Sermon Tone Analysis

I. Introduction

a. Scripture: John 15:12-17

And as always, I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word.

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

II.

Contextualization

a. Feast of the Passover - In the upper room with the Disciples

b.

He is there for the Last Supper with them - Just washed their feet

c.

He has just predicted His betrayal...”Lord is it I???” All confused - Identified the betrayer with dipped morsel of bread…and it was Judas… - really this was a final a warning to Judas…Jesus washed His feet, shared the Word with Him and warned Him…Judas had time to change his mind...Gives the betrayer permission:

- “what you do, do quickly”

d.

Jesus sensed that His disciples were troubled and wanted to encourage them…

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NASB95“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

Let’s them know that He is where there hope is found…and that HE is the only way.

e. Jesus is still there in the upper room…reclining and relaxing w/disciples…will spend a great deal of time there with them over the next couple of chapters, in order to teach them....this is a special time....it is their very last meal together in this life....and that’s where we left off last time....Jesus has been talking to them about the Holy Spirit and they are about to leave that place very shortly, but He has a few closing comments first....and they began last week with this particular discourse with Jesus talking about the Vine and the Branches....today we move on to our current verses for today in verses 12-17.

III.

Major Points

1. God’s Love is Our Example

2. Love is Not Optional

3. God Has Chosen YOU to Serve

IV.

Point #1: God’s Love is Our Example

Explanation

a. Jesus is still sharing with them:

vs. 12:

Jesus says to love just as HE has loved the disciples.

b.

Question?

If we are to love like Jesus loved the disciples, how did Jesus love them?

He did that in several ways....here are few:

c.

What some call: the “eleventh commandment”

1.

He was born for them....His purpose was to save them.

2.

He gave them truth…He taught them....shared the Gospel with them.

3.

He served them....even though HE is God, He put THEM first.

4.

He suffered for them....He allowed Himself to take THEIR punishment

5.

He gave His life for them....

5.

He gave His life for them....

JOhn 15:13

- There is no greater love in this whole then to lay down your life for a friend

Illustration

Complete these common American phrases:

If it sounds too good to be true...It is.

We make money the old fashioned way, we...earn it.

There’s no such thing as a free...lunch.

There is no gain without...pain.

God helps those who...help themselves.

Everything about the American way of life teaches that you get what you earn in life.

You get what you pay for.

We value work, sweat, effort, performance.

It is called the American Work Ethic.

And it’s good.

The only problem is it causes a difficulty in our relationship with God because God does not relate to us on performance.

God does not relate to us based on our effort, our work, our ethic of how much we try.

The Bible says that God relates to us and . . .

every blessing we have in our lives, comes by grace as a free gift.

You don’t earn it, you don’t deserve it, you don’t work for it.

It’s just a free gift of God.

And the Bible says that everything in your life is a gift of grace.

Application

You say, “Wait a minute.

The things I have, I worked for, I earned, I put sweat equity into it.”

You wouldn’t have the effort to work, you wouldn’t have the brains to work, you wouldn’t have the energy to work if God didn’t give it to you.

Every breath you take is a gift from God.  God doesn’t owe you your next breath of life.

You’re going to take it because it’s a gift of Gods grace.

The Bible is very clear about this, that God saves us by grace, God blesses us by grace, God teaches us by grace, God uses us by grace, God keeps us saved by grace, God takes us to heaven by grace.

Everything in my life that’s good is a gift from god.

Notice these verses: says, “Whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out such kindness and grace on me.”

It’s all because of His grace.

says, “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.”

You see God LOVES us and shows us His love even in the breaths we take....Jesus showed the disciples love in the ways we mentioned before....and

He commands us to love by His example....

How do we do that?

First, understand that it is your purpose to love God and love others....just as Jesus had a purpose to do this, it is your purpose to do that as well....”but Preacher”...

Teach your friends the truth as Jesus did to His disciples....if you have friends you don’t share the Gospel with and you know they aren’t saved, you’re no real friend....who keeps Jesus to themselves?

That’s selfish!

Serve others as Jesus did....

Put others before yourself....”humility”....Jesus suffered for the disciples....He suffered for you and me....He put us before Himself…we should do that too.

If it comes down to it....would you give your life for a friend?

That’s what Jesus did.

Friends, we are to love like Jesus’ example.

V. Point #2: Love is Not Optional

Explanation

a. Jesus states that Love is a commandment....in fact this is what we call the “Eleventh Commandment”....not a recommendation....not good advise....a commandment.

How does that change your understanding of it?

b.

You say “well Jesus is my friend” and you stand and sing what a friend we have in Jesus” but JESUS says “if you are my friend you do as I say”....and what did He just say?

Love one another....conversely, what is Jesus saying?

If you DON’T obey me....if you DON’T love one another, then you are NOT my friend....you do NOT love me....we see that theme over and over again in Scripture....obedience IS love.

c.

Here we see love as a commandment....so we must love others in order to love Jesus.

Illustration

At another church where I used to serve, there were two men who did not like each other....They had a falling out one day in the parking lot....it almost turned into a real fist fight.

There was some shoving.

Those two men would come to church after that, but wouldn’t have a word to say to one another....they would walk on separate sides of the sanctuary just to avoid speaking to one another.

These are two Christian men!

Both of them are the first ones in line to pray out loud....or offer others advice....or have something to share in Bible study.