Today's Scripture
Good Friday – John 15:9-17
9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
RJ's Devotion
What the passage says
V. 9-11 Jesus is asking us to abide in his love. Following his ways and abiding in his love is how we make our joy complete.
V. 12-15 Jesus calls the ones who follow his way of love friends.
V. 16-18 Jesus says that he chose us first. We are chosen people to follow his way of loving others to the end of the earth.
What does the passage say to me/us?
‘United in Service’
Jesus shares the secret of life. If we want to live a life, full of joy, we ought to fulfill our purpose.
Our purpose is to bear fruit in this world. Is that word too vague? What if we say, become a blessing to the world.
How do we become a blessing to the world? It is only through loving others, and the world like Jesus loved us.
He says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (v. 3).
When we hear this, our initial response can be, ‘I can’t love others the way Jesus loved us.’
It is true, the concept of loving others, to the point of laying down our lives, is a hard task.
However, we have to remind ourselves; it is not that we choose to love others, but rather Jesus choosing us to love others.
Meaning that not only we are capable of loving others, but also Jesus will provide the strength to love others the way he loved us.
Somehow, we just don’t get it.
It is similar to what Jesus said to his disciples, right before he was about the wash their feet.
“You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (John 13:7, NRSV).
When remembering that God chose us to fulfill God’s mission, and we willingly allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, we will see how our lives can love others, the way Jesus loved. us.
Today, as we reflect on how Jesus willingly allowed the work of the Spirit to be done, let us open our hearts to allow that love to transform our lives first, and then the world.
Don’t forget; we have a Good Friday Cantata at 7:00 PM.
Come and join us, as we reflect on the love of our Lord.
Prayer
Lord, we invite you to reign in our lives. Help us to abide in you and be fruitful.
In Christ’s name, we pray, AMEN
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