“One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side.” John 13:23
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” John 15:9
Good morning, brothers. Are you a disciple Jesus loves? Not just in your theology? In your heart and mindset? In your DNA?
I’m not talking about the love of your helicopter mom telling you you’re perfect and can do no wrong. You’re amazing. Not the fragile love of a dad who ignored you when you failed, who didn’t show up, who kept score. That love was conditional. It demanded performance.
This is not the love of God.
Do you know this love as you walk through your workday? Do you experience it when you’re sitting in your devo? When you’re worshipping in church with God’s people? When you come to your senses after a binge with a secret idol? When you see Jesus staring at you after you’ve denied him three times? When you find yourself repenting for the same old sin again?
Do you know you are the one he loves?
The Apostle John knew it. He was loved before he was chosen for apostolic service. He was loved before he wrote twenty percent of the New Testament. He was loved when he abandoned Jesus at his arrest. He knew it so deeply he gave himself the title: the disciple whom Jesus loved. There is nothing greater than to know that disciple is you.
This is the one-way love of Christ that surpasses knowledge (Eph 3:19). His mercy. His grace. His never-ending patience.
All of us fight with enemies that stand in the way.
The three enemies have not changed. The world. The flesh. The devil. There are no new tricks.
The world lies to us. It tells us love must be earned, that nothing is free. Our flesh operates with a broken chip and believes the lies of both the world and the enemy. We are undisciplined and distracted. We fail to commit. We fail to stand in our new nature and marinate on God’s truth. The devil plants seeds of doubt. He distorts truth. He condemns us when we sin. He shames us when we are only tempted and don’t sin. He is relentless.
We hear constantly: you are not loved.
No amount of self-improvement, rule-tightening, or behavioral change will lead us into the love of God. The love of God is a gift. It is free. It must be received. As we stand against our enemies, we begin to believe by faith that love is freely given. Love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5). We believe. We receive. We accept it.
Now we can stand in unearned love by faith no matter what the world or the devil say, no matter what our flesh has done. Jesus has done for me what I could not do for myself.
The circle is complete when we walk in the love we have received. We can finally love others as we are loved. You are a disciple Jesus loves. You are loved free from performance and striving. You can finally start learning to love him.
The Next Question
–Do you believe Jesus loves you specifically or just believers in general?
-How are you trying to earn the love that Jesus has already poured into you?
-What schemes of the enemy are keeping you from abiding in the love of God? Write them down. Share them with a brother today.
