The message was brought by Rev. Tim Powers on June 7, 2026.
John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
It’s before the cross. They are still in the Upper Room. The disciples are confused by what Jesus said. They didn’t comprehend it because they wanted a ruler to overtake Rome, but instead Jesus spoke of love and why He really came. He wanted everyone to be saved. We learned last week that we must abide in the vine–stay connected. These are not casual words. Jesus was getting them ready by sharing these truths. They must love. They must abide in His love. Soon they would see Jesus arrested, tried, beaten, and nailed to a cross. What did Jesus do to the people who were mistreating Him? He loved them anyway. We have to love our enemies. Let’s talk about some key points I want us to see today.
The source is the Father in heaven. He sent His Son to us. Father > Son > Us. The heavenly pattern. As the Father loved Jesus, He loves us, and we are to continue in His love. Any river flows from its source. The Father is the source. When we receive this personally, we are to remain there. Live there in the reality of His love. It’s not earned. It is there and we accept it, the gift.
Verse 10 is proof of our love. We love grace and are thankful for it. Jesus said If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love. Obedience is evidence of love. We do what He says. Love is not merely an emotion. It’s evidenced by our obedience. It’s important to read the Word. That’s how we know what He wants. Then we submit to the Word. In doing that we become the world’s best evangelists as we show people Jesus. We know our salvation is not based on our works; it is by grace, but obedience to the Word after salvation is the evidence of it we show to others. The last part of verse 10 says even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. Jesus kept the Father’s commandments, abiding in that love. He modeled it for us. Every day for 33 years He modeled it, becoming our example. He was obedient to death. In the garden He prayed “not my will” but whose? The Father’s. Do we ever pray not my will but yours? Do we ask, not for what we want but what He wants? Jesus could have spoken the words and everything about the cross would have ended, stopped. He didn’t. He loved us that much. He died our death. That’s love we can’t comprehend. Jesus wants us to obey to help our life here and in the life to come. If obedience is absent, love is questionable. If obedience is absent, salvation is questionable. A father chastens because he loves his children. That’s why God as our Father chastens us. If someone continues in sin and no chastening happens, salvation is questionable. The Bible says we are not sons if we’re not chastened. My dad taught me through chastening that there are consequences to disobedience. The same goes with God to His children.
Verse 11 is the result of our love. That my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. The gift of the Spirit of God: joy, peace, longsuffering … .it all comes when we love Jesus and abide in Him. Even when things are wrong, there is joy. His joy to us. Joy rooted in a relationship to Him and our joy is His joy and it can be full. We don’t have a half-way God. He gave us “the whole enchilada.” A cup filled to the brim. A filled up cup has no room for anything else.
Verses 12-14 are the expression of our love. To love is not optional; it’s commanded. Love one another, even our enemies. Even those who get on your nerves. The evildoers. God loves them all. Love was defined on the cross. Verse 13 is about the cross. It’s sacrificial love. Jesus was rich but became poor for us. The King of Kings came to die for us. He gave up every comfort imaginable and sacrificed himself. He died. Now we are to show sacrificial love to others. Sometimes it does take some sacrifice on our part to show God’s love to others. We need to do it.
We are His friends, not merely servants. He’ll show us the in’s and out’s through the Word. Friend means there is a relationship. He shows us love. Our love is shown by our obedience. It involves loyalty, trust and alignment. You cannot walk contrary to Christ and live close to Him. The Father calls us his sons and daughters when we’re saved. We are joint heirs with Christ. It’s all His and ours. Abide in that love and in Him. Live in it. Show it. Love sacrificially with the cross as our example. Abide in the love of Christ.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 