Mazie First Baptist
January 11, 2026
  • Just before this command Jesus was talking about the true vine and the branches, and how we are to abide in Him, if we do not sprout from the true vine we are thrown into the fire and burned. Jesus says that if we keep His commandments we will abide in His love. Our obedience does not save us, it stems from our relationship Him. It is one of the ways we show our love for Him, but it start with Him. Now we move to the branch to branch relationship—loving others— In John 13:34 Jesus gave a new commandment “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another”. This takes the two greatest commandments and adds one more group, and also how we are to love.
    John 15:1–3 ESV
    1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
    John 15:4–6 ESV
    4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
    John 15:7–9 ESV
    7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
    John 15:10–12 ESV
    10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
    John 15:13–15 ESV
    13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
    John 15:16–17 ESV
    16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
    John 15:12–13 ESV
    12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
    Jesus restates the new commandment—to love as He loved us. The principles in 12-17 apply to everyone—to those who have friends, to those who feel the don’t, to the outgoing, to the shy because these principals govern the initiation, the reception and the maintenance of friendship. Jesus command is to love like He loved, well how did He love look at verse 13—sacrifice is essential to genuine friendship. Jesus gave His life for us not only on the cross but everyday, He walked this earth He gave of Himself. And He alls for a sacrificial love in His church. We love each other because we love Him, we love others because they are image bearers of God. We must love as Jesus loved, Jesus not only gave His life for HIs friends, but for His enemies too. We sometimes get so busy trying to figure out how to love God we forget to love one another. One of the ways we show our love for God is through a constant and genuine love for one another. This central command that Jesus gives us has nothing to do with doctrine, church size, or the order of worship. It could not be more simple to understand or more difficult to carry out—love each other as i have loved you. One commentators puts it like this “Unity instead of rivalry, trust instead of suspicion, obedience instead of self-assertion must rule the disciples’ common labors. We must consciously cultivate a sacrificial spirt and must constantly work at being givers.”
    John 15:14 ESV
    14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
    We see again Jesus mention of obedience. If we obey we will be His friends, now while this does primarily focus on obedience, it also suggests something else suggests a mutuality of heart. Jesus’s friends obey Him because they share the same outlook, the same goals. Now we must be clear that when Jesus says friend He means far more than an acquaintance. He conveys a closeness that goes much deeper. The dictionary defines the word friend as a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection. He just told us to love each other as He loved us—this is what a true friend looks like. If we love each other as Jesus loves us we share in His goals, it shows our like mindedness with Christ. Our friendship with Him is based off our obedience, which stems from our love for Him. We are being changed from enemies to friends through Christ, and becoming more like Him, which leads us to love each other. Loving God and loving others. As believers we need to take time to talk about one another’s goals, pray bout our needs, share and encourage each other—honesty and openness. “More Church than church”
    “strangers spilling secrets in a circle without walls tryin to reach for Jesus instead of drugs and alcohol. Ain’t no body throwin stones up in here can’t judge cause we know we all messed up. Ain’t no steeple, just broken people, where the truth heals more than the truth hurts.”
    Are we living out what a true believer looks like or are we just playing church.
    John 15:15 ESV
    15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
    As Jesus’ disciples we are His servants because He is Lord of our lives, but it’s more than just being servants. We are also called His friends. Jesus elevates our status, and this would have been shocking to the disciples. In Scripture Abraham is the only one called God’s friend. Jesus says because of all that I have taught you about the Father’s truth you are my friends. Now we need to be clear that in our day with the easy language about relationships with God, that the Friendship of this passage is not reciprocal. Jesus calls us friends, but we still address Him as Lord and Master. D.A. Carson puts it like this “Neither God nor Jesus is ever referred to in Scripture as the ‘friend’ of anyone. Of course, this does not mean that either God or Jesus is an ‘unfriend’ if anyone measures friendship strictly on the basis of who loves most, guilty sinners can find no better and truer friend than in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Son whom He has sent. But mutual, reciprocal friendship of the modern variety is not in view, and cannot be without demining God”. Even though we are His friends He is still God and we need not forget that. We are servants, but we are special because He made His teachings made known to us. When we love as He commanded He shares with us as friends.
    John 15:16 ESV
    16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
    We see another reminder that God initiates the relationship. Jesus chose His disciples and appointed them for a purpose, and this purpose rings true for us today. Jesus is committed to the fulfillment of our ultimate calling. Remember fruit bearing is not just about new converts, but also about living out the spiritual fruit of Gal. 5 in a lasting way. And it starts with love, God’s love, then our love. Jesus again mentions our petitions to God. If we are abiding in Him, bearing fruit whatever we ask the Father in His name, He will give. Again I want to be clear God is not sitting around granting wishes just because we say in Jesus name. When we ask in His name, we are saying our request lines up with Christ’s character, that our desires are His desires, we love what He loves, and are focused on what He says matter. There is a song by Josiah Queen called things that matter and the chorus says this “Help me see the world through your eyes, Til what breaks your heart is breaking mine, Slow me down, this world is moving faster, But I don’t wanna mis the things that matter”. It is through our connection to the True Vine, our relationship with Him and the work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to a place where His focus becomes ours.
    John 15:17 ESV
    17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
    Jesus states the New commandment again—”love one another”. Jesus talks about the two greatest commandments and then here He adds a third and the common thread is love—Love God—Love your neighbor—Love each other. Some people think Jesus is asking the impossible because love is a strong uncontrollable emotion, and you can’t command it. The first thing we need to realize is our understanding of love is broken and has been influenced by the broken world we live in. The love that Jesus commands is agape love and it starts with the mind and will. If we are abiding in Him our fruit will start with love. When we understand that apart from Him we can do nothing, we will love the branches, its not an option its an order. Now even with our church family it is not always easy to love is it. Loving each other is not an option it is a commandment. We have to be honest with each other in order for us to love one another.

    Abiding in the True Vine III

    Jesus commands us to love each other as He loved us. Love compelled Jesus to give up His privileges. As Creator and Lord Jesus can do whatever He pleases, yet He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), He temporarily relinquished His rights so we could be made right with God. We are to live and love like Jesus. Love compelled Him to prioritize people. Everything Jesus did was out of love, everything. I want us all to ask ourselves what motivates us, are we motivated by love, a love rooted in our relationship with Him.

      • John 15:1–3ESV

      • John 15:4–6ESV

      • John 15:7–9ESV

      • John 15:10–12ESV

      • John 15:13–15ESV

      • John 15:16–17ESV

      • John 15:12–13ESV

      • John 15:14ESV

      • John 15:15ESV

      • John 15:16ESV

      • John 15:17ESV

Mazie First Baptist
maziefirstbaptist@gmail.com
918-373-9566
https://mfb-2.faithlifesites.com
14 members • 1 follower