Love One Another – John’s Gospel chapter 13, verses 31-38
(not chapter 10 as shown in the few video slides – apologies for the mistake)
Jesus had only a few hours to live. He had stooped to serve his friends, and soon he would stoop to die on our behalf.
The Glory of the Cross
When he [Judas] was gone, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33 ‘My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: where I am going, you cannot come.
John 13:31-33
Where do we see His glory. At the cross. “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.” Infinite love covering an infinity of sin.
The Mark of True Discipleship
34 ‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’
John 13:34-35
How is it a new command? In its scope: “one another” – we are to love all followers of Jesus. In its motive: “as I have loved you.”
But it is hard. There is a cost. Yet it is not a suggestion, it is a command. As He loved sacrificially (see 1 Cor 13) so we must take it and apply to the one that irritates, the one you don’t agree with in everything, the one you wouldn’t naturally associate with. The Christian life requires supernatural power, a new heart.
Others will see it and know we are His disciples. The vertical relationship to God must bring forth the horizontal relationship with others. Live-streaming, though useful, cannot replace Church. Church is no place for cancel culture, for tribalism.
The Security of Christ’s Love
36 Simon Peter asked him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus replied, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.’ 37 Peter asked, ‘Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ 38 Then Jesus answered, ‘Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times!
John 13:36-38
“But you will follow later.” Despite Peter’s over confidence he failed miserably only a few hours later when he denied even knowing Jesus. We can do the same. But even our worst failures cannot separate us from His dying, redeeming, rising again love!
New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Title image adapted from a Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash