Jesus: Teach Us How To Love (Part 2) Series

Jesus: Teach Us How To Love

John 15:9-14

Introduction:

1. Previously, we learned that to love and be loved is life’s greatest gift. Love is divine because God is love. Love is from God. Also, we learned that God is the originator of love; love was God’s idea. 1 John 4:8

2. We learned that Christ’s incarnation and cross work were a living demonstration of divine love. 1 John 4:9

• He came to reveal true love in a way that we can grasp and understand.

3. As we have read and understood Paul’s writings to the church, the idea is that since Christ has fully demonstrated His love to us, and since His Spirit now lives in us, we can love others as Christ has loved us.

• We can love in a divine way! Romans 5:5; Ephesians 5:2a, 25;

1 Thessalonians 3:12; 4:9; 1 John 4:7, 11; John 13:34; 15:12

4. Previously, we learned from our text that “love” is mentioned eight times in six verses. Jesus spoke very personally with His disciples (His inner core group, His friends).

5. Last week we began to look at how every believer can love as Christ loves.

6. Let’s continue to study how we can love in a divine way.

Love needs daily maintenance.

Love leads to action. vs. 10

1. My wife and I, for years, have had a little joke where one of us will say, “I love you.” And then the other one will respond, “Prove it.” Talk is cheap!

2. Christ teaches the same concept in verse 10: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love…” See also John 14:15.

• Again, the issue was not, “Keep my commandments and I will love you.” No, Christ’s love for them was unconditional.

• Illustration: The denial and cursing of Peter upon Christ’s arrest.

3. The disciples could not say that they were abiding in a love relationship with Christ and do the exact opposite of what Christ knew was best for them. That isn’t love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

4. Christ’s commandments are the expression of who He is, and those who keep them consciously enjoy His love. 1 John 5:3

• His commandments are not grievous (burdensome). They are there for our joy and for our good. When we keep them, we show Him that we love Him and trust Him.

5. The world teaches that love is a warm and fuzzy feeling. Everything is based upon one’s feelings and emotions and sight. There are many couples who divorce after many years of marriage because they don’t feel in love anymore.

6. Did you know that we never read of Christ falling out of love with His heavenly Father? Why is this? Look at verse 10 – “I have kept my Father’s commandments.”

• Love is doing right with the right motive. Christ did that, therefore there were no problems in the love between Him and His heavenly Father.

• In John 8:29 Christ said, “…for I do always those things that please him (the Father).”

7. What is the point? Love demands action. When you love somebody, you live to please them, not yourself. If you are going to abide in a relationship centered on love, there is some action required. 1 John 3:16-18

• Example: Teenagers cannot rebel against their parents’ rules and desires, and then expect to have a growing, loving relationship between them and their parents.

• On the other hand, if parents are seldom there and present in their child’s life (absentee parents), they can’t expect a deep love to exist between them and their child. Love is action.

• When young people date, and each of them are concerned about what they can get out of the relationship, they get married and have problems. The situation becomes explosive. Why does this happen? Because those selfish actions are not love. There is a big difference between falling in lust and falling in love. When you fall in lust, it is all about you and your desires. When you truly fall in love, you live for the other person, and you would never want to do anything to hurt them. God’s Words says, “Love works no ill to his neighbor…” Romans 13:10

• Example: Married couples, if you are each going your separate ways and not spending time together and you aren’t communicating and you aren’t seeking to please each other, don’t expect a growing and abiding love.

8. Love demands action. Love is doing the right thing by that other person. Love is treating them according to Christ’s Word. Romans 12:9

• When two people are both desiring to obey God’s Word and God’s commandments to treat each other in a biblical and godly fashion, you will have the basis for and enjoy the existence of an incredible, deep, powerful, and loving relationship.