Experiencing Love: John 15-18

Worthiness...That's a word on my mind today as I think about this past week. I've had a few examples of friends showing me that I am worthy of love, at work and at my church. I'm reflecting on that word as I think about how God showed the world his love by sending us Jesus. We are all worthy of love, despite our background and situation. Jesus commands us Christians to love, something the book of John repeats over and over - and why is this? Because the world we live in and the people in it are broken and have a very hard time showing true love to each other. I hope everyone experiences this truth - that you are worthy of love - from the people and community surrounding you.

Below are some more of my thoughts from my study on the book of John.

John 15: Worthy Investment

Jesus invested a lot of time and teaching into his disciples. Verse 27 says, “And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit and about the disciples doing the work of spreading his gospel. Jesus invested his time with the disciples by answering their questions and giving them a deeper insight into the truths he taught others. His time with them was not wasted. I've heard it said once how amazing it is that with a few disciples, Christianity has spread across the world and still exists today! Of course, the Holy Spirit has done its amazing work too of reaching people’s hearts and showing them Jesus, which has also spread the gospel. Jesus knew what he was doing by investing time into the disciples. Reflecting on that and his words about being our vine in which we bear fruit, makes me see that he is investing in us today too. Jesus wants to be our vine and wants his message to be spread through us. We are worthy of doing this work because Jesus, as our vine, is our source of power and he has given us all we need to do his will, which is to spread his good news and make a positive impact on the lives of others.

John 16: Counting it for Joy

Being broken, figuratively and physically, is a key to growth and blessing. I’m reflecting on this thought after reading verses 20-22. Jesus alluded that his death would bring sorrow to his close friends; however, it would be through Jesus’ brokenness and death that something wonderful would be accomplished. I can relate to the parallel Jesus described about pain and joy. The day I prepared to have my son was a tough one. The poking, needles, blood, and aches. In the end, the pain was worth it and I was glad for it, because it brought forth my joy. What are the experiences facing us today that cause us to cry? What if they are not meant to merely go away but to do something - birth something miraculous for our lives and to meaningfully touch other people’s lives in order to bring them joy? Psalms 56:8 says God keeps track of and collects our tears. Collectively, these verses are a good reminder to ask God to make our suffering count for something wonderful, even if it’s a distant joy we ourselves will never see.

John 18: Keeping the Zeal

In the garden, Jesus shows us another example of what it means to be a friend and to take care of others. He told the soldiers twice that he is the one they were looking to arrest and said to let his disciples go. Jesus didn’t just show us how to love by dying on the cross. He shows us here too - by protecting his friends and also by preventing more violence from occurring, after Peter used his sword. We should love others by standing up to protect them from dangerous circumstances.

What also strikes me is Peter's decision to wait outside in the courtyard with a couple soldiers and a servant while Jesus was inside under trial. His Lord was inside under interrogation and he was outside sitting with at least one of the people who arrested Jesus in the garden. Maybe the circumstances were that he didn’t have special privileges to enter into the place where Jesus was held; however, his choice of where to wait was not wise. Also, where was the zeal of the man who cut off the soldier’s ear? Peter's zeal was long gone, replaced by some other emotion - maybe fear? Peter teaches us that where we choose to stand, to walk, to congregate, is just as important as the faith in our hearts, especially when you are newer and untested in your faith. When Peter was with Jesus, he was on fire for his Lord! Apart from Jesus and amongst those seeking to harm Jesus, his outward projection of faith shriveled.

It’s hard to live in the world and not be of the world, which is what Peter faced in that moment. Jesus knew he needed to be a sacrifice and leave this world so that the Holy Spirit could come and give us the ability to stand strong in our faith, even when it is unpopular or dangerous. While we are newly growing in our faith and in the Holy Spirit, it’s good to be careful where we choose to stand, walk, and congregate. With further growth in the Holy Spirit, just like Peter exemplifies later on in his ministry, we can withstand any pressure and face any obstacle that tries to pull us away from God.