John 15:9-17
Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” A few days ago (October 26) I commented quite a bit on the following two verses: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35) Today we have this command from Jesus repeated twice more: This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (v. 12) and These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (v. 17) As I tried to say earlier, I don’t want to discount Jesus’ command to “love one another”. Obviously He means it, if John has it repeated again, twice, two chapters later.
David has alerted us a few times to watch out for “so that” occurrences. Here we have two (and one-half?) in today’s reading: 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. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (vv. 16-17, ESV) I’ve already commented on the last item, loving one another. As to the other one-and-a-half… Jesus has appointed us to go and bear good, abiding fruit and if we do that we can go directly to the Father in His name and ask whatever we want/need, again in His name. Jesus is telling us here that bearing fruit is to our benefit – direct access to the Father for our wants/needs, in accordance with Jesus’ will for our lives and others, always remembering “…not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42 and others)
Slava Bohu!
Hey, Fred. I appreciate the SO THAT connection. I have also been thinking on his IF statements too, like if you obey my command, then you shall know the truth… We, I like to pull out the promises without the IF and SO THAT.