As I Have Loved You - Pastor David Kanski

Just as the father has loved me. I have also loved you. Abide in my love. 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. These things I have spoken to you. So that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be made. This is my commandment that you love one. Another Just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this. That one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends. If you do what I command you, No longer do I call you slaves for the slave? Does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends for all things that I've heard from my father. I have made known to you. You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit. And that your fruit would remain. So that whatever you ask of the father in my name, he may give you This, I command you that you love one another, it's spray.

Lourdes weave. Acknowledge today in our worship and, and even in the instrumental, doing the offering. And in Linda's prayer, we are dependent upon your holy spirit board for life, for teaching for guidance. And we just ask for the ministry of your spirit, as we look into your world this morning in Jesus name, amen.

The two weeks ago, I shared a message which focused on verses 9 through 11 of John 15. You know that most wondrous statement of our Lord's in first nine, just as the father has loved me. I have also loved you. The love which has existed within the Trinity from the days of Eternity is now extended to us. The Son of God loves those who are his just as the father has loved him. What the same type of love. In the same way and in the same manner, with the same intensity into the same degree. And how does God the Father love God? The son. The Father loves the son with a perfect Limitless, infinite, love and unconditional pure untainted love. An eternal love which has no beginning and will have no end a steadfast and altogether Dependable. Love It's an enduring, unquenchable changeless. I'm feeling Invincible, absolute love.

This is the love. We have been brought into the greatest. Love the world has ever known. The highest and deepest love in the universe. I love, Which is far beyond our comprehension.

Hello, from which nothing will ever separate us?

In the last part of verse 9. Jesus bids us to abide in that love abide in my love. This great love. He has for us as much as to be acknowledged. It's not just to be reflected on appreciated, or admired. Jesus wants us to live in his love. Jesus is calling us to make his love, our abode. Our home. By calling us to abide in his love. Jesus is addressing our deepest, need our need to experience. His love in our lives. To know about his love is not enough.

You can take a theology course on the actual due to a God and learn all about. The love of God. But knowing about his love is not enough, we need to know his love experientially.

Converse 11, he says these things I've spoken to you. So that my joy may be in you. That your joy may be made. Our Lord knows that we will never have the joy and fulfillment. He experienced until we are abiding in his love. Just the PO by sides in the Father's Love.

Jesus wants us to have first-hand personal knowledge of his love. Just as he had first-hand personal knowledge of the Father's Love. This is what it means to abide in his, love to live in his love, it needs to live in the enjoyment of that love.

And it burst any promises us, she makes this promise. If you keep my Commandments you will abide in my love. Just as I have kept my father's Commandments and abide in his glove.

To be the object. A price love is our greatest treasure. It is our ultimate good. and if we believe that, if we have knowledge of that, then we will desire Above All Things. To experience his love to live in it. And to make our home in that love. and here in first 10, Jesus shows us the way of abiding in his love. We will abide in his glove. The same way that he abides in the Father's Love. The neighbors by keeping his Commandments.

This word keep. It means too bad, of course. They're also means much more than simple obedience. It means to observe, it means to attend to carefully. It carries with it, the idea of cherishing and guarding and taking care of something which is very precious to us.

In previous chapter of John. John 14, Jesus says in verse 23. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word.

And here he says to abide in my love. You must keep my Commandments. We are to attend carefully. To the words and the commandments of Jesus, we are to cherish them and we are treasure them in our heart. According to Psalm 19 verse 11, there is great reward in keeping the precepts and Commandments of the Lord. What is the reward? I'm keeping his Commandments.

Is it material wealth and prosperity?

Is it a trouble-free life?

No, something far better. Something that far outweighs those temporary things that are passing away. The reward of keeping his Commandments is the experience of his love.

There's nothing we have done. There is nothing we could ever do to earn his love. But carefully attending to everything. He has instructed us to do embracing cherishing and obey. His Commandments is the means by which we experience his love. It is the means, by which we abide in his love and live in it.

keep my Commandments Jesus says, it's plural.

Attend carefully to everything. I have told you to do.

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus directed us to observe or keep same word integrate. Observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded. You How do we do this? How are we to keep observe attend carefully? Everything. That Jesus has commanded us.

According to one online, I did a little searching online on the ww.w this week according to one online Source, Jesus, gave 49 Commandments in the Gospels. Another site, put the number at 62 Commandments. And a third Source came up with 282 Commandments that Jesus gave us.

How do we keep these and attend carefully to all of these? Does Jesus want us to carry around a list? Have each and every one of his Commandments and to check them off. As we obey them each and every day.

Will Jesus had come to establish another new religion. He might expect us to do that.

The Lord did not come to draw us into another legalistic religion. The world doesn't need another legalistic religion. He came to draw us into a relationship of love.

A relationship in which his love for us. Motivates us to obey him. and that obedience, Causes of to experience his love, all the more.

A love relationship.

With the one who is the source of the greatest love in the universe.

And the provision that he has made for the accomplishing of our obedience is far more, wonderful, far more relational. Then for us to try our best to follow a list of Commandments.

What is his provision for accomplish in that obedience? It us. His provision is to place his very own Spirit within us. You can't get any more relational than that. Jesus has come to live within us.

His spirit. Indwells our heart. We have become one spirit with him. Jesus himself lives within us by his spirit.

And John 14:26, Jesus promises, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name. He will teach you all things and he will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you. That's way better than a list.

The spirit within us teaches us how we are to live. His Spirit within us, brings to our remembrance each. And every thing that Jesus taught. Every every word, every commandment, he gave the Holy Spirit, the very Spirit of Jesus dwelling within us will bring them to our remembrance. So no, Jesus does not want us to be constantly Consulting a checklist. In order to try and make sure that we're doing everything he told us to do. We keep his word, we keep his Commandments by cherishing them. And by treasuring them up in our hearts by letting the word of Christ dwelf richly within us. As Colossians, 3:16 exhorts Us by allowing his word to abide in us. As Jesus tells us to do in John chapter 15 verse 7. And by hiding his word in our heart that someone 1911 instructs us to do.

And when we done that, when we have treasured and cherished his word in that way, then we walk through life looking to the spirit of Jesus within us. to bring his words and his Commandments to our remembrance and to apply them to our lives in every situation. so that in every situation, The spirit of Jesus himself. Tells us what he would have us to do.

Ezekiel 36 27, prophesize about the provision God would make to bring about The Obedience of his people. Ezekiel 36, 27 promises, I will put my spirit within you. And cause you to walk in my statutes. So that you will be careful to observe my ordinances, this is exactly what Jesus is talking about. In John chapter 15,

That promise is fulfilled in all who belong to Christ.

Bristol or of Romans chapter 8 promises paper claims. The righteous requirements of the law. Are fulfilled in US. who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit, As we walk in a cord in agreement, in harmony with the spirit of Jesus within us is fulfilled.

Galatians, 5:18 proclaims if your led by the spirit. You're not under the law. If something went better than a list. Person of Jesus living inside of you, by his spirit. You need a list of Commandments at the end Orleans Spirit of Jesus is leading and directing your life.

When I first became a Christian, I was given the impression that the leading of the spirit was like, having a guidance counselor.

That being led by the spirit was all about receiving guidance. When you have to make some big decisions in your life like what would College to attend or Who you should get married to. But which job offer you should accept.

So then I guess once you graduate from college and you get married to somebody you like and you have a job, you like, you don't really need the leading of the spirit.

No, that's not right.

To be led by the spirit is not primarily about receiving guidance, so we don't make stupid decisions.

The leading of the spirit. Is about being lead. To live in the way that Jesus wants us to live.

That's why we have the spirit into by, why not? It's about having our lives continuously governed and directed by the spirit of Jesus.

And the way that the spirit governs, our Center access is by bringing to our remembrance, all that Jesus said to us and all that, he's instructed us to do. Now, to bring it to your remembrance means it implies that you heard it before, right? So that's where the treasure ring and cherishing. The word of God, we are called to hide his word. In our heart were called to abide in his word were called to lift. The spirit can bring those things to remembrance as we walk through life, according to his bleeding.

Romans 8:14 says all who are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God.

In this passage, expresses the clear expectation. That if we truly are children of God, we will experience the leading of the spirit.

In John 10:27, Jesus declares hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.

Implies, does it not a clear expectation that if we are? August lock, we will be hearing his voice.

Are we hearing the voice of Our Shepherd?

Many times I think we have a hard time hearing the Lord's voice. And receiving the leading of the spirit because we're asking the wrong questions.

Most of the time we're asking questions, like Lord, why did you let this happen to me? Or. When are you going to bring a solution to this problem? I have Or when are you going to fulfill this particular longing in my life?

When what we should be asking is Lord, what are you telling me to do today?

What are you directed me to do right now?

In which areas of my life? Am I? Not as obedient to your commands? As I should be.

If we cultivate the habit of asking such questions as these. I think we will soon find that we are hearing the voice of Our Shepherd as his two sheep. And that we are experiencing. Deleting and direction of the spirit. That's true Sons. And Daughters of God.

But and willing Spirit of Christ will not only bring to our remembrance every commandment of Our Lord, at the appropriate time, he will also Empower us. To do what the Lord has commanded.

And Jesus has promised that the more our lives are brought into harmony with his word and his Commandments, the more we will abide in the continual experience of his love.

This is teaching these words of Jesus that we have been considering here in John chapter 15 are part of the teaching referred to as the upper room discourse. And it's contained in chapters 13 through 16 of John's gospel.

This teaching is unique. Because it is the final teaching. That Jesus gave to those disciples who have been with him since the beginning of this ministry, most of our Lord's teachings, which are recorded in the gospels were delivered in the presence of the multitude who followed him. What does final teaching is addressed only to his closest disciples? As they gathered alone as he gathered alone with them for one last intimate meal together. And because of that, There's a sense of wheatena, send urgency about the supper room discourse.

In so many of the things that he's been teaching them all along. Do inverse 12. Jesus or draws attention to one commandment of his in particular. Which she has been emphasizing all throughout this teaching a commandment. He repeated five times that evening.

He speaks the commitment twice here in chapter 15 verse 10. Verse 12. He says, this is my commandment. That you love one, another. As I have loved you.

Let me repeat the commandant in verse 17. This, I command you. That you love one, another.

But the Lord actually introduced this commitment to his disciples. Earlier in the evening. In chapter 13. Inverse of 34 + 35. A new commandment. I give you. That you love one another. Even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Like this, all men will know that you are my disciples. if you have love for one another,

in verse 12 of chapter 15, when Jesus speaks this commandment, he refers to it. As my commandment, this is my commandment that you love one. Another just as I have loved you,

But when he introduces it in Chapter 13, He refers to it as a new commandment. A new commandment. I give you that you love one another Even as I have loved you.

All the Commandment to love others is actually quite old.

It existed before Jesus came into the world. In Leviticus chapter 19, Verse 18. The people of Israel were commanded. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus himself quotes this commandment from Leviticus on several occasions in the Gospels. So, why does Jesus refer to this commitment as a new commandment in John 13. What's new about this commandment? Jesus? Introduces that night of the Last Supper.

our Lord's commandment is a new commandment because it directs us to exercise our love according to a new measure, And it also gives us a new object toward which this new love is to be directed.

In the previous command, that the object of our love. Was to be our neighbor. It is Jesus taught us in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Our neighbor is anyone the Lord puts in our path. Anyone in our path who is in is our neighbor Jesus taught? The measure. Of that old commandant that previous commitment to love was that we are to love them as we love our self.

CS Lewis pointed out. That love is not an affectionate feeling. Love is a steady, desire and commitment. For the Love of persons, ultimate good.

Love is not an affectionate feeling but a steady desire and commitment For the Love of persons ultimate good. That's the way we love our self.

We don't always have warm affectionate feelings for ourselves doing.

But we always do have. A steady desire and commitment for our own ultimate good.

as matter fact, if you don't have that, that's classified as a mental illness.

We all have that study desire and commitment for our own welfare. Our own ultimate good. According to the previous is the standard of how we are to love our neighbor.

but in this new commandment, Jesus directs, this love this new love to a specific object. This new commandment concerns. The love we have for one another. The love we have for fellow believers. For those who are of the household of faith. For those for whom Christ died. And the reason for this, as we shall see, is that we are to be vessels. A price on love. for those who are his

for those who are the people he chose for his own possession. Who are choice and precious in the sight of God. And not only does this new commandment give us a new object. It also gives us a new measure of our love.

I am to love my neighbor as myself. But I am to love my brothers and sisters in Christ with the same love that Jesus has for me. This is my commandment. that you love one another just as I have loved you,

That Same Love. That exists within the trinity. Jesus shares with us. He wants us to turn and share with one another.

Did you just did not? Just love us as he loved himself. He loved us far more than he loved himself. He loved us so much, he gave himself up for us. He did not just place his welfare on the same level. or up to place our welfare on the same level as his own, he put our welfare above and before his own well-being, And that is how we are to love one another.

Philippians 2:3 charges us to regard one another as more important than ourselves.

What's the stop-a-minit here?

Jesus is putting a standard. Very, very high for the way we love one. Another love one another. As I have loved you, in Philippians 2:3, kind of, sort of Flesh, this out a little bit regard one another, as more important than yourself,

Probably the clearest and most concise way to describe this Christlike. Love that we are to have for one another's and 1st John 3:16. We know love by this, that he lay down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Wow, that's a high standard.

Loving is a matter of laying down our lives for one another.

And we don't, Usually generally speaking, we're not called to lay our lives down in a literal sense as Jesus did. But we lay our lives down by doing what Philippians chapter 2 verse 3 says by regarding one another as more important than ourselves. that the place of their welfare and their well-being above our own According To Jesus,

this is the one true universal sign. The labels, a person as a Christian.

Not just in some places but in all places and at all times in human history, This Love This christ-like Love. This love for the Brethren is the sign that we belong to Jesus.

Isaiah 7 verse 35 of chapter 13. By this. All men will know that. You are my disciples. If you have love for one another I've seen a bumper sticker in in, you probably have to it's some something like that. If being a Christian, became a legal when becoming a Christian becomes illegal

Will there be enough evidence to convict you?

Well, according to Jesus the evidence Is This christ-like Love? Are we know? In this community. By our love for one another.

Is the Church of Jesus in this country. No. For its love.

Is that what people think of when they think of Christians? Is that what people think of? When they think of the church? I know the media has a lot to do with how the world perceives Christians. but the people that we actually meet the people on a 1-1 on one who actually get to know us, is this what they know about us is that love that marks us out as Disciples of

these are hard questions.

Holy Spirit. Comes with power. In the love of Christ, that he empowers us. To love in a way that we could never do in and out of our self. Only to the indwelling spirit of Christ. Are we unable to love the way Jesus did?

And this is what it means to be the light of the world. Because we when we begin to reflect that kind of love the love that Jesus has for us. The world will know. Can't be explained in human terms.

When we live in love, when we reflect the love of Jesus, would begin to reflect the glory of God to people who need to see it. Because it's only God, it's only the spirit of Christ within us. Who can produce. Kind of love? Jesus, commands us to love one another. His perfect. Love is the standard of God's Kingdom. All the Commandments of the Old Testament law pale in comparison. Did this Commandment that? We are to love one another as he has loved us, I can't do it on our own strength. None of us can say, I am living that way. I am loving the Brethren as Jesus loves me.

If living the Christian life means loving as Jesus loved, then it's impossible for us to do. But the indwelling spirit of Jesus. Not only brings his commitment to our remembrance. He also empowers us to do it.

This call to love is empowered by the love of Christ himself and by the spirit of Jesus who lives within us, Romans 5:5 declares the love of God has been poured out in our hearts. Through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us, and when we live in love,

In that way.

We will reflect the glory of God to the people of this world. And they will know. It's only the spirit of God within us, that could produce that kind of love. I'm going to close today. With the words from the song by Pierce Pettis. He's a Christian singer songwriter and it's called that kind of love.

Can't be bought or sold or Faked. That kind of love. Always gives itself away. That kind of love. Pride and hatred cannot stand. That kind of love. Greater love hath. No man than that kind of love. Won't be Captain to itself spreads. Its charms has to spell, no one safe this side of Hell from that kind of love. Love rejected and ignored held in Chains behind closed, doors, stuff of Legend and of songs deep down everybody long for that kind of love. Look triumphant love, love on fire. Love that Combos and inspired no conditions, no restraints, that kind of love. 1st John 3:14 through claims. We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brother and then

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