João 15
Andrew Murray · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 15
Murray - LIKE CHRIST: In His Love.—John 15:12. BRIEF EXCERPT - EVEN AS: We begin to understand somewhat of the blessedness of that little word. It is not the command of a law which only convinces of sin and impotence; it is a new command under a new covenant, that is established upon better promises. It is the command of Him who asks nothing that He has not provided, and now offers to bestow. It is the assurance that He expects nothing from us, that He does not work in us: EVEN AS I have loved you, and every moment am pouring out that love upon you through the Holy Spirit, EVEN so do ye love one another. The measure, the strength, and the work of your love you will find in my love to you. (CLICK HERE FOR FULL DEVOTIONAL) James Smith - “I AND YOU.” John 15:12–26 In this chapter alone Christ uses the first personal pronoun with studied emphasis eleven times. In each case the chief importance of the words spoken lie in the character of Him who speaks. In these impressive I’s of His there is the thought of— I. Grace. “I have loved you” (v. 12). You who sometime were afar off, but are now made nigh: you who were once in ignorance of Me, and walked according to the course of this world. I have loved you with a love that can only be compared with that love wherewith the Father hath loved Me (v. 9). “Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.” II. Separation. “I chose you out of the world” (v. 19, R.V.). “ The whole world lieth in wickedness” (1John 5:19). To be chosen of Christ is to be called out of the world into His fellowship and Kingdom. In this fellowship ye shall be partakers of His sufferings, for the world that hated Him will hate you. The Cain-spirit that seeks to slay those more righteous than themselves is ever with us (1 John 3:12). We are chosen out of the world like Noah, that we might be saved from it, and become witnesses against it. By faith, like Abraham, we must go out. III. Friendship. “I have called you friends” (v. 15). To be called friends by Him who is God’s best Friend is an honour indeed. It was a blessed day for Mordecai when he was declared the friend of the king (Esther 6:11). Servants have kitchen privileges, but friends have parlour opportunities. Anywhere in the Lord’s house is an honour and a blessing, but covet earnestly the best gifts. He will call you friend if ye abide in Him. IV. Teaching. “All things … I have made known unto you” (v. 15). He is the great Teacher come from God. As He sought to instil into the minds of His disciples the things that He heard of His Father, so by the Holy Spirit does He still make known the will of the Father, for all things are now delivered unto Him, and the Spirit takes the things which are His and shows them unto us. V. Responsibility. “I have chosen you … that ye should bring forth fruit” (v. 16). Having called His disciples friends, and having instructed them in the things concerning Himself, He expects them to be something else than mere patients in a doctor’s hands. The love that has grown into friendship must go on ripening into fruitful service. A fruitless branch never serves the purpose of the vine. A barren Christian profession is a misrepresentation of Christ. “Chosen and ordained to bring forth fruit” (v. 16). If the fruit of the Spirit is not manifest in our lives, we are falsifying both our calling and our ordination. VI. Brotherly Love. “I command you that ye love one another” (v. 17). Love is the bond that is to hold His people one to another amidst the hatred and opposition of this world. It is His command, His new commandment which is the sum of the whole law. Have this salt of love in yourselves, and there shall be peace one with another (Mark 9:50). Not to love one another is an act of rebellion against the rule of Christ. VII. Promise. “I will send you … the Spirit of truth” (v. 26). The word Comforter in this verse may be translated “Helper.” This promised “Helper” is the “Spirit of truth.” This “Spirit of truth the devil-deluded world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, but He shall be in you” (John 14:17). In promising the Spirit, Christ promised every needful thing for life and service. He is the Spirit of truth, of grace, of burning, and of power. What a Helper He is! How fruitless our testimony without Him! “I will send Him unto you.” “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” QUESTION - What did Jesus mean when He said, “Love each other as I I have loved you”? ANSWER - John 15:12 states, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” Jesus spoke these words to His disciples shortly before His crucifixion in a long discourse with different instructions. From verses 9–17, Jesus emphasizes the importance of love, both toward Himself and others. His disciples are to love Him by keeping His commands, and they are also to love each other. The theme of love holds great significance in Jesus’ ministry. While John emphasizes love more than other gospel writers, we can find this theme in the Synoptic Gospels as well. An example is Matthew 5:43–44, 46: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. . . . If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” The prevalence of love in Jesus’ teachings is evident to modern readers, even to those who are skeptical. However, we sometimes isolate love from other aspects of God, such as justice and holiness—something Jesus never did. There is no true love without justice, holiness, and righteousness. It would be challenging for anyone to thrive in a country where there is “love” but also a high level of injustice, immorality, and wrongdoing. We would not refer to such a country as “loving.” Another misconception people have about love is that it always affirms every behavior, even sinful ones. However, as Timothy Keller once stated, “Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws” (The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God, with Kathy Keller, Penguin Books, 2016, p. 40). Truth and love must go hand in hand (Ephesians 4:15). It is a mistake to attempt to separate love from God’s commandments. Steven Furtick once caused controversy when he stated that “God broke the law for love” (“It Works Both Ways,” posted 6/26/15, http://elevationchurch.org, accessed 6/27/23). Besides the serious problems this statement presents for God’s reputation and for sound theology, the idea that love and God’s law are mutually exclusive is biblically false. Jesus refers to loving God and loving others as the greatest commandments because “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40). “The Law and the Prophets” refers to the Old Testament, which is summarized by love. Jesus also tells His disciples that loving Him means obeying His commandments (John 14:15; 15:10). In one of his letters, John informs his readers that “we know that we have come to know him [Christ] if we keep his commands” (1 John 2:3). Paul refers to love as “the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). We cannot claim to love God if we are rebelling against His commandments, and, likewise, we cannot claim to love others if we mistreat them. Before we can love each other as Christ loved us, we must address how culture defines love. The world primarily limits love to feelings, assuming that, as long as we feel good toward God and others, we are demonstrating love. However, biblical love is a character trait produced within us by the Spirit, who transforms both our attitude and actions toward God and people. Biblical love does not disregard feelings, but it surpasses them and sometimes exists in spite of feelings. The Greek word for “love” used in John 15:12 is agapao, which refers to sacrificial love. Jesus portrayed His love through sacrifice, and we are called to do the same. Again, John has insights for us: “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. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:16–18). NORMAN GEISLER'S ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION ON JOHN 15:12 - Does God’s command to “Love one another” support the “open sex” views of the Children of God? - SEE PAGE 152 IN WHEN CULTISTS ASK For Our Friends My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 15:5–17 In Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights, a cantankerous man who often quotes the Bible to criticize others is memorably described as “the wearisomest self-righteous Pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake [apply] the promises to himself and fling the curses to his neighbours.” It’s a funny line; and it may even bring particular people to mind. But aren’t we all a bit like this—prone to condemn others’ failures while excusing our own? In Scripture some people amazingly did the exact opposite; they were willing to give up God’s promises for them and even be cursed if it would save others. Consider Moses, who said he’d rather be blotted out of God’s book than see the Israelites unforgiven (Exodus 32:32). Or Paul, who said he’d choose to be “cut off from Christ” if it meant his people would find Him (Romans 9:3). As self-righteous as we naturally are, Scripture highlights those who love others more than themselves. Because ultimately such love points to Jesus. “Greater love has no one than this,” Jesus taught, than “to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Even before we knew Him, Jesus loved us “to the end” (13:1)—choosing death to give us life. Lord, thank You for showing us what it means to love. Help us to love like You. When we love Christ, we love others. Love of Another Kind My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 15:9–17 One of my favorite churches started several years ago as a ministry to ex-prisoners who were transitioning back into society. Now the church flourishes with people from all walks of life. I love that church because it reminds me of what I picture heaven will be like—filled with different kinds of people, all redeemed sinners, all bound together by the love of Jesus. Sometimes, though, I wonder if church seems more like an exclusive club than a safe haven for forgiven sinners. As people naturally gravitate into groups of “a certain kind” and cluster around those they feel comfortable with, it leaves others feeling marginalized. But that’s not what Jesus had in mind when He told His disciples to “love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). His church was to be an extension of His love mutually shared with all. Lord, remind me today that while I was a sinner You embraced me with Your deep and unconditional love and brought me into the fellowship of Your grace. Lead me to someone I can love as You loved me. Share Christ’s love with another. The Mucker - John 15:12 In Ernest Gordon’s true account of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp, Through the Valley of the Kwai, there is a story that never fails to move me. It is about a man who through giving it all away literally transformed a whole camp of soldiers. The man’s name was Angus McGillivray. Angus was a Scottish prisoner in one of the camps filled with Americans, Australians, and Britons who had helped build the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai. The camp had become an ugly situation. A dog-eat-dog mentality had set in. Allies would literally steal from each other and cheat each other; men would sleep on their packs and yet have them stolen from under their heads. Survival was everything. The law of the jungle prevailed until the news of Angus McGillivray’s death spread throughout the camp. Rumors spread in the wake of his death. No one could believe big Angus had succumbed. He was strong, one of those whom they had expected to be the last to die. Actually, it wasn’t the fact of his death that shocked the men, but the reason he died. Finally they pieced together the true story. The Argylls (Scottish soldiers) took their buddy system very seriously. Their buddy was called their “mucker,” and these Argylls believed that is was literally up to each of them to make sure their “mucker” survived. Angus’s mucker, though, was dying, and everyone had given up on him, everyone, of course, but Angus. He had made up his mind that his friend would not die. Someone had stolen his mucker’s blanket. So Angus gave him his own, telling his mucker that he had “just come across an extra one.” Likewise, every mealtime, Angus would get his rations and take them to his friend, stand over him and force him to eat them, again stating that he was able to get “extra food.” Angus was going to do anything and everything to see that his buddy got what he needed to recover. But as Angus’s mucker began to recover, Angus collapsed, slumped over, and died. The doctors discovered that he had died of starvation complicated by exhaustion. He had been giving of his own food and shelter. He had given everything he had—even his very life. The ramifications of his acts of love and unselfishness had a startling impact on the compound. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12). As word circulated of the reason for Angus McGillivray’s death, the feel of the camp began to change. Suddenly, men began to focus on their mates, their friends, and humanity of living beyond survival, of giving oneself away. They began to pool their talents—one was a violin maker, another an orchestra leader, another a cabinet maker, another a professor. Soon the camp had an orchestra full of homemade instruments and a church called the “Church Without Walls” that was so powerful, so compelling, that even the Japanese guards attended. The men began a university, a hospital, and a library system. The place was transformed; an all but smothered love revived, all because one man named Angus gave all he had for his friend. For many of those men this turnaround meant survival. What happened is an awesome illustration of the potential unleashed when one person actually gives it all away. (BORROW Holy Sweat, Tim Hansel, 1987, Word Books Publisher, pp. 146-147) John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 10:11,15 Ro 5:6-8 Eph 5:2 1Jn 4:7-11 John 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: Proverbs 18:24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. SACRIFICE OF LIFE GREATEST LOVE Greater love (agape) has no one than this, that one lay down his life (psuche) for (huper = on behalf of, for sake of) his friends (philos related to phileo) - Note the interesting play on words - it is His agape love which makes it possible for us to be His "phileo" friend (philos)! How does Jesus describe love here? It is clearly by being willing to die for one's friends (philos). Note the little preposition for (huper) which speaks of Jesus' Vicarious sacrifice, which means He became our substitute, taking out place, dying once and for all on the Cross that we might live eternally. What a friend we have in Jesus. Notice how His substitutionary sacrifice is the purest example of agape (sacrificial, selfless) love! Is there not a hint of a prophecy in this statement? Laying down His life was clearly what Jesus did when He willingly and lovingly went to Calvary (in that sense His description here had a prophetic nuance to the eleven disciples). By His blood, He made it possible for us to enter into the New Covenant which helps us understand why from a Christocentric perspective the term FRIEND is so rich and full of meaning to us as His disciples. In other words, friend (philos) is a covenant term with a much deeper import in Scripture than in our modern culture - See Covenant The Oneness of Covenant - The Meaning of Friend or click here for additional notes on friend). A friend is: a push when you’ve stopped a word when you’re lonely a guide when you’re searching a smile when you’re sad a song when you’re glad. Related Resources: What is the concept of the vicarious atonement? | GotQuestions.org What is the substitutionary atonement? | GotQuestions.org Friend (5384) philos means loved (loved one), dear, befriended, friendly, kind. Philos can mean kindly disposed or devoted (Acts 19:31). Philos describes one having special interest in someone else. One who is on intimate terms or in close association with someone else Philos can describe a love which is emotional and conditional. Philos refers to one who has a liking for, is fond of something or someone. Christ a Redeemer and Friend Poor, weak and worthless though I am I have a rich almighty Friend; Jesus, the Savior, is His Name; He freely loves, and without end. There is an interesting derivative of philos used by Paul describing the last days as those in which men will be "lovers of pleasure (philedonos from philos + hedone = pleasure) rather than lovers of God." (2Ti 3:4+) Aristotle defined a "friend" as "one soul inhabiting two." (cp use in Lxx of Dt 13:7) Ropes writes that "To be friend of the world is to be on good terms with the persons and forces and things that are at least indifferent toward God, if not openly hostile to him. (Ropes, J. H. A Critical and Exegetical commentary on the Epistle of St. James. 1916) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jesus gives some of the most complete teaching on the Biblical meaning of philos in John 15, noting first that the greatest manifestation of a friend was to give up one's life for his friend. To be a friend of Jesus is not just a matter of saying but of obeying. Those who have believed in Jesus are now called His friends. Walter Clippinger writes that in Jn 15:13, 14, 15 "Jesus and His disciples illustrate the growth of friendship from that of teacher and disciple, lord and servant, to that of friend and friend" A friend is one who comes in when the world goes out. A real friend warms you up by his presence, trusts you with his secrets, and remembers you in his prayers. Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief. There are not many things in life so beautiful as true friendship, and there are not many things more uncommon. He whose hand is clasped in friendship cannot throw mud. A faithful friend is an image of God. A faithful friend is one of life’s greatest assets. A friend is one who knows you as you are, understands where you’ve been, accepts who you’ve become and still, gently invites you to grow. A friend will joyfully sing with you when you are on the mountaintop, and silently walk beside you through the valley. A friend is one who makes me do my best. - Oswald Chambers The dearest friend on earth is a mere shadow compared with Jesus Christ. - Oswald Chambers Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life; many spirits might have failed beneath the bitterness of trial if they had not found a friend. - C H Spurgeon Keep a fair-sized cemetery in your back yard, in which to bury the faults of your friends. - Henry Ward Beecher W. Gunther writes that...philos is also in the NT a friend to whom one is under a basic obligation (cf. Lk. 7:6; 11:5 f.; 14:10, 12; 15:6, 9, 29; 23:12; Jn. 11:11; Acts 10:24; 19:31; 27:3). Relatives (syngeneis) and friends are often mentioned alongside each other. But neither in Gk. nor in Jewish tradition can any firm distinction be upheld; and when philoi, friends, are sometimes mentioned, relatives are clearly often to be included. philos is also used, as in Lk. 16:9, for people linked by some inclination or relationship; Jesus here advises people to win friends for themselves by giving away their worldly wealth (— Possessions, art. mamonas). The same point is made when Pilate is threatened in Jn. 19:12 with losing his honorary title of ‘“‘friend of Caesar”’ (philos tou kaisaros; Lat. amicus Caesaris). By way of contrast, philos can be used to express God’s love for the godless. In Matt. 11:19 and Lk. 7:34 Jesus is called the ‘friend of sinners and tax-collectors.’’ He loves them, though they are enemies, just as God loves the world which hates him. That is also what is meant when Jesus addressed his disciples as “friends” (Lk. 12:4; Jn. 15:14 f.). They come to him as sinners, and become his friends through his sacrificial love. (Jn. 15:13). So now, instead of the love and friendship they enjoyed while belonging to the world (Jas. 4:4), they belong to the new fellowship of the kingdom of God, or the family of: God, in which they are brothers and friends of Jesus and children of the Father (Lk. 21:16; cf. also Jas. 2:23, where — Abraham because of his faith is called a philos theou). Brothers and sisters in faith can therefore be greeted as philoi (3 Jn. 15). For Jn. 3:29 philos tou nymphiou, “‘friend of the bridegroom’’, — Marriage, art. nymphé. (SEE ONLINE DISCUSSION IN New International Dictionary of NT Theology, PAGE 549) DICTIONARY OF BIBLICAL IMAGERY - FRIEND, FRIENDSHIP - EXCEPT (CLICK FOR 4 PAGE DISCUSSION) Summary. Friendship entails responsibilities and benefits. The proverb that “a friend loves at all times” (Prov 17:17) expresses both an obligation and a benefit. In a similar vein is the proverb that “there are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov 18:24 RSV). In the Bible friendship is a mutual improvement activity, honing one for godly use. Biblical friendship is a face-to-face encounter, signifying proximity, intimate revelation and honesty. It is also a bonding of affections and trust, knitting one’s very soul to another. In its ultimate reaches, it is union with God. QUESTION - Why is there no greater love than to lay down your life (John 15:13)?. ANSWER - In John 15:13 Jesus states, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The statement upholds sacrificial love as the ultimate expression of love. In saying this, Jesus prepares His disciples for His crucifixion and shows them what He meant when He told them to “love each other as I have loved you” (verse 12). All true love involves some kind of sacrifice, as the lover seeks to benefit the loved one. It stands to reason, then, that the greatest love of all would involve a total laying down of one’s life for the loved one. God, who is love, revealed His love for mankind through sacrifice (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Sacrifice is paramount in 1 John 4:10: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” The sacrificial love of God, also known as agape love, stands as the “greater love” and is how the Source of Love saved us. Another reason why laying down one’s life is considered the greatest love is its counterintuitive nature. Humans tend to prefer taking rather than giving, so instances of selflessness leave us amazed. When a father dives into raging water to rescue his child, when a woman asks the doctor to prioritize her child, or when a soldier falls on a grenade to save his brothers-in-arms, we’re humbled and awed. In the modern concept of love, the focus often gravitates toward self-satisfaction, and in many circles the idea of sacrifice is considered unnecessary or even repugnant. In contrast to our diluted version of love, agape shines brightly. For Christians, the expression of this “greater love” isn’t limited to literally laying down our lives. We don’t have to wait for a grandiose moment of sacrifice to love others as Jesus loves us. Our daily lives should be characterized by selflessness and deference, a denying of ourselves for the good of others. Such displays of love should be common in the body of Christ (John 13:35). We are called to follow Christ, which includes showing love in the way He demonstrated. Other portions of Scripture also reflect the truth of John 15:13. For instance, Philippians 2:3–4 instructs us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Romans 12:10 urges Christians to “be devoted to one another in love” and to “honor one another above [them]selves.” The Christian lifestyle does not nurture self-aggrandizement but centers on humility and self-denial. It is worth delving into the word friend in John 15:13. Are we only supposed to love our friends? Wouldn’t this contradict other passages like Matthew 5:46–47? In the context of John 15:13, the friendship Jesus refers to is the relationship He had with the disciples. Yet we know that Jesus did not just die for His “friends” alone. Romans 5:6 says, “Christ died for the ungodly.” So, the principle of laying down one’s life extends further than just benefiting friends. We show love even to enemies. There is no greater love than laying down one’s life for others. Jesus exemplified this love for us, and we are called to walk in the same selfless love. QUESTION - What does it mean that Jesus is a friend of sinners? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - The fact that Jesus is a friend of sinners means that He is our friend and is waiting for us to acknowledge His presence and availability. God’s love for us is almost beyond imagining. When we consider Jesus’ Incarnation—His leaving heaven to be born as a helpless human infant in order to grow and experience life among us—we begin to get a glimmer of the depth of that love. When we add to that His sacrificial death on the cross, it is staggering. To be a “friend of sinners,” Jesus subjected Himself to living in a fallen, depraved world, for we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Despite our sinful condition, Jesus desires a relationship with us. The phrase “friend of sinners” comes from parallel passages in the Gospels. “Jesus went on to say, ‘To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: “We played the pipe for you, / and you did not dance; / we sang a dirge, / and you did not cry.” For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners”’” (Luke 7:31–34; cf. Matthew 11:16–19). In this passage Jesus is pointing out the level of spiritual immaturity among those who considered themselves the “righteous” and the most “spiritual.” They based their standing on their rigorous following of ritual, law, and external appearance instead of on a true understanding of God’s heart and a relationship with Him. They criticized Jesus for spending time with the outcasts and “socially unacceptable” people, calling Him a “friend of sinners.” The story of the lost sheep shows the importance of the lost and vulnerable, those who have wandered away from the place of security. To God the lost are so important that He will search for them until they are found and brought back to safety. “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ Then Jesus told them this parable: ‘Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?’” (Luke 15:1–4). Jesus made it clear that He had “come to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). He was willing to associate with those who were, by the standards of the self-righteous Pharisees, not good enough. But it was those who were open to hearing Christ, and they mattered to God! Matthew 9:10–13 relates another time when Jesus was ridiculed by the religious leaders for His associations. He answers them by saying, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (verse 13). In Luke 4:18, Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1–2: “The Spirit of the LORD is on me, / because he has anointed me / to preach good news to the poor. / He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners / and recovery of sight for the blind, / to release the oppressed, / to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor.” In order to preach the good news to the poor, the prisoners, the blind, and the oppressed, Jesus had to have some contact with them. Jesus did not condone sin or participate in the destructive behaviors of the ungodly. Being a “friend of sinners,” Jesus showed that “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). Jesus led a perfect, sinless life and had the “authority on earth to forgive sins” (Luke 5:24). Because of that, we have the opportunity to experience a transformed heart and life. Jesus, our friend, spent time with sinners, not to join their sinful ways but to present them the good news that forgiveness was available. Many sinners were transformed by His words of life—Zacchaeus being a prime example (Luke 19:1–10). When Jesus’ enemies called Him a “friend of sinners,” they meant it as an insult. To His glory and our eternal benefit, Jesus endured such slights and became “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Jon Courson - BORROW A Day's Journey PAGE 90- Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 An entire nation was revived when John Knox prayed, ‘Lord give me Scotland, or I die.’ But what many people don’t know is what Knox wrote concerning the answer to that prayer. The Lord responded in his heart saying, ‘First die, then I’ll give you Scotland.’ ‘Make this relationship work, or I’m going to die,’ we pray. ‘Die first,’ the Lord says. Lay down your life for your wife, your neighbor, your friend. That is not only the proof of your love, but the pathway to love because love is not some feeling you hope returns, not some kind of elusive mystical emotion. It’s the decision to die to your dreams, your desires, your needs, for your friend, your husband, your neighbor, your kids. ILLUSTRATION - Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Those words are inscribed on the headstone on the grave of Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators, high on the hillside overlooking Glen Eyrie, in Colorado Springs. Trotman was drowned in a boating accident in a lake in northern New York. He and some young people had been taking a joyride, but the boat had swung too sharply and they had all been thrown into the water. One of the girls could not swim and Dawson knew it. He could have saved himself, but instead he swam to this girl, brought her back to the boat, helped the others lift her up into the boat, but by the time her panic had subsided, and they turned around to help him he was gone. Thus they wrote on his grave, "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." C H
João 15
Murray - TWENTY-THIRD LESSON “Bear fruit, that the Father may give what ye ask:” or Obedience the Path to Power in Prayer Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide; THAT WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK the Father in my name, He may give it you,—JOHN 15:16. The fervent effectual prayer of a RIGHTEOUS man availeth much.—JAS. 5:16. EXCERPT - THE promise of the Father’s giving whatsoever we ask is here once again renewed, in such a connection as to show us to whom it is that such wonderful influence in the council chamber of the Most High is to be granted. “I chose you,” the Master says, “and appointed you that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide;” and then He adds, to the end, “that whatsoever ye,” the fruit-bearing ones, “shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you.” This is nothing but the fuller expression of what He had spoken in the words, “If ye abide in me.” He had spoken of the object of this abiding as the bearing “fruit,” “more fruit,” “much fruit:” in this was God to be glorified, and the mark of discipleship seen. No wonder that He now adds, that where the reality of the abiding is seen in fruit abounding and abiding, this would be the qualification for praying so as to obtain what we ask. Entire consecration to the fulfilment of our calling is the condition of effectual prayer, is the key to the unlimited blessings of Christ’s wonderful prayer-promises. (CLICK FOR FULL DEVOTIONAL) TWENTY-FOURTH LESSON “In my Name;” or, The All-Prevailing Plea EXCERPT - HITHERTO the disciples had not asked in the Name of Christ, nor had He Himself ever used the expression. The nearest approach is, “met together in my Name.” Here in His parting words, He repeats the word unceasingly in connection with those promises of unlimited meaning, “Whatsoever.” “Anything,” “What ye will,” to teach them and us that His Name is our only, but also our all-sufficient plea. The power of prayer and the answer depend on the right use of the Name. What is a person’s name? That word or expression in which the person is called up or represented to us. When I mention or hear a name, it calls up before me the whole man, what I know of him, and also the impression he has made on me. The name of a king includes his honor, his power, his kingdom. His name is the symbol of his power. And so each name of God embodies and represents some part of the glory of the Unseen One. And the Name of Christ is the expression of all He has done and all He is and lives to do as our Mediator. (CLICK FOR FULL DEVOTIONAL) Robert