Forever Faithful

In John 15:12 Jesus told His disciples, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." And in verse 13 he added, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." How much did Jesus love us? He loved us enough to lay down His life for us on the cross. He was faithful to those He loved, paying the penalty of sin on our behalf so that we would not suffer eternal death, or eternal separation from God.

A faithful friend never fails to do whatever may be required to help the people he loves, just as Jesus did, even when that meant giving His very life. That is the faithfulness that has defined service men and women in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces throughout the history of this great nation. It is these faithful people that are remembered and honored all across our land today—Memorial Day.

Over the years, so many men and women have given their lives for their country and the people they love. This day, people everywhere gather together to celebrate their lives and to remember their faithfulness. But it is more than that. It is a day to celebrate the faithfulness of all who have served our country and defended our freedom. It is a day to dedicate ourselves to follow Christ in our devotion to Him and to each other in Christ-like love. "Forever Faithful!" should be the cry of every believer.

Again John 15:12 says, "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." That last phrase, "just as I have loved you" is the key. It is God who first love us. Our love for each other is a reflection of His love for us and flows from our love for God. First John 4:19 says, "We love, because He first loved us." God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. That great gift, the gift of His Son, leads us to love God in return and to put Him first in all things. So being "Forever Faithful" means being faithful to love God above all else.

In Matthew 22:37-38, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, Jesus said, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment." Before we can truly love anyone else we must first love God with our whole being (our heart, our soul, and our mind!). And if you love God with all you are, your life will show it, first by living rightly before Him, then by attending church and worshiping with fellow believers, and also by loving one another.

Look again at John 15:12-13. "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." When you are faithful to love God, you will be faithful to love your brothers in Christ. The two always go hand in hand. That is why when Jesus gave us the greatest commandment, to love God above all else, He immediately added, "The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (quoting Leviticus 19:18).

In fact, John 13:34-35 says the same thing: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Your love for one another proves your love for God. And did you catch the standard? "Even as I have loved you," or as our text in John 15:12 said, "Just as I have loved you." Like Jesus, be faithful to love one another.

Jesus died for you. So you should be willing to do anything for your brothers in Christ, even to die for them if necessary. We can't die for their sin. Jesus has already done that for us. But we can give all we have to take care of them and to protect them. And that is what many of these service men and women who are being remembered today did for us. They gave the ultimate sacrifice for our good will, for our freedom to worship, and for our freedom to gather at cemeteries all across our land today and remember. Remember, and be thankful for the love of your brothers. Follow their example. Be faithful to love God and be faithful to love one another. Amen.