Loving is
John 15:1-17
The Vine and the Branches
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 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. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Spring has come, and my trees need to be pruned or picked up from roots, as some are rotten and others are already dead. Some had flowers during winter, but others are withered and there are no flowers at all. So I'm thinking of planting something new in the empty place. Likewise, Jesus is saying that we are branches, and He is the vine and Father is a gardener. What a wonderful metaphor this is and, at the same time, it has a lot of meanings itself.
Actually, this is saying to Jesus' disciples and it also tells me about my life, bearing fruits, as a Christian or a disciple. If I remain in Jesus and His words remain in me, ask whatever I wish, and it will be done for me. This is to my Father’s glory, that I bear much fruit, showing myself to be His disciples, in verse 7-8. The reason that I read this blble every day or night for a couple of minutes and meditate it for an hour is not because I want to improve my English reading or writing skills.
It's because I believe that it's the only way to remain in Him and His Word remains in me. In a word, I could stay in Him through the bible, as it has been working as a counselor, a teacher, and a comforter, and most of time, it works for me to grow as a true branch. Of course, the Holy Spirit provides me with water and sunshine as well. However, Father, my gardener wants me to bear fruits, not just growing, for His own sake and glory, showing myself to be Jesus' disciple.
Then, how could I show myself to the world? He said that it's only by loving each other and loving one another. There's no other way to do it except Loving. Then, what is Loving? It sounds very abstract, so Jesus showed what loving others is: touching the poor, eating and drinking with them, and praying and healing the sick, feeding the poor, washing the feet of disciples, teaching teachers of laws and even dying on the cross. After resurrecion, He was cooking fish for the disciples, including Peter, who ran away, saying "I don't know Him."
This is LOVE! Therefore, Jesus could say that Love one another as I loved you! Love is patient and kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
