November 16, 2020 -- John 13:34-35 -- Love as Jesus loves
/A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know you that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:34-35 English Standard Version
Yes, I can hear it already: “that is not a new commandment”! in fact, you can find it in Leviticus 19:18. Read carefully what Jesus said to His disciples then and says to you today “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another”. How did Jesus love?
Jesus sacrificed Himself—leaving the splendour of heaven.
Jesus did not insist on the prerogatives of divinity, but fully and perfectly obeyed the Father in heaven.
Jesus bore with the weakness and failings of His followers.
Jesus did not come to the earth, as Ravi Zachariah used to say: “to make bad men good but to make dead men live”! While you were yet sinners, Christ died for you so that you might rise to new life in Him.
Note then the parallel between Jesus’ work and yours—serving as He served, loving as He loved.
Christians follow Jesus, leaving their comforts in order to demonstrate love to others in Jesus’ Name. Christians do so knowing this will cost them money, reputation, and in the eye of the world this kind of love will all seem so foolish.
Christians are prepared to humble themselves to love and help others. Just like Jesus, Christians are not insisting on their privileges and rights, but with eyes fixed on the Father in heaven Who loves them and has prepared them for good works step out to do what the Father has appointed to be done in Christ.
Christians know their own weakness and failings and realize Christ has borne these in love in order to bring sons and daughters to maturity—so Christians patiently, lovingly teach others.
Christians understand it is the joyful, loving task to speak and live the Word of God in the power of the Spirit. Sowing such seed far and wide with the deep-rooted assurance God will produce the germination and growth and abundance.
LORD of heaven and earth, we give thanks to You! Your steadfast love endures forever. Thank You, Father in heaven, for the riches of Your love which You have demonstrated so perfectly, so completely in Jesus Christ. Thank You, Father in heaven, for the Holy Spirit Who equips us all to live in the steadfast love of Jesus so that many sons and daughters are brought to glory. Forgive us for our faltering words and the many times our witness is sputtering and incomplete. Renew in us a holy zeal for Jesus so that we truly will love as Jesus loved us and continues to love us. Oh, Triune God—You are worthy of all blessing and honour, glory and worship—Amen!
