WELCOME TO THE JOY OF TROY
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Services
  • Ministries
    • Sabbath School
    • Adventurer and Pathfinder Clubs >
      • Club Calendar
    • Children
    • Community Service
    • Family Ministries
    • Health
    • Men
    • Women
    • Youth
  • Calendar
    • Financial Peace University
    • 2025 Family Fun Nights
    • Annual Retreat
    • Tuesdays with the Doctor
    • Discover Something Bigger
  • Sermons
  • Devotional
  • Tithes-Offerings
  • Contact Us
  • Bulletin

September 10, 2021

9/10/2021

0 Comments

 
More on True Fruit Bearing
 
        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.  These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.  This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you....This I command you, to love one another.  John 15:10-17, RSV.
 
    Certain topics Jesus just couldn't seem to stay away from in His all-important final words to His disciples as they progress toward Gethsemane and the cross.  Two of those words are "commandments" and "love."  Jesus makes it absolutely clear that if we are abiding in Him we will obey His commandments.  And He is equally adamant that anyone who abides in Him will be loving to others.
 
    In reality those two results are really one.  As we noted earlier, all of the commandments are based on the principle of love.  One of the tragedies of the Pharisees is that they too often separated the two.  And some church members do the same.  They are obedient to all of God's commands, including the Ten Commandments, but they are all too often mean toward others both inside and outside of the church.  But being connected to Jesus is more than outward obedience.  It is a loving relationship with Him that spills over daily in love to those around us, even to our enemies and those who misuse us (Matt. 5:44).
 
    Being connected to Jesus means living a life of self-sacrificing love, even to the extent, if necessary, of devoting our lives to the welfare of another.  Jesus, of course, was originally speaking of the need of His warring disciples to get their act together by stopping their jostling for supremacy and letting love for one another fill their hearts and actions.
 
    But his words are for me also.  And I need them.  My natural tendency is to love myself and use others toward that end.  But Jesus calls for a reversal of that pattern.  If I am truly abiding in Him, I will devote my life to being a blessing to others.
 
    People have developed many descriptions of what it means to be a true Christian.  But Jesus provides the best and most authoritative.  We must have His love flowing out of our hearts that we might have true joy and be called His "friend" in the truest sense of the word.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    CONNECT ON
    ​
    Facebook

    Instagram
    ​
    YouTube
    JOIN A BIBLE STUDY

    Listen to
    My Take with Pastor Miguel Crespo

    Picture

    2023 Devotional

    This year's devotional comes from the book, Jesus Wins!--Elizabeth Viera Talbot,  Pacific Press Publishing Association

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Thank you for visiting our website!  
Joy of Troy Community Seventh-day Adventist Church
600 3rd Avenue, Lansingburgh, New York 12182 | 518-273-6400
Picture