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"Remain in my love"

“ Remain in my love”

The phrase I want to consider is Christ's command to remain in his love;

It is written by John the author of our fourth Gospel.

Originally a Galilean fisherman along with his brother James, he is called by Jesus to follow him. With Peter he forms the inner circle of Jesus' friends.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit John begins his Gospel not with a narrative of Christ's birth, but with “The Prologue” showing Jesus' pre-existence from eternity and his co-equality with the Father. At His birth, the eternal Word of God takes human flesh and enters time and history. In Revelation, inspired by the Holy Spirit, John shows us eternity future.

John reveals the reason for his writing his Gospel:  " that  you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that by believing have life in his name”. (Jn 20:30).

Our Bible reading today from John 15 comes within the Upper Room discourses that John records in Chapters 13-17, within a short time framework from the Last Supper to Jesus leaving for the Garden of Gethsemane.

" Meno " in John's writing

It is often good to trace the use of one word through the Bible, and particularly how one author uses it.

More than half the occasions this word is used in the New Testament are found in John's writing- his Gospel and his letters or Epistles;

At least eight different English words are used to translate the same Greek word , depending on its context and meaning:

Remain, stay, dwell, endure, hold to, belong, to leave, live-

To stay in a place:

When Jesus stayed in Capernaum, or in Galilee. 2:12 & 7:9

Jesus staying in the same place a further two days when he heard news of Lazarus' illness 11:6

Permanency -

of the Holy Spirit remaining on Christ from his Baptism Jn 1

and of a son belonging to the family forever, unlike a slave 8:35

Punishment

God's wrath is said to remain on those who reject believing in His Son

Trinity as Community of love

When we come to our passage in John 15, we find that our remaining in Christ follows the example of Christ's relationship with the Father.

In the Trinity, which we remembered a couple of weeks ago on Trinity Sunday, we have a one God revealed in three persons- father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This is essentially a community of love and is different from many other major religions. From eternity ie forever there has been this fellowship of love within the Godhead.

Together they are seen to be involved in creating the world, in sending Christ, and at his baptism.

Jesus says of himself that he remains in the Father's love;

By doing this Christ's words and works and will become inseparable from that of the Father. The words he speaks are those given to him by the Father; the works he does are the works of the father; the will he obeys- even at the cost of his own live- is the will of the Father.

All that he does, including obeying God's commandments, is to bring glory to the Father and results in this continuing to remain in his Father's love- this unbroken fellowship.

Rublev's Icon- picture

Christ calls us into a community of love

Christ calls us to the same kind of relationship with him as he enjoys with his Father- that of remaining in his love.

This will be evidenced by bearing fruit that will last, in the same way that the branches joined to the vine will bear fruit that remains/ abides- same word..

..the fruit of Christian character as in the fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

But also the fruit of adding others to the family of God.

Another evidence of remaining in Christ's love will be answered prayer:

As our relationship with Christ deepens, as we increasingly remain in his love, so our prayers will become more in line with his will, and we will find them to be answered more often. It isn't that every desire we have will be granted, every illness cured as we would wish, but we will find ourselves praying “Your will be done, your kingdom come..” (Lord's Prayer) and “Not my will but yours be done” (as Christ prayed in Gethsemane).

A place to rest at journey's end

In John 14, the lovely passage beginning “Do not let your hearts be troubled...” the word translated from the Greek for remain, is used not as a verb but as a noun: there are many “resting places...” (not so much the mansions of earlier translations) but more like a resting place along a journey- like our old Coaching Inns; People would have travelled hour upon hour in uncomfortable conditions; hungry and thirsty, tired and wanting to refresh themselves...

This is what Jesus is describing: a resting place at the end of a journey.

Just as the Father has loved me... so have I loved you

This love that Christ has for us his disciples, those who believe in Him, is the same love that he has known for all eternity from the Father. And he calls us to remain in that love.

It is seen in the mutual indwelling of Father and Son, and Christ and disciple in the High Priestly prayer of John 17;

Read John 17:20-26

“ that all of them may be one Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you..

I in them and you in me

As we later take communion, we take the bread and wine remembering that we are partakers of his body and blood, accepting that his death and resurrection are effectual in our own lives. Attached to the vine that is Christ, his life flows through ours to the world around.

John's Epistle- evidence of remaining in Christ's love

In the increasing opposition to the Church and its beliefs, John in his epistle shows what a Christian who abides in Christ's love will look like:

The Word of God- the scripture/ our Bible- is to remain in us; 1 John 2:14

in order for this to happen we must read it, ourselves, listen to it preached, go to a Bible Study or housegroup; perhaps read Christian magazines or books- even second-hand ones like they sell at Carisbrooke Prioy- and if you don't get on with one, take it back and buy another.

Also support for Castlebooks who have been struggling in the recent economic difficulties.

Do not continue to sin

No-one who lives/ remains in him continues to sin 1 Jn 3:6

..he or she cannot go on sinning because he has been born of God. 1Jn 3:9

As we remain in Christ's love, sins that perhaps we weren't conscious of or chose to ignore will become more apparent and we will want to get rid of them.

If you see a ray of sunlight coming through a window, you will notice all the particles of dust hanging in the air: so with remaining in Christ's love- there will be a revealing

of what should not be there.

Obedience to His commands

This will result because our will is becoming more tuned to his, as His will always conformed to the Father's – even where there was a human battle- at the immensity of

the cost, Christ could ultimately pray, “not my will but yours be done”.

This willingness to obey is borne of love, as sons, not the fear of slaves.

It is not an obedience “in order” to gain merit, not a salvation of works, but the practical outflow of being in this loving relationship.

“ Love one another”

One of the distinguishing marks of a Christian, something that should set us apart, and by which the world will know that we are Christ's disciples, is that we have love one for another.

This should be the hallmark. If any of you watch antiques programmes , you will know that precious metals like Gold and silver have a hallmark from the Assay Office- whether Sheffield, Birmingham or London- it will be hallmarked.

People should see that we are the genuine article, that we have love for one another. It is a reflection of the love that flows within the Trinity, of the love that flows from Christ to us, and that must flow between us God's children.

Holy Spirit

Those who are in Christ have an anointing of the Holy Spirit, which by our obedience to Christ's commands, by our love for one another, will result in that continuing evidence and power of the Spirit in our lives.

Our failure to do this probably causes God more grief than anything else; Our divisions, our falling outs, when what the world longs to see is this Christian counter-culture of love which Christ demonstrated in humble service- washing his disciples' feet, and commanded us to do likewise.

Special concern for those who have less

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in (remain) in him? 1 Jn 3:17

As Mother's Union members you have the opportunity to help those less-advantaged at home and abroad;

At local, Diocesan, National and international level this practical loving concern for others- the children, families and staff of the Primary Schools; the concern for Grandmothers in Africa raising children orphaned by Aids; These are ways in which the love of Christ, in which we are called to remain flows out from others.

In Israel there are two different types of sea; The Dead sea into which water flows, but because it has no exit, becomes stagnant and can no longer support life; the Sea of Galilee- a freshwater sea which has water flowing in and out, fresh and life-sustaining.

Conclusion

Hendrickson says this love in which we remain, echoing the love of Father, Son and Spirit:

“ ..it precedes our love...(goes before it

accompanies our love... goes with it

follows our love.. goes after

and creates more love in a continuous cycle..”

Be still and know that I am God

Coming to the great “I am”

I still myself in your presence,

As I speak the word of invitation,

“Maranatha-, Come Lord”.

Straightening my back,

Dropping weary shoulders

And stretching my neck heavenward,

I wait for the assurance

Of the one who is already there,

Deep within.

With no need to perform or prove myself

To one who has loved me from before time,

Creating me in His own image

Forming me so expressly in my mother's womb,

Calling me to be His servant.

No need to be witty or wise

Engaging or enchanting,

Or tell you of my recent achievements

By which I may gain merit in the mind of God.

Nor of future plans to impress you

With my commitment to you and your purposes.

I take that deep relaxing breath in the knowledge

That nothing I could ever think or do or speak,

Could ever cause you to love me more than you do right now.

So I enter your renewing rest

Of body, mind and spirit,

Finding wholeness

Without fear

Being me.

Anne Linington

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