The Call to Live and Love Like Christ
As Jesus gathered with His disciples, He was about to make something clear that would change their entire perspective of what it meant to follow Him. Up until this point, they had been His learners, His followers, and His companions on a journey. But in this moment, He was calling them to a new kind of relationship—a relationship where they would no longer be just students or servants but His closest, most trusted friends.
He began by sharing the nature of the love He was offering them. “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Continue in My love.” (John 15:9). This wasn’t a casual love or a love based on performance or behavior. It was the same deep, sacrificial love the Father had for Him—unwavering, constant, and unbreakable. Jesus wasn’t offering a love that would fade when times got tough; He was offering a love that would stay, endure, and overflow in their lives. He wasn’t calling them to a surface-level connection; He was inviting them into the very heart of God’s love. This love wasn’t temporary; it was eternal.
But love, as Jesus showed, wasn’t just something to feel or acknowledge—it was something to live out. He told them, “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.” (John 15:10). Jesus didn’t place these commands in their lives as burdens or obligations. Instead, He wanted them to understand that living in love meant walking in harmony with the will of God. It meant aligning their lives with His purpose, not because it was a rule to follow but because it was the way to stay in the fullness of God’s love.
It’s here that Jesus showed them the connection between love and joy. He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” (John 15:11). The love He was calling them to wasn’t a joyless obedience; it was a life that would be filled with His own joy. This joy wasn’t based on external circumstances but rooted in a relationship with Him. It wasn’t a fleeting feeling or a temporary burst of happiness—it was deep, lasting joy that would fill them completely. Jesus wasn’t inviting them into a life of duty or sacrifice for the sake of it; He was offering them a life that would be marked by overflowing joy, the kind of joy that comes from knowing they were deeply loved and trusted by the Creator of the universe.
The more they loved, the more they would experience this joy, and the more they would begin to reflect His character and His mission. Jesus then gave them the most radical command: “This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12). He wasn’t just telling them to love in the way the world defines love. He was calling them to love like He loved—sacrificially, unconditionally, and without reservation. Jesus’ love wasn’t based on what people could give Him or what He could get from them. It was a love that laid itself down for the good of others. This is the kind of love He wanted them to show to one another: a love that put the needs of others above personal comfort or gain.
To make sure they understood the depth of this love, He emphasized, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13). In this moment, Jesus wasn’t just teaching a principle; He was showing them the path He was about to take. He would soon lay down His life for them on the cross, and this act of self-sacrifice would be the ultimate demonstration of love. This wasn’t some abstract teaching—it was His very life, His very purpose. He was showing them what it meant to be a true friend: to give everything for the well-being of the other. This was the kind of friendship He wanted with them, a relationship marked by trust, loyalty, and a willingness to sacrifice for each other.
And then, with those words, Jesus called them friends—not servants. He said, “You are My friends, if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15:14). The term “friend” meant something deeply personal. A servant does what they’re told without understanding the reasons behind the commands, but a friend is someone who shares in the mission, who is trusted with the heart of the one they follow. Jesus was saying, “I’m not keeping you at arm’s length. I’m inviting you into the inner circle of My life. I trust you, I’m sharing everything with you, and you are part of what I’m doing in the world.” This was the ultimate demonstration of friendship—no secrets, no barriers, just a shared mission and a shared life.
Jesus went on to remind them that their friendship with Him wasn’t something they had earned or chosen for themselves. He had chosen them. “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (John 15:16). Their friendship was an act of grace. Jesus had chosen them—not because of their greatness or their abilities—but because of His love for them and His trust in them. They were handpicked to be His closest companions, and He had given them a purpose: to go and bear lasting fruit, fruit that would reflect the love and truth of God in the world.
But Jesus also made it clear that this new relationship with Him would not come without challenges. He warned them, “If the world hates you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.” (John 15:18). Following Jesus meant taking on a new identity—a new way of life that was radically different from the world around them. And this would inevitably bring opposition. The world would not understand their love, their loyalty to Jesus, or their commitment to His ways. But even in the face of hatred, Jesus wanted them to be sure of one thing: He was with them. They were His friends, His most trusted companions, and they could rest in the fact that no matter what happened, they were never alone.
And He promised them something even more powerful: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me.” (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit would come to be their constant companion, guiding them, teaching them, and empowering them to live out this friendship with Jesus. They were not just being sent out on their own; the Spirit would be with them every step of the way, making their connection to Jesus more real, more intimate, and more powerful.
Finally, Jesus told them, “And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning.” (John 15:27). They had walked with Him, talked with Him, and learned from Him. They knew His heart and His message intimately, and now they were called to share that with others. They were His friends, and as friends, they had a responsibility to testify to the world about what they had experienced and learned in His presence.
In this incredible moment, Jesus invited His disciples—and all of us—into something far deeper than religion or mere following. He was calling us to be His closest friends, to share in His life, His mission, and His love. He wasn’t asking us to just obey rules; He was inviting us to live in a deep, sacrificial friendship with Him, a friendship that would change everything. And as His friends, He trusted us to carry His message of love to the world. This wasn’t just about being loyal to a cause; it was about being loyal to the One who gave His life for us, and in doing so, living out that same love with everyone we meet.
I hope this message blessed you. If so, please leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you.