John 13 – Love Excels
To become certified, paramedics endure 1800 hours of training and intense exams. Why? To save lives that are hanging by a thread. Even though paramedics can’t save every life, they strive for excellence.
Jesus, the ultimate Life Saver, provided His disciples three years of training so they could help save lives too. The night before He died, Jesus told them, “Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer,… but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:33-35 NLT).
For three years, Jesus has been the Super Glue holding this ragtag crew together, but soon He will depart. In order to maintain their unity and strength, He called them to keep on loving each other in the same manner that He had loved them. Before an unbelieving world, this will be their trademark, their Nike swoosh — disciples of Jesus love each other.
What limits does God set on this love? None! It will be as wide and deep and long and high as the love Christ has shown to us (Eph. 3:18). Jesus Christ is the measure of love, and He promises to supply love without measure to His people. Deep, caring, foot-washing, peace-seeking, unity-sustaining love will be our identifying mark of excellence.
What limitations do people place on this command and promise from Jesus? Have we ever fractionalized it and diminished it?
1. Look at your church or fellowship. To what degree is love your trademark? Sometimes we cop out, saying, “Since we are all sinners, what can be expected of us?” Well, Jesus expects this: Continue to love one another. Though He knows we aren’t perfect, He assumes His perfect love will impact us enough that the unbelieving world will recognize that we are His people.
2. What excuses do we make for withholding love from someone or in certain situations?
3. What additional restraints on loving one another have been forged and justified by pastors, local church boards, theologians, and Christian denominations?
4. What dire impact does our failure to love one another have on local evangelism and God’s global mission?
The purpose of asking these questions is not to beat you up. Listen to the tone of Jesus’ voice: “Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer…. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:33-35 NLT).
Jesus, the ultimate Life Saver, isn’t chastising you. He’s calling you to love others by drawing from the deep well of His love for you. When you do, the heartbroken and battered will eagerly seek refuge in the community marked by His excellent love.
This is post #24 in an ongoing dialog about the Gospel of John occurring online at www.philbickel.com, Facebook, and Youtube. You’re invited to join the conversation.
A catalyst for the dialogue is a free 97-page ebook, Fullness or Fraction in the Gospel of John, which introduces readers to 10 essential building blocks of life in Christ.
Photo credit: Image by Bokskapet from Pixabay. Used by permission.