We continue this Sunday in John’s gospel with what has been called the “farewell discourse” of Jesus with His disciples in the Upper Room.  I contend that all of these “red words” from John 14-17 were spoken by Jesus BEFORE they left the room headed to Gethsemane (John 18:1).

Some commentators use John 14:31 as their evidence that the remaining eleven men departed the room, following Jesus as He walked while He spoke the words recorded in John 15, 16 and 17.  Those same people then read into the story particular “possible” locations where Jesus would have spoken the words recorded in each verse along the way up the Mount of Olives and into the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Truthfully, nobody knows the timing of that route for certain.  What we DO know is that they were WITH Jesus and they were listening to Him and taking in every word He was saying to them.  At some point in the conversation, they followed Him all the way to the garden.  What we also know is that these words were important to Jesus and valuable lessons for each of His followers.  While Jesus prayed, they took naps after their Passover Meal until Judas arrived.

In chapter 14, Jesus offered them comfort, confirmed their heavenly dwelling reservations, assured them of His direct connection with the Father, promised the coming of the Holy Spirit and guaranteed them perfect peace found only in their relationship with Him.

In the initial verses of chapter 15, He uses vineyard imagery to teach them how to “abide” in Him.  They are admonished to be fruit bearers.  The potential results include:  fruit, more fruit, much fruit or sadly, NO fruit.  If they abide (remain, stay, live, dwell, endure, continue) in Him, fruit will be the result.  Without connection to the True Vine Himself, there will be no fruit production whatsoever.  True disciples of Jesus will exhibit fruit to a watching world. 

Jesus points out characteristics that give evidence of their alignment with Him and His plans for their future ministry.  Beginning with verse 9, He moves from “fruit or consequences” to a treatise on love.  Lion King, the movie, portrays the circle of life.  Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, focuses on expanding the circle of love. 

To love is a command, not a suggestion.  Love originates with God for God IS love.  We love because He first loved us.  The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit eternally exist in a union of love.  Love sent Jesus to earth to give His life for us.  The Holy Spirit reminds us every day that we are loved and we are to love others.  God’s love for us a completed fact, never to be altered.  His command for us to love others is to be an ongoing act that just keeps on giving! 

We show love when we keep His commands.  Our obedience to God is a litmus test of our love for God.  We show love when we bear fruit.  We show love when we become “flow-through” conduits of His love to others.  Love is not a feeling.  Love is a status of the heart. 

Jesus closed His prayer in John 17 by declaring His desire that the love of God and their relationship might be made clear in the lives of His followers.  Jesus wanted them and us to know He came from God because of love.  We can personally participate in this love. 

Greater love has no man than this:  that a man lays down his life for his friends.  The cross would be raised on Golgotha in less than 24 hours.  At this moment, the men who would arrest Jesus were surely picking up weapons and lighting torches.  He certainly felt the urgency inherent in these final hours.  His desire was to anchor these men in God’s love and in the plans He had for them after His departure.  He cemented their bond by calling them friends rather than slaves.  He had shown them how to be servants by washing their feet.  Slaves serve because they have to.  Servants serve because they want to!