In this chapter, once again we have Jesus talking about love. v.13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14. You are my friends if you do what I command you."
The greatest expression of love anyone can make, is that they give their own life willingly, so that someone else may live. Jesus knew that He was about to do that. Perhaps we can imagine it like this..... We are standing in a court room. Not just any court... This is the courtroom of the final judgement. God is now our judge. We have committed sins and rebelled against God at different times during our life. The penalty is death. Our own righteousness before a Holy God is as filthy rags. We will be setenced to an eternity of weeping and knashing of teeth. But then... Jesus steps in. He is our advocate. Jesus says "This person is a friend. I layed down my life and I paid the penalty of death". And now... because of what Jesus did, we stand before the judge blameless....And, we hear the words, 'Enter into the kingdom"
But notice... in v.14 and elsewhere in this chapter, that even though Jesus paid the price, we still have a responsibility. We do have a responsibility to follow Jesus's commands. And in v5 we are to be attached to Jesus just as a branch is to the main vine. And we are to be a fruitful branch.
Lord Jesus... I want to be a fruitful branch. I don't want to be a dead branch that is pruned and thrown into the fire. Help me to honor you today .... and to be fruitful.
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