John 15:9-10

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. [10] “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.”

Jesus continues His discourse on the vital relationship between the branch and the Vine in order that the branch may produce fruit. He has not taken up a new topic. He is teaching His disciples and by extension us how to be fruitful: love(vs9), joy (vs 11) and peace (vs 12; brothers dwelling in love)He reassures us that in the same way the Father loved Him, so He loves us.

The Father’s love for His only begotten Son is eternal, immutable, and infinite. The love that flows from the Father to the Son, flows from the Son to us. Christ admonishes us to remain in His love. Our fluctuating love for Christ is comparable to a weak tributary springing forth from a powerful river gushing forth, “we love Him because He first loved us”. If we are to focus on our love for Him, we will be miserable. The ultimate manifestation of His love is seen at Calvary.

In order to enjoy His love, we must continue in it, so that our hearts will always be filled with praise, thanksgiving, and worship.

How do we continue in His love? By keeping His commandments in the same way that Christ kept His Father’s commandments. Christ lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father’s commandments. He pleased not Himself (Rom 15: 3), His sustenance was to do the will of the Father (John 5: 30).

The external manifestation of us abiding in Christ’s love is a willing, loving, cheerful obedience to His commandments.

Satan is very subtle, but we are not ignorant of his devices. He seeks to persuade sinners that they must keep God's commandments in order to be saved. He tries to make saints believe that they must not keep God's commandment, otherwise they will be putting themselves "under law," beneath a yoke grievous to be borne. (A. W. Pink).

Brethren are we walking in willing loving obedience to His commandments? Which one of His commandments is grievous ( Matthew 22: 37-40)?