Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Tuesday, May 25,

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.— Amen.

Memory Verse John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

John 15:9 The Abiding Life of Love!

“Just as the Father has loved Me” AGAPAO which means “love” in Aorist, Active, Indicative, Third Person, Singular. “Just as the Father has loved Me” AGAPAO which means “love” in Aorist, Active, Indicative, Third Person, Singular.

It is a mental attitude love based on the perfect, harmonious relationship Christ has with the Father.

“I have also loved you”, Jesus turns from discussing the Father’s love for Him to His love for those who are His disciples. (Relationship)

AGAPAO Aorist, Active, Indicative, First Person, Singular - Referring to all the disciples who abide in Christ and stresses the fact of occurrence, not its nature.

The love Christ has for His disciples is past, present, and continues for all time.

Principle: This love is founded on the principle of propitiation, providing positional truth and sanctification.

Yet this passage takes it a step further, where the emphasis of Christ’s love is on the “disciple” not just all believers.

It is emphasizing the love of Christ for those who are abiding in Him, those who are occupied with the person and Word of Jesus Christ.

“Abide in My love”, MENO in the Aorist, Active, Imperative, Second Person, Plural. It’s an order directly from our Lord to remain in the sphere of His love.

EN AGAPE, the Dative of Sphere. A mental attitude love, which is free from all sinfulness; minus mental attitude sins.

John 15:9, “Even as the Father has, does and will forever love Me, I also love you all; You all abide in the sphere of My love.”

This is part three of five of the evidence of an “abiding life.”

1) Answered prayer, vs. 7

1) Answered prayer, vs. 7 2) Glorification of the Father, vs 8

1) Answered prayer, vs. 7 2) Glorification of the Father, vs 8 3) Residing in the sphere of the Savior’s love, vs. 9

1) Answered prayer, vs. 7 2) Glorification of the Father, vs 8 3) Residing in the sphere of the Savior’s love, vs. 9 4) Obedience to His Word, vs. 10

1) Answered prayer, vs. 7 2) Glorification of the Father, vs 8 3) Residing in the sphere of the Savior’s love, vs. 9 4) Obedience to His Word, vs. 10 5) +H, Sharing the Happiness of God, vs. 11

The pattern is the Son’s relationship to the Father. Jesus has set the precedent for the spiritual life - “abiding love” - indicating relationship.

God’s Personal Love:

1. God's personal love emphasizes the object of divine love. God is perfect, and therefore, His personal love can only be directed toward perfect righteousness.

a. The object of God's infinite, eternal, unchangeable personal love must always be absolute perfection, (Divine Righteousness).

b. When we believe in Christ, one of the forty things He gives us is His +R, therefore the Trinity can personally love all who believe in Christ. Eph 2:4-10

God cannot personally love the unbeliever who is in a state of real spiritual death. Eph 1:5

Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, May 25, 2010 Tape # The Abiding Life of Love, Part 1 Upper Room Discourse, Part 373 John 15:9; Eph 1:5; 2:4-10 Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, May 25, 2010 Tape # The Abiding Life of Love, Part 1 Upper Room Discourse, Part 373 John 15:9; Eph 1:5; 2:4-10 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010