Title Page. Lesson Four John 14:15, 21 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments...... 21 He that hath...

Title Page

Lesson Four

John 14:15, 21

John 14:15, 21 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

. . . . .21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 15:12-15

John 15:12-1512 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

John 15:16-17

John 15:16-1716 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Focus Verse

John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his

only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Focus Thought

Although it is impossible to love as God loves, we should make every effort to love

all humanity without reservation.

IntroductionIntroductionThe sayings of Jesus Christ are remarkable. His statements are poignant and powerful: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). The Lord spoke with unwavering certainty and great conviction. When the Temple police returned without arresting Him, much to the disappointment of the chief priests and Pharisees, their explanation was simply, “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46).

IntroductionJesus made absolute statements that astounded His listeners. To the disciples He commanded, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught” (Luke 5:4). After reluctantly obeying, Simon Peter and the others were astonished at the catch of fish. Nicodemus the Pharisee could not understand Jesus’ statement, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). Furthermore, Jesus’ critics accused Him of speaking blasphemies when He said to the stretcher-borne paralytic, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee” (Luke 5:20).

IntroductionPerhaps it was because He offered such genuine hope that people followed Him in large numbers wherever He went. For years, they had heard the scribes and Pharisees interpret the law, and it had all become so demeaning and burdensome. The scribes and the Pharisees, in fact, had become hypocritical. Esteeming themselves to be superior, they demanded of others what they themselves were unable and unwilling to perform. By contrast, the Lord came among the people and ministered with compassion to the weary, worn, and sick.

IntroductionWho of those in Israel would not want to hear that God really cared for them? Jesus spoke about joy in heaven over one sinner that repented. He said He had come to seek and to save the lost. No one, Christ taught, needed to be rejected; no one needed to be condemned. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

I. Whom God Loves (A)Whom God LovesLight shines the clearest in the midst of great darkness. Peace seems more wonderful in the midst of a storm. Faith is most evident when surrounded by doubt, and love is most astounding when encompassed by hate.

I. Whom God Loves (A)A. The World

According to John 3:16, whom does God love? He loves “the world,” an inclusive term that means mankind—the human race. Every human soul is a particular treasure to God, and He highly values every person without exception. Although mankind has lived in sinful rebellion and deserves to die, the Lord still loves him with an indescribable love.

I. Whom God Loves (A)Whom does God love? He loves all the failures who have struggled with and succumbed to temptation. He reaches down for the fallen, the downcast, and the destitute. God’s love is for all those in the world who have sinned. Indeed, He loves us all.

Romans 3:23

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

I. Whom God Loves (A)That includes the priest and the prostitute. It includes the district attorney and the drug addict. It includes the apostolic and the alcoholic. Without Jesus Christ, “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).

I. Whom God Loves (B)B. The Church

The church began with the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the waiting believers. Paul the apostle asked the Christians in Galatia, “Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3, The Amplified Bible).

I. Whom God Loves (B)The church began with a deluge of power. After His resurrection Jesus told His disciples, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The power with which the church began was an outpouring of love. (See Romans 5:5.)

I. Whom God Loves (B)Certainly, God’s love was unmerited, for all of us were on the losing side of life when He found us. Some of us were badly marred, and some were terribly scarred. God found many of us when we were rejects from the rest of society—bound by self-destructive habits and shackled by repulsive sins. We had foolishly lived in the night, loving darkness rather than light because our deeds were evil.

I. Whom God Loves (B)What a terrible shame that denominational Christianity has substituted program for power and liturgy for worship! Cold formality leaves Jesus Christ outside the door of the church. (See Revelation 3:20.) There is no room for the flowing of the Spirit in such a situation because passionate praise is gone.

I. Whom God Loves (B)However, the transforming love of Jesus Christ has the power to set captives free. It can heal wounded spirits and bring broken marriages back together. It can deliver the alcoholic and the drug addict from their bondage. It can give an individual faith for a successful life now and hope for a joyous existence later. God’s love for every individual is astounding, unselfish, and abundant.

II. How Much God Loves (A-B)

How Much God Loves

A. Enough to Become One of Us

God came. What a breathtaking thought! Mankind was adrift in a terrible tempest with all hope of rescue gone. Self-effort had proven useless, and there was no one near to help. It was dark, disheartening, and desperate. But God came.


God came to become one of us. Whoever would have thought it was possible? Who would have dreamed that the Almighty would make His appearance in an obscure manger, in a little-known town, in a down-trodden country? Who, indeed, would have thought that He would come in human flesh at all? But it was all so true, so marvelously true. Mankind could never become like God until God became like mankind. Indeed, the Word became incarnate and “tabernacled” among us. (See John 1:14.) And what of the glory of God? It was revealed “in the face of Jesus Christ” (II Corinthians 4:6).


God came into this world when a humble Galilean maiden gave birth to her firstborn child. That which was conceived in Mary was of the Holy Ghost, and the birth of her God-begotten son took place in Bethlehem, “the city of David” (Luke 2:11). What an event! Unheralded and, to a large extent, unnoticed by mankind, it was celebrated by the heavenly host. They praised the Lord, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).


God gave of Himself because there was simply nothing greater that He could give. He so loved that He came to those whom He knew would reject Him (John 1:11). He was so deeply concerned that He invested Himself in a fallen human race. The almighty God could not have done more. There was no one else capable of reaching out to save mankind.


They wrapped God’s gift “in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger” (Luke 2:7). Surely, Mary and Joseph made an outstanding couple. They certainly must have been pious, for God entrusted them with the upbringing of His beloved Son. Dutifully, they would have fed Jesus, clothed Him, and trained Him in the Scriptures. Joseph probably was an outstanding husband, faithful and loyal to his wife. Mary said little about the miraculous occurrences regarding the birth of Jesus but “kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).


B. Enough to Die for UsJustice should have screamed out in protest against the events that led to Jesus’ crucifixion. Surely someone in the Sanhedrin could have spoken out for the Lord. Surely Pilate, the procurator of all Judea, should have set Jesus free. Where were all the people who just days before had waved palm branches and had cried, “Hosanna!” as Jesus entered Jerusalem? Where were all His zealous followers now that He was being condemned?


Yes, it was shameful. Yes, it was a travesty of human justice, but something far more important was taking place. There was a progression of God’s plan for the ages. Calvary was no mistake, no misstep on the part of our Savior. It was God’s design that His Son should lay down His life for the sheep. (See John 10:11-17.) No man, Jesus said, could take His life from Him: “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (John 10:18).

II. How Much God Loves (A-B)God was willing to pay the ultimate cost for the

redemption of all mankind—whoever would receive His atoning work of grace. And what a cost it was!

I Peter 1:18-19“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,

as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition

from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”

(I Peter 1:18-19).

II. How Much God Loves (A-B)Jesus’ blood possessed unequaled purchasing

power when it came to our salvation. The opinion of mankind is not so important, but what God thinks of the blood of His Son is essential. Paul wrote to the Colossians that the Father “made peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20). He further declared that God “purchased” the church “with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).

II. How Much God Loves (C)

C. Without Reservation

Streams of love run through most of our lives and give us a sense of purpose and belonging. Without these rivulets, everything would certainly be bleak and barren. A mother’s kiss or a father’s caress makes such a difference to a child. The smallest gift of appreciation to a young wife from her husband means so much. Who could evaluate the hand of a friend on our shoulder as we grieve at a graveside or as we go through some horrific problem?


God’s love, like a mighty river, runs far deeper and wider than any human love. It reaches out beyond those who are family or friends to touch the distant neighbor and uplift the helpless stranger. This love is ever expanding and growing. It goes beyond the expected, crossing borders and bypassing barriers. The apostle Paul, who once was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an enemy of the Lord, penned the words: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).


Jesus Christ died on the cross with no conditions attached. We might have expected God to do something for fallen mankind. We might have thought that He would try to reach some individuals, certainly within limits. However, Paul pointed out the immeasurable step that the Almighty took at Calvary: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). W. E. Vine stated that the “ungodly” are “not merely irreligious,” but are those who act “in contravention of God’s demands.”

II. How Much God Loves (C)Paul was determined that we should understand

how much greater God’s love is than is our love as humans. There is hardly a comparison. Although unlikely, we might find someone to die for a just man, but Jesus died for sinners.

III. Why God Loves (A)Why God LovesA. Because He Created Us

Mankind was the Lord’s ultimate work of creation. He was the Almighty’s masterpiece, the finest of all the things that He had fashioned in the universe.

Genesis 1:27

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he

him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).

III. Why God Loves (A)God made mankind upright (Ecclesiastes 7:29). In the beginning, perfect harmony existed between mankind and his Maker. God, who loves righteousness, saw in this creation a likeness of Himself. How rich a fellowship must have existed between the two! They must have shared confidences. Adam had a beautiful spirit and a deep appreciation for all God had done for him. The Lord had blessed Adam and Eve and had given them dominion over the fish, the birds, and all animal life. At last, God had found someone who would love Him of his own free will, just as He loved mankind.

III. Why God Loves (A)However, sin shattered the relationship between mankind and his God. This was a devastating separation, a terrible breach of trust, once Satan had his way. “Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8). The shame of it all! A greatly caring God and a very careless human being. Sin had now become a dominant force in the world, and with sin came sorrow, sickness, and even death. This was not what God had wanted for mankind. This was not what He had intended at all.

III. Why God Loves (B)B. To Bring Us to Salvation

A boy, walking through a wooded area as he hunted with a friend, thought about eternity. His own heart, he knew, was not right with God, and he wondered how this could ever change. He thought of a verse of Scripture that he somehow remembered: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Could something happen, the boy wondered, where he could give his life for his friend? Would that kind of sacrifice make his heart right with the Lord?

III. Why God Loves (B)Our best efforts and our most noble deeds could never save us. Through Adam, sin entered the world, making all of us sinners. (See Romans 5:12, 19.) Certainly, we cannot save ourselves.

Jeremiah 10:23

“O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that

walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

III. Why God Loves (B)However, there is hope for “whosoever will” (Revelation 22:17). The plan and purpose of God was that “whosoever believeth” in Jesus Christ “should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15). God’s love made a way. There are no color, social, or racial barriers with the Almighty. Although fear, prejudice, and hate fill our world, the Lord has made a way for us all.

III. Why God Loves (B)Jesus told His disciples that He was going away to prepare a place for them. (See John 14:2-3.) He declared to Thomas, “I am the way” (John 14:6). The fact is that He is the only access back to God and the only door that opens up to heaven. Rather than Jesus Christ being a way, He is the way. Moreover, the Master told Thomas, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). We will never see the glory of the Father if we have not seen the glory of the Son. (See Colossians 2:9.)

III. Why God Loves (C)C. To Teach Us to Love

God wants His children to know how much He loves the world. His is an open affection, a sacrificial passion for all mankind. Jesus Christ, the highest expression of God’s love, demonstrated a greater compassion for people than mankind had ever known. Jesus also taught His followers that others should mark them, above all else, for their love—the distinguishing mark that would set them apart from others.

Transparency 3“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).

III. Why God Loves (C)An older gentleman told how that when he was younger, he had resisted God. His mother and father were Christians, but he had wandered away. The gentleman remembered the times when certain Christians would put their arms on his shoulder and would openly intercede for him. It was the tears on their cheeks and the love in their hearts that finally won the young man to the Lord.

III. Why God Loves (C)Luke illustrated how far-reaching our love should be in the account of the man who was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves. (See Luke 10:30-37.) According to Jesus, thieves stripped the traveler of his clothes, wounded him, and left him by the road half dead. The main emphasis of the story is the reaction of those who were passing by.

III. Why God Loves (C)A priest hurried by on the other side, and a Levite, after going to look at the man, did the same. It was the Samaritan who was moved with compassion. He was the one, though a stranger, who tended the wounded traveler. It was the Samaritan, though despised by the Jews, who took the man on his own beast to an inn where the wounded man could be restored to health.

IV. Whom We Should Love (A-C)

Whom We Should Love

A. GodWho but God could enable us to love Him as we should? Neither a catechism nor a conference, neither a seminary nor a seminar, could accomplish that. Something far more than religious instruction is needed. Jesus Christ said that we should experience a spiritual transformation, which He called a new birth. We must be born of water and of the Spirit. We need a brand new nature, so radically different from the old that our very attitudes and affections are completely changed.


When God performs this work of transformation, He opens our eyes to the wonders of His grace. We fall deeply in love with the One who bled and died in our place, realizing that His sufferings should have been our own. We become aware that His death was a propitiation for our sins.


No wonder we sing about the Cross and sometimes weep for joy. No one has ever cared for us like Jesus. No one else could have set us free from the power and the penalty of our sins. Through His work at Calvary, He has brought us into a new and intimate relationship with God. “We love him, because he first loved us” (I John 4:19).


B. One AnotherChildren learn by what they observe. They recognize the love that their parents have for each other. The endearing words and the open affection between a father and a mother have a powerful effect. These everyday lessons in living may be simple and taught unintentionally, but they are indelibly imprinted on the minds and hearts of the children.


The church, the place where we receive much of our guidance and fellowship, is our spiritual home on earth. This is the center of a believer’s life, for it is here among God’s people that His presence is most powerfully manifested. (See Matthew 18:20.)


How important is it for Christians to love one another? Without a doubt, this is a crucial issue. Little musical talent may exist in a church family, and the singing may be far from professional. Even the preaching may not be what some would call profound. However, when love is flowing in a church, there will be life.


Paul spoke eloquently on this matter in his first letter to the Corinthians. He described love as being greater than all the spiritual gifts, better than any offering, and superior to our greatest sacrifice. Moreover, love—a higher and holier value than even faith or hope—is the finest attribute that a Christian could possess.


What are we to do with those hot, burning resentments that spring up in our minds when someone has injured us? (See Hebrews 12:15.) What can we do with those bitter attitudes in our hearts? Since there is no point in our denying that these feelings exist, we should wait desperately on the Lord to purify us with His sweet presence. We should draw deeply on the Holy Ghost to cleanse us from these viruses of the enemy.

IV. Whom We Should Love (A-C)Love should be our chief pursuit. It should be our

grand objective. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]” (I Corinthians 14:1, The Amplified Bible).


C. The UnloveableThe educated of this world often share their knowledge, and the well-to-do sometimes share their wealth. How much more should we who are saved share the riches of God’s grace—even with those who seem to be hateful and unlovable? It takes a wealth of God’s love for us to care for those who really are evil. It takes the compassion of Jesus Christ to deal with the unlovable.


The nastiness of these individuals stems from their own unhappiness. They often lash out at others and may storm, rant, and scream. However, something is inside that only the Lord can see. Many of them have a desire for God in their hearts hidden below their hurts and buried beneath their frustrations. An unsatisfied longing, an unfulfilled yearning to feel loved by someone—or anyone—gnaws at the walls of their hearts.


We are to love these miserable people and tell them, as Isaiah told Israel many years ago, that Messiah has come “to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:3). Multitudes surround us whose hearts are crying out to be delivered. Countless millions need to hear of a Savior whose blood can wash away every trace of sin.

ReflectionsJohn 3:16 is perhaps the most frequently quoted and best loved of all of Jesus’ sayings. This verse gives hope to the sinner and assurance to the child of God. The express desire to save those who believe in His begotten Son is so positive, so certain, that no one should doubt the Lord’s intent. His will is to win back an ungodly world to Himself. His plan is to save anyone who has such a desire. The wonderful promise of this verse of Scripture is that God has provided the means for every believer to obtain eternal life.

ReflectionsJesus Christ did not define God’s love with words; He simply lived it out before people every day. You could hear it in His voice as He taught in a synagogue, on a seashore, or at the foot of a mountain. You could see it in His actions as He raised a young man or a little girl from the dead. Love for humanity motivated everything that Jesus said and did. It was the driving force of His life, the very dynamic of His being. Ultimately, this consuming love led our Savior to Pilate’s judgment hall and to the ignominious death on the cross.

ReflectionsThe Lord left an incredibly high standard for all of us to follow.

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you”

(John 15:12).

ReflectionsWe are not to measure ourselves by ourselves, but we are to measure ourselves by Him. Jesus’ love is the benchmark by which we should gauge our love. The Lord has forgiven those whom some thought were unforgivable. He has touched those whom some thought were untouchable. He has loved those whom some thought were unlovable. Likewise, we should follow His example of such great unconditional love.

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