The Father’s Love, the Son’s Love and Our Love

Sermon on John 15:9-17
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Our Hope Lutheran Church
9 May 2021

Text: “I loved you the same way the Father has loved me. Stay in my love. When you guard my commandments, you will stay in my love, just as I have guarded my Father’s commandments and stay in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. My commandment is that you love one another the same way that I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends when you do what I command you. 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.” (my translation)

Intro: Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Grace, Mercy and Peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who by his death has destroyed death and by his rising opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

Today we thank God for our mothers, who bore us, gave birth to us and who raised us. We thank God also for aunts, sisters, and grandmothers, babysitters, teachers, and teachers of the faith. They chose to love us and care for us and gave their lives for us so that we might live. They reflect the love that God has for us in very real ways.

1.  The love of the Father and the Son is the source of Christ’s love for us.
   1. The Father loves the Son and declares that he is the beloved Son.
   1. He sends his Son into the world to redeem us.
   1. Because the Father love the Son, the Son loves us and lays down his life for us.
2. Stay in God’s love.
   1. Like a mother’s love, God’s love for us even before we were born.
   1. It is an unconditional love; God loves us no matter what we do or what happens.
   1.  Because God loves us, we have nothing to fear.
3. We often love ourselves more than we love others.
   1. We look out for ourselves first.
   1. We offer our love with strings attached.
   1. We wonder if will take advantage of us if we love them.
   1. We can only truly love when we stay in God’s love.
4. Jesus’ love is the greatest of all; He laid down His live for His friends.
   1.  We were doomed to die eternally for our sins.
   1.  Jesus died in our place, breaking its power over us.
   1. Because He loves us, we are free to love others.
   1. On the last day, His love will change everything forever.

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