Before you start

Have you ever experienced opposition because of offering love to someone? What was that like? Sometimes the mere act of loving someone in the way that Jesus would, can be threatening to others – how can that be?

This passage from John’s Gospel takes place in the middle of what scholars call the ‘upper-room discourse’, running from John 13 to 17. It covers Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, a long section of teaching and then Jesus praying for his friends. Jesus tells those gathered in the upper room about what will happen to him and about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He also gives them a new command: “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

In our passage today, Jesus returns to this theme. Having told them to stay connected to him to grow, he tells them again to love others as he loves them. He calls them his friends, not his servants or minions. And the same offer is open to us too: if we follow Jesus’ commands, we are his friends, and we are commanded to love one another.

However, in verse 18, Jesus sounds a warning. If the world hated Jesus and will hate his friends too. Jesus’ teaching, actions and love throughout his life shed a light on the world’s wrongdoing, and that did not go down well. But that didn’t stop Jesus, and it shouldn’t stop us. In Matthew 5, Jesus tells his listeners: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

These are tough words! How do we love those who persecute us?

Here are some questions. Grab a notebook and jot down your ideas or, if you’re doing this with others, discuss your thoughts together.

• Read John 15 again. What is the most important part of this passage? If you’re doing this on your own, your answer today might be different from your thoughts in two weeks or two years. If you’re doing this with others, their opinions might be different from yours. Discuss the differences and see what God is saying to you through those different opinions.
• Have you ever been in a place where your faith has caused people to go against you? What happened? What did you do?
• How easy is it to love those who persecute you? Why?
• Can you come up with some practical examples of what loving enemies might look like?

Pray

Pray for the those trapped in damaging relationships. Pray for the love of God to break through, and for freedom to be proclaimed in their lives and families.

Ask God to help you when you have to love your enemy.