Love One another

John 15:9-14 "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it, the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. You are my friends if you obey me."

Jesus loves me the way a father loves his son, the way God loves his son Jesus. By obeying Jesus, I remain in his love. Jesus models this by being obedient to God, even to the point of dying on the cross for our sins. When Jesus was on earth, he did not fall into temptation, even though he had plenty of opportunities. However, God is perfect. I am not. Unfortunately, I have messed up and have many mistakes in which I regret. When I am obedient, Jesus promises that I will be filled with his joy. The times I have done the right thing, I do feel the joy of the Lord. In fact, when I'm really on track, my joy will overflow. On the other hand, when I don't do the right thing, I feel guilty and terrible afterwards. Maybe at the time, I'm glad. But then later, I feel bad. Jesus is challenging me to show my love to him by obeying him. In fact, he goes on to say that if I obey him, he will call me his friend.