5/3/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
In John 15:9-17 Jesus calls his disciples “friends.” He makes it plain that they are his friends because he chose them and he wants to identify them as friends. They are not people who have pursued him with all their hearts. They are not people who have earned Jesus’ positive regard. They are simply people he has chosen.
What responsibility to Jesus’ friends have? He gives them a great privilege. That is to produce fruit, godly fruit, by loving one another. That’s his command. And it’s the disciples’ privilege. It’s a privilege because, as Jesus says, it is a source of joy, both for God and for us.
Remain in love, then. It’s a simple command. Go and care for someone. See the joy the Lord gives to those who know they are being faithful to him. See the joy which comes when, once in a while, one of the people we care for shows appreciation for that loving care. This is the privilege of bearing fruit for God.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
In John 15:9-17 Jesus calls his disciples “friends.” He makes it plain that they are his friends because he chose them and he wants to identify them as friends. They are not people who have pursued him with all their hearts. They are not people who have earned Jesus’ positive regard. They are simply people he has chosen.
What responsibility to Jesus’ friends have? He gives them a great privilege. That is to produce fruit, godly fruit, by loving one another. That’s his command. And it’s the disciples’ privilege. It’s a privilege because, as Jesus says, it is a source of joy, both for God and for us.
Remain in love, then. It’s a simple command. Go and care for someone. See the joy the Lord gives to those who know they are being faithful to him. See the joy which comes when, once in a while, one of the people we care for shows appreciation for that loving care. This is the privilege of bearing fruit for God.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
RSS Feed