[2026. 8. 9.] Remain in My Love (John 15:9–17)

[2026. 8. 9.] Remain in My Love (John 15:9–17) 

Sermon by Rev. Jinkook (Danny) Sohn (Hope of Heaven Baptist Chuch) 

 

2026. 8. 9. 주일예배 설교- 요한복음 강해 43
본문: 요한복음 15:9–17
제목: 나의 사랑 안에 거하라

설교자: 손진국 목사 (하늘소망교회)

 

On the night before Jesus carried the cross, He taught His disciples one final and important message. John 15 is well known for the parable of the vine and the branches. Jesus said He is the true vine, and the disciples are the branches.

Then in verse 9, Jesus connects the parable of the vine to a relationship of love.

[Verse 9] As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love.

Here Jesus does not simply say, “Receive My love.” He says, “Remain in My love.”

What does it mean to “remain”? It does not mean to stay temporarily, but to continue dwelling and living there. What is the true form of faith Jesus desires? Jesus does not want a momentary emotional faith; He wants a faith that continually lives within the love of Christ.

Today’s passage teaches three specific characteristics of a life that remains in Jesus’ love.

 

1. Those who remain in Jesus’ love obey His words.

[Verse 10] 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.

In this verse we see that Jesus never separates love from obedience.

We often think of love as an emotion. “Jesus, I love You.” “God, I love You.” But Jesus says that love must be shown through the action of obedience.

Just as Jesus loved the Father and therefore obeyed the Father’s will, we too must obey Jesus’ words if we truly love Him.

Here is something important we must not misunderstand: thinking that obedience earns love. In other words, obeying in order to be loved.

If children obey their parents out of fear that their parents might stop loving them or become angry, how would the parents feel? They would feel sorrow and pain.

When we obey God’s Word, God is pleased and receives our obedience. But we do not obey in order to be loved. We obey because we have already been loved.

Jesus loved us first. [1 John 4:19] We love because He first loved us.

Therefore, Christian obedience is not a condition for being loved; it is the response of someone who has already been loved.

In our Christian life we may say, “Lord, I love You.” But Jesus asks us, “Then are you obeying My words?” Why does He ask? Because true love is revealed through obedience.

Reading the Word and living the Word are different. Reading the command to forgive is different from actually forgiving. Knowing the command to love is different from showing love to someone difficult or unpleasant. Knowing the command to be honest is different from living honestly even when it costs us. Knowing the Word is important, but living the Word is even more important.

[Application] What is the Word I have not yet obeyed, even while confessing that I love Jesus? What is one thing I must put into action this week instead of merely knowing it?

 

2. Those who remain in Jesus’ love experience joy.

[Verse 11] I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Why does Jesus tell us to remain in His love? To trap us? To make us slaves of love? No. It is to give us joy.

When Jesus spoke these words, He was facing the cross. Within hours He would be arrested, mocked, beaten, and finally crucified. Humanly speaking, unbearable suffering awaited Him.

Yet in that moment Jesus speaks to His disciples about joy. Why?

Because true joy does not come from circumstances but from relationship with God. The joy the world gives changes with conditions. If we have money, we feel joy. If we are healthy, we feel joy. If people recognize us, we feel joy. If our plans succeed, we feel joy. But when those conditions disappear, worldly joy disappears.

But the joy Jesus gives is different. It does not disappear even when circumstances change. Why? Because the source of true joy is Jesus Himself.

Joni Eareckson Tada became paralyzed from the neck down at age 17 after a diving accident. She spent her life in a wheelchair and depended on others for many daily needs. But in her suffering she met God and devoted her life to ministry among people with disabilities. In her autobiography Joni, she describes how she moved from resentment toward God to discovering new joy and purpose in Him. Her life teaches this truth:

“Joy is not the absence of suffering, but knowing that God is with you in the midst of suffering.”

To delight in God is the center of the Christian life. Pastor John Piper said: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

Remaining in Jesus’ love does not mean a life without problems. Even with sickness, financial difficulty, lack of recognition, or delayed answers to prayer, we can still rejoice because of Jesus.

[Application] What influences my joy the most right now? Jesus, or circumstances and people? If I have recently lost spiritual joy, what must I do today to restore it?

 

3. Those who remain in Jesus’ love serve others with love.

[Verse 12] My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Jesus again speaks of love, but this time He clearly gives the standard.

What is the standard of love? “As I have loved you.” Our standard for loving others is not their behavior. “If they treat me well, I will treat them well.” “If they respect me, I will respect them.” This is the world’s way.

Jesus’ way is different: “As I have loved you.”

Jesus did not love the disciples because they were perfect. Peter would soon deny Him three times. Thomas would doubt Him. The disciples argued about who was greatest and would run away when Jesus was arrested. Yet Jesus loved them. And finally He gave Himself for them on the cross.

[Verse 13] Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Jesus’ love is sacrificial love—He laid down His life for us who had no qualifications.

What does Jesus desire from us who have received such love? That we pass His love on to others.

True love is shown not in words but in sacrifice. Saying “I love you” is easy. But giving time because of love is hard. Forgiving because of love is hard. Accepting loss because of love is even harder. But Jesus showed us exactly this kind of love.

I know several retired missionaries. Missionaries Bong Yoojong and Byun Hwayoung, senior missionaries of our denomination, served in Vanuatu. Our church adopted an unreached tribe for seven years, and even at over 65 years old, they walked 4–5 hours through mountain paths in 30-degree heat—sometimes twice in one day—to serve them. Their dedication always challenged me.

Missionaries Kim Inkwon and Nam Jungseok served people with disabilities in Tonga. At first, families hid their disabled children. But the missionaries visited homes, brought essential supplies like diapers, and prayed sincerely for the children. Through their unconditional love and service, hearts opened, and eventually a church was planted as people experienced the love of the Lord at the disability center.

Their common trait was this: they did not stop at saying, “Jesus loves you.” They entered people’s lives and served with their time, resources, and bodies. Jesus’ love enters into people’s lives.

C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity, warned against understanding love only as emotion. He wrote: “Christian love is not waiting until you feel love; it is choosing to love and acting in love.”

Yes. Jesus did not merely say He loved us; He became human and came to this earth and carried the cross. And He tells us: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

[Application] Who is the person near me to whom I must express love first? Who is the person I must forgive or serve—even though it is difficult—because of Jesus’ love?

 

Beloved saints, Jesus did not give us a complicated command today. He said, “Remain in My love.” Those who remain in His love obey His Word, experience joy, and serve with love.

And all of this is possible not by our strength but because Jesus loved us first.

[Verse 16] You did not choose Me, but I chose you…

We did not choose Jesus first; Jesus chose us first. The same is true of love—we did not love Jesus first; Jesus loved us first.

He speaks to each of us today: “Remain in My love.” May this word guide our entire Christian life. I bless you in the name of the Lord.

 

 

하늘소망교회(담임 손진국 목사)는 뉴질랜드 오클랜드 북부 실버데일에 세워진 한인교회로 '하나님의 마음으로 사람을 살리는 교회'입니다.

Hope of Heaven Baptist Church (Senior Pastor: Rev. Jinkook Sohn) is a Korean church established in Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a church that saves people with the heart of God.