For Our Friends

For our Friends

My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (VV.12-13).

John 15:1-17

Reading

Do you know anyone who thinks they’re the best at everything? Maybe there’s someone in your class who always thinks they should get first place and the highest marks all the time—and looks down on the rest of you. In the Bible’s pages are some people who thought the complete opposite. They were willing to give up God’s promises for themselves and even be judged if it would save others. Think about Moses, who said he’d rather be removed from God’s book than see the Israelites stay unforgiven (EX. 32:32). Or Paul, who said he’d choose to be “cut off from Christ” if it meant his fellow countrymen would find Him (ROM. 9:3).

If we sometimes view ourselves as better than others, we need to remember that the Bible highlights those who love others more than themselves. Because that kind of love points to Jesus. “Greater love has no one than this,” Jesus taught, than “to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (JOHN 15:13). Even before we knew Him, Jesus loved us “to the end” (13:1)— choosing death to give us life.

Now we are invited into the family of God, to love and be loved like this (15:9-12). And as we show others Jesus’ amazing love, our friends, family and classmates will see what He is like.

Thinking it over . . .

What does it mean for you to love your friends like Jesus loves you? How can you “lay down [your] life” for them and show them the incredible love of Jesus?

JESUS HAS SHOWN US HOW TO LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries