Chosen

John 15:12-17

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. 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. 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.

Notes

The Lord continued His farewell discourse, which began by washing their feet, demonstrating servanthood despite being their Lord (John 13:4-17). But the Lord’s ultimate act of service would be His death on the cross. Although the disciples cannot match His sinless sacrifice, He still commanded them to serve one another. At least they could replicate the washing of the feet, a symbol of humble service.

He also commanded them to love one another. The two commands of serve and love cannot be separated. He would then explain that connection of love and obedience to Him. If the disciples loved Him, they should obey His commandments (John 14:15).

The Lord would also comfort them by promising the Holy Spirit; He explained the interworking of the Holy Trinity (John 14:16-21). Jesus further explained the role of the Father as the vinedresser and Himself as the true vine; He explained the role of the disciples to bear fruit because they are the branches (John 15:1- 11). The Father will prune the true branches, which will bear fruit; but He will burn the branches that do not, which are obviously not connected to the vine (John 15:6).

1. Love

   The Lord Jesus reminded His disciples of the commandment to love one another as He loved them (John 13:34-35). He further explained that His kind of love would be the ultimate sacrifice; He would be laying down His life for them on the cross.

   
   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 (John 15:12-13).

   Application: We should love one another by serving one another in the name of Christ Jesus. Moreover, we must be willing to sacrifice for each other as He did. Let us note that this love is rooted in His redemptive work. Our love and sacrifice in not for the sake of love and sacrifice, but in relation to the gospel of Jesus Christ. What Christ expects is humanly impossible, but if we abide in the vine, it would be possible.

   
   

2. Friendship

   The Lord Jesus pronounced the disciples His friends; He would no longer call them His servants. How did the Lord express His friendship? By dying for them and by revealing to them the Father’s words.

   
   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 15:14-15).

   Application: We are His friends if we fulfill His command, which is to love one another as He loved us, and of course, as a foundation, to believe in who Jesus is, and the significance of His work. We are His friends because He revealed Himself to us through the gospel, and we continue to know Him through His word. Let us continue to be His friends, yet not forgetting that we are nothing without Him.
   

3. Chosen

   The Lord Jesus clarified that the disciples did not choose Him although they might think that they did. The divine truth is that Jesus chose and appointed His disciples to go and bear fruit. That fruit is continued obedience, which results in powerful prayers. One purpose of the command to abide in Him and His word is so that the disciples would love one another.

   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 15:16-17).

   Many times, believers might think that they chose Christ because it felt that way. However, Christ directly tells His followers that He chose them and not the other way around. The writer remained consistent in showing that the work of the Father is also the work of the Son, and the Holy Spirit (John 6:44, 63-65).

   
   63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:63-65).

   Application: Let us bear the fruit of loving Christ and obeying Him, which includes serving one another and loving one another in the best way possible. However, let us remove selfish pride in claiming that our fruit is because of our choice for such is arrogance. Instead, let us believe with all our hearts that we bear fruit because Christ chose us.

Reflection & Discussion

1. None greater than this love, what is it? Explain in relation to Christ.

2. Why did Jesus call His disciples friends? Explain the significance

3. If Jesus chose the disciples to bear fruit, what are the implications?