1.
SUCH is the description of the love of Jesus to His own. And these are described as “His own which were in the world”! A most gracious location of them truly, for we are not in the glory, but are in the world, subject to its influences and temptations, and we are often cast down and ashamed by reason of our ways. Still, we are “His own,” because we are His treasure, His purchase; and being such, we are the object of His love, which shall never cease and never fail, and which will be only fully realized at the end―that is, when life is past, and when we are in the Father’s house with the Lord. Unto the end! What comfort, what assurance do these words give.
2.
And why? Because of any superior goodness in us? No; “because ye have loved Me” (Jesus), “and have believed that I came out from God.” And this does every true Christian. He loves the Lord his Saviour; he believes that his Lord and Saviour came out from God into this world. It is not necessary, our Lord says, that He should pray the Father for us (ver. 26), for the Father’s face and heart are toward us. Never let us let slip the gracious reality of His love. No; here we will encourage our hearts. Let us repeat these gracious words, “The Father Himself loveth you,” again and again, till our whole being is filled with their joy.
3.
“He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God.”
Here is a home, a dwelling-place indeed: even love―the love of God. It is a dwelling for human habitation, but reared by divine hands. Dwelling in this home, we love, for we are filled with God’s love. Too often we have tried to erect a sanctuary out of our love to God; but it is God’s love which is our home. There is no flaw in this building; it is from foundation to topstone absolutely perfect and worthy of its author. Enter in. Its heights, lengths, breadths, are all for you. Look around! Let your mind stretch right on into eternity. In this building there is no decay. Here is everlasting joy.
4.
“The love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.”
The apostle prays that we may know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. How can this be? In one sense this love is unknowable, for it is infinite, and the finite cannot contain the infinite; and how we rejoice that this is the case, for our Lord Christ is divine. But we can dip our little cup into the ocean, and it shall be full, or, as the selfsame text leads us, we may be filled with the fulness. A cup cannot contain the ocean, but a cup can be filled and dipped into the ocean. Let this be our grand position, and we shall praise His Name continually.