AS THE FATHER LOVED ME

John 15:9-11
9 Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love. 11 I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full. (WEB)

In His departing address to His disciples, Jesus told His dear friends that He loved them exactly the way that His Father loved Him. Can you imagine what that must have felt like for this ragtag group of fishermen and tax collectors? Jesus loved them with the very love that He received from His Father.

And then Jesus goes on to tell His disciples that He was giving them a brand new commandment. John 13:34... A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. (WEB)

Essentially Jesus was telling them to pass on His love to everyone they met. Since the love that He loved them with originated with His Father, the New Covenant Commandment is basically to love one another with the Father's love.

Think about this for a minute. How does Father God love Jesus? He would love His perfect Son with ALL His heart. Jesus would be the apple of His Father's eye and there would be nothing that He would withhold from Him. I don't think that we can fully comprehend the intensity of the love between Father and Son, yet it is this same love that Jesus loved His disciples with... As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.

My prayer today is that we would know in greater measure the vastness of the love that God has for us! He loves us just like He loves Jesus! The more that we can believe that this is indeed the foundation of the gospel message, the more that it will transform every part of life. The more that we learn to remain in the love of God, the more that we will be filled to the full measure of the fullness of God and be a vessel in which the very same love can flow out of us to those who we meet!

John 17:23
I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. (WEB)