GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS
John 15:13
Morning Meditations 11/29/2015
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
From John chapter 13 on, in John's gospel Jesus is preparing His disciples for His death. The disciples were going to implement His teaching. I think in back of their minds from His teaching, they were suspicious. Jesus has declared His purpose in Coming. The revelation that He makes concerning His death is tearing at His Holy Heart.
All He had done for them, and all the time He had spent teaching them, could do nothing to alleviate the pain that this was causing them. With this information in their heads they just couldn't rationalize. So Jesus in preparation the for His death said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
The disciples were having a struggle within over their association with Him. It seemed to the disciples philosophy was to grab you hat and run!!!"
But the Love that never fails took over. While they did not understand Jesus' teaching that He would die, be buried, and be raised from the dead.
They knew He could raise the dead. He raised the dead three times in their presence that we know of; but when it came to losing Him it was too much for them. They were not careful of His teaching found in John 10:18, "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."
This is why we have so many unanswered prayers. I know it sounds spiritual when someone is trying to make a point by saying, "He will answer yes, sometimes no, and sometimes not now." The fact is, we despise waiting. Churches in America are known around the world for the hurried way we take care of business, both religious, and secular. And the amusing thing is that there are enough dumb people to support these perversions.
Paul warned in Acts 20:28-30, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."
Paul spells out the identifying characteristics of a con-man. They are still around to day.
"Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend.." The unsaved man can challenge this but he cannot break the wall of Grace that our Lord built around us. We are saved and secure. There is another important point to make:
Jesus says "Greater love hath no man than this" we see the extent of His love for us. The words of our text gives the key. God loved the disciples enough to lay down His life for them.
Now think with me for a moment. Can you conceive of anyone dying for His friends. We could go through the Bible and find scores of places where wars were fought and there was none to step in and say ENOUGH!!! Jesus is our friend, He died for us, and he arose again from the tomb to a life that is beyond human imagination.
Let me challenge you to be without spot before His comes. May the Lord bless these worlds to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. White
