Scripture reading: 1 John 5:1-6.

Sermon text: John 15:9-17.

American anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed citizens to change the world. Indeed, it has never been done otherwise.” When we consider the number of small parties of committed individuals who’ve changed history — from the Communists seizing control of Russia in 1917 to the Nazis winning power in Germany in the 1930’s — no one can deny the truth of Mead’s observation.

In today’s sermon passage, Jesus had already observed the Passover with His closest disciples. The Synoptic Gospels record Jesus’ institution of Holy Communion preceding the teachings St. John recorded in chapters 13 through 17. By this time, Jude had already left the room, leaving only 11 men in the room with Jesus.

At this point of the night, none of the men had any idea what they would experience in the next 24 hours. Jesus would spend the next night in the tomb, while the disciples who heard this passage would scatter to the winds.

However, the resurrection of Jesus would change everything again. These 11 men would face the immense challenge of accomplishing Jesus’ work following His resurrection and ascension. Between His resurrection and ascension, Jesus would remind them of the teachings of this night.

The words we read today include some of the most comforting reassurances and most important directions we’ve received from Our Lord regarding the mission we received from the Apostles and the early Church. The Church has spread around the world by living these words. If we intend to carry this mission to our families and community, we must examine Jesus’ words and determine how He intends for us to evangelize those in our lives. The eternal destiny of those we know and love depends on how we fulfill these commandments.

Jesus had just given the disciples a key concept in their mission to the world in the first verses of the chapter (vv. 1-8). In these verses, Jesus had told the disciples, “Abide in me, and I in you” (v. 4). In other words, we cannot expect to accomplish any spiritual mission without Jesus’ participation in our lives. Nothing works without Jesus’ working in us.

Now, in the sermon passage, Jesus began by reminding the disciples of an underestimated power that can change lives forever: Love. According to Jesus, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you” (v. 1). The love of the Father has eternally joined the Father and the Son in a way we can never understand. However, Jesus continued by saying, “so have I loved you.” Can you imagine this? The love that God the Father has always shown God the Son now comes to us through the Son Himself. If you’ve ever wondered whether anyone loves you, this should settle the question; Jesus has loved you with an everlasting love.

However, Jesus reminded the disciples that this love required their participation: “Abide in my love.” No other power on earth will enable us to accomplish what the Church exists to do. Only the love of Christ can bring people to salvation; only the love of Christ can help us live the salvation lifestyle after our conversion.

How will we know that we live in His love? “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.”  The word Jesus used for “keep” implies closely guarding something. This implies more than merely putting something somewhere as a possession; keeping Jesus’ commandments means intentionally watching our lives to insure we obey these commandments.

We show the world that we love Jesus when we keep the commandments He gave to His disciples. In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus had given the 2 “Great Commandments.” The first commandment mirrors Jesus’ love for the Father: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” When we love God with all we have, we can then fulfill the second commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

We have an excellent example of how to keep these commandments. Jesus reminded the disciples that He had “kept” His “Father’s commandments.” Jesus never disobeyed His Father in His time on earth. Jesus’ entire ministry showed those around Him how to keep God’s commandments: He loved the unloving, He showed compassion to the rejected, He provided for the poor. Everything Jesus did showed God’s love for the people in His life.

What happens when we keep His commandments? “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” Jesus wanted the disciples to obey Him so they might experience “joy” in their lives. The joy Jesus means here overcomes everything else in our lives, even in the darkest times. When we obey the commandments of Jesus, we experience true joy in life.

If we want to know joy, we had best recognize joy when we experience it. C.S. Lewis defines “joy” as “an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction” (Surprised by Joy). This “desire” transcends both “happiness” and “pleasure” in life. According to Lewis, “Joy is never in our power.” We can fake happiness; we can buy pleasure; but we cannot control joy. Joy comes only from God Himself, and He alone can provide it. When we know we’ve obeyed God and brought joy to Him, we experience joy.

Now, Jesus gave the disciples a reminder of His commandment: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” How much did Jesus love them? Jesus loved the disciples as much as the Father loved Him. Now, He expected them to love each other as much as the Father loved Him.

This love separates the Church from every other organization on the planet. The love we show to each other will draw unbelievers to us far more than any carefully crafted apologetic argument or exquisitely planned fellowship. The world can find “fun” anywhere; the world can find pleasure everywhere.  The love we have for other believers cannot be found anywhere else in our society.

This leads to Jesus’ next statements: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

The Church has celebrated those who gave their lives to protect others since our early years. I love the story of St. Alban, the first martyr of the British lIes. St. Alban was a Roman soldier who encountered a priest on the run during a persecution. After talking with the priest overnight, St. Alban heard the Roman guards coming for the priest and took the priest’s cloak. At his execution, St. Alban gave his testimony and waited for his death. St. Alban became the first martyr in Britain. His original executioner became the second martyr; when he heard St. Alban’s testimony, he converted to Christianity on the spot and refused to carry out the execution. The priest, who awoke to find what St. Alban had done, arrived just in time to become the third martyr of Britain. St. Alban is only one example in our 2,000-year history of sacrifice for one another.

At this time, Jesus accomplished one other task in His teaching. “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.” The disciples had served Jesus for 3 years as His students as He had given them examples of serving others. Now, Jesus transformed the relationship from master-disciple to that of a friendship. Jesus had given them everything they needed to accomplish the ministry He would leave them; He had told them everything He had received from the Father that they would need.

Think of this: The disciples had just heard the Son of God address them as “friends.” This could easily have led to a serious problem with pride for most of us. Lest the disciples think they deserved this honor, Jesus told them a deep truth to the relationship: “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.” None of the disciples had chosen to follow Jesus before He first chose them to follow Him. He chose them for the mission they would carry out. He chose them so they would “bear fruit” that would “abide.” The fruit they would bear would change lives, not just in this life but for all eternity. Every person who believes in Jesus because of our love for each other.

This teaching gives us another key point about God’s choosing. Note that Jesus “chose” the disciples and “appointed” them for this mission. The Scriptures clearly teach that God chooses people. Jesus’ words today remind us that God always chooses people for great responsibility. We must never forget that when God chose us, He gave us a mission to fulfill. Everything we “ask the Father” in the name of Jesus should involve that mission.

Then, Jesus finished this passage with a reminder to love each other. “These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” We must love one another to fulfill the task God chose us to do.

What does this passage tell us today?

For one thing, we can’t ignore the fact that Jesus wants us to love one another! In fact, He expects us to love each other as He and God love each other. Our love for each other will accomplish more toward our mission than anything else in the world.

The mission matters far too much for us to compromise with our own pride. There’s no pride when we remember that God chose us for the mission. Instead, we must realize that God chose us to carry the gospel to the world.

When we love each other and demonstrate godly love to each other, we will “bear fruit” in our lives. We’ll begin to love everyone in our lives as much as Jesus loves them. Jesus loves the people in our lives so much that He died for their salvation. We’ll seek opportunities to serve them and show our love for them. Then, we’ll see people come to Jesus for true joy, the joy that comes only from a relationship with God through Jesus Christ His Son.

I have a personal mission for you this week. Think of the person in your life that needs love more than anyone else. That person probably needs love because they so rarely show it. At least one time this week, show that person how much God loves them, no matter what it costs you. You’ll find yourself amazed at the joy that comes from obeying God’s command to love others.

Jesus gave the Church the most important mission in the world: The mission of spreading the gospel to unbelievers in our lives. The small group of disciples carried this mission throughout the Roman Empire, leading to a Body of believers that encircles the world. Never underestimate the power of love to change the world; it’s the only thing that will change the world for eternity.