Love in Action

By Samantha Rodriguez

“As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. 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. I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you.” —John 15:9–12 (CSB)

Final words are usually very memorable. “Mr. Stark, I don’t feel so good” were Spiderman’s famous last words in Avengers: Infinity War, though if you watched Avengers: Endgame, you know they technically were not his last words. One of my personal favorites comes from Kung Fu Panda when Tai Lung, the evil Kung Fu snow leopard, says, “You can't defeat me . . . You're just a big . . . fat . . . panda!” Many times, though, final words are remembered for more than their humor or sadness, but they are remembered as being part of the person’s legacy.

Chapters 13 through 16 in the Book of John document Jesus’ final words to His disciples before He was taken into custody and later crucified. Throughout those chapters, He emphasizes His command to love one another, saying the word love about 25 times and teaching specifically about love four times. One of those teachings occurs as they’re walking through the Mount of Olives in Chapter 15 right after Jesus speaks about remaining in Him—using the illustration of a vine and its branches. In verses 9-12, He claims that remaining in His love means obeying His commands—one of His greatest commands being to love others. 

Right about now, you may be asking yourself, How can we be commanded to love? Isn’t love a feeling? How can we be commanded to feel something? That’s not how feelings work! 

The idea that love is just an emotion has infiltrated our culture; but it’s a lie. Love is actually a choice; it’s a conscious decision and commitment. If it weren’t, then we would not be commanded to do it. 

Love is not complete without action because real love is sacrificial. Jesus later told His disciples that there is no greater love than this: “To lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13 NIV), and that is exactly what He did for us! Christ’s sacrificial love for us creates in us a tremendous gratitude and love for Him, and His unconditional grace spurs us on to love others in the same way and share our faith and hope with the world. 

I want to end our time today by sharing this powerful quote with you from John Piper: “It is not primarily out of compassion for humanity that we share our faith or pray for the lost; it is first of all, love for God.”

DIG: If God is love (1 John 4:8), then what are some of His characteristics (1 Corinthians 13)? Why would He create us if He knew we would not be able to love Him back in the same way and to the same extent as He loves us? 

Note: Remember, we encourage you to use different resources or ask other seasoned Christians for help with these tough questions.

DISCOVER: What makes it hard for you to personally love those around you? What makes it hard for you to obey the Lord? Whatever it is, surrender that to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to help you understand his love on a deeper level so that you may be able to love others the same way.

DO: Do something loving for someone else today—it could be for a friend, a family member, or a stranger; and the act could range from sending an encouraging text message, to doing extra chores without being asked, to sharing what you learned today with someone who may not know God’s love for themselves.