Toward Holy Love...

OUR LESSON for the Sixth Sunday in the Easter season brings us once again to the words of Jesus spoken in the Upper Room. Within this discourse concerning the vineyard, the True Vine and his grafted servants, were words which were meant to teach the apostles. The lesson that followed shows  conversation that occurred when they heard about the relationships needed between apostolic Christians for times to come. Thus we read…

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my 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. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. 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.

 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. This I command you, to love one another.”

                                                                                                            (John 15:9-17)

Christian Beginnings: Word and Community from Jesus to Post-Apostolic Times

On Branching Out…

Saint John wrote out this extended conversation given by our Lord just before his crucifixion. Within this text, we read that Jesus instructed his apostles to “love one another”. He added that this loving behavior needed to be done just as he had loved them. Hearing this read from scripture, we as a people gathered today by the Holy Spirit need to realize that the love spoken about was one that extended even unto Jesus' death and beyond. This is an extreme rootedness derived from a divine love poured out.

 You see, earlier in his ministry Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment. In answering, he made a solid statement concerning two commandments which had been placed before the Jews. First, the apostles being Jews, they were called to love God by adhering to the Decalogue (the Ten Commandments). This is God’s legal metric system that measures everyone.
 However, it is in this measurement that all humans find ourselves failing miserably. We fall short. We are thus driven by our failures and resulting condemnations to seek our salvation through Christ. Then through grace and faith provided only by the will of God, we can accept the gift purchased by the obedience of Jesus unto death. Salvation unto eternal life is granted. Given this precious gift, we then as Christians are called forth to go beyond the Ten Commandments. Surely, we Christians receive from Jesus a more concise and demanding code of behavior than the Commandments.

 The two commands to which Jesus gave priority, take us far beyond the Law of Moses. Jesus called us to first love God above all. Second, but no less important, we are also called to love one another just as we love ourselves. Thus we see our faith and actions are reflected in our collective deeds toward one another. I believe that we need understand that this radical reduction of the Mosiac Law by Jesus accomplished several things in us.
 You see, as Christians following in the footsteps of the apostles, we are placed subject to a higher Law. We are certainly called to love God beyond all else. But just as the instruction is grafted onto us, the second instruction to love one another without reservation is stated. Either task, however, exists far beyond our sinful human reach. To accomplish either in any sense seems an impossibility. This perfect love only can be done by a power greater than our own. This sort of power can only come from the Spirit of a perfect God.

  Only with God working in us through the Spirit can we exert a love far beyond brotherly love (phileo). This sort of expression is only attained by receiving the gift of divine love (agape). This love can only be given by God, as expressed to us by Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Miraculously, this was the gift given to the Church. About this a noted biblical scholar, Professor Robert Kysar stated…

“Humans must accept the gift of love extended to them in Christ if they are to benefit from a life in harmony with God. In v. 10, what is meant by accepting that gift is spoken of in different words—keep my commandments.” 

   (Kysar, R. (1986). John (p. 239). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House.)

 

 

John, the Maverick Gospel, Third Edition By Robert Kysar

 

 

  By receiving and accepting this “holy love” from the Holy Spirit, we Christians can move forward as his Church. In the gospel writer’s time at the turn of the first century, the early church was asked to move beyond strife. You see, contentions arose early on between such persons as Saint Paul and Saint Peter during ministry in Galatia. The reminder written in this gospel record subsequently called all Christians, therefore, to move past those early differences in faith expression. Willingness to move in the Spirit toward expressive unity in orthodox, true proclamation made in accordance with a right understanding of Holy Scripture, is the measure through which the Church could and still can overcome great distress and persecutions. As formed thus, history teaches that even the military might of ancient Rome could not crush the unified witness of the Church.

 

 

 

Bear Heavenly Fruit!

So it is that we today are carried once again to challenges now looming large against the Christian faith. By God’s love we are being led into... and past... realms of wilting death, as seen in ongoing atrocities against Christians around the world. We are also led past internal strife caused by apostate denominational failings. By this divine love poured out, the world shall yet know the expression of love that exists far beyond human understanding. We Christians are not called to work out lives of mere profit and self-fulfillment! Instead, we are called to die to our own measure of fullness and accept the full measure of love from Almighty God.

 Therefore, much like a vineyard fruit that is grown to be consumed, we must know that we are to be like Jesus… devoured by the very task of loving mission. So it is that we are called to work yet in evangelical purpose. Remember how Jesus taught his disciples concerning the Father’s will? In evangelical work we need only to make requests for success before the Father’s throne, who surely is the Vineyard Keeper. These prayers of ours toward evangelical success shall be granted… and more!

 Consequently, the Christian Church is reminded today through the Word spoken, that divine Love was given perfectly by Jesus Christ. Knowing this we find that to first love one another is central to the mission of the church. That love intertwines around us like inviting tendrils extending from the Church to the world. . , so that we may express our hope and love to those approaching near with hungry hearts.

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