Love one another deeply

John 15:17 The Passion Translation, Jesus says “so this is my parting command: Love one another deeply”.

In John 15, we read that Jesus is the Living Vine and we are the branches. Verse 5 “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you; but when you are separated from me you are powerless.”

Our Lord and Friend wants always to be our Source. Verse 9 tells us “I love each of you with the same love that the Father loves me. You must continually let my love nourish your hearts.”

We cooperate with Him by continually allowing His love to nourish our hearts; living our lives intimately joined to our Lord and Friend. We respond to His parting command to ‘love one another deeply’, by living in union with Christ as our Source, allowing His Word to live powerfully within us, and then fruitfulness will stream from us.

John 15:1-2 “I am the true sprouting vine, and the farmer who tends the vine is my Father. He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches and pruning every fruitful branch to yield a greater harvest.” Father God is the Vinedresser. He is closely, intimately involved in our lives. He cares.

An explanation of the verses above from The Passion Translation says that as the wise and loving farmer, he lifts them (fruitless branches) up off the ground to enhance their growth. In the context, Christ’s endless love for His disciples on the last night of His life on earth seems to emphasize God’s love even for those who fail and disappoint hm. Peter’s denial didn’t bring rejection from Jesus.

How amazing is our God, our Lord and Friend. John 15:15b “I call you my most intimate and cherished friends.”

May the love of God win every battle in your heart, bringing a full restoration of your soul into the image of God; for God is love.

Shalom.

Kath