Reflecting on John 15:22-25“As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.” (John 15:24)
Both Jesus’s message and His method were gracious, undeserved love and mercy.
Those who knew the OT Story would have recognized this as God’s Way.
God moves in with sinners and blesses them, despite their rebellious ways.
The Jewish religious leaders studied these stories, they should have known.
They should have recognized that Jesus was doing and saying what their God did.
By hating Jesus’s message and method, they are hating Jesus and God.
They are destroying the ‘bridge’ they need to get to God.
They are rejecting the Name of God (Exodus 34:6-7, compassion, grace, patience, etc.).
By rejecting love, they are rejecting the Law, for love fulfills the Law.
This is why they remain guilty… because they remain unloving.
Jesus is humble, gracious and compassionate love.
God is humble, gracious and compassionate love.
Obedience is to choose humble, gracious and compassionate love.
Jesus followers, who have seen the full extent of God’s love, have no excuse.
If we reject the way of love, we reject the way of salvation, and remain guilty of sin.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You are not testing the theological precision and accuracy of our beliefs, You are testing the message and methods we use with others. Help us to see that we are rejecting You and God when we refuse to follow the way of humble, gracious and compassionate love.
Love means being a servant true. The gospel in one word is love. Love your neighbour. Love your brother. Love Jesus as He taught us to love. That is the only way to live for Him. Any other way leads to death and destruction. I need to live as Jesus did and in this way practice the Way.