John was known as the Apostle of love, but that didn't mean he was a 'softy.' He showed great affection for Jesus as he followed Him through the seasons of His earthly ministry; was found leaning against Jesus' bosom at the final Passover in the upper room. But Jesus had also nicknamed him and his brother, James, the "sons of thunder!" There was also something energetic, loud, even explosive about John. The Spirit of Jesus guides that personality and the pen of John in this tiny epistle.
John says there is grace and mercy and peace in Christ, but these gifts of God's love do not render our relationship with him free from discipline. John says our love for Christ must still take the form of a very disciplined lifestyle. A life of true love exhibits careful obedience to the teaching of Christ. One might think with all that mercy and grace and forgiveness, that the Christian walk wouldn't sound so much like the Old Testament compliance to the Law. And it's not the same, as the love of God in Christ has set us free from the Law. But John, as a disciple who liked to sit and follow close to Jesus, still has the Master's words ringing in his ears - "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Obedience is still a huge part of the Christian faith.
We must devote ourselves to pressing in close, leaning on the bosom of our Lord, attending carefully to His words as captured by the Scriptures and reinforced by the convicting and guiding Holy Spirit. Obedience to a clearly defined teaching, the teaching of Jesus, is the hallmark of the one who truly loves God. The word "disciple" was not invented by Jesus. That idea and the reality of that idea existed long before Jesus came on the scene. The people of Jesus' day who recognized Him as a Rabbi, a master teacher, saw Him as 'disciple-worthy.' He was worth leaving home and occupation for. He was worth traveling behind and crowding near so that the pearls of His teaching would fall into their palms. It was worth getting into trouble with Him and watching Him enflesh His teaching, for Jesus did not practice what He preached - He preached what He practiced. This required of His disciples devotion and discipline and sacrifice and hard choices.
Do you love Jesus? Are you His disciple? Do you love Him? Are you obedient then to His teaching? Do you know His teaching? Do you love Jesus? Are you committed and sacrificing and making the effort it takes to sit at His feet to learn the truth of the Master? John did, and remembers Jesus saying this ...
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:9-11
So to grace and mercy and peace -- add another gift -- joy! Know God's commands. Obey them. This demonstrates your love for Him. And in this lifestyle of careful obedience, the joy of Jesus comes to fullness in you.
Pray: Master, make me a disciplined, studious, imitator and follower of Yours. Help me to know the teaching that John is talking about and help me to obey it. If obedience is an act of love, then help me to obey -- because I love You.
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