I used to think that Jesus loved John more than other disciples.
The truth is the phrase “the disciple whom Jesus loves” only appears in the book of John.
John refers to himself as the disciples whom Jesus loves and the phrase appears 5 times
- John 13:21-23
21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
First appearance of the phrase is with the action of leaning on Jesus’ bosom at the last supper. Bosom is a picture of affection and love.
Leaning on Jesus’ bosom is an expression that John was confident and trust on Jesus’ love for him rather than the other way around (not his own love for the Lord).
Contrast with Simon Peter who boasted in his love for the Lord. Simon Peter is a metaphor of Christians who trust in their love for the Lord. Peter boasted that he would not betray Jesus but ended up denying Jesus three times.
There is sense of distance to the Lord for those who trust in their love for the Lord, like Peter asked John to ask Jesus who He meant that would betray Him.
Truth 1 : It is the secret of Divine Intimacy.
Only John among the disciples that knew who would betray Jesus
Knowing that the Lord loves you is the secret of Divine Intimacy
Practice of His love for you and think of yourself as the disciple whom Jesus’ love. Build your faith that I am dearly loved by the Lord.
Every time you depend on God’s love for you, you are enter into the secret of God’s heart.
God engraved your name in His heart
2. John 19:25-27
25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
Second appearance was at the Cross, when Christ was hanging, there were no other disciple except John.
Every time believer is conscious that the Lord loves Him, he practices the love of the Lord for Him, he abides in the sense of being loved and God’s beloved, and he’ll be fit for the master’s use
Joh was positioned to be spiritually employed by Jesus to take care of His earthly mother. What joy to the Lord’s heart!
The secret to be at the right place at the right time is to be conscious of the Lord’s love for you. John was able to refresh the Lord’s heart at critical moment
Every time the phrase appear, John was conscious of God’s love for Him and at that moment also, it was the time that John express His love for the Lord the most
The bible says we love because He first love us
Under the law, you shall love the Lord with all your heart with all your might. Who could perform that? only Jesus. Now, watch me that God loves you with all His heart , His mind and might and gave His beloved Son.
Law condemns the best of us and grace saves the worst of us
The moment you find the secret of John, you passionate to love the Lord and you will experience great untold blessings especially answered prayer.
Every time you go to God in prayer, have a sense that you are the disciple whom Jesus loves, that you are the object of His care and devotion
We loved God and loves one another because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)
the trust is the revelation of God’s love for us and not on our love for Him. We pray to continue discover how much God loves us
3. John 20: 2-4
2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.
The setting was in day of the Lord’s resurrection at the tomb.
Peter ran first but John took over. Every time you believe that God loves you, you make spiritual progress
you end up the head and not the tail. Have a concious that you are God’s beloved and have your prayer being answered
It is not that the Lord loves someone lesser that the other
The sun shines for everyone. Practicing God’s love is putting the magnifying glass right over the love of God on you and magnifying the love. Have a consciousness that I am the only person that live, the object of care, attention and love
Ephesians 3:14-20
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
To know the love of Christ (not the love for Christ) that passes all knowledge
He wants you to feel special with Him
4. John 21:3-7
3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and [a]immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.
The fourth appearance was at the shore of the sea of Galilee. It is the
secret of divine revelation, of quick spiritual perception. It was John who quick to perceive and recognize Jesus. You’ll be quick to receive divine revelation, sharp in spiritual perception and in sync with Heaven and with Holy Spirit. You will be quick in spiritual perception
It is different between knowledge vs revelation
5. The fifth occurrence was during breakfast at the same location
We can not rely on our ability to love God. It is not about us, but His goodness and faithfulness to us
Jesus asked Peter questions at the same setting as Peter denied Him, to restore Peter’s heart
Jesus asked “Do you agape me? Lord, I phileo you. I dont love you enough to die for you.” The Lord restores Peter by trusting him. it is the Lord’s love that carry Peter
After peter’s great denial, Jesus still loves Him. Put your trust in Gods love like John
verse 19 Peter had to be told to follow the Lord
verse 20 John had already been following Jesus
Truth 5 : when you feed on God’s love, you will follow the Lord unconsciously and live by divine leading,
Know that God loves you and be conscious of that love, feed on that love, dream and be filled with His love until you are so consciousness of His love for you
Five results of becoming a disciple whom Jesus loves
- intimacy
- fit for master’s use
- making spiritual progress
- quick spiritual perception
- following the Lord
Our love to the Lord is always fluctuate but His love for us is everlasting. It makes you constant, stable and solid Christians