I don't
think that anyone would question the fact that as followers of Christ, we are
to love others. It begins all the way
back in the OT. One of the first things
that God's people learn is to love God and to love others.
Jesus gives
us an illustration of loving others in the story of the Good Samaritan.
He also
shows us what it is to love others in His own life example. Think of how He ate with people who were
outcast, He went to homes of those who knew no love, He went to serve and
rescue the 'least of these'.
There is no
doubt that we are called to show love to others. But, I think that we can easily encounter a
problem if we don't also take the words of Jesus in the lesson today seriously.
John
13:31-35
When we
first read this, we can easily miss what Jesus is trying to tell us because we
have heard so much of this scripture in songs and lessons. Let's look at what is going on.
First, Jesus
has been spending time with the disciples teaching them lessons regarding being
a servant and has shared the Passover meal with them. He has identified who the betrayer is and
Judas has departed.
This is
significant because the series of events that are leading up to Jesus'
crucifixion are underway. This begins
the betrayal which leads to the arrest.
Jesus is trying to tell the remaining disciples what is happening.
Jesus will
glorify The Father by giving of His life.
God will be glorified in Jesus who He sent as a sacrifice. Jesus will be
glorified in the resurrection thus showing His power over death and the
grave. All of this is powerful news for
the followers of Jesus.
Jesus is
also saying that He is the only One who can do this. He is giving up His life for His
followers…you and me. No one can do this
for Him. His love is for you and me
beginning now.
Then, Jesus
gives them a new commandment. When we
first read this, we wonder what is so new about it. As I said in the beginning, they had been
taught since the beginning to love God and to love others. So, what is so new?
We must
understand something…Jesus is asking the disciples, what will be a new
community of believers different from what has been before (because of
Jesus)…to love one another. Now, they
aren't just to love one another. They
are to love one another as Christ has loved them.
Jesus gave
Himself for you and me. He showed the
ultimate love. He asks us as a community
of believers to love one another…love each other. And if we show love to each other, then we
are able to show love to the world.
People will see that we are a community of believers who love Jesus
Christ if we show love to each other as Christ has loved us.
Why is this
significant? Let's consider that the
church, us, the community of believers, is made up of people. We are people from various backgrounds. We have different opinions. We see the world from different lenses. We had different upbringings. We have different personalities. Yet, Jesus calls us, His people, to come
together and to love one another.
That isn't
always going to be easy. On the surface,
that doesn't seem possible. How can you
put a whole bunch of different people together and ask them to love one
another? To top it off….let's put a
whole bunch of people who love the Lord and put them in different churches and
ask them all to love one another. Just
getting along with the people in your own circle can be challenging enough.
The
KEY: We have the love of Jesus Christ in
us if we are His followers.
We can show
love to others because the love has been poured out in us. When we aren't able to work together or love
one another, it is because we aren't allowing the love of Jesus to work in and
through us.
This is new
for the disciples because they haven't experienced the kind of love that is
about to take place soon. They haven't
experienced the power of Jesus Christ to it's fullest just yet. But, when they do…they are to love one
another.
People
should know us by our love…not just for them, but for each other.
That is the
starting point for a powerful community of believers. If we allow Jesus to
change us with His powerful love, Jesus changes the church, Jesus changes the
world. Will you allow Jesus to change
you?
