The discourse of Jesus at his final meal with the twelve – in John’s Gospel – has enthralled readers and at the same time it has also mystified them.
For those that “intensely study” such things, they see puzzling breaks in thought, interruptions and repetitions.
Imagine, the night before his crucifixion, he not only eats with his disciples, he washes their feet, reveals “who it is” – that is going to betray him, and he tells his disciples that he is going to be leaving them…sooner rather than later.
And where he is going…they cannot come.
These were parting words, almost final words, obviously genuinely serious words… By virtue of the fact that this would be, in part, some of his final or last words, they had to be very important.
After saying all of this – he continues to speak: “A new commandment I give to you…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.”
It was in the form of a command. It was not a suggestion. He said it plainly.
So, how did Jesus love?
He loves earnestly. He loves unconditionally. He loves sacrificially. He loves with forgiveness and understanding. He loves eternally. At the same time, Jesus’ love is holy it is characterized by transcendent moral purity – because he himself is holy.
The culmination of Jesus’ amazing love for us is found in his death on the cross, his burial and bodily resurrection. Believers are to love each other like that!
In John chapter 15 – we will hear the words “greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
This is the love that Jesus is talking about. A love that knows no limits… A limit-less kind of love…
And then, he physically goes and puts his love into action.
I have shared this story once before, but it is just so apropos – it is about an 8 year old boy with a younger sister who was dying of leukemia. She needed a blood transfusion, so the parents asked the boy if they could test his blood. He said okay, and they did and the blood was a match…so they then asked him if he would donate his blood to his little sister.
He said he wanted to think about it overnight.
The next morning he told his parents that he was willing to donate his blood.
So they took him and placed him on a gurney next to his sister. Both children were hooked up to IVs…and the nurse took a pint of the boy’s blood and put it in the girl’s IV.
The little boy laid there in complete and utter silence.
When the doctor came into see how they were doing, the little boy said, “How soon now until I die?”
In his eight year old mind, he thought he had to die so that his sister could live. He was giving his all…everything he had.
The early church believed Jesus’ words, which is why over and over again you hear the apostles writing, reminding, preaching and telling people – how crucial and central their love for one another is.
Romans 12 says, “love one another with brotherly affection.”
Hebrews 13 says, “let brotherly love continue.”
I Peter 4 says, “above all, keep loving one another earnestly.”
The reminders are everywhere. “Continue to grow in love for one another.” “Love each other in the way that Jesus loved us.”
“Let your love be genuine.”
So seriously did they take these final words of Jesus – that very early on …the church decided that they did not want to be known by distinctions of wealth, or learning or fame, they were not to aspire to earthly honors…they were not to adopt any special style of dress or badge, but they were to be distinguished by “tender and constant attachment to each other.”
God does not love us because we are lovely.
He does not love us because we read the Bible.
He does not love us because we go to worship.
He does not love us because of the size of our offering.
He does not love us because we try to love others as he loves us. He loves us unconditionally. Remember: God is love. And, we are to mimic him. It is such an awesome message!