May 17, 2023

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

H ILLTOP LAKES CHAPEL

M AY 17, 2023

John 15:12-17

2 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this,

that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No

longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you

friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I

chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever

you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one

another.

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v 2 – “This is my commandment...”

Perhaps we begin by acknowledging that we simply fall short

Jesus did not begin being the Son of God when he was 30, he began his public ministry when he was 30

Until that time he worked as a carpenter in Nazareth, “Joseph’s son”

In both chapters of his life, he lived in complete obedience to the Father

We also find obedience in the paths into which God has placed and called us

Prior to Jesus, relationships among God’s people were largely defined by the law, that there should be

justice (an eye for an eye), right dealings with one’s neighbor, following lines of authority, etc.

Included in the law were some provisions for the poor and the foreigner

Jesus redefined the basis of relationship from law to agapé

It should be noted that much of what we would now call “common decency” is the result of

Jesus’ commandment being the standard (very imperfectly obeyed) for 2000 years

“as I have loved you”

No one, in degree or in completeness, has loved as Jesus has loved us

Jesus was not, however, seeking to shame his disciples but was instructing them to follow the example

he had set for them

He treated them personally, always, with agapé (preference, goodwill)—not reacting in-kind to

their many errors and imperfections

He served them and made unforgettable that they (we) should be servants of one another

(This was definitely not the standard before Christ.)

v 13 – “Greater love ...”

Jesus is looking ahead to what he knew was coming but the disciples were slow to accept

He “lay down his life”—it was his choice

There is no greater show of agapé, which is much more about doing (and the disposition that motivates

that doing) than it is about emotion

There is nothing greater that Jesus could do to demonstrate his love—toward them and toward us

“for his friends”—Jesus did not say “for his followers,” “for his disciples,” “for his servants,” etc.

It was to emphasize to his disciples that he considered them—and us—as his friend

It is not just that Jesus has made himself to be our friend. He considers us to be his friends!

c.f. when someone you greatly admire hears your name and says “O yes, ____ is a friend

of mine.”

2

v 14 – “You are my friends if...”

This is not some conditional deal, this is an invitation.

Jesus is reassuring those who long to be considered his friend, that if we do what he commands (which

benefits us, not him), that we are his friends

v 15 – “No longer do I call you servants...”

We do still serve Christ—and we serve one another—but we are more than servants

Jesus on judgment: “Well done, good and faithful servant”

But a servant just follows orders—he is not brought into the confidence of the master, he is not treated

as a member of the family or ... as a friend

But Jesus has called us friend—He shares openly, personally, about himself—and all that he heard from

the Father he had shared with his disciples

v 16 – “You did not choose me...”

If we dare say such a thing, a scripture of scriptures

One question: is this an apostolic statement or a salvation statement or a Church statement?

It certainly applied to the apostles as scripture itself informs us about Jesus’ selection of the

twelve.

“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.

And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named

apostles.”—Luke 6:12-13

We also have accounts of Jesus’ initially calling disciples who became a part of the twelve, i.e.

apostles.

We do not see in the scriptures any initiative on the part of the disciples as to being chosen to be

one of the twelve, no one coming to Jesus saying anything about it; presumably, they were

surprised.

This would certainly have reminded and encouraged the apostles about being chosen, loved, and

called a friend by Christ

As a salvation statement..

It’s possible. It is certainly true that even those who turn to the Lord at his invitation must be

chosen by him

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”—Matthew 22:14

But the Scriptures do emphasize personal initiative, seeking, calling on the Lord, repenting,

asking for forgiveness—case after case after case....

The Scriptures also emphasize God’s invitation to come and be saved

So, although we come to Christ in repentance we must also be chosen by him. The choice was

and is his—not ours.

Other surrounding statements here do not seem to be only for the apostles, although Jesus was

speaking to the apostles.

We do not see examples in scripture of Jesus choosing individuals for salvation who had not in

some way appealed to him—unlike his choosing of the apostles

As a salvation statement, it is a blessing and encouragement to know that Jesus has chosen us—

the choice was his and he has loved us, chosen us, and called us friend

As a Church statement

That Jesus is addressing the ongoing work of the church, beginning with the apostles

All the pronouns are plural “you”s—which could be interpreted that Jesus is speaking most

directly to what will be done collectively by all who are his

By contrast, Jesus did not say “No one of you chose me, but I chose each one...”

Worth noting, not definitive for interpretation

3

As a Church statement, it is an encouraging reminder that we are not chosen to serve Christ in

isolation, but as His people together.

“appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide”

I believe this is a word to all Christians—understanding that it emphasizes our service together

We are called to bear fruit. Period.

And that the fruit should abide.

What’s done for Christ will last.

Much of the fruit borne for Christ can be seen in the world, 2000 years later than these words—much

that we make “take for granted.”

“so that whatever you ask the Father in my name...”

This is all reflecting and reinforcing Jesus’ earlier words in this chapter

A key here, a must, is to understand the phrase “in my name.”

All prayers made in the name of Jesus will be granted

[see previous notes for an expansion on some of this]

v 17 – “These things I command you...”

so that — hina

Jesus is saying, if we follow His commandments, the result will be that we love one another—that

following his commandments constitutes agapé