Love one another John 15 12-17

Love one another Set the scene and overview What love is this? John 15 12-17 Set the scene and overview What love is this? Why love? How does Jesus show love and How can we show love?

‘Agape is something of the understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill for all men. It is a love that seeks nothing in return. It is an overflowing love; it's what theologians would call the love of God working in the lives of men. And when you rise to love on this level, you begin to love men, not because they are likeable, but because God loves them.’ Martin Luther King, Jr

‘It is possible to be at the top of Christian service, respected and admired and not have that indispensable ingredient by which God has chosen to work in His world today-the absolute sacrificial love of the Eternal God’ DR David jeremiah

Why love? We are commanded to do so We are first loved by God John 15 12-17 We are commanded to do so We are first loved by God We are called friends To cope in the world To witness to unbelievers To bear fruit

It is Jesus’ command My command is this that you love each other as I have loved you” 15:12 If you love me you will obey what I command 14:15 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.13: 34

We are first loved by God “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. 15:9 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4.10

We are called friends of Jesus I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know His master’s business. Instead everything I have learned from my father I have made known to you. 15:15 You are my friends if you do what I command 15:14

The world is hard ‘The prince of this world is coming’ 14:30b and 15: 18-25

To witness to unbelievers This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit showing yourselves to be disciples 15:8 By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another 13:35 This is how we know who the children of God are…1John 3:10

To bear fruit I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last 15: 16a If a man remains in me and I in Him, he will bear much fruit 15:5

Words of affirmation Quality time Gifts Touch Acts of service Love languages: Words of affirmation Quality time Gifts Touch Acts of service  

Words of affirmation Quality time Gifts Touch Acts of service Love languages: Expresses: Words of affirmation Quality time Gifts Touch Acts of service   Acceptance Security Belonging Compassion Acknowledgement Respect Thanks/gratitude Apology/forgiveness Value Significance Worth …encourage one another and build each other up…

Gary Chapman Author of ‘The 5 Love Languages’ series “If we become slaves to our friends, partners, children, brothers or sisters in Christ we remove the possibility of it being done in love because we remove freedom.” Gary Chapman Author of ‘The 5 Love Languages’ series

Do nothing out of selfish ambition; don’t try to impress others Do nothing out of selfish ambition; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3

‘The broken way’ Anne Voskamp “Instead of waiting for good things to happen….be the good others are waiting for…. When you feel in your marrow how you’re His Beloved, you do more than look for signs of His love in the world; you actually become a sign of His love” ‘The broken way’ Anne Voskamp