The Family Business of Heaven

S - “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. … My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. … You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:9-10, 12, 14-17 NIV

O - According to Jesus, the followers of Jesus have only one overarching command.  It is the priority and the verifying mark for all who are actually following.  It occurs twice in the dialogue above with those closest to him; a dialogue occurring just hours before his arrest. This command is the embodiment of the business he confirmed his friends would know and engage with him.  The family business is love.  The command is love … that we would love each other.  All other Scriptures, ideas, points of focus and instructions are subservient to this one.  There is no other mark or measure given by Jesus which validates and confirms his followers and friends.  To this very point, 1 Corinthians will confirm that without love all is noise and nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).  

A - The basis and power for me/us to engage this command from Jesus is his love, God's love, heaven's love for us.  As a result of receiving this love he is asking me to admit, embrace and choose this command.  His promise is that if I'll choose it he will empower it. Amazingly, not only does heaven stand ready to enable this choice but to grant whatever else we ask upon it's embrace … "and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”

P - Dearest, Fairest and  Greatest Friend,

Thank you again for loving us first and most and for refusing to change your mind. I admit, accept and choose you and your command unto really following; being your friend and engaging the family business.  I know it will take a miracle for this to happen in me and through me … it's the beauty of working with you rather than for you … I do the following and you do the making me your friend.

I do love you back,

Steve