John 13:34-35
How is the world to know that we are truly disciples of Christ, members of His body? Is it by the name we wear? Is it by having the right doctrine, organization, worship, etc.? It is certainly important to have all these things; but if we think that by these things alone we are truly the disciples of Jesus; that by these things alone the world will know we are Christ's disciples ...then we are sadly mistaken! Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus identified a key mark of discipleship... He gave what He called "a new commandment" It was a command to "love one another" - Jn 13:34 "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." He said by this all will know who were His disciples - Jn 13:35 "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."' Love for one another is how people will know that we are truly the disciples of Jesus... Do we know what kind of love that is? How do we develop that kind of love? How do we demonstrate this love? In this study I wish to encourage the kind of love Jesus commands of us, so that "By This All Will Know" we are truly His disciples!
Let's begin with defining the kind of love Jesus is commanding in our text. It is a new kind of love. There had always been the love of family, friends, etc. The OT taught to "love your neighbor as yourself" - Lev 19:18. But Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another" - Jn 13:34. This is not simply a command to love one another. But a command to love one another in a special way. -- Jesus is calling us to a new and higher standard of love!
What kind of love does Jesus command? It is a sacrificial love; "as I have love you, that you also love another". It is a love patterned after Jesus' love for us. -- This is what makes it a new and higher standard of love! The love Jesus had for us can be summarized in one word: sacrificial. As Jesus explained in Jn 15:13"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends." This is the sacrificial love demonstrated by Jesus' death on the cross where He laid down His life for all. The kind of love John wrote about in 1 Jn 3:16-18"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."As Paul commanded in Ep 5:1-2"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."It was this kind of love manifested by the first disciples of Jesus. It was this kind of love manifested by the church in Jerusalem - Ac 2:44-45"And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need."It was this kind of love manifested by the churches in Macedonia - 2 Co 8:1-5"We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints-- and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us."
As seen from these text it is a visible love. By such love Jesus declared "all will know that you are My disciples" - Jn 13:35. The implication is that such love will be visible and observable. And visible by all, not just by brethren! To be a visible love, requires a love that goes beyond the four walls of the church building. A love that extends beyond the few hours we are assembled together. A love that can be observed by those of the world and in the world. -- In some way, the world needs to have the opportunity to observe the disciples in action, in which their love that is patterned after Jesus' love can be seen. Being a "warm and friendly church" while assembled is commendable, but it alone does not fulfill the command to have a new, sacrificial, and visible love patterned after the love of Jesus!
If we wish to manifest this kind of love in our lives, where do we begin? We will answer this question in the second part of this lesson.
