How many times Jesus spent talking to the Jews and felt no love returned. How many times did he have to explain who he was. One the most intimate passage in scripture when Jesus talked to his disciples about loving and abiding in his love and word is probably John 15 part post as the continual scripture Study below. Do you love Jesus. I do not care I you like me or love me. We all want to be loved and liked, but it not a requirement in regards to protecting each others rights or freedoms in our land. In Jesus day people came and listen that did not like him, in chapter 8 of John that were of Jewish faith the same doctrines that Jesus grew up under. Yet he is the Messiah the one that the Jews had hope for and they did not see him for who he was.

When Jesus talked intimately only to his disciples he explain to follow him was to abide in his word and to bear fruit. He tells his disciples his Father loves him and because of his Father's love he love them and to continue in his love. If we love Christ because His Father loved him that Father meaning God not the man that raised him growing up, but God the Father, then we are to love God too.

Jesus talks about laying his life down for a friend. Was Barabbas his friend, despite that he killed a man. Jesus talks about this to his disciples before going to the cross. This discourse is before the last supper. John 14, 15 and sixteen is the last teaching before the cross. Many might call the Jews in chapter 8 people that are not only not followers of Jesus but also not followers of God. They claim a faith they no not or follow in the footsteps of legalism of the faith, but not believers of faith. It happens in the church world not just in the Jewish the world. Actually that type of people can be applied to most religions in one since, they have the image of religiousity but not believers of any faith.

It like being a pizza addict and can tell you what on the menu but does not belong to the pizza place as employee. Knowledge of the food but not the servanthood of the pizza place. Servant not slave, one working for hire to earn pay would be a servant. You don't ask the customer to do the work of the servant, you expect the customer to only make a purchase. These people in John 8 were purchasing the information of faith to disguise themselves as being Jewish. The customer can carry the pizza to the table like a servant does but it does not make one a worker in the pizza place or at least a fake one.

Faith and love is much deeper then the customer. The servant buys the pizza and takes home left over after work. They love their job hopefully but also are reward by the boss for their labor. Now a customer might do a duty of a servant for a brief second by explaining to another customer that is asking questions about the place, but it does not make them a servant and some of their comments might not be good about a place.

The point being is the disciples of Jesus were men and women that practiced what Jesus taught and did. Now Jesus was fixing them to lay their life down for a friend for another, because of wrong doing. Peter one the disciples would hang upside down, Two other disciples would be beheaded, and several of the apostles were made mayrtrs of faith. Most of us would not die for a guilty person, much less for a innocent person. Yet put in position we might or might have no other choice.

Jesus was chosen to die for a nation not just for the sin of Barabbas. His commotion of truth and love was causing Pharisees to loose their customers, but their money. Meaning people were following Jesus, and taking the money from the temple. Soon all this craziness would reach Rome. Rome would decide Jesus' guilt or innocents, but he was never tried for a crime of ruining the Jewish faith, but for preaching the truth about God his Father. If it been for the insurrection, he would of gone to court and been imprison. The mob ruled that crucifixion with not enough evidence to kill him, but to claim he was a king.

Yet to be Christ disciple we are to love despite the cost. No I think there can be a line cross by those that break the law of the land on Christians and believers of faith. Laws are to define the rules of engagement. If we are to love then we love Jesus and follow in his footsteps of loving God and bearing fruit of faith. Forgiveness came before the cross, the price paid for the sin came after the cross. Sacrificial law was in place until the cross. There would be no crucifixion for sin. All other persecution was because of disagreement of the law. You no longer have to be a battered or abused by others because of the law and freedoms in our nation. Stand for your universal rights in our land. Those in other countries learn about your government and freedoms of faith. Stop the hate and persecution around the world.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to obey your word and love others as you love us. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: John 15:7-14 KJV
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.