue on Facebook calling each other names and putting up hate-filled memes that the world would know you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. And I’m not certain what it is that we think or feel that will allow those of us who walk with Jesus in our hearts to hate – it’s not Christ-like behavior.

Hate is what happens when we put our preferences above others. Hate is what happens when we look only as far as to take care of ourselves. Hate is what happens when we forget that this journey walking with Jesus is simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. I believe it’s simply a reflection of the kindness of Jesus toward all humanity that we can show others Christ.