Live to Love Scripture Encouragement John 15.12

John 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Today’s verse, confirms all that Jesus had said to His disciples. He loved them like the Father has loved Him. To insure that they and all disciples yet to be born may understand that they have been called to a new purpose by the love of God, Jesus repeated the new commandment. It is our highest good to know that this is the love of God, namely, to be commanded to love with Him and then empowered to bear fruit by His life in them. This command, repeated, received, and obeyed is the life, light, and purpose for which church was brought forth out of the Son of Man and given to Him as His bride—to love Jesus by loving each other through the power of intimate union with His life. We will see all of this expressed in Jesus’ prayer in John 17. The love of Jesus is the fruit of the vine which comes from the life of Jesus, and this love is the light of the world for the glory and joy of not only the Father and the Son, but also all who are His. So today, I love you with the love of Jesus, and in His name, command you to live for this one, all-encompassing, life-transforming, joy-producing purpose—to love today with Jesus. We love because He first loved us and commanded us to love like He has loved us. Tomorrow we learn more about how He has loved us and what loving others looks like. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com