We are to be light bearers. The best way for us to do that is to demonstrate God’s love for everyone to everyone.

1 A wise child brings joy to his father…11 the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life…

This past week, we did a study of 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. In it, we discovered that Christ’s love compels us to be ministers of reconciliation. In order to fulfill our role, we will be looking at this amazing love that the Father has for us that is displayed in Jesus Christ. We begin, not with John 3:16, but with John 15:9,

⁹ “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love.

We find that the heavenly Father, the King of the universe, loves His Son. We also see that the Son loves us. Does that necessarily mean that the Father loves us as the Son does? No, unless we look back in the evening’s conversation and discover this, “It is the Father, living in me, who is doing His work [loving you]” (14:10). If we read verses 9-11, we find that Jesus was telling Philip and the guys that He and the Father are one,

⁹ Jesus replied, “Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known me, Philip? The person who has seen me has seen the Father! How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, believe because of the miraculous deeds themselves.

Just in case we missed the point, let’s look at John 10:28-30,

²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand. ³⁰ The Father and I are one.”

When we say, “Jesus,” we are saying, “Father.” To say, “Father,” is to say, “Holy Spirit.” They are three in one. We tend to forget that point, especially concerning the cross–but, we will save that discussion for another time. Suffice it to say that Jesus is the Father extending His love to us. NOW, we can read John 3:16,

¹⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He [loved us so much that He] gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish [be utterly destroyed by the consequences of their actions,] but have eternal life.

Want to know the real mission of Jesus here on earth? It’s in the next verse: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” Jesus’ mission was to save the world. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Ever. Not before, not during, and not after. Jesus is the exact representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3), and we know that God is love (1 John 4:8).

If we want to know the love of the Father, we need to get to know Jesus. The Scriptures are a great place to start, but He Himself is the best place to learn about His love. Go to Him and ask Him. He will reveal the Father to us. He will give us His love.

Abba, thank You for loving me and for giving me Your love. I feel it in my heart, and I act on it every day. The assurance of Your love gives me the strength to stay on task. May I be a light/love bearer for You, O Lord. Amen.