John 15:1-17 ~ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you

John 15:1-17

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I 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 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

12 “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,[a] 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."

Really... Let's be frank and honest. How much do we 'really' need the Law of Liberty?

When I did pro-life volunteering - we were speaking to people in utter and complete crisis. If you clucked your tongue and pointed fingers - you risked the life of the mother, the unborn baby, the father perhaps even the grandparents. Immortal eternity.

If the client told you an utter fable - you went with what is likely as blase as possible and dismissed the lie politely. Like a best friend. You didn't jump up and down and scream, "Gotcha you, liar!" If the deception was delivered as a cold-believe-the-lie - you went with polite. Like the Archangel Michael speaking with Satan over Moses' Body.

We don't bring Salvation - only God does. We bring God wants to save The World through Jesus Christ.


Frankly... why bother?

There just is no greater Joy than the GOODNESS OF GOD. To bring God into Crisis and allow His Goodness to Rise UP is to see people bloom a year later. To have the opportunity for goodness to spread - is incomparable.

It's only evil that is dreary and repetitions - evil never was Creation and is very repetitive.

We can't dismiss repetition. The ill are comforted. The dying cared for. Love is in steadfast care. Love is in there.

What if Abraham had been a rabbinic priest? We would have the story of Abraham the defrocked. The not really Father of Nations. And God did not place Abraham as a rabbinic priest. And Abraham delighted Father God. Abraham didn't have a degree in God - Abraham argued with God. For Mercy. Abraham depended on God when people Abraham loved would die. (I personally think Abraham was incorrect and should have argued with God that GOD alone brings death and God would have been pleased to be believed not to murder and to trust God to be merciful. I think - what I think - is this is one Argument Abraham should have had with God. And pleased God.)

What if David and his men had not eaten the Showbread - probably they were worn out and would have been defeated. The Bread of the Presence was Help and Comfort. As the Holy Spirit.

Jesus and His Disciples were merely seen to have eaten a few heads of grain on the Sabbath. Spied upon - they looked bad. C'mon. Spying over a few heads of grain popped in the mouth - Goodness is not a Law. Goodness is a lifestyle choice.



1 John 2

2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

The Law of Liberty - God kept saying through Jesus over and over as He Healed, "You are Forgiven."

Giving room for people to be who they are and to see God loves them as they are ...

- Is The Way Jesus Walked.

Jesus did not put up with saying to all things, "Good."  Verse Six is Fact. God tells us there are sheep and goats. Wheat and destructive weed. God is God. Jesus chose to talk to people on the day Father God put that day together. Jesus knew when to speak in teachable times. And Jesus was brave and politically savvy to do what God told Him to do.

Jesus didn't do all the impossible all the time - you never read about the great after Forgiveness dinner with Caiaphas and Ananias. Or Judas. Jesus only walked on water as God's Living Water. Made multitudes fed to have us know Jesus is God's Living Bread. Jesus went where Jesus is welcomed. You never read Jesus rushed into a house and said, "Get out of the way, I'm here to save your daughter, Jairus!"

Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. Peter was wanting Jesus to be near. Jesus is not reported to have healed within the all important Sadducean Council. We know absolutely nothing about Caiaphas' mother-in-law. We do know that Philip was from Bethsaida. We know Jesus knew a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. We are not sure Ananias ate fish. We know Peter first met Jesus and asked Jesus to move along because Peter was a sinner. And we know Jesus went with Peter and Andrew to first heal in the city they lived in and then went back to their hometown to heal. We don't know about the Sanhedrin Council and any wedding. But we know Jesus took all His Disciples to Cana for a wedding and stayed a few days more with Mary.

Jesus went where He is welcomed. God loves straightforward paths.

Israel worried about meeting Esau. You'd think if your name was Israel - you'd never worry!!! They did fine and life rolled along. The Law of Liberty. The Beauty of the Scriptures - everyone is allowed to be who they are.


Why would God want us to be who we are? God only works with Sinners. The mystery of godliness.

Romans 3:23
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God


God our Father, the Almighty, Creator of All Things. Alpha and Omega - Makes His Plan. A Hope and a Future.

Jesus - Only Son of God - the Word of God made manifest displaying His Father as God of Love and Encouragement lives this very life as Joy. Seeing Creation as Good. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

The Holy Spirit is like Jesus - the exact nature of our Father -
Helper
Comforter
Teacher

God is... GOOD.

Amen and Amen and Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †