How can we reflect God's love to others as described in John 17:26? Setting the Scene in John 17: Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer • In John 17 Jesus prays aloud shortly before His arrest, revealing His heart for His disciples and every believer who would follow. • John 17:26: “And I have made Your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love You have for Me may be in them, and I in them.” • Jesus’ goal: that the very love the Father eternally directs toward the Son would take up residence in us and overflow to the world. The Core Truth: Love Passed from Father to Son to Us • The Father’s love for the Son is perfect, unbroken, immeasurable. • Jesus literally places that same love within His people (“that the love You have for Me may be in them”). • Because Jesus indwells believers, He Himself becomes the source of that love (“and I in them”). • This is not mere sentiment. It is God’s own love—objective, active, and powerful—transferred into human hearts (Romans 5:5). Receiving the Love Jesus Describes • Salvation opens the heart to divine love (Ephesians 2:4-5). • Daily communion keeps us aware of it: – Time in the Word (Psalm 1:2) – Ongoing prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) – Yielding to the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) • As we abide, His love is “perfected” or brought to fullness in us (1 John 4:12). Practical Ways to Radiate This Love • Obey Christ’s “new commandment” (John 13:34-35): love one another as He loved us. • Show Christlike traits listed in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: – Patience when provoked – Kindness toward the overlooked – Humility instead of self-promotion – Forgiveness that “keeps no record of wrongs” • Serve sacrificially: meeting practical needs, bearing burdens (Galatians 6:2). • Speak truth seasoned with grace (Ephesians 4:15). • Pursue reconciliation quickly (Matthew 5:23-24). • Give generously, reflecting the Father who “so loved…that He gave” (John 3:16). Everyday Scenarios • In the home: Listen first, apologize quickly, celebrate each family member’s victories. • At work: Refuse gossip, honor supervisors, encourage coworkers. • In church: Welcome newcomers, volunteer in unnoticed tasks, pray for those struggling. • In the community: Tip generously, show courtesy in traffic, offer help to neighbors without expecting return. Removing Obstacles to Love • Pride: Remember the cross—Christ humbled Himself (Philippians 2:5-8). • Fear of rejection: “Perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). • Bitterness: Forgive as God forgave you in Christ (Ephesians 4:32). • Weariness: Rely on the Spirit’s enabling, not mere human effort (Galatians 5:22). Life-long Growth in Love • Love is the first fruit of the Spirit, and fruit keeps growing (Galatians 5:22). • Regular self-examination ensures love stays vibrant (2 Corinthians 13:5). • Fellowship with other believers sharpens and encourages loving action (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Through trials, God refines love, making it more like His own (James 1:2-4). The same love the Father lavishes on the Son now lives in us through Jesus. As we receive it and act on it, the world encounters a tangible picture of God’s own heart. |
    |