Live to Love Scripture Encouragement

John 15:2-3. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” I want to encourage you today with the words of Jesus that prune us, the words that sanctify or clean us so that we can bear more fruit. If we didn’t stop and look back at those words, we would miss how powerful and encouraging verse 3 is to us. The same Greek word, katharos, is used in vss. 2-3. In vs. 2, Jesus used the verb form and in vs. 3, the adjectival form. Jesus also told them they were “clean” in 13:10. The idea Jesus communicated was the idea of being washed, cleansed, or purified from those things that hinder the flow of His love. There’s so much here! Who does the pruning? The vinedresser, of course, not the vine. However, Jesus said here that His words had cleansed or pruned them. However, He had told them only minutes earlier, that the words that He spoke to them were the words of the Father working. He said, “The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.” So now we can connect the dots. The vinedresser, the Father, gave the words to Jesus, in order to cleanse or prune His disciples. It was and still is the Father working in His Son because they are one. The Father’s words are the life of the vine and the powerful pruning work in our lives. When praying to His Father, Jesus described this incredible reality. John 17:6-8. “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.” Then later in His prayer, He asked the Father to prune His disciples through the word that He had given Him to give to them. John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” What truth or words did Jesus give to His disciples that prepared them for effective fruit-bearing for the glory of God? Do you know what they are? Have you received them as the pruning, cleansing, sanctifying words of God that make His branches fruitful? We will be encouraged by His cleansing words tomorrow. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 15:2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” The vine dresser, the Father, knows what is necessary for His vine to bear fruit for His glory. Branches (people) who do not bear fruit for His glory must be removed. The branches who bear fruit must be pruned so that the life received from the vine may explode in fruit-bearing. Everything that hinders the branch from bearing fruit will be removed. Such is the love and determination of the vinedresser. The vine exists for one purpose: to bear fruit for the vinedresser. The branches are only of value to the degree that they channel the life within the vine into fruit production. What is the fruit of His life? It is the love of Jesus for the Father and for other fruit-bearing branches. Let’s not forget what Jesus has told them. He and the Father are one. They work together. The illustration of the vinedresser and the vine working toward the same end, namely, fruit-bearing, aptly illustrates what Jesus wanted His disciples and us to grasp. They and we are the branches who produce fruit for the glory of God as the Father and Son work in and through us. This is one of the many reasons I hope you’ll grasp the vision of living to love with Jesus, namely, bearing the fruit of the Spirit of God, which is the love of Jesus. Jesus said that if we are to be fruit-bearing branches, we must be pruned so we can bear more fruit. We will continue with that wonderful thought in tomorrow’s live to love scripture encouragement. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” After telling His disciples the new commandment, to love as He loved them, Jesus explained how they were going to be able to obey. He was going to the Father to prepare a place for them so that He could live and love in them through the Holy Spirit. In chapter 15, Jesus chose the metaphors of a vinedresser and a grape vine to further explain how they were going to bear fruit for the glory of God. God, the Father of Jesus, planted only one true vine in this world, Jesus, His Son. He alone is the source of life to this world. In fact, He is the channel through which everything was created and exists. John introduced Jesus this way in John 1:1-4. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.” This is indeed the biblical worldview of all things. The world is the vineyard that belongs to the Father. He planted one true vine in this world, His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul put it this way to the Corinthians in chapter 8, verse 6. “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” The vineyard is there for the Father to enjoy the fruit from His choice Vine. However, not every branch (person produced by the Vine) bears fruit. As we meditate on John Chapter 15 the next few weeks and consider our lives each day, let us remember this foundational statement made by Jesus. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” Why do we exist? What are we here to do? Will you recognize that Jesus is the only vine and that you came into being through Him? Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here. Consider the life and love of the one who lives in those who believe in Jesus. Jesus loves the Father and reveals that love by His obedience. The Father commanded Jesus to lay down His life for those whom the Father gave to Him before the foundation of the earth. So He came to do the Father’s will. As is written in Heb. 10:7. “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’” Jesus knew they had to leave the upper room and go to the place where the ruler of this world would meet Him and attempt to take Him down. The world is to know that what occurred that night were not in the hands of mortal men nor of the ruler of this world. They occurred so that the Son could demonstrate His love for His Father and His obedience to His will. Jesus was completely, 100% submitted to and surrendered to this one great passion stated by Jesus only minutes before. “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.” (John 13:31-32). As we saw and heard Jesus authorize His own betrayal in sending Judas to do the deed, we now see in this verse, Jesus relocated Himself so that He would be in the path of the betrayer, the soldiers, and Satan Himself. He loves the Father by obeying Him! He did exactly as the Father commanded Him. That is the life and love that lives within all who believe. All who are His love the Father and do the Father’s will. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Matt. 7:21). We do His will—live to love with Jesus—because the love of the Father and the Son dwell within us. There is no greater joy than to glorify the Father through His Son who lives and loves in us. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:30 I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; Jesus told them one more thing before it happened so that they might believe. He told them that Satan was coming to try to get Him, but that Jesus would defeat Satan because there was nothing in Jesus that belonged to him. This is a stunning statement of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Everything in Him was God, and there was nothing in Him that belonged to Satan. There were no thoughts, no lies, no emotions, no doubts, no unbelief, no lusts, no fears, no indecision, no idolatry, no nothing for Satan to appeal to in Jesus that could distract Jesus from doing the will of His Father. He basically told them that Satan will be defeated. We now know that Jesus’ prophetic statement is true. Satan came. He tried to tempt Jesus away from the Father’s will. He failed. There was nothing that belonged to Satan in Jesus, so Jesus stood firm, surrendered Himself to all that was in Him of the Father, and crushed the ruler of this world, the prince of the power of the air, and all of Satan’s works in all of those who belong to Jesus. John wrote in His first epistle in 3:8. “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” And He has! There is nothing in Jesus (in His body—that’s us) that Satan can use to condemn and destroy us. We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ, who has loved us and given Himself for us. Today, let us be encouraged that Satan has nothing in us to separate us from God’s love in Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice and be glad, and give all the glory unto Him. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:29 Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. Jesus reminded His disciples of what He told them earlier, recorded in 13:19. “From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.” At this point, He said, “I have told you before it happens.” He told them 8 things that were to happen to provide a basis for their faith. 1. He was going to the Father and preparing a place in Himself for them. 2. He will leave them, they will not see Him for a while, and then they will see Him, but the world wouldn’t see Him. 3. Because He went to the Father to prepare a place for them, He will come again to them, and they will see Him. 4. Because He went to the Father to prepare a place for them, they will do greater works than He had done as they pray and Jesus works. 5. The Father will send the Holy Spirit, who will bring His presence into their lives forever. 6. The Holy Spirit will guide them into truth, teach them all things, and remind them of what He had said to them. 7. The day they see Him and receive the Holy Spirit, they will know that Jesus in the Father, that they are in Jesus, and that Jesus is in them. 8. He leaves them with His supernatural peace. These things all happened to the disciples as Jesus said they would. They believed. They were written here, so we might also believe and receive the same promises. We have the same basis for faith that the disciples had. Let us rejoice, believe in Jesus, and live to love with Him today. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:28 You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. It was clear to Jesus what he had said to them. He was going to leave them, go to the Father, and then return to them. Apparently, there were no signs in the disciples that they understood the significance of His going to the Father and returning to them. They should have rejoiced, but didn’t. Jesus said they didn’t rejoice because they didn’t love Him. The word Jesus used was a form of agape. When they heard Him say that He was leaving and then going to come again, they should’ve rejoiced if they loved Him for they would have known that his greatest desire was to return to the Father having done His will. When you love someone, you know their heart’s desire, and you want their highest good, their greatest joy. But when you don’t love someone, you are concerned with your own happiness, you’re self-occupied. All events are filtered through what makes you happy or unhappy, what pleases you or disappoints you. The disciples didn’t know that it was for their highest good and greatest joy for Jesus to go to the Father on their behalf. They didn’t know how Jesus loved the Father and that His greatest satisfaction was knowing by experience His Father’s love and presence. Our joy should flow out of love for Jesus’ joy. Do we realize that we have Jesus’ life and heart in us? If we love Him, we identify with His life and love. Are we more interested and consumed with being loved as if we are the greatest, or are we interested and consumed with the relationship of the Father and Son that dwells within us? With Jesus, let us love the Father, for He is greater than we are and greater than the Son. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. The disciples were about to enter into the greatest disappointment and test of their faith in their lives up to that point. They were going to watch their Master, Teacher, and hope betrayed, arrested, falsely accused and tried, and then hung on a cross until dead. They needed peace in their souls—not a peace that comes from happy circumstances in this world, nor a peace that comes from all your expectations being met. They needed a supernatural peace—a peace that only God can give. A peace that comes from knowing God’s will is being done. A peace fostered by righteousness, justice, and love being perfectly executed by Almighty God. That peace, the perfect peace of Jesus stood before them so they could make a withdrawal equal to the challenges ahead. They looked into His face, heard His voice, received His words. There was no terror, fear, trouble, or regret detected. He was peaceful, and He knew what was coming, but they didn’t. He was giving them His peace, right then. He was leaving it with them as He was leaving them. As things began to unfold, they were to receive and live out of His peace. For a second time He admonished them not to let their hearts be troubled or be fearful. Love can’t flow when our hearts are troubled and fearful. Love flows from a peaceful heart that trusts in the wisdom and authority of Our Almighty Father. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:25-26 "These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. It’s almost as if Jesus wanted them to know that the words He had spoken to them in the previous 5-10 minutes or so were spoken so that they would know He and the Holy Spirit were working together. The Helper, the Holy Spirit, sent from the Father upon Jesus’ request will come to them and teach and explain all that Jesus had said. They didn’t have to be worried about remembering everything. It’s also true for us in our time. We have the same Spirit who spoke these words to the disciples while Jesus was with them. Those words were recorded by John when the Holy Spirit brought them back to mind. We are now experiencing the fruit and fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in these verses. That’s amazing and encouraging! We can trust in the Holy Spirit, who is in us in Jesus’ name, to teach us and help us keep His words. Thank You, Father, for giving these wonderful words to Jesus to give to His disciples. And thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to remind them of them so they could write them down and pass them on to every generation after them, even down to us. We receive You and worship You in Jesus’ name as we rely on the Spirit to teach us and guide us as we live to love with Him. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. Walking with Jesus is an expression of love for Jesus. The one who loves Jesus, loves and keeps His words. Jesus certainly made that clear in the previous verses. In this verse, we hear the contrast. Those who don’t love Him are those who don’t keep, watch over, and guard His words or commandments. Consequently, they don’t trust in Jesus in troubled times and they don’t love those who do love Jesus and His words. Again, Jesus underscored His union with His Father. “The word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” Only minutes before, Jesus had told them, “He who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” In John 17:7-8, Jesus revealed that these disciples loved Him for He said, “Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.” Only those who love Jesus believe that He speaks the words of the Father, and they know, as the disciples did, that love for Jesus is love for the one true God. Let this encourage us who live to love with Jesus. As we trust in Jesus and live to love with Him, we are expressing our love for the Father and the Son. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. This is a repeat of verse 21 so it must be important. How do we know who loves Jesus? It’s those who keep His word. And what is the reward to those who love Him by keeping His word? They become the dwelling place of the Father and the Son. They become the temple of God—the holy place where God and man meet in worship, honor, and celebration of the greatness, mercy, grace, and love of God. If people want to meet the Father and the Son, where can they go? There was a time when they had to go to a physical tabernacle or temple. Now, we, those who love Jesus and keep His commandments to believe in Jesus and love with Him, are the temple where they can meet up with God. Every person God puts in your path today will be standing, sitting, or passing by the place where God dwells. It is His love, that wonderful, fragrant aroma of Christ that will draw them into His presence to find mercy, salvation, and peace. Glory to God in the highest! Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?" Have you ever been afraid that God wasn’t going to do what you thought He was going to do? You question what’s happening because the events aren’t lining up with what you expected. I think that’s what happened to Judas, not Judas Iscariot, but Judas the son of James. If he was thinking that Jesus was going to establish the kingdom in Israel and drive out the Romans, how was He going to do that by revealing Himself to them and not to the world. In Judas’ mind, something must have happened that changed the plan. The natural mind has a worldly perspective, but the spiritual mind envisions God’s kingdom in the hearts of men and women. In reality nothing had happened to change God’s agenda of glorifying Himself in His Son by loving His own and bringing many sons to glory. From our vantage point, something has happened that changed everything and made it possible for Jesus to disclose Himself to us and not to the world. His death, resurrection, and glorification have occurred and as a result, the living, Lord Jesus Christ lives united with all who believe in Him. Who are those people who are united with Him? We will rejoice in the answer in tomorrow’s live to love encouragement. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." In this verse we have a clear statement of what it means to love Jesus and the blessing of loving Him. Those who love Jesus have His commandments and watch over them to keep them. At this point in Jesus’ message to His disciples, He has given them three commandments. 1. John 13:34. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Then in John 14:1, Jesus gave two more commands. So #2, “Don’t let your heart be troubled. And #3. Believe in God, believe in Me. John combined the commands of John 14:1 into one single command: Believe in Jesus. In 1 John 3:23-24 he wrote, “This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” My spiritual mentor, Jerry White, Jr. taught me that to be a disciple of Jesus, we have to know that God loves us and that we love Him. If those two things are settled in our lives, then our hearts won’t be troubled in this fallen world—no matter what happens. We know He loves us because He reveals Himself to us. He lets us know that He is with and in us as this verse says by the presence of the Holy Spirit. We know that we love Him because we believe He is the life and that loving with Him is the way we keep His commandments. We don’t keep Jesus’ commandments by accident or happenstance. We keep them, guard them intentionally. If you love Jesus, then be intentional about believing and trusting Jesus to be your life. Expect Him to love whoever He puts in your path today? Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Live to Love Blog May 2026 by Norm Wakefield

John 14:20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. In what day? I can think of two possible answers from the context. 1. The day of which Jesus spoke was the day they saw Him in His resurrected body in the upper room. 2. The day of which Jesus spoke was the day that each of them received the Holy Spirit. In John 20:19-22 we discover that both of these happened on the same day and within perhaps seconds of each other. “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” We can see why they rejoiced! Then it happened as promised. He gave them the Holy Spirit by breathing on them and simply commanding them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Which is most important, seeing Jesus alive in His body or receiving the Holy Spirit? This is an important question because we haven’t seen Him physically. We would think that they are blessed more than we. But hear the words of Jesus in John 20:29 spoken to Thomas who didn’t see Him the first time and doubted. Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” He is speaking of us! The best of the two options then is receiving the Holy Spirit. It indicates that Jesus was indeed God, and was in the Father. We also know that we have an eternal abiding place in Jesus. And furthermore, we know that Jesus dwells in us like the Father dwelled in Jesus. What a glorious day it was when you received the Holy Spirit! We have His life in us and therefore are sent to love in this world just as Jesus was sent. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. I don’t know if we can imagine the impact of these words on the disciples. He’s told them He’s leaving so that He can return to live in them so they might live forever with Him. Let’s remember why Jesus told them these things. He was telling them what was to happen in the future so that they might believe that He is the Son of God and the life of the Father. John 13:19 “From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.” Within days, Jesus died on the cross, three days later was raised, and then they saw Him—alive—in the upper room again fulfilling this promise—“you will see Me.” If we have life, it is because Jesus, who is the life, died, was raised, was glorified, and lives. He has given us life. The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians in 3:4. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” for “Christ in you, [is] the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). We are not of this world. We have been loved by God and filled with His life so we can love with Him. We live because He lives, and we love because He is love. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:17-18. that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. So far in John 14, we have seen the foundational truth of the union of the Father and the Son. Now in vss 17-18, we discover another foundational truth. The Holy Spirit is united with the Son. Jesus said, “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father.” Here He said, “When you receive the Holy Spirit, you will have Me as your Father dwelling with and in you.” Notice the verb tenses. You know the Holy Spirit now because He abides with you now in me. You know Him now because He that is with you now will be in you later. In contrast, the world can’t receive the Holy Spirit because the world doesn’t see or know Him. The world who can’t receive the Holy Spirit is the same world for which Jesus doesn’t intercede in His prayer to the Father recorded in John 17:9. “I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours.” The presence of the Holy Spirit is the sure sign that you belong to the Father, that you are not orphans, that you are not of this world, but are one of His household of which He spoke in vs. 2. Jesus’ promise to come to them is a repeat of His promise in vs. 3. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself.” This leads us to conclude that the primary truth Jesus has in mind isn’t our being with Him in heaven, but His being with and in His family here on the earth. This is only possible after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and glorification. John explained this in 7:39. “But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Let this amaze us who have the life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwelling with us. Jesus has come to us because He has been glorified by the Father for His work on the cross. This place was prepared for us by our Lord. To God be the glory! That’s why we live to love with Jesus. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. We should pivot and seek after Jesus because of two witnesses. First, the witness of Jesus’ own testimony. Second, the witness of the works He did while on the earth. If the self-testimony of Christ are denied, the source and authority of the works He did cannot be denied. Again, Jesus identified the pivot point, the seismic faith-building reality: Jesus is in God and God is in Him. They are one in essence. True faith abides or lives in this great and awesome reality. John said it this way in his first letter: 1 John 4:2-3 “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.” This is so foundational that John also described this union of God and man as he testified to those who are true believers. This truth is what this verse opens up for us. John wrote in 1 John 4:15-16 “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” Let’s connect a couple of dots. Where is the place that Jesus went to prepare for us to live? That place is in Himself, who is in God! It’s the place He said in verse 3 that made it possible for Him to come to us so we could be where He is. He is our abiding place, our dwelling place so that we can love as He loves. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Here is a fundamental truth to Christianity. We believe that Jesus, the Son is in the Father, God and that the Father, God is in Jesus the Son. Jesus’ point to His disciples was that they have been walking with God in the flesh for 3 years. When Jesus spoke, they heard His Father in heaven at work. The very words Jesus spoke to them had been given to Him by the Father, who abides in the Son. Can you imagine what was happening in the minds and hearts of the disciples when they heard these words? Yes, they thought Jesus had God with Him and that He spoke to them the words of God, but this was more—way more. Jesus didn’t just have God with Him. Jesus was one with God and God was one with Him. The words originated from the Father in the Son and the Son lived in His Father’s words. That mutual abiding relationship revealed the true God. That’s what Jesus meant when He said He was the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one could come to the Father except by and through Him. Let’s be encouraged and amazed at this: The union of God and man, revealed in Jesus Christ, makes it possible for us to know, love, and experience God in this world. When we listen to and watch Jesus revealed in the gospels, we are listening to and watching God! Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Here they are again being told that they don’t know Jesus or what He came for. Philip, like Thomas, and the rest of the disciples had not come to know Jesus, but in this verse, everything changes. We all hit the pivot point together just as John planned through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Jesus and the Father are one. To see Jesus is the way to see the truth and the life of the Father in real time, in flesh and blood. The entire time the disciples had been with Jesus, they didn’t really know who they were watching. They were watching God, the Father, at work. They were watching His character revealed. They were experiencing the love of the Father, God. This is amazing! They didn’t recognize or understand what Jesus was doing. This should sober us. It is possible to see, but not see; and to hear, but not understand. Ok, let’s pivot right here and go back and read the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but this time, when you read about what Jesus said and did, ponder this reality. You are reading about God, the Father. The life in Jesus is the life of the Father. Keep this pattern in mind when it comes to living to love with Jesus because it is another seismic shift of perspective. The life in those who believe in Jesus is the life of Jesus, Himself. That’s why I phrase the Christian life in this way: We are loving and glorifying God by living to love with Jesus. He is our Life. His Life is our Light, and that light is the love of God. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Have you ever been slow to understand something someone is trying to teach you? I have. Like Philip, we hear, but we don’t understand. We read our Bibles, sit through sermon after sermon, listen to podcast after podcast, and experience the love of God through parents, siblings, pastors, and friends, yet, we want more because what we have seen and experienced wasn’t understood. Philip requested what he thought they lacked. "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." There is probably some “Philip” in each of us that feels like Jesus hasn’t given us enough to live by or to live for? Like Philip, we just don’t understand what God has been doing and revealing to us everyday of our lives. Have you been following Jesus, but still feel something is missing? Get ready, Philip. You are about to come to your pivot point where everything changes! Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." These are strange words. Do they confuse you? Let’s keep them in context. What Jesus is showing and teaching them is pivotal. It’s like a pivot point where you have been going one direction, but then you see something that catches your attention, and you stop, pivot, and go in the direction of a new objective. Up to that moment, the disciples had not known Jesus. I think He meant that they had not known what He came to do. They thought He came to establish an earthly kingdom free from Roman occupation, so they had missed what was happening before their very eyes. He came to reveal the Father! He said, “From now on”. In other words, what Jesus was saying to them from that moment on would reveal not only who Jesus is, but who the Father is. They would realize for the first time in their lives that they had been fellowshipping with and watching God the Father at work in His Son. This was a seismic shift of perspective and worldview that was to become the foundation of the kingdom of God and His church for the rest of history. Is it possible that many, like the disciples, have not known Jesus or the Father because they have the wrong idea of what Jesus came for? They think He came to give them a better life in this world. They love their lives in this world. They wake up each day with no real understanding of where they are going, so any ole way will do as long as it is happy and comfortable to their personal sensibilities. When Jesus reveals Himself, there is a pivot point, where the things of life in this world are replaced by one great and glorious object—the reality of the Father revealed in Jesus Christ. Their hearts are captured. They plant their lead foot, pivot, and change directions because now they know that Jesus and the Father are life indeed. Have you experienced the great pivot? Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:4-6 And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you don’t know where you are going, how can you know the way to where you are going? Sensible reasoning and question from Thomas. Jesus made it clear where He was going. He was going to the Father. This isn’t news to us, but it was for the disciples. John told his readers that Jesus was going back to God in 13:3. Jesus knew it before He washed the disciples’ feet. In fact, returning from this world to His Father was the goal of His life from the moment He left His throne in glory, humbled Himself, and entered into this dark, fallen, realm of death and destruction. He came to bring His people to the Father! Listen to the words from the man who just moments before had been told he would deny Jesus three times. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18). The way to the Father: revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The truth about the Father: revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Life of the Father: revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is what sinners like Peter—and like us—preach and place our confidence in. We know where we are going. To God, the Father. And we know the way where we are going. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, given to us from God, the Father, that we might go to where He is—forever. That is love: the sustained will of God toward our highest good, that is union with Him, no matter what it cost Him. Abide in His love today. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. What an amazing, incredible encouragement these words must have been to the disciples —and to us. He told them he was going someplace to which they could not go at that time, but He wasn’t going to be apart from them for good. The place He was going to prepare made it possible for Jesus to come be with them again. And in coming to be with them, He would receive them (us) to Himself. Jesus even gave them the purpose for His going away. The place Jesus was going to prepare was going to make it possible for them to be present with Him wherever He was present. This reality is stunning. For the disciples, Jesus was speaking of something to be done and experienced in the future. But for us, this is a present ongoing reality and experience. Jesus has come to be with us! He is the resurrection and the Life. We have been received by Jesus because everything that could separate us from His love and prevent our union with Him was removed at the cross in His substitutionary death. Wherever Jesus wishes to go in this world to love for the glory God, we may go with Him. At any given moment in history, Jesus is loving people with and through each of His own. Jesus has begun to explain to His disciples and to us how it is possible that they can love one another even as He loves them. He comes into us. We become one with Him. We are as He is in this world. Now that’s a great encouragement to believe in Jesus and not let your heart be troubled today. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:2 In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. Our Father has planned ahead! There are many places to abide, dwell, or live in our Father’s household. In this verse, we learn where Jesus was going to which His disciples were not ready to go. Back in John 13:1 and 3, John’s readers were told where Jesus was going, but it wasn’t something that was told them at that point. Perhaps it was from this statement that John, with the Spirit’s help, understood what was in Jesus’ mind—it was time for Him to depart out of this world to the Father. He was going back to God to prepare a place for us. It is interesting that Jesus said there are many dwelling places, but He is preparing one place for all of us. Perhaps Jesus was thinking of preparing a place of right standing before God as Paul wrote of in Romans 5:2 “through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. Or maybe it’s the place where God “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenlyplaces in Christ Jesus” as Paul wrote to the Ephesians in chapter 2, verse 6. The point is that Jesus has gone to His Father and made a place with God for us to dwell or live forever. Out of that place, the love of God flows. Although it is true that God has prepared a place for us in heaven when we die, what we want to notice from the rest of the chapter is that the abiding place Jesus went to prepare in heaven becomes the fountain out of which our lives are sustained and supplied while we are on the earth. It makes it possible for Jesus to come again to us. His coming to us is the primary line of reason in this chapter, not our going to Him in heaven when we die. Today, be encouraged that Jesus has made a place for us in the presence of God that makes it possible for Jesus’ presence to be with us while we live today on this earth. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:1 "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. Today we are encouraged by the second commandment that Jesus gave to His disciples in preparation for His departure. The first commandment was to love one another as He loved them. The second commandment is to believe in Him as they believe in God. Faith in Jesus as God apparently is the antidote, the necessary condition of heart when facing confusion, disappointment, feelings of abandonment, and loss. If you believe in God as the source of your life then believe in Jesus. Faith in Jesus is foundational to living to love with Jesus. If we believe Jesus is God, then we know He is the source of life. That’s exactly where Jesus is going in this discourse with His disciples. To believe in God, is to believe there is a God who is the source and the sustainer of all of life. I take Jesus to mean this: If you look to God as the source of life, then also look to me as the source of life. Today, let’s look to our Father as the source of everything we need, knowing that He supplies what we need through His Son, Jesus Christ. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times. Again, Jesus told what was going to happen before it happened so that Peter would ultimately come to believe in, trust in, rely upon, and follow Him unto death. Jesus responded to Peter’s boast that he would lay down his life for Him. Indeed, Peter would have to die to his own self-appraised grandeur before he could follow Jesus anywhere. Upon the rooster’s crow, Peter’s pride in his own self-significance and importance would lie dead in the Judean dust. He would be perhaps the greatest alright—the greatest failure of the disciples. However, as we know. God used Peter’s failure and subsequent restoration as testimony of His love and an incredible source of encouragement. Will we lay down our lives for Jesus’ namesake? I hope so. Let’s be on the alert for any lurking pride, self-significance, and self-importance that would hinder the flow of the love of Jesus Christ into the world we live in. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:36-37 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later. Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You." In Luke’s gospel account of the last supper, he recorded something John left out. Luke 22:22-24 “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest.” It is plausible that the spirit of that discussion has influenced Simon Peter. Deep within the recesses of his soul is the pride of life that thinks he is better than everyone else. With his “I’m great” filter on, he hears Jesus say he’s going someplace others can’t go, and he’s thinking from an earthly perspective. “I’ll follow Him anywhere at any cost.” The disciples had had this discussion only days earlier when they were trying to decide whether they were going to go with Jesus to Jerusalem upon hearing of Lazarus’ death. In John 11:16 we read, “Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.” So I conclude Peter and the rest of the disciples had already considered what they might have to go through if they followed Jesus to Bethany and then on to Jerusalem. Maybe Peter decided in his heart earlier that he was able to endure whatever befell them. Perhaps at this moment, Peter wanted to show how he was indeed the greatest of the disciples, so he began to see if this was the opportunity to prove himself. However, I think Jesus’ response was puzzling to Peter. Basically Jesus told him, “You’re not ready now to follow me where I’m going.” Whether Jesus was thinking of going to the cross or thinking of going to heaven; in both cases, Peter wasn’t ready, but Peter thought he was. Why wasn’t Peter ready for either place? I think it is because Peter thinks he is great without the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, apart from the life of Jesus, Peter could do nothing. Nor can we. Is there any pride of life in us that thinks we can live our lives today without being filled with the Holy Spirit? Can we really lay down our lives for the glory of God if it is not the Spirit of the Son working in us? Without Jesus, we are nothing. With Him, we are ready to go anywhere He goes. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Disciples of Jesus are known by their love for one another. Of all the qualities that a man or woman can have, love—the sustained direction of the will toward the highest good of another no matter what the cost—is the beacon light of the presence of the life of Christ. This kind of supernatural love is the evidence that a person knows God and is a follower of Jesus. It seems highly probable that based on this statement, John wrote this to the “little children” who received his first epistle. 1 John 3:14. “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 1 John 4:7-8. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” If we know God, we know that Jesus is God in the flesh. If we know God is love, then we know Jesus’ life defined God’s love. He made it tangible, relevant, and real so He could continue loving His own to the very end through us. Today, He lives to love in us, His disciples. That love is the proof that we have His life dwelling in us and that we truly know Him—to the praise of His glorious grace and presence. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Little children, this is the direction that Jesus gave His disciples as He prepared them for His departure. It’s not a suggestion, it’s a commandment. He was sending them just like He was sent by the Father, and thus honoring and glorifying them as the Father had glorified Him. So first, let’s realize that with the command, Jesus is loving us as the Father had loved Him. Second, let’s be encouraged that in receiving the command like a little child receives a command from his father, Jesus has put us in the privileged position to bring Him glory as we obey. Knowing we glorify Him by our obedience is motivational. Third, Jesus knew that with the command, His disciples could be assured of future grace that He will supply for the mission to be fulfilled. Fourth, they (by experience) and we (by His Word and experience) know what He meant when He said love as I have loved you. As their Master and Teacher, Jesus had just emptied Himself and served them like a lowly servant because His Father loved them. Surely they understood they were to do the same to each other out of love for and obedience to Him. Have we received Jesus’ commandment like a little child receives direction and instruction from his parents? Simply receive the work of God in your life today, receive this commandment from Jesus as a commandment from your heavenly Father, and obey with a simple trust His purposes for you. You, we, have been called as little children to live to love with Jesus for the rest of our lives. What a privilege and honor! Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

I’m so glad you’ve joined me for today’s Live to Love Scripture Encouragement from John 13:33 “Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.’” Why does Jesus call His disciples, “Little children” at this point? He hasn’t referred to them as children at all since they met in the upper room. However, obviously in Jesus’ mind it’s necessary and an expression from His Father to them. Jesus had taught them about the quality of abiding that little children have in relationship with their parents. A little child simply receives his life from his parents without question. On two occasions they had heard Jesus say, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Mark 10:15) and “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). He was telling them something that would be troubling if they didn’t receive it like a little child. Remember at the first of Chapter 13 we were told that all that occurs in this chapter flows out of His knowledge that His hour had come to depart out of this world, that His Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was going to go back to God soon. So now in this verse, He told them what He knew was going to happen before it happened so they would believe in Him. Basically He told them He was leaving them, and He was going somewhere that they could not go to at this time. The only way to receive such news peacefully was for them to remember that they were to receive the Kingdom, the work of God, like a child receives direction from his parents. He was about to give them direction that would become the direction for the body of Christ for the rest of the history of mankind. We’ll take that up tomorrow. For today, be encouraged to receive the kingdom of God, the work of God in your life like a child—with unquestioning trust and reliance upon God’s wisdom and purposes. It’s necessary to living to love with Jesus. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Welcome to today’s live to love scripture encouragement from John 13:32. We’ve been diving into the ocean of the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ. After saying, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in Him,” Jesus said, “If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.” We have been considering that the primary motivation for living to love with Jesus is the glory of God, because that was His primary motivation for loving with His Father. That motivation lives in us if Jesus lives in us! What moved Jesus to tell Judas to go betray Him? It was the deep desire to make much of His Father and to see Him glorified in His words and actions. Why do we live each day to love with Jesus? We do it because the greatest desire of the heart of the Son of God dwelling in us is for God to be glorified in Him. Because pronouns can be confusing, as we are all witnessing in this perverted generation, I want to remove them and put in Jesus’ name. “If God is glorified in Jesus, the Son, God will also glorify Jesus, the Son, in Himself, and will glorify Jesus, the Son, immediately.” This helps us better understand what moves and empowers the love in Jesus. It’s His unity with the Father. This unity is vital for us to understand because it is the driving reality behind the administration and flow of God’s love in the world. When Jesus loved with His Father, He did so by abiding in His Father and His Father abiding in Him. If God is glorified as Jesus began the laying down of His life by telling Judas to betray Him, then God will glorify Jesus in Himself and do it immediately. In other words, from the initial act of the love of God revealed in Jesus, the glory of God immediately occurs. Perhaps what Jesus was referring to is that as all of heaven’s hosts watch the Son of God obey His Father, they see their unity of heart, mission, words, and actions and erupt in glorious praise and honor, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” If Jesus is glorified in us, He will glorify us in Himself and will do it immediately as we love with Him. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Today’s live to love scripture encouragement again comes from the last phrase in John 13:31 “Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him;’ How was God glorified in Jesus when Jesus told Judas to go quickly and betray Him? We’ve considered how Jesus was glorified by the Father in that He was chosen and sent by Him to accomplish the work of redemption by God’s grace. We also saw that Jesus was glorified by the Father for His obedience displayed in laying down His life willingly and intentionally to accomplish our salvation. Now we focus on Jesus’ statement “Now…God is glorified in Him.” When the general achieves a victory on a mission for which he was sent by His Commander in Chief, who ultimately is recognized for the victory? It is not the general, it is the Commander in Chief. Seal Team 6 took out Osama bin Laden. Most people don’t know any of the Seal Team 6 members’ names, but we do know who was President and given credit for the mission: President Barak Obama. Seal Team 6 received glory and honor from President Obama in being chosen and sent. In their being glorified, President Obama was glorified in them. In the same way, because Jesus was operating in the name of God, the Father, it is the Father who ultimately receives the credit, the glory and honor, for every action taken in His name. Let’s let that sink into our minds, hearts, and into the depths of our souls. When Jesus loves through us in the Father’s name, God gets the glory in Him. When we love others in Jesus’ name, Jesus gets the glory in us. The moment we die to ourselves, lay down our lives, and suffer so that others might see the glory of God in Jesus Christ who lives in us, in that moment God is glorified. Today, God will place people in your path for you to love through the life of Jesus dwelling inside you. And every time you die to yourself and love, you are glorifying God. Amazing love! Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

I would like to encourage you to live to love with Jesus by spending a few moments again in John 13:31. Jesus had just told Satan/aka Judas to quickly do what he was going to do, which was betray Him. We read this yesterday and again today. “Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him;’” Yesterday we saw that the Son was glorified by the Father in being sent to accomplish the mission of redemption and then given the grace to successfully execute His command. How else is the Son of Man glorified? Earlier in this day, Jesus had said these words in the temple. John 12:27 “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.” In John 10:18, the apostle John recorded these words of Jesus that inform us as to the significance of Jesus telling Judas to go betray Him. “No one has taken it (my life) away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” Jesus should and does receive glory from God and from us in that He willingly, intentionally obeyed His Father’s command. Glory be to Jesus, our Savior and Lord! Jesus loved us in obedience to His Father because His greatest desire in life is to glorify the Father and receive His glory. Jesus contrasted Himself with the Pharisees in John 5:44. “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? This is how those who live to love with Jesus are motivated to lay down their lives and love with Him. They live seeking glory from the one and only God. They receive His glory in that they have been chosen and sent on mission to love in His name and they receive glory from God as they obey His commandment to love one another as Jesus loved them. We’ll look at this more carefully in a few days. Until now, let’s seek the glory that comes from the one and only God by loving with Jesus. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:31 Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; Let’s visualize what we’ve been reading in John 13. Jesus fed Judas the morsel at the table. Immediately after that, Satan entered into Judas. Then Jesus said to Satan in Judas, “What you do, do quickly.” Immediately Judas left the upper room and Jesus declared upon Judas’ departure the significance of Jesus telling him to go betray Him. “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him.” What did Jesus mean by this statement? How is Jesus glorified and God glorified in Jesus in authorizing His own death? Today I want to zero in on one reason Jesus is glorified by authorizing His own death. Jesus was sent by the Father for this very purpose: to lay down His life for those the Father gave to Him before the foundation of the world. To be chosen by the Father to serve His redemptive purpose is to be glorified by the Father. When the Commander in Chief chooses a general to accomplish a mission in a time of war and gives him the resources to be successful, the general is receiving glory from his superior. God glorified His Son by sending Him on this mission of redemption and in this historical account reveals how the Father has glorified His Son by giving Him the grace, the resources to carry out the mission. At the very moment that Jesus said, “What you do, do quickly,” the whole world is seeing God glorify Jesus Christ by giving Him the grace and power to do it. The writer of Hebrews speaks to this salient point about God’s glory, the bestowing of His grace, and Jesus’ death in chapter 2, verse 9. “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” Don’t miss this. God has sent Jesus’ disciples (that’s all of us who have His life in us) into this world to lay down our lives for others in His name and His love. When we live to love with Jesus, the crown of glory and honor rests upon us as it did upon His Son when He lived to love with His Father. It is a privilege and honor to love others in His name. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:30 So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night. Jesus fed Judas the morsel of bread dipped in the bowl. Then Jesus told Judas to go and do quickly what he planned to do. Then Judas went out into the darkness. Never to return to the Daylight. Maybe John wrote this warning in his first letter thinking of Judas. 1 John 2:11 “But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” Walking in darkness blinds a person’s understanding of what they do. John also wrote, 1 John 2:10 “The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” Today and forever, may we love others with Jesus as we walk in His light. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:28-29. “Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, ‘Buy the things we have need of for the feast’; or else, that he should give something to the poor.” We learned in John 12:6 that Judas had a greed problem. I’m commenting on Judas’ rebuke of Mary’s extravagant gift to Jesus. “Now he said this, not because he was concerned for the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.” This makes me think greed can hinder the flow of love or make one susceptible to the devil’s suggestions. May we be on the alert to greed for money, attention, significance, or pleasure that would lead us to betray the life of Jesus in us. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:27 After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." Satan had already put the thought in Judas’ heart to betray Jesus before dinner that evening (13:2), and after eating, Judas gave Satan access to his body and soul to accomplish the evil deed. We can perhaps imagine a discussion in the heavenlies just prior to this between the Father and the devil—something similar to their discussion over Job. Gods targets Judas. Satan suggests a course of action that will entrap Judas. Judas will betray the Son of God and think he is doing something good. Then the Father grants the devil permission, and God’s plan flies into motion with neither the devil or Judas knowing that they are instruments in God’s hands to justify and love His own to His glory. With everything in place, Jesus authorized His own death in obedience to His Father’s command to lay down His life for those God had given Him. He sent Judas to work out Satan’s and His Father’s plan with haste. This is not as some call it “cosmic child abuse.” This is love defined. The sustained direction of the will toward the highest good, no matter what the cost. He laid down His life for His friends. So should we. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:25-26 He, leaning back thus on Jesus' bosom, said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus then answered, "That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him." So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Not much time had passed since Jesus told His disciples, “From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.” In these verses, we see the fulfillment of that promise. The other gospel accounts tell us that many of the disciples along with Judas asked, “Surely, not I? John’s query at Peter’s encouragement probably occurred then. At that point the betrayer was identified as Jesus dipped the bread into the bowl and gave it to Judas. We know that Jesus never acted on His own initiative. He acted in perfect concert with His Father. Even as He fed Judas, Jesus trusted His Father. Love flows as we trust in Jesus. There is complete surrender to the Father. May we give Jesus unhindered access to our lives today to be His channels of love. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:24 So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, "Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking." It makes sense for Peter to ask John to clarify Jesus’ statement. If we know someone is close to Jesus, we assume that they know what is on Jesus’ mind. When we are troubled or in need of counsel, we should be drawn to those who lean on Jesus. It makes sense that as we lean on Jesus and live to love with Him, that others will notice that closeness and ask us to clarify the words of Jesus. I hope that today, we who have been loved by Jesus will lean into Him, take comfort, and listen to His heart so that we can love well and faithfully represent Him to those who want to know Him better. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

If you don't love this, reconsider your path - Blog for April 2026 by Norm Wakefield

John 13:23 There was reclining on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. John’s personal testimony about his being loved by Jesus warms my heart. How about you? He reclined on Jesus’ bosom at the dinner table. Obviously he was next to Jesus. That seems strange unless we consider the context. Jesus had just told them that one of them would betray him. Perhaps the thought of losing Jesus so overwhelmed him that he leaned over on Jesus as a show of compassion. Or more likely, he leaned on Jesus for comfort because John knew Jesus loved him. We don’t know the reason why John was in that position, but we read that John knew he was loved. Isn’t it true that when someone loves us, we are concerned for them because they are so special to us? And when we are troubled, do we not lean on Jesus for comfort because we know He loves us? Would we say the same? “I am one of Jesus’ disciples whom He has loved.” We can’t live to love with Jesus if we don’t know that we are loved by Him. When we are confident that He loves us, we draw near to Him when facing troubling times. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:22 The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. In many cases, it’s not easy to detect a goat amongst the sheep or the tares from the wheat. Apparently Judas fit right in with the rest of the disciples. They had just been told by Jesus that one of them was a betrayer, and they had no idea who it might be. Of course, Judas knew at that moment that he was the one, but do you think he came into the relationship with Jesus with the intent to betray and harm Jesus? I doubt it. This is sobering and humbling. Living to love with Jesus requires watchfulness and humility which Judas lacked. The potential for evil was within Judas, but he didn’t know it. He probably genuinely thought he was one of the bunch. In fact, maybe even greater than most because he was chosen to be responsible for the money box (13:29). The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” The reason it is so important to live to love with Jesus, is that living with His purpose protects us from being self-deceived and mislead by the devil’s lies. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:21 When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me." Jesus told them ahead of time what was to occur, just like He promised. This was to bolster their faith in Him, which was a good thing. However, John noted that Jesus was troubled when He told them. We aren’t told what troubled Jesus except the knowledge that Judas was going to betray Him, which was to reject the one who sent Him, namely His Father. I don’t think this is because Jesus was concerned about His or His Father’s feelings. It is never in the best interest of anyone to reject the Father or His Son. It is troubling in spirit to see anyone spurn the love of God because we know they are in darkness and in grave spiritual danger. If it troubled Jesus when His Father was rejected, we may detect His troubled spirit also when others reject His love through us. Not for our sakes but for theirs. To reject us is to reject Jesus when we are loving in His name. If we are being selfish and they reject us, that’s understandable. When we live to love with Jesus, and that love is not received, let’s take care that we are not troubled by their rejection of us, but by the consequences that will befall the one who rejects Him. Although we don’t know this for sure, but it is most likely that Jesus washed Judas’ feet along with the others. He loved His enemies and was kind to Judas. As we know, He even greeted Judas with a kiss when he brought the soldiers to arrest Jesus. May we love like Jesus loved—and even love those who betray us. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:20 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me." Jesus was sent by God, His Father. When we receive Him as the way, the truth, and the life, we are receiving God. As we live to love with Jesus, we are sent by Jesus to love in His name. The one who receives our love receives Him. It is also encouraging to know that when we receive our fellow believers we are receiving Jesus. It takes humility to love with Jesus and to be loved by Jesus. The salient point is that love for Jesus, for His glory, is why we love and receive our brothers. It’s not determined by how we feel about them. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus today. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. Let’s be watching for what Jesus told His disciples was going to happen. Who can foretell events before they happen but God? Surely that’s what He meant when He said, “So…you may believe that I am He.” In a matter of minutes Jesus said it this way. “Do not let your heart be troubled. If you believe in God then believe also in Me” (John 14:1). If we believe Jesus is God, then we who believe in Jesus have the life of God dwelling inside of us! He who knows the end from the beginning and sustains everything by the power of His word lives to love in us! Let’s give Him access to all that we are for His glory. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:18 I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.' Those who try to do these things—that is try to serve without Jesus are not blessed if they do them. He has Judas in mind, of course, when He said, “I do not speak of all of you.” This is a marvelous statement. Judas was chosen, not to live to love with Him, but to fulfill Psalms 41:9. “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” Judas was necessary to the salvation work. There will be other Judases in the church who are necessary to God’s sanctifying work in our lives. Was Jesus deceived when He trusted Judas? No. Was He misled when God lead Him to invite him to eat and walk with Him? No. He entrusted Himself to His Father in whose love He did abide. Like Jesus, we receive the Judases into our midst and trust our loving and wise Father’s administration of our affairs. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 13:17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. What are “these things” we know to do? That Jesus, our Master and Teacher has given us an example of love for each other: humble service to those who belong to Jesus. That if Jesus humbled Himself to serve us, we ought to follow His example. What is the blessing if we do what we know is right? We are blessed with a clear conscience. We are blessed as we experience Jesus’ love for His own. We are blessed as we experience Jesus’ joy in our obedience. We are blessed when we know Jesus’ body is being cared for. We are blessed because the glory of God rests upon us. Can you think of some other blessings? Please write them in the comments. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Welcome to today’s live to love scripture encouragement from John 13:16. Jesus had just washed His disciples’ feet and in this verse is continuing to explain what they are to deduce from it. “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.” Jesus is our master and teacher. We are His friends who are sent to live to love with Him. If Jesus humbled Himself to serve His body and sent us out to do the same, then so should we humbly serve His body because we are not greater than He. Jesus was saying that He was sent by the Father and therefore it is logically assumed that He is not greater than the Father. In the same way, as we live to love in Jesus’ name we are saying that Jesus sent us and that He is greater than we are. Let’s make Jesus’ name great today as we love with Him. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

It’s a joy to encourage you with today’s live to love scripture from John 13:14-15. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Jesus had asked, “Do you know what I’ve done to you?” Now we have His explanation. As their only Lord and Teacher, He gave them an example so that they would do the same. Lest we miss it. They were to serve each other in love in His name. This was the direction and primary point of all that He taught them in His last hours with them. In perhaps less than 5-10 min He said, John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." How had Jesus loved them? He had served a basic physical need by washing their feet. Moms, don’t think it is an insignificant task to change a diaper, wash clothes, or fix a meal in Jesus’ name. Dads, don’t despise filling your wife’s car with gas, fixing your child’s broken bike, or holding the door for someone in Jesus’ name. That’s how Jesus loves His own to the end and taught us to love with Him. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com