Our Gospel message comes to us today from the 13th chapter of John, beginning with the 31st verse.
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:31-35, NRSV)
All mighty God, we thank you for your word and the way that you in it revealed to us who you are and what you've done for us in Christ. Now as we open that word we pray that your spirit may be present, that all thoughts of worry or distraction may be removed and that the Spirit will allow us to hear your voice. And so, oh God, fill us with your spirit through the reading and proclamation of your word this day. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.
“Love One Another”
Today I would like you to think about a four letter word. It is probably the most difficult word to understand in the English language. This word has caused more thorns in peoples’ sides, it has divided more people and families into different groups, it has as many different meanings to it as people who think about the word.
This word has changed the course of history, this word has made heroes out of ordinary people, it has been the source of tension, the source of doubt, the source of wonderment for many centuries.
A Gaelic legend tells of an eagle swooping down and carrying a little baby to it lofty nest. The strong men of the village tried to scale the high and rugged cliff, but each one failed. Then past them went a small, frail woman, climbing the sheer precipice and returning the baby to safety.
"How did she do it’’ the strong men asked in amazement.
She told them her secret, "I am the baby’s mother." Her love enabled her, frail as she was, to out-distance the strongest of men.
Yes, this four letter word is love. Love, a simple but most complex of words. For this word, love has allowed people to change the course of history, it has allowed nations to go to war, it has allowed mankind to advance in its compassion and kindness to one another, but for all of it’s qualities, this word love is probably the most misunderstood, the less understood, the most highly charged word in our English language.
Jesus is talking about this word this morning in our gospel lesson. He says "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." Jesus says love one another. What does he mean? How am I to love? Why am I to love?
Who am I to love?
Once we start thinking about this word love, all kinds of things start happening. Questions, doubts, wonderment, values, ideas, relationships, all come into play. Yes, this four letter word seems simple enough, but in reality, it is the most, difficult thing, the most difficult concept we can encounter.
I would like to look at this commandment of Jesus this morning in two different ways, one by seeing why we are called upon by Jesus to love one another. Why Jesus gave us this commandment in the first place, then secondly, to ask some questions, to do something thinking about my, and your love.
But first, why did Jesus give us this commandment. Did you know that Jesus gave only two commandments in the New Testament? One about loving God and the other this one about loving each other. The commandments are written in different versions in different places in the New Testament, but essentially, they are alike.
He commands us to love. But that word commands is difficult for us Born-again Christians, because we believe that we live not by the demands of the law, but by the grace of God. So, why does he command us to love? Why does he order us to love?
Notice who Jesus was addressing when he gave this commandment. He was addressing his disciples, people who were already part of his family, people who had experienced his grace, people who were in a relationship to him. The new command has nothing to do with life or becoming a child of God. Christ has forgiven us and given us life before we even thought of obeying him.
The new command does not tell us, "Do this if you want to be saved," but rather, "Do this if you want to glorify God." Do this if you want to praise God, do this if you want to serve God. It-is thus not a command to qualify us for the kingdom. It is a command to us as members of God’s family. Only here does Jesus addressed his disciples as "little children. He is speaking to them as part of the family, not as people who are seeking admission. He is not telling them how to become members but how we are to act as family members.
As parents, we give instructions to our children. If they don’t listen to us, we are sad, hurt, but we don’t throw them out of the family. Obedience doesn’t make us members of a family, birth does. Likewise we become members of Cod’s family not by obeying is commands but by receiving the new birth he give us. Our obedience is how we glorify God. As part of the family, Jesus tells us how we are to give Glory to the father of the family, by loving one another. Jesus is saying, if it is your intention to glorify God, to give praise to God who has made you a member of his household, if you want to respond to God’s grace in your life, if you want to respond to God’s love in your life, if you want to be a responsible family member, here is how to do that; obey the command of love.
Why does Jesus command us to love?, because God has loved us so much that we are motivated to reflect his love to others.
As members of the family of God, our love reflects the love that God has for us. It is like the doctor in the following story:
A surgeon operated on a poor boy, whose foot was twisted out of shape. The operation was successful, and a friend came to take the little invalid home.
He said to the boy, "What a beautiful hospital you have been in!!"
"Yes," said the boy, "but I like the doctor best."
Then the friend spoke of the nurses and their kindness. But the boy replied, "Yes, they are kind, but I like the doctor best."
When he brought the boy home his mother was happy to see her son again.
She fell on her knees and looked at at his foot, "Why it’s just like any other boy’s foot now’" she exclaimed with delight.
All the time the lad was saying to her, "Mother you ought to know the doctor who made me walk."
Yes, Jesus commands us to love as members of his family so that we can give glory and honor to God because of his great love to us. It says in the Bible, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." God acted, he gave, God loved us, and Jesus is saying because of that love, because of God’s love for us, we are to love one another too, reflect God’s love in our lives, to give honor and glory to God.
Now that brings us to the second part of our discussion concerning this word love. We have just seen why we are to love. We have seen why Jesus commands us to love, and now we turn our attention to how. How do you and I love one another? How do I love you as a member of the family of God? How do I love those outside of God’s family?
Notice, Jesus doesn’t give any formula for how to love, he says only, "love one another just as I have loved you."
Maybe in that short phrase is the clue we might be looking for in how do we love. Just as I have loved you. Just as I have loved you. How did Jesus love you? How does Jesus love me? He made a commitment to me. He makes a commitment to you. His love is genuine, honest, caring and compassionate. His love is there, it is not turned off and on by fleeting passions, or emotional highs. Jesus’ love has a responsibility to it. Maybe in that word responsibility is another key. We are responsible, we are accountable for our action of love. There is freedom in the word love, but also a responsibility, a commitment, a sense of pride, a sense of value, a sense of dedication to some one, some principle, some value or truth that we hold high. It is our relationship to Jesus, our faith in him that lets us love our neighbor. It is the values, the worthiness, the acceptance he has for me that allows me to love my neighbor. Jesus is asking us to take that relationship we have with him very seriously and then from that we can learn and see how we respond to the brokenness of our neighbors. From our relationship to Jesus, we learn how to love our neighbor in a way that is authentic; in a way that accepts that person has we have been accepted by Jesus; in a way that looks for not what can I get out of my act of kindness, but what can I give to that person to make that person’s life one that has a sense of wholeness integrity and worthiness to it.
How can I lift up the life of my neighbor as Christ has lifted up my life through his being lifted up on the cross of Calvary? I think that is the fundamental question asked of each of us in this command to love one another. How can I give of myself, as Christ gave to me through the cross, so that I might be able to respond to the brokenness of my neighbor?
Jesus doesn’t give us an easy formula to follow. He doesn’t spell out in concise terms what it means to love one another. But through his life, though his deeds, through his words he does give us an example to follow, he gives us a sign, a clue, a road map to follow. And he is asking us today if we are following those clues, if we have been using his road map, if we have been responsible members of the family of God? He is asking us if by our lives are we giving glory to God for making us his child? He is asking us how important is it to you and me to be in God’s family, if it is important, then Jesus says love one another.
Let us pray:
Jesus, it’s a simple concept, but it is so against our nature to live this command out in everyday life. Holy Spirit, remove our selfish hearts and replace them with your own. Help us to react in love when we are wronged. Even down to our thoughts, Lord, renew us with your love.
God, there are some of us praying this prayer that haven’t experienced the fullness of your love. You say, “Love one another, just as I have loved you.” Holy Spirit, break down walls right now and soften hearts. Fill us all with the fullness of your love. Your love is self-sacrificing and healing. We receive that love right now. Let it burn into our hearts and purge them of selfishness and hatred. In Christ, we are made new right now. Thank you, Jesus. We love you. Amen.
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Scripture taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)® Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Jesus says love one another. What does he mean? How am I to love? Why am I to love?
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