Love One Anothers • 08.10.25
Nick Lees   -   August 10, 2025

One Anothers Study

Love One Anothers

Living in light of the unbreakable, redemptive love of God

  1. Abide in God’s love
  2. Savor the fruit of abiding

Manuscript:

Good morning, church family! (Introduce self + welcome visitors)

Ushers + Bibles (John 15; page 1071)

I really appreciated the progression of thought in our worship lyrics this morning. Did you notice that we started by turning our attention to the Incomparably Great God? “Who is Like the Lord?” – NO ONE! He is the Alpha and Omega, the good and Great I Am, the God that saves the nations… Which led us to sing about his salvation “You my God saved MY soul!” and to declare “I am yours forevermore!” After our time in prayer, we were able to reflect on the mercies of God when our hearts are divided, and we dabble in sin rather than remain in God’s love. The new song was a beautiful reminder that, as Christians, we have been called to die to self/sin and live for Christ! When we come to the Cross and empty tomb, we are reminded of the great love of Christ and the victory he has won over sin and death. This reality challenges us to flee from temptation and sin and to cling tightly to Jesus as we build our lives on Him. Our anthem is that we will use the very breath in our lungs to sing of his praises and to proclaim his wonders to others. We live for YOU, LORD! These songs have captured so well what we are going to discover in God’s Word today as we study the Love One Anothers.

When I was last before you, two weeks ago, I encouraged you to view these one another commands as more than a list of dos and don’ts. These are helping us to build up a robust understanding of biblical Christian living. In part, they are answering the question, “What does it look like to be a Christian?” But, as we’ve seen, they go beyond simply changing our thoughts or words or behaviors to reach the very heart of WHO we worship and live for.

Last week, Frasier called us to behold and embrace the Humble Savior and Servant Lord before we imitate him. You must first be in Christ and changed by Christ before you can imitate Christ. If we do not understand the deeper issue of faith in Jesus, then we will totally misrepresent these one another commands. If you are still worshiping self and living for self, then these commands will be a burden to you – they become a standard of life that you either don’t want to live out or can’t live out!

But for those who have faith in Jesus Christ, there has been a transformation at the core of your personhood. You no longer live as if you are the center of the universe. You know that you were made to live for God, not self. And now you are dedicated to understanding how to do that – “How do I live for God? How do I worship him?” For you, these commands become a blessing – they become a standard of life that guide you to true joy and protect you from the destruction of sin.

My hope is that those of you who are in the first group will, through this series, confess your need for faith/forgiveness in Jesus Christ and turn to follow him.  And for those of you who are in the second group, that you will continue to hunger and thirst for righteousness as we learn more of what God has to say today.

As I mentioned when I called for the Bibles, we are going back to the Gospel of John this morning. When we planned this series, I didn’t know that we’d be spending so much time in John, but it has such rich teaching from Jesus’ life and ministry that reveal the foundation for these one another commands. John beautifully reveals the priorities of Jesus, which has been so beneficial for us as we consider what our Savior and Lord wants for his people, the church.

So today, we pick back up in John 15:1-17, Jesus’ teaching on the vine and the branches and, ultimately, abiding in Him and His love. Based on my study, this teaching is foundational to the rest of what we’ve discussed in this series. Our love for one another is rooted in God’s love within the Trinity, which has overflowed towards us by sending His Son to rescue and redeem us. And, as recipients of God’s extravagant, gracious love, we then live and operate out of that love! Our calling as the beloved of God is to love one another, which leads us to protect the unity of the church and to treat one another with humility.  

So, with that in mind, let’s turn our attention to the study of God’s Word. To set the stage, this is Jesus’ teaching during the final evening of his life. Jesus has washed their feet, the Last Supper is over, and he is providing them with final words of wisdom before they head to the Garden of Gethsemane where he will be unjustly arrested. He knows what is ahead, so what he chooses to say in his final moments with his disciples is revealing. Let’s listen in…

John 15:1–17 (ESV)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

In this passage Jesus uses the metaphor of a vine to drive home some very deep spiritual realities for the disciples. While we are not going to be able to unpack everything that is going on in this text today, there are some key observations I’d like to make.

First is Jesus’ teaching on abiding or remaining. As you may have noticed, it is essential to abide – abide in the vine, abide in Christ. Jesus is the vine that we, the branches, are to remain in. Abiding in Jesus is the source of our life. Abiding in Jesus is how we bear much fruit. Failure to abide/remain in Jesus results in death. This idea of abiding in Him is SUPER important!

Now I want you to notice that Jesus connects his disciples’ abiding in him to his own example of abiding in the Father. Jesus abided/remained in the Father’s love. He did this by always doing what pleased the Father, meaning he always obeyed the Father’s commands. By explaining this, Jesus helps us understand that the call to abide is also a call to obey. And he helps us understand that this is not a burden for those who have been transformed by God’s grace, but a joy! Jesus had joy in pleasing the Father and he knows our joy will be full/complete as we seek to please Him.

This concept of abiding is so rich, and, as we study the Love One Anothers today, including the two we see in this passage in verse 12 and 17, we must understand this concept. God’s love is the foundation for our love. (Graphic showing this à) The Father loves the Son, who abides in the Father, and the Son loves us, and we are called to abide in the Son. Jesus models abiding and then commands us to do the same.

We are invited to abide in Christ’s love! That is worth slowing down and dwelling on. How has Christ loved us? We know of at least one example from verse 13 – “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Where is Jesus heading? The Garden where he will be betrayed. Which will lead to his unjust trial and culminate in his crucifixion on the Cross. He is on his way to laying down his life for us, demonstrating the ultimate form of love for/toward us. This sacrificial, servant-hearted love is what we are called to abide in.

Consider what this tells us about love. Jesus, by his life and teaching, reveals that love is not simply an emotion. Love is a choice to do good to another, even at great cost to self, as he demonstrated by laying his life down for others. Through Jesus, God has shown us that love is both actional and intentional. You likely all know John 3:16, which says:

John 3:16 (ESV)

 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

God’s love is actional (he gave his only Son) and it is intentional (that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life). Jesus’ love is actional (he came into this world) and intentional (so that we might be saved through faith in him). God’s love is rich indeed and we are to abide in it!

This is only a primer of what is to come in our study today, and before we go any further, I want to point out our aim this morning…

Living in light of the unbreakable, redemptive love of God

God’s love is unbreakable – because it is a covenantal love based on his Son’s finished work (meaning no one can take it away or break it, because it was effective) – and his love is redemptive – because it purifies sinners and gives them new life.

When you grasp the beauty of God’s unbreakable, redemptive love, it changes you. It becomes your joy to abide in that love. So, our starting point for living in light of the unbreakable, redemptive love of God is…

  1. Abide in God’s love

You cannot and will not be able to love one another if you are not first abiding in God’s love for you! It must start here. As you abide in Christ’s love, then you can have confidence that the Father will do a good work in and through you. We are told those who abide bear much fruit as the Father prunes them to be more fruitful.

But how do we abide? Jesus gives us the answer in verse 10, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”

Obedience is not optional for Christians. When a person believes in Jesus Christ, they become a branche connected to the vine. You are now connected to the source of life. And as you experience this life-giving relationship with the Son, you desire to follow Him. As we hear in other passages, when a person trusts in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are made new or brought to life, having their heart purified by the Spirit, so they are now able and desiring to please him.

Has this been your experience? Have you been convicted of your sin and need for Jesus Christ to save you? Are you connected to the life-giving vine?

If the answer is yes/yes/and yes, then the outcome or fruit of your profession should be that you are loving one another (as Christ has loved you). This is what Jesus expected of his disciples and commanded of them back in John 13:34-35:

John 13:34–35 (ESV)

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus calls the command a “new command” because it is rooted in his love for them by laying down his life in the New Covenant. Christians are the only ones who can truly love the way God commands because they are the only ones who have experienced the love of God through Christ. This love for one another is the mark of true Christians in this age. This is a universal calling and no one who claims Christ is exempt from it.

It was repeated in verse 12 of our text today:

John 15:12 (ESV)

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Or you could consider the way we’ve stated it in previous weeks…

You only have to love as much as Christ has loved you

Now, you know what is fascinating about this command and expectation that Jesus has for his followers? Aside from Judas Iscariot, who was not connected to the vine, the rest of the disciples laid down their lives for Jesus! They also display the greatest form of love – laying down their lives for him. When that realization hit me, it was powerful. They obeyed and followed in the way of their Master! They loved as Christ had loved them.

And that is the model we are to follow as modern-day Christians. In Peter’s first epistle, he puts it this way:

1 Peter 1:22 (ESV)

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

This comes in the context of having reminded them of who they are in Christ. Because they have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, they are now to live out this calling of love towards one another. Peter reminds us, just as Jesus did, that our walk with God is not an individual matter. We are saved into God’s family, and we are called into relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We CANNOT live the Christian life in isolation but must love one another earnestly (fervently – with passionate intensity)!

Commentator Karen Jobes makes this insightful observation:

For Peter, obedience to the truth of the gospel is not merely intellectual assent to doctrine but must result in a transformation of how Christians treat others, because moral transformation is a central purpose of Christ’s redemption. (BECNT, 1 Peter)

When you abide in God’s love, he changes you into a loving person. This is a fruit of the Gospel and the Spirit at work in a believer!

Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

So, as Jesus said to his disciples. “Abide in me…” Is that how you seek to live? Are you abiding in the life-giving vine of Jesus Christ?

Or do you have no interest in abiding? No real desire to obey Jesus’ commands? You see, alongside the wonderful promise of fruitfulness for those who abide, there was also a warning for those who do not bear fruit…

John 15:2a, 6 (ESV)

2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away…

6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

A person who is not abiding will not bear fruit. Their lives will look markedly different than the one who abides. There will be no lasting change of desires or behaviors, and they will be cut from the vine by God. A great example of such a dead branch would be Judas Iscariot, who spent 3 years around Jesus’ teachings/ministry yet betrayed him. Whomever does not abide in Christ is a dead branch and is only good for the fire. This is imagery of judgment.

This warning from John 15 is given more teeth in 1 John 3-4 where the Apostle reinforces the reality that those who are God’s children prove it by their love for their brothers/sisters (fellow Christians) and practice of righteousness. But those who hate their brother are like Cain, who murdered Abel, and they are walking in the way of the devil!

Love for one another is foundational to human life/relationships. Without love, we kill one another, which destroys relationships. As John points out in his epistle, love originates from God and the way we know love is through his sending of His Son. Whoever loves, as God has defined and displayed it, has been born of God and knows God. Love for one another is intrinsically tied up in faith in God. Lack of love means a lack of faith.

My point in sharing these warnings and challenges is to cause each of us to evaluate the fruit of our lives. Do you see a tangible love for the Lord that has led you to love one another? If not, that should be very concerning to you. Your soul is in danger, and you need to wrestle with God on whether you are truly in the faith or not.

If you do see tangible love for the Lord and others, then seek to continue to live in light of the unbreakable, redemptive love of God as you…

  1. Savor the fruit of abiding

Savor – to enjoy or appreciate completely, especially by dwelling on it (Oxford Languages)

I hope to help us dwell on the fruit produced in us as we abide in His love and obey His commands.

This is where I’d like to study the love one another commands further, including considering how to apply them to our lives today. I didn’t think it would be appropriate to jump immediately into the commands without first understanding that these are only possible if you are abiding in God’s love. That is the order. Abide in God’s love first, and from that love one another. This is the fruit of abiding.

So, what do these love one another commands teach us about how to love one another?

As you may have already picked up on, they teach us to love one another with a sacrificial, servant love.

  • Sacrificial, servant love

To put it another way – to love as Christ loved us. We heard Jesus call for this in John 13:34 and 15:12. It is also the standard we see in Galatians 5:13:

Galatians 5:13–14 (ESV)

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus rescues and redeems sinners from bondage to sin, and this freedom that we’ve been given is not to be used selfishly but to show sacrificial, servant love to one another. To put it another way – you were rescued and redeemed, not so you could live your best life now, but so that you could lay your life down for the good of others! Jesus does not need a bunch of self-seeking followers; he desires sacrificial servants who model his love. This is what the whole OT law was seeking! (Slide)

Let’s think through specifics of how we could live out this kind of love in our spheres of life:

  • In marriage

A god-honoring marriage is one where each spouse seeks to serve the other. Where you are not consumed thinking about what you want, but about what would bless your spouse.

Husbands, when is the last time you thought, “I know what would bless my wife!” and then you got busy doing whatever it was? I hope you have a quick answer, because that should be a daily rhythm of your life.

Wives, you are not off the hook either. The same scenario applies to you! This is the beauty of a Christian marriage, each party is looking out for the other.

And do you know what happens when that occurs? Both parties are well served and satisfied! What a beautiful alternative to the way the world operates, where each person seeks to use the other to get what they want and everyone ends up miserable…

The reality is that this mindset/way of life isn’t limited to the marriage relationship, it ought to be extended as well…

  • In family

Fathers, did you know that your calling is to raise your kids in the discipline and instruction of the Lord? That comes straight from Ephesians 6:4. Knowing that will serve you well, because when you are trying to evaluate how to sacrificially love/serve your kids, this needs to inform your decisions. What will help them know, love, and obey God?

Of course, you can live out sacrificial love in all kinds of other ways too. Take them out for a fun activity, model godly manhood to them, but don’t prioritize lesser things at the expense of primary things. When my daughters grow up, it won’t do them nearly as much good to have had lots of daddy-daughter dates to fun places as it will to have had consistent teaching from my lips and example on how to follow Christ. Do both.

Moms, you are essential in this calling as well. Daughters don’t grow up to be Proverbs 31 women on accident. Model it for them through your sacrificial, servant love for the family. Your sons learn what a godly woman is through your example. There is tremendous power in the testimony of a godly mom who lives out her faith day after day in her home.

Kids, you are not exempt from this calling to sacrificial, servant love either! If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you’ve tasted and seen life-changing love. You are no longer the same, so don’t live like your selfish, worldly peers all around you. Jesus’ life-changing love in your life should motivate you to look for ways to sacrifice to serve your family. Are you looking for ways to help around your house? If you see a need, do you complain about it (“Mom, the trash needs emptied!”) or do you help meet it (“Mom, I’m taking the trash out!”)? I cannot tell you how much your parents and siblings will be blessed if you are consistently looking for ways to love and serve them. Can you imagine living in a household where each member is committed to loving one another this way? It would be amazing!

The same is true if this was lived out in the church!

  • In the church

We have many opportunities for relationships within the family of God. Many of you are in small groups where you carry one another’s burdens in love. You pray for one another, you counsel one another, you rebuke one another… all in love.

I have heard from many of you who share that you are praying for me and the other leaders of our church. That means the world to me. It is an act of sacrificial, servant love to give of your time and attention to pray for us. Thank you!

For those of you who are in leadership roles, you have the opportunity to love those who are under your guidance. You can be perceptive to their needs, seek to communicate well and in advance, patiently resolve their questions and concerns, and model selfless service.

If you spend any length of time in a local church, you’re likely to run into situations of conflict or disagreement. This is another opportunity to love one another! We heard about this two weeks ago, but here it is again:

Ephesians 4:1–2 (ESV)

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Bearing with one another is done in love. Because we are abiding in God’s love, we are able to love one another which keeps us from responding in spite or sarcasm or cutting off the relationship with those who offend or annoy us. Can you see how radically different Christian relationships ought to be? Our love, informed by God’s love, leads to radically different responses in relationships that preserve unity, promote humility, and proclaim the Gospel.  (Slide)

This kind of sacrificial, servant love extends beyond Christian fellowship…

  • In the world

As you heard earlier in Galatians 5:13, the Law is summed up in love for your neighbor. Well, your neighbor is not only your fellow Christian, but it also includes everyone else who shares this earth with you. So, as we abide in the love of God, it should overflow in our relationships with those who do not yet know Jesus as Lord.

The disciples were a great example of this. They gave their lives to taking the gospel to the nations. Many of them endured great suffering or even lost their lives in the process of sharing the gospel. Throughout the ages, Christians have been martyred as they have sought to love the world with the gospel.

As Christians, all that we do in our interactions with the world ought to be driven by love. Whether it is meeting physical or spiritual needs, we are driven by the love of God that we have experienced and desire to share with others.

Our love for fellow image-bearers of God leads us to raise supplies for The Grimes Storehouse at High Five Camp or to provide food for the Backpack Buddies program at South Prairie Elementary school. I am certain that the foster and adoptive families in our church are driven by love and a desire to sacrificially serve others. Love for others drives the folks that go out on Witness on Weds to share the Gospel with our community.

How do YOU sacrificially show love to those who are in the world? That is something worth meditating on this week. Perhaps you’ll have some opportunities in your neighborhood or workplace or with people you meet.

Let’s shift gears to another fruit of abiding in God’s love. We’ve spent a lot of time considering sacrificial, servant love, but what about…

  • Loving one another as brother/sister

Paul, in his letter to the church at Rome, says:

Romans 12:10 (ESV)

10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Paul speaks of loving one another as family! When you are saved by Christ, you are saved into his family, the church. Do you view the church this way?

Paul is challenging Christians to love one another like they would love their own blood relatives. That may not communicate well to everyone here, perhaps you come from a broken family, or you just grew up in our individualistic Western culture that devalues family… But in Paul’s day and context, family cared for one another. There was a deep commitment to one another’s well-being. Are you deeply committed to the church? Do you think of these people as your brothers and sisters whom you are to be concerned about and committed to?

What a privilege it is to learn to love one another. To take time to build relationships so that we know one another and can pray for one another and bear one another’s burdens in love. That takes intentional effort. It requires a sacrifice of time. It means we must be willing to live life together and invite one another in. What did that look like in your household this summer? What will it look like as we transition into fall? How might you take time to build relationships so that you can love others well?

Paul goes on to say to the Romans:

Romans 13:8 (ESV)

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

This teaching comes in the context of paying your debts. However, there is one debt that you will never be able to repay, the debt of loving each other. It is the debt that you are constantly pouring into but never pay off. That’s how we are to look at this call in the Christian life. But not in the sense that it is a burden, but a delight! Remember, Christ taught the disciples about abiding in love so that his joy may be in them and their joy would be full. When we abide in the love of God and walk in obedience to his call to love others, it is not a drudgery but a delight. It is a lot of fun to be able to see your acts of love bless others. The sweetest moments of my life and ministry are when I get to taste and see how God has used me to bless someone else. I know that will be true for you too.

I hope you are being challenged by this series to be deeply committed to the church, as this is God’s plan for Christians. At Harvest, our understanding of God’s Word is that deep commitment implies joining the church via formal membership. I had the opportunity to teach our membership class yesterday, so this is fresh on my mind.

I have found being a member of a church to be helpful for my spiritual growth and development.  It puts me under the care and authority of the pastors and allows me to be held accountable.  It is the context in which I can live out the one another commands we have been learning about!

I want to share some thoughts about church membership based on my study of Scripture:

Biblical understanding of membership:

  • A method of determining who is part of the body and who is not
    • 1 Cor. 5:4-5 (you can’t exclude someone if there isn’t a way to determine who is included)
    • 1 Tim. 5:11 (the church keeps a list of widows which implies they have an official roll)
  • Being a Christian means being joined to the church (universal) and a church (local)
    • This is how God is accomplishing his plan
    • Heb. 10:24-25; Eph. 3:10-11
  • Being a member is a commitment from the member that he/she will submit to the church’s leadership and a commitment from the church’s leadership that they will shepherd and pastor that believer (they share responsibility for one another) (Heb. 13:17)

 

Benefits of biblical church membership: It will make the witness of our churches clearer, it will make it harder for weaker sheep to stray from the fold while still calling themselves sheep, it will help shape and focus the discipleship of more mature Christians, and it will help church leaders know exactly for whom they are responsible.  In all of this, God will be glorified.

If you are not a member of this church or another biblical local church, I’d like to ask you to consider that part of your growth work from this sermon – pursue membership. I sincerely believe you are hindering your ability to carry out God’s plan for your life, including obeying these one another command, and you are out of step with the teachings of the New Testament. I’d be happy to discuss this further if you have questions or concerns.

A final fruit of abiding in God’s love is found in the letter to the Thessalonians and it is…

  • Growing in how well and how much we love

We find this in Paul’s prayer for this church, when he says:

1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 (ESV)

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

When Christians are abiding in the love of God, they will grow in their love for one another and for all. It is the picture of overflowing, bountiful love! This growth in love is part of our maturing process as Christians. It is also the path to blamelessness in holiness before God when Jesus returns! That’s a pretty big deal!

I’m thankful for this teaching as it honestly acknowledges that we are not there yet. The Christians in Thessalonica were not perfect in their love for one another. In fact, what follows these verses is Paul calling them to put off sexual immorality and lust, as these are sinful and degrade relationships. These are the opposite of love.

All of us have room to grow in our love for one another and for all. It doesn’t require a lot of humility to admit that. I have room to grow. You have room to grow. So, let’s be excited to grow together! We have the tremendous privilege of being a part of this local church and this community in Iowa and what a blessing it will be in the days/weeks/months ahead to learn how to love one another better. I pray that will be your outlook as well. Can you imagine the bountiful harvest of fruit that God will bring about as we abide in him and commit to loving one another? I can’t wait to taste and see it!

Let’s pray.

Prayer

God, increase our love for one another. Make it abound in us. Establish our hearts blameless in holiness before you through our love. Thank you for those who are bearing the fruit of love in our church. May we all grow in it.

Lord, I pray for those who do not yet know you as Savior & Lord. That they would see and hear how beautiful your plan is for your people and desire to be a part of it. Please open their eyes to see and convict their hearts to believe. May today be the day of salvation for them.