Abiding in Love (David Gore • John 15:9-16)

The idea that keeping Jesus’ commandments equals abiding in his love is not immediately straightforward to us. Keeping commandments sounds like obedience. That sounds more like earning favour than being loved. Earning favour is a familiar motif for many of us in various aspects of our lives… and it is not the same as love! But Jesus is not saying that he will love us IF we keep his commandments. He is saying that if we want an experience of his love, the best way to experience that love is in keeping his commandments. That is to say, his commandments are good for us. They are what someone who loves us would want for us. The lived experience of being loved looks just like keeping his commandments. Sometimes we consider the idea of commandments as oppressive or limiting or burdensome. Jesus wants us to know they are the expression of his love for us. Can you trust that is so?