My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. Jesus, in John 13:33-35
Welcome back to another deeper dive into Scripture using the SOAP
method…Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer. For more on this practice, see previous posts here.
S –A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
O -This quote is from Jesus’ last night on earth, some of his last words to his close friends and followers at the Last Supper. In this short Scripture, he repeats “love one another” three times. Everything he said was intentional and important, but when Jesus repeats himself three times, as he did on several occasions, we can be sure it is an especially important point.
Jesus is telling his guys how people will know that they are his followers. And what does he say? Not…be sure to go to church, memorize scripture, wear religious jewelry, carry your Bible (scrolls) with you everywhere you go, admonish non-believers with quotes that you have learned, point out their flaws, and remind them they are sinners…No. He says love one another. Very simple. Simple but not always easy.
How Will They Know You?
Even today we are sometimes tempted to think that we show our faith to others by having religious symbols in our home, on our car, or worn as jewelry. Or by quoting Scripture, joining a Bible study, reading devotionals, or going to church. These are all great things to help us enrich our own faith; all good practices and great reminders that make us feel closer to God. But they are more of a means to an end. The goal is not simply to read your Bible or memorize Scripture.
You can read the book, but if nothing in your life changes, what’s the point? Where is the fruit of these actions? Have any of these activities actually changed how you behave and how you treat others? That is what matters to Jesus.
Love is the currency of God’s kingdom. Jesus says if you follow me, show it by loving each other. Oh and by the way, love as I have loved you. This is a game changer. Jesus loved in a sacrificial, submissive way. As he had just demonstrated by washing his disciples’ feet (John 13:4-17 ). Interestingly, he performed this act while Judas was still among them. Showing us, I think, that we are to love and serve even those who may betray us and may not end up on our side. That whole ‘love your enemies’ thing.
We Are Called to Serve
In washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus demonstrated love through servant leadership so beautifully. With this one humble act. And now he was asking them -his followers- to demonstrate their faith in the same way to others. Loving, serving, sacrificing, giving of themselves in humble servitude. We, too are asked to love in this way.
Not always an easy sell in today’s society.
A -What if I stopped focusing quite so much on learning about Jesus, and started focusing on doing what he taught us to do? Bob Goff, Christian author and speaker, has a great line about studying the Bible that goes something like…‘Instead of learning all of it, maybe just do some of it.’
When people see our behavior changing, through our loving service to others, that’s how they’ll know that we are his disciples. It’s the doing that makes the difference. This reminds me of lyrics from a hymn we used to sing when I was growing up in Catholic church:
…and I pray that our unity will someday be restored,
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
Wouldn’t that be something, in today’s society and political climate, if our unity could be restored through our acts of love in Jesus’ Name?
P -Lord, help me to remember that our faith is all about loving each other, and showing that love to others with acts of kindness, caring and service. Please strengthen me and bless me with your patience, your wisdom, and your compassion to serve others with the love that you have shown me and shown us all since the day you were born.
