AT THE MOVIES 2020:
“I GOTTA FIND BUBBA”
John 15:12-17 #CCCAtTheMovies
INTRODUCTION
The movie scene I am going to share with you today comes from the 1994 film Forrest Gump. Forrest, Forrest Gump is a simple fellow with good intentions. He struggles through childhood with several impairments. His ‘mama’ teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. His mother told him among other things that “life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.” That is probably the most famous line from the movie.
Forrest has many adventures in his life. He joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends named Dan and Bubba. He wins medals, starts a ping-pong craze, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, creates the smiley, writes bumper stickers and songs, donates to people and meets the president several times.
In the movie scene I am going to share with you today, the scene is set during the war in Vietnam. Forrest's platoon receives enemy fire. He runs away as fast as he can from danger, just as his friend Jenny told him to. When he arrives safe on the water's edge, he realizes his best friend Bubba isn't there. He runs back into the jungle to find Bubba, saving others along the way.
When I saw this clip I thought of:
Proverbs 18:24 which says, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
1 John 3:16 which says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
SHOW PURCHASED VIDEO CLIP FROM WINGCLIPS
https://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/forrest-gump
When I saw this video clip, in addition to Proverbs 18:24 and 1 John 3:16, I also thought of John 15 where Jesus teaches His disciples in the upper room before He is betrayed. He teaches them that He is the way to God (John 14), that the Holy Spirit will come to them (John 14), about abiding in Him as vine and branches (John 15), and encourages them to be faithful in hard times (John 15). I thought of John 15:12-17 specifically.
READ JOHN 15:12-17
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 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. 16 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. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
JESUS’ COMMAND IS TO LOVE (VERSES 12-13)
This passage that we are looking at this morning begins with a command from Jesus Christ. This is a command from the Son of God. This is not a suggestion. It is not multiple choice. It is not choose your own adventure. This is a command from the God. It is a must. It is a requirement.
Jesus commands us to love because love should be a distinguishing mark of His followers. Jesus’ command is one that echoes the Old Testament. Jesus echoes Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 where we are commanded to love God and love others. Jesus even teaches we must love our enemies (Matthew 5) which doesn’t always make sense to us.
Jesus commands us to love is one that He actually lived out in His daily life. That is why He commands us to love “as I have loved you.” Jesus is the standard of love. He touched and healed lepers. He went to Zaccheus’ house. He spoke with a sinful Samaritan woman and brought her redemption. Ultimately, He gave Himself willingly for us that we might be saved from sin.
That last part is important… that Jesus willingly died for us. We should note that in verse 13 Jesus defines love in a particular way in this passage. “Laying down your life for another” is in fact love. As I think about this, I think of police officers, soldiers, nurses, fire fighters, and others who lay their lives on the line daily for the sake of others. It is a compassionate and loving person that chooses such a profession. Jesus does not ask us to love in ways that He was not willing to do. Jesus willingly died for you and for me showing us the full extent of His love for us.
Jesus commands us to love. Jesus commands us to love in the same manner in which He loved. We are to love people who make us mad. We are to love our enemies. We are to love people who are different from us. We are to love family, friends, neighbors in the same way we love a stranger. That is a tall order. Yet, it is an order… a command… “Love each other as I have loved you.”
ILLUSTRATION… https://wealthygorilla.com/best-friend-quotes/
Unfortunately, I think Oprah Winfrey might have summarized this command from Jesus about love well. “Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”
ILLUSTRATION… Movie Clip Review (p)
In our movie clip from today, Forrest Gump puts himself at risk and shows love by laying down his life for those in is platoon. He had to find his dear friend Bubba. He had to. I honestly could see Jesus running in and out of those woods grabbing hurting suffering soldiers and taking them to the water’s edge. I also can imagine Him healing them as well, but that is probably another sermon entirely!
LOVING JESUS MEANS TO FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS (VERSES 14-15)
Jesus continues to teach in this passage about love and His commands. First of all, I want you to know that I wish Jesus had said different words. Jesus uses the word “friend” in this passage. I looked up the original language… the word means “friend;” there is no way around it. I do not mind being called a servant of God or a servant of Jesus. That doesn’t bother me because me default view of God is Holy King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Yet, Jesus elevates those of us who follow Him from simply being a slave or a worker bee or an unnamed blob.
Jesus calls us friends because He wants us to know there is such love and compassion for us. He desires a deep connection with us. We are not just a number to Jesus. We are not just some guy or some gal. We are loved friends of the Savior of the Universe. That makes me uncomfortable… I can’t help it. Yet, it is still true!
As I reflect on these verses, specifically verse 14, I want to direct your attention to a little word in verse 14 that is quite powerful when we think about Jesus, love, and His followers. Jesus says “if.” “If you do what I command.” You and I do not have to be a friend of God. You and I do not have to be on friendly terms with Jesus. Friend status is based on obedience to the commands of Jesus. That is a big deal. It is a big deal because in reality we cannot just “say” we are Christians or believers in Christ… we must actually “obey” Him to really and truly we a follower.
ILLUSTRATION… Hockey Fans (p)
Think of it like this… Kelly and I love hockey. We enjoy watching the Tampa Bay Lightning. We have some kind of swag on our cars promoting the team. We watch games. When we lived in Tampa, we went to games. We have t-shirts and hats. We are both fans… right? Is that a true statement? Maybe on the surface.
Here is the truth… I am good for 2/3 of a hockey game once or twice a week. I know some of the players by their number. I understand most hockey rules. I am a fan. Kelly on the other hand can quote statistics, watches every game, watches post-game interviews, follows players on Instagram and twitter and the wives of players, knows the players’ birthdays and what kind of cars they drive, and could probably call a hockey game better than some announcers I’ve heard. She is a fan.
Which one of us is a fan really? That’s right, Kelly is… which is obvious right? Why do we think Christianity is any different? Jesus says very specifically “If you do what I command” then you are a friend. If we just maybe go to church 1 of 4 Sundays, pick up a Bible when it is convenient, or pray only when it is a bad day… are we really a friend?
ILLUSTRATION… Movie Clip Review (p)
In our movie clip from today, Forrest Gump puts himself at risk and shows love by laying down his life for those in is platoon. He was all in. Did you notice he was all in? He absolutely did everything he could even including getting shot in the rear end. Forrest loved those men in his platoon to the best of his ability and their lives were saved because of his actions. I know it is a fictional story, but the truth remains.
TRANSITION/SUMMARY
The passage we are looking at this morning is verses 12-17 in John 15. In verses 12-13, Jesus commands us to love. In verses 14-15, Jesus reminds us that His friends obey Him to love each other and follow His path. In verses 16-17, the last verses for this morning, Jesus shares with us that obeying Jesus produces fruit in our lives.
HIS COMMANDS BEAR FRUIT THAT LASTS (VERSES 16-17)
Jesus reminds the disciples that contrary to the common practice of students picking a teacher… Jesus had chosen each of them to be His disciples. He picked them. The purpose of His choice was so that they would produce lasting fruit which reflected Him. Love reflects Him. Compassion reflects Him. Peace reflects Him. Reconciliation reflects Him.
Jesus wants us to be people who are committed to Him and love the people around us. That happens when we seek to be like Christ in what we say and what we do… but more importantly we seek to be like Him in our hearts and in our attitudes. You and I will only bear fruit in Christ if His Word and His way of life is planted deep in our hearts.
I say “deep” in our hearts because doubt and worry and anger and hardships in life and worldly influences and so many other temptations can dislodge Christ in us. We must put Him deep. We must make Him our foundation so that our faith lasts.
Jesus says that “fruit that will last” is the goal.
What will last? Love. Compassion. Peace. Reconciliation.
What will change us? Love. Compassion. Peace. Reconciliation.
What will make a difference? Love. Compassion. Peace. Reconciliation.
What does our country need in the midst of COVID-19? Love. Compassion. Peace. Reconciliation.
What does our country need in the midst of racial unrest? Love. Compassion. Peace. Reconciliation.
Can love be commanded? The answer is ‘no’ if we understand that love is a feeling. Love, as Jesus is describing here is far from just a feeling. Love is an act of the will. Love rooted in our will is fruit that lasts. While real emotions are involved, real Christian love is an act of the will in following Christ. It means treating others the way God treats us and using that as the guide.
ILLUSTRATION… choose to love lyrics francesca battistelli
Francesca Battistelli is an American Christian singer and songwriter from New York City probably most famous in my mind for her songs “Free to Be Me” and “Write Your Story.” Actually, she has tons of songs you will hear on Christian Radio. I ran across a song of hers from the album “If We’re Honest” that came out in 2014.
Here are the words:
“I locked up my heart and I put on a show; I let the busyness of life be a wall so nobody gets close
Well I got a lot done, yeah, I'm so type A; But I'm finding arm's length is a safe but lonely place
So I'm gonna choose to reach out; Choose to lay down
All of the fear that I've been hiding; Choose to be brave
Though my heart's afraid; To be a part of Your Kingdom rising, oh
God, I'm done running from; The reason that You sent Your Son
So I will choose to love
Well it's always a risk and it's always a dare; But it's a far more dangerous thing to listen to fear
But it's a beautiful thing to know and be known; Yeah, there's a whole lot of life outside of my comfort zone
So I'm gonna choose to reach out; Choose to lay down
All of the fear that I've been hiding; Choose to be brave
Though my heart's afraid; To be a part of Your Kingdom rising, oh
God, I'm done running from; The reason that You sent Your Son
So I will choose to love”
You see fruit that lasts comes from making the decision to love people around is the way Christ would have us to love. We must pray that our hearts are tender and open and ready to love in a world that is tough and often unkind and unjust. May our reactions be love. May our actions be love.
APPLICATION
A friend like Forrest Gump is the kind of friend we all want to have and the kind of friend we all need to be because love is at the center. This is the friend who will do just about anything for us and will sacrifice their own wants and desires in order to meet our wants and desires. Love is at the center.
Jesus says the greatest love is when someone else lays down their life for us. That is the definition of the Son of God! Forrest literally laid his life down when he went back into enemy territory to save his friend Bubba. He didn't hesitate, or contemplate the intelligence of his decision; he just went--again and again--until he found his friend. He never gave up. Along the way, he risked his own life for several other friends. Forrest was a picture of love.
I realize of course that this is a fictional movie, but the truth remains.
RE-READ JOHN 15:12-17
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 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. 16 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. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
INVITATION
If you are here this morning and do not have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I want you to know that Jesus did not just talk about love or teach about love, but He showed love. He showed love actually. The ultimate example to Jesus of love was laying down life for another. He did that. He actually did that. He allowed Himself to be arrested, mistreated, wrongfully nailed to a cross, and died. He did that on purpose to pay for sin. Don’t discount it. He showed us the way by His own sacrifice. Won’t you accept Him today. Come forward and let me help you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
PRAYER
