0321 LOVE ONE ANOTHER

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

What are the two greatest commandments, according to Jesus? Love God and love your neighbor. That’s right. He says that all of the law and the prophets is summarized in those two principles.

Those are the two most important Old Testament commandments. And yet Jesus now issues a new commandment. What are the subtle differences between this “new commandment” and the one that was already established? Let’s look at it.

Jesus had just washed the feet of his disciples when we said these words. And John notes that in this way, Jesus, “having loved” them, he “showed the full extent of his love” by washing the feet of these men. And then He gives them a new commandment about love. Coincidence? I think not.

Jesus says in verses 34-35, “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 that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

What is “new” about this commandment? 

1. “One another.” It is not just love God and neighbor, but does involve loving “one another.” The church, the followers of Christ, become family. And family takes care of family. We show kindly affectionate brotherly love and defer to one another in this extended family circle. We have each other’s back,
2. Reputation. All people will know that we are Christians if we have love for other believers, and it shows that this is our natural love language. But if we only love naturally, and without the Holy Spirit, then our message will not be convincing. Not many churches have actually undertaken such radical love and fellowship.

What remains of this command, then, is to pursue the question, “And what is love?”

Love is not warm fuzzy familial feelings. There’s another word for that in Greek, and this is not it.

Love is not erotic emotional sexual attraction. There’s another word for that in Greek, and this is not it.

Love is not being good friends and neighbors. There’s another word for that in Greek, and this is not it.

Love is sacrifice. Love is surrender. Love is service. Love is laying down my life to choose what is best for you, not what is best for “me,” or even for “us.” Love is not a feeling; it is a choice.

This love is the right goal for every married couple to strive for. Not when they are dating and trying to attract each other. Not on their honeymoon. Not after living together for decades and taking one another for granted. But by diligent study of the love language of each other, maybe after fifty years you begin to achieve this kind of love. The love that is faithful for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until you are parted by death. And it only begins to kick in after seeing both sides of each of those promises.

So Jesus commands his followers to love one another. Not just one-on-one, but collectively to put one another before ourselves. Just as Jesus showed all of us his love for us. He laid down his life for us, his bride, and he did it long before he died. Jesus loved us in his daily schedule.

As we will see later in the New Testament, this kind of love is patient and kind. This kind of love does not envy or boast. This kind of love is not arrogant or rude. This kind of love does not insist on its own way. This kind of love is not irritable or resentful. This kind of love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. This kind of love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

This kind of love that Jesus commanded is the last thing standing, even after faith and hope are gone. It never ends.

This is what Jesus wants his followers to choose. Make no mistake about it; love is not a feeling. Love is a choice. 

Let us choose this kind of love. Amen.