John 13.35 part II
Milk
November 2nd 2014
Okay. Welcome.
Let’s pray, sing the word of God set to music, sit in silent reflection and then when we come back pick our verse by verse study up at John 13:18.
PRAYER
MUSIC
SILENCE
Okay we left off last week with Jesus giving the command of all commands because if this command is followed no other commands are required.
What was the command? John 13:34
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Last week we pointed out through scripture that this love is to be extended to each other (believers) and to others – all others.
It’s not just opinion – scripture proves this.
Additionally, many people think (they almost can’t help but think) that there is more to being a Christian than just loving.
There’s not. Perfect love is EVERYTHING in the Christian walk.
If this is the case why is this book SO darn thick, so full of things that seem to have nothing to do with love?
Here’s the deal – while love is the ultimate goal there are a LOT that is required before the Christian can begin to implement, experience and express real love.
Let’s liken expressing and living by true Christian love . . . pole-vaulting.
The world record has set at 6.14 meters (20.14 feet) since 1994.
It was broken this year, twenty years later, with a jump at 6.16 meters (or 20.2 feet).
At those heights the differences are negligible.
So let’s liken optimal Christian love to someone pole-vaulting over a bar 20.2 feet high in the air.
Got that? At the moment that’s optimal for the human race. Got it?
And let’s also say that in our analogy that any time a pole-vaulter actually gets air – no matter how high – 1 inche or twenty feet – that that is when they are operating by Christian love.
So, while the world record is set, and it is all that really matters in the end of the Christian walk – “being in the air and attempting to reach the heights – a number of other factors (that must exist well before anyone attempts to lift off the ground) must be in place.
This is why this book is so thick.
Quickly, a person must be born-again – given a new heart and begin to see God and themselves in a new regenerated manner.
Before anyone can take up pole vaulting they have to first experience birth – same with any person seeking to love with Christian agape love – they must first be born again.
1st Peter 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
The order is made clear in Titus 3, which says:
Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”
Once a person is born or born again they begin to mature – in pole vaulting physical maturity is vital – a babe couldn’t possible meet the demands of the sport.
In Christianity spiritual maturity is requisite to get into the air of love regardless of chronological age.
Hand in hand with this spiritual maturation comes coordination. For the pole vaulter this is understood and in the Christian walk we are talking about learning how to coordinate the will of self and the flesh and the world with the will of God.
And part and parcel with spiritual coordination comes strength – personal spiritual strength to approach the task of loving effectively.
Maturity, coordination, and strength take time – not just tick tick tick time, but time and experience in . . . the word. The big thick book.
It washes in through personal study, and hearing it at church, and on the radio, and lends more than almost anything else to the establishment of faith.
And as I have long maintained our ability to love is in direct relationship to the level of our faith, with faith being defined as a person’s willingness to trust in the promises of God.
Let me give an illustration of how faith is what first establishes the ability to love.
God has said:
“blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.”
Do we believe it? Trust it? Place our faith in it?
If not we will not care all that much about making or keeping peace. But if we trust in this, and actually believe from the heart that if we keep or make peace we will be known as the children of God . . . then we will make peace at every opportunity.
Which is a loving thing to do, in God’s name, from the heart of faith, unconditionally.
Do you see how the measure of faith predicts or indicates the measure of love?
“We are told to forgive all men.” To do so is an act of agape love, and proves that we trust in God’s commands that doing so is important to Him and those who follow Him.
The more faith we obtain – in God and His promises His active hand in our lives – the more equipped we will be to truly love Him and others.
The less we trust in Him and His promises, the less true love we will exhibit.
For example God has said, “Revenge is mine, saith the Lord. If we don’t trust this, and don’t believe God will revenge us in the future, we will act out and take revenge ourselves.
Since faith is required first for the existence of authentic agape love to exist thereafter, we read and study and hear the word to (first) increase our faith in Him.
And we know from Romans 10:17 where Paul says: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
See, it acts like a sword. At rebirth we are all in possession of our body, our soul (mind, will and emotion) and the Spirit of God within us.
Prior to rebirth we are a carnal and soulish people, spiritually dead and operating by our fallen bodies, our minds, our wills and our emotions.
But when we get into the Word – reading and hearing it taught, it clearly begins to teach us what is of Him and His Spirit . . . and what is of our soul.
This is why the writer of Hebrews said (4:12):
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Once the word has done some work, we begin to learn to apply it to our lives.
We experience it through hands on application, through trial and error and like the actual pole that a pole-vaulter has to grow accustomed to using, we begin to handle the word effectively.
2nd Corinthians 4:2 says:
“But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
2nd Timothy 2:15 adds:
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
In the analogy, we would liken this to the pole vaulter getting so familiar with his equipment that it would almost become an extension of his person.
To not, the pole vaulter – and the Christian – would remain a babe – and incapable of getting in the air (or loving).
The writer of Hebrews says (5:13) “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
This is my complaint with Pastors and Churches that do not try to impart the word to their congregates – they remain babes, unskillfull in the word of righteousness, and therefore weak in the faith, weaker in love, and subject to falling back.
No matter what the justification, sheep need to be fed and fed the word of God.
In the Hebrews selection I just quoted the writer of Hebrews goes on, and after saying:
“For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
He adds:
“But . . . strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
And what is good is agape love, what is evil is all that fails this standard and command of our King.
In other words, if selfless, unconditional love for God and man reigns nothing else matters.
Once the word begins to take hold and the believer is able to manage it effectively (like the pole vaulter his or her equipment) we begin to practice.
We try and fail, and test and fail, we apply and fail. All the while learning and growing.
In craft and style and approach in pole vaulting, in faith and experience and hope in the faith.
With each success granted we become more confident, with each failure, learning is enhanced – whether we are running full speed to an upright or the race that is set before us we become accustomed to every situation by trial –
seasoned, tempered, tried by fire.
Paul says it well in Romans 5:3-5, saying:
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
And we know from 1st John that we are only able “to love, because He first loved us.”
Can you see the pattern God uses to bring fruit out of us? It requires patience, a characteristic that walks hand in hand with faith.
James touches on this principle, saying:
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
The perfect work that patience produces, as spoken of by James, is love. Perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
So, a child is born.
He begins to mature physically.
Coordination and strength appear.
He then becomes familiar with the tools of pole vaulting.
He learns to utilize them in and through practice and familiarity and experience.
He is tried by failure and learns patience.
And then he gets his first lift off into the air. Oh what a feeling.
Of course the parallel almost escapes explanation but when a believer has a success over the flesh, over the will, over sin by the Spirit through genuine love, the parallel is actually inadequate.
I mean, it’s truly one of the only experiences that believers in Christ can have that definitively prove we are new creations in Him, that He is with us, that we are operating on His love and ways and not our own.
Here in John Jesus says:
By this (love) will men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another, but John the Beloved adds in his epistle:
1st John 2:3-5 says:
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
1st John 3:14-16 says, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
1st John 5:1 says:
“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
What are his commandments?
You know. But let’s let scripture tell us, yet again:
1st John 3:22-23 “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
When did He give this commandment?
Right here in John 13:35, where we are in our verse by verse study, when He said:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
So we’re getting air now, meaning we are expressing and experiencing agape love.
It serves so many purposes in Christianity.
It is the fulfillment of the law.
It follows the Lord’s commandment.
It makes peace.
It glorifies God, and it is literally what God seeks of those who are His through His Son.
Jesus says this plainly to His disciples in chapter 15 of John, saying:
“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
Men take this verse and suggest that fruit bearing means doing what they want you to do.
But in the end the fruit that God seeks us to bear much of is His unconditional agape love.
The all-familiar verse in Galatians 5:22-23 says it well:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE (there should be a colon here not a comma because fruit is singular, so what it is really saying is , “The fruit of the spirit is LOVE: expressed in) “joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
This happens when we finally get air-born as believers, when our feet detach from the cares of terra firma and enter in the realms of the Spirit.
The paradoxical nature of such flight is that while exhilarating it is always followed up by a fall.
We express love, it is not returned.
We turn the other cheek, and it is smacked again against the mats below.
True agape love is rarely rewarded in this world. Certainly we experience the spiritual confirmation that we are His and we are changed but when taken out to its longsuffering extremes and unconditional presence it is often too much and is ultimately rebuffed, mocked or rejected.
Again, paradoxically, the higher we climb into the skies toward this love the further the fall once its expressions have been made.
And the cycle continues, with God allowing us to love and be rejected – and to move us to love yet again.
It is at this point that we begin “to love as He loved.”
The Father told Him to put on cleats and so he did.
He told Him what pole to use and how to use it.
He had Him run and run He did.
He told Him to stick the pole, arch and pull, and launch himself toward the sky, lifted high above the earth in self-sacrifice.
This He did – selflessly – vaulting Himself up on a cross only be plummet back down in death. It’s the process we all experience once we’ve learned to leave the ground and dwell in heavenly realms – if only for a moment.
One of the truly interesting things about growing into agape love is that once we have operated by it at a certain level, and have then risen above that level, the former heights achieved become insignificant, almost sophomoric by comparison.
The same is true of the pole vaulter who, once struggling to reach ten feet can hit ten feet without trying . . . once he becomes accustomed to clearing fifteen.
I used to struggle greatly with patience in certain areas. People talking endlessly (but really saying nothing of value) used to make me the rudest man on earth.
But once I was able to operate in the face of this – and was allowed for years to face this on an almost daily basis – a simple, meaningless conversation barely ruffles my feathers compared to bearing insults amidst a conversation.
He grows us.
And the expectation is to love as He loved . . .as He has loved us – which is He gave His life for us. So we give our lives to others.
There are finally some enemies to our bearing the “love-fruit” God seeks.
Jesus gives some particular examples in the parable of the sower. Remember? It’s worth repeating.
First Jesus shares the parable in Matthew 13: 3-9 and says:
Matthew 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Later in the chapter Jesus explains the parable to his disciples and says (at verse 18):
Matthew 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
And first he explains the wayside soil, saying:
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
The wayside hearer bears no fruit at all. In fact the word never even takes root. The birds of the air, which are often symbols of evil in scripture (unless they are doves) come and gobble the word up so it can never take root and therefore never bear fruit (of love). So therefore, such NEVER please God or bring Him glory.
Then Jesus addresses the stony ground, saying:
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Converted, he has heard, and receives the word in him. But Jesus continues explaining the problem with this non fruit of love bearer:
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
So we see that exposure to the Word causes some to be persecuted or places some in tribulation over it – maybe its mockery of friends or the world, some type of trial due to the edicts of the word, the these never let the word take root, and where there is no root (of faith by the word) there is no fruit (of love).
Then Jesus explains the third ground, saying:
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh???? (that’s right) unfruitful.
When the pole vaulter is offered a full time job it’s hard to continue to work on reaching new heights. Or when he can’t pay his bills, practice and dedication is difficult – the cares and riches of the world.
These are another factors we face in the human experience that can inhibit or even kill our ability to truly love. Cares and riches may remove some from selflessly loving others.
So powerful can be these life-situations – overwhelmed with cares in the world, like making ends meet and managing our temporal affairs or having an abundance of wealth – that the Lord uses them to warn us.
In my experience it takes a true heart for God to humbly manage either situation so that a person can continue to elevate themselves into the realms of selfless love.
Those who achieve it in spite of these circumstances are what I would call the salt of the earth.
Then Jesus explains the fourth and desired soil, saying:
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that “heareth the word,” and “understandeth it;” which also beareth fruit (of love, again by the way), “and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
This is the goal. First the air, then climbing some hundred feet into it, or sixty, or thirty – however high we are willing to let the Lord take us.
So to wrap this up, in a workable fashion, let’s first extract the pole vaulter and talk about it all.
Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.
He commanded His disciples to love one another as He has loved them. Paul, here in Ephesians 5 explains how Christ has loved us, which in the face of this explains how we love as He loved.
Paul says:
“walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.”
In this explanation we can see that the love which Christ loved us with was
First, He gave Himself for us – the epitome of self-sacrifice.
So likewise we do for each other.
In time, attention, patience, helping hands, listening ears, kind encouraging words, prayer, various supports as called for, keeping our tongues when someone certainly deserves it being let loose . . . forgiving those who don’t deserve it, showing mercy when justice is merited. Being patient. Humble. Kind.
This is self-sacrifice.
And we see that the sacrifice was from the heart, of love.
They way we know this is because of what Paul says:
“walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.”
The sacrifice of something rotten or bad from the inside would not smell sweet to God for His nostrils are not gauged to smell the material but the spiritual, actions from the heart.
We know this going all the way back to Cain and Abel. So Christ’s offering – for us – Paul says, was sweet smelling to God, meaning it was offered with the best of intentions, out of love for Him, from a willing heart.
Sometimes with us, this is not the case. Sometimes we love merely because God commands it.
Again, not bad but in time, these actions done out of love for Him do morph into love from the heart for those we serve.
All processional.
But without question, as we leave Jesus command to these men to love one another, we know the importance of bearing fruits of love as believers, whether such love comes only from the hands and lips and or from the heart as well.
To summarize from other parts of scripture, as we abide in the vine called Christ, by faith, we will bear fruits of love.
It is the desire of God that his children bear such fruit and we cannot go wrong – ever – in loving too much.
Sometimes this love is tough and sometimes it is soft, but it is always selfless, kind, gentle, longsuffering, of God.
Between faith and hope, it reigns supreme (1st Corinthians 13)
Paul said in Galatians 5:6
“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”
Colossians 3:14 “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”
1st John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Ephesians 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
If you have not been born again, come talk with me. You have to have a change of heart before ANY of this is truly possible.
And if you are young or weak in the faith, get in the word, keep hearing the word, pray for faith.
In time allow God to lead you to applying what you learn, to implementing your understanding of the Word.
And in time you will experience His love which transcends your own abilities.
Let it grow and flourish, abiding in Him and flowing from on high.
Once you start to get air, the skies the limit, no boundaries on height, or depth, or width, or length to the love you are capable of sharing . . . because of Him.
