Laying it Down

As Jesus gave private instruction to His innermost circle of eleven disciples, He was preparing them for His departure. They must be equipped to go on without Him after His ascension into heaven. They must be willing to obey His commands as they became His Church and His Body in the earth, carrying on His work through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They must understand the importance of working together as a unit, supporting one another spiritually, emotionally and even physically day-by-day, performing the “greater works” as His representatives to the world. This would require special understanding of their dependence on each other in all circumstances of life and ministry.

"At the commencement of the farewell address, Jesus enjoined on the disciples brotherly love as a source of consolation under bereavement (John 13:34); here He re-enjoins it once and again as a condition of fruitfulness." Bruce, A.B. - Training of the Twelve

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.  No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another. John 15:12-17

The Law of Christ: Love the Brethren. It is His command. How do we do this? Just as He loved us. Completely. Unconditionally. Without exception. As a matter of policy.

This is not the same kind of love as the grace mental attitude love we have for all mankind. This is special, intimate, family love. Unbelievers who think “love one another” is the gospel of Jesus Christ are mistaken. “Love one another” is commanded to those who have believed the gospel of Jesus Christ, thereby becoming His family. The Gospel message is “Jesus the Christ died to pay the penalty for all your sins. Believe this and receive eternal life.” That’s good news. Gospel.

“Love one another” is a rule of life for believers.  

The greatest demonstration of love is to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. This does not mean to die, physically, although it can include physical death. This has the sense of taking off a garment and laying it aside, as Christ did with His deity, for us. Laying down one’s life means to put others’ needs before one’s own. It is the exact opposite of “free spirit” living, in which one has no consideration for anyone else’s sensibilities or expectations, and does it “my way.” Laying down one’s life is what a mother does, to protect and provide for her young. She could theoretically be soaking up rays on a beach, sipping rum punch instead of diapering, cooking, cleaning, running errands, kissing boo-boos and cuddling the whining little ones twenty-four-seven. Laying down one's life is what husbands and wives do, putting each other's wants and needs before their own. Laying down one’s life is what the shepherd does, rather than just putting the sheep out to pasture, at the mercy of the wolves, while he eats, drinks and pursues happiness all day. It takes patience, compassion and sensitivity to the spiritual and physical needs of others. It is family responsibility. We are Royal Family of God.

Jesus came to die for our sins and be resurrected. That was His finale in the earthly mission. To get to that, He first had to leave His glorious home in the heavenlies, be born a helpless infant under the authority of limited humans; live and work in a body of flesh among smelly, ignorant people for 33 years; preach His precious truth to an obstinate, self-righteous audience who were hostile to Him; recruit and train these ordinary working men for discipleship. Then the time came for Him to face the terrible ordeal of being separated from the Father and Spirit on that cross, while being crushed under our sins. His dismissal of His spirit was His exit from the drudgery He had endured in those years of laying down His life for us. Finally, it was finished and He could return home. I marvel at the sacrifice He made by condensing and confining His eternal being into that individual human body for those years, submitting to the limits of time and space. He didn’t have to do it. It was done for love, to give us life.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

10:15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

10:17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.

10:18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

John 15:14 “You are My  friends (philos—personal, intimate, familiar friends) if  you (3^rd class condition—maybe you will) do what I command you.

"...the disciples had been pupils in the school of Jesus; the apostles would be the treasurers of Christian truth, the reporters and expositors of their Master's doctrine, the sole reliable sources of information concerning the letter and spirit of His teaching." Bruce, A.B. - Training of the Twelve 

This is a new intimacy Jesus introduced to the eleven as He approached the cross. They were no longer servants, but His friends, with whom He was sharing the mysterious doctrines of the Church, decreed by the Father. This information would become real to them after the Holy Spirit baptized and indwelt them in the very near future. They had been chosen and ordained by Him, and given these truths to remember and cherish. These were divine operating assets that would enable them to continue His work in the world—preaching, teaching and producing divine good for eternity.

In order to fulfill those responsibilities, they would have to stick to the priorities He had given them, beginning with love for one another. The brethren. Believers of the same kind. There is strength in brotherhood, and comfort and confidence. In a hostile world they and we need all of that we can get. This is not superficial “warm fuzzies,” but honest, straight-forward, no-nonsense, deliberate kindness, consideration and intercessory prayer support for the spiritual well-being of our fellow believers, in whom Christ lives.

I John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.